Peoria Backgammon Club

Home    Standings    Results   Tournaments   Directions    Stats    Sizzler

2009 Illinois State Challenge Cup

Sunday, February 8
Ramada Inn Hotel
Peoria

The Sangamon Valley (Springfield) Backgammon club won it's first ever
Illinois Challenge Cup tournament.  They defeated the Bloomington-Normal
club by a single win when Randy Armstrong won his last match of the day.  At
one point, Bloomington was 17-10 with three to play, and Springfield was
17-12, with only Randy's match left.  But all three Bloomington player lost
their matches and had reported their results as Randy played June Steinberg.  The
crowd gathered around and watched Randy close June out and walk home the win.

The win by Springfield is their first in 23 tries.  They began playing in 1987 and had
come close to winning in the past, and had finished in second place by 1 win as recently
as 2004 and 2007. This year they had the clever idea to all wear matching shirts with the
club logo and name on them  These weren't just your run of the mill t-shirts, they were
 long sleeved, high quality, nice looking shirts.  The crowd in the bar celebrating after
the win was a bit concerned however, when Carter Mattig mentioned the Bar Point Club
would be in matching SPEEDO swim suites next year to counter-act the polo shirts!

The side pools were all split several ways as no one could go undefeated with a 5-0 record.
4-1 was the best, and Randy Armstrong, Greg Tomlin, and Michel Plog each did it for the
cup winners. Michael Flohr, Ed Bauder, Carter Mattig, and David Rubin also lost only once.

Congratulations to the five Springfield club members who got their name on the cup for the
first time:  Jena Jennings, Randy Armstrong, Greg Tomlin, Steve McGuire, and Michael Plog.
John Jennings won his 2nd Challenge Cup, the first being with Peoria in 2001.


click for the all time Cup Stats









Randy Armstrong clinches the Illinois State Challenge Cup as he defeats June Steinberg of the Winnetka club

Ed Zell of Peoria reluctantly hands over the trophy to Randy Armstrong of the Sangamon Valley champs

John Jennings, Randy Armstrong, Steve McGuire, Michael Plog, Jenna Jennings, and Greg Tomlin (kneeling) with the trophy




Sangamon Valley celebrates their victory in the lounge at the Ramada




Copyright 2003-2009  Peoria Backgammon Club