John R. Crawford was an American bridge and backgammon player, most notably recognized for creating the "Crawford rule" in backgammon. This rule, which significantly impacts match play, adds a layer of strategic depth to the game. Born John Yocum Randolph Crawford on August 4, 1915, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, he demonstrated exceptional skill in both card and board games.

Marty Storer is a highly respected figure in the world of backgammon, renowned for his exceptional skill as a player and his significant contributions as an author and analyst. He is a BMAB Grandmaster Class 1, with a PR rating of 3.19 at this writing, one of only three Americans to have earned this title. He has been as high as third-ranked in the world. In 2024 he ranked #22 on the top 32 Giants of Backgammon list and has been on the list since 2015 for a total of five times. He has no shortage of ABT titles over the decades, becoming one of the most accomplished players in American history. He won the first American Backgammon Tour championship in 1993, and again in 2022, He was a member of the winning Team USA in the 2020 Magriel Cup. He is a three-time champion of the New England Backgammon Club.

Lewis was one of the top players in the world during the first decade of “Modern Backgammon” 1964- 1974. Lewis Deyong transitioned into perhaps the best promoter, organizer, director, and auctioneer the backgammon world has ever seen.

Lee won the Backgammon World Championship in 1981. She is one of only four women to win the title in over a half-century of existence. Lee won the Women’s World Championship in 1978 and 1979. Between 1979 and 1985 she won or came in second in 37 major world tournaments.

Wilcox was universally regarded as one of the top few players of his era. He was widely regarded as one of the world’s best, if not the best, money games players. He was voted the number one Giant in 1993 and 1997 and finished second in Recorded matches from the pre-bot and early bot era show that Wilcox played at an exceptionally low PR for players at that time.

With a career that spanned over two decades, Matvey Natanzon, better known affectionately as Falafel, has left an indelible mark on the game we hold dear through his extraordinary skill, intuitive gameplay, and magnetic personality. Falafel’s remarkable achievements earned him a place among the Giants of Backgammon. He was voted in the top 10 of the Giants list for seven consecutive years and claimed the coveted No. 1 spot twice and No. 2 once. His intuitive playing style repeatedly triumphed against advanced artificial intelligence, helping him emerge victorious in numerous national and international events and solidifying his reputation as one of the game’s greatest natural players.

For an astounding 14 years, Mochy’s unrivaled skill has placed him at the pinnacle of the game, earning him universal acclaim. He triumphed in the Ultimate Backgammon Championship (UBC) three times out of four, finishing second last year. In April of 2023, he won the UBC Contender event and will try to retake the UBC title from the defending champion, 2022 World Champion Sander Lylloff. Such fine results reaffirm Mochy’s dominance. His extraordinarily low performance rating (PR) has consistently surpassed his peers and earned him the coveted Super Grandmaster classification, an honor bestowed upon him exclusively by the Backgammon Masters Awarding Body.

John O'Hagan is a man of impeccable character and uncommon intelligence. His easy, laid-back demeanor makes him among the most approachable of the Elite players. A stalwart of the BMABs, he is ranked Grandmaster 2, and has been elected to the Giants of Backgammon every single time since 2005. He is currently, in 2022, ranked #9 Giant in the world. In 2005 he missed being the World Champion by a hair, coming in 2nd in a 25-point match at DMP. His online game is fantastic too. With Galaxy's 20,000 members, he is ranked #7. In the world.

Art has been on the backgammon scene for over 30 years and has had tremendous success at the highest levels, finishing first, second, and third in the ABT, between 1993 and 1997. He is ranked 12th on the all-time ABT list, even though work prevents him from attending more than a few events a year. But more than just a player, he is a scholar, a teacher, a volunteer, an innovator, and a mediator as well.

Karen has been a central figure in the rise of the U.S. Backgammon Federation — many say the central figure. She has served on the USBGF Board since its inception in 2009. She was Board Chair from 2010 to 2017, and she was the Federation’s President and Executive Director from 2017 to 2020. She has been a driving force for PrimeTime Backgammon Magazine since its publication began in 2010.

Ed O'Laughlin is a Hall-of-Famer in every way. He has been playing backgammon for 38 years, with his game stronger than ever at age 81. He is an avid student of the game and has never lost his curiosity and enthusiasm.

One of the best-liked and most-respected players in American backgammon, Steve Sax has been a prominent member of the backgammon community for four decades. A renowned competitor with a superlative record of achievement, he is also known for giving generously of his time and expertise.

Prince Alexis Obolensky, regarded by some as the “The Father of Modern Backgammon,” was the first person to define, organize, and popularize tournament play in the United States and internationally.

Beginning with a victory in the World Amateur Championship (544 players) in Las Vegas in 1983, at the age of twenty-one, Joe Sylvester was generally considered to be the best tournament player in the game for at least the next twelve years.

Ray Fogerlund is one of the most accomplished tournament players in modern backgammon history. Known as an intense competitor, he is also recognized for having a heart of gold beneath the occasionally rough exterior.

For over thirty years, Joe Russell has been an outstanding player, an international ambassador of the game, and a significant contributor and promoter of backgammon through his work with the U.S. Backgammon Federation.

Mike Svobodny is one of the most internationally well-known backgammon players and one of the few true celebrities of the game. In addition to a significant tournament play history, he is regarded as the most successful money and proposition player in backgammon. Mike Svobodny is a citizen of the world, travelling far and wide to play.

For over thirty years, Howard Markowitz has put his own unique stamp on backgammon tournaments, with his high payouts attracting the largest number of entrants and drawing top players from around the world.

Backgammon’s first mathematical theoretician and analyst; Danny Kleinman’s insight, wit, and satire entertained and educated backgammon players for decades. He was a prolific author and a renowned, beloved columnist.

The first modern backgammon superstar, Tim Holland won three World Championships and three International Backgammon Championships — more major backgammon championships than anyone else in the history of the game. Tim was also a successful author and renowned teacher.

Known as the quintessential tournament director, Patrick Gibson has gained widespread affection and universal respect for his fairness, integrity, and dedication. He has directed 76 Los Angeles Open and California State Championships, over 3,600 weekly tournaments in the Los Angeles area, and, beginning in 2000, sixteen Vietor Cup tournaments in La Jolla (the oldest tournament in the U.S.).

Master chess player, Scrabble legend, backgammon champion, and mainstay of the New York games scene for four decades, Mike Senkiewicz raised the level of backgammon play since the early 1980s.

A gifted and prolific author, publisher, and promoter/director widely respected for his intelligence and insight, Bill Robertie is a two-time World Champion.

Author of the “Bible” of backgammon, the name Paul Magriel has been synonymous with backgammon since the publication of his groundbreaking book Backgammon in 1976, still viewed as backgammon’s leading text.

Noted for his brilliant analytical mind, Neil Kazaross is famous for inventing “Neil’s Numbers,” a short-hand method of calculating match equities over the board, and coauthor of the Rockwell/Kazaross MET (Match Equity Table).

One of the preeminent gamesmen of the twentieth century, Oswald Jacoby was regarded both as a leading backgammon player and co-author of the first analytic book on backgammon.

An innovative force in the game, Kent Goulding is esteemed as a backgammon player, publisher, director/organizer, witty auctioneer, and raconteur extraordinaire.

The epitome of a gracious gentleman, Malcolm Davis is one of only seven players to have been voted onto every Giants of Backgammon listing since its inception.

Bill Davis is widely respected for his contributions, innovations, and promotion of the game. He is the founder of the American Backgammon Tour, has directed the Chicago Bar Point Club since 1983, directed the Midwest Backgammon Championships from 1984 thru 2009, and has directed the Central States Invitational since 2010.

Named by Sports Illustrated as “the father of modern backgammon,” Barclay Cooke was renowned for his fairness and generosity.

Widely regarded as the Queen of backgammon in the United States, Carol Joy Cole is revered and beloved by all. She founded the Flint Area Backgammon Club in 1978, publishing the Flint Area Backgammon News.

Considered an all-time great player, Nack Ballard has done it all in the world of backgammon. He is one of the few players to have been voted onto every Giants of Backgammon listing.

Noted bridge and backgammon author, Kit Woolsey is one of backgammon’s leading experts on the doubling cube and tournament play. Kit has been on the vanguard of the computer revolution – writing his own programs for analysis in the early 1980s, and running the First Internet Backgammon Server (FIBS), created by Andreas Schneider.

Backgammon’s preeminent mathematical theorist, Walter Trice is known for development of the Effective Pip Count and his best-selling book, Backgammon Boot Camp.