The title match
2026 Final: Ueda vs Zizka
Ueda has been here before. In the 2020 final in Tokyo he averaged 2.61, still one of the lowest error rates on the UBC ranking list, and lost the title 14–10 to Masayuki “Mochy” Mochizuki anyway. Precision on its own does not win this trophy. Six years and a second Contender title later, he gets another go at the other half of it.
Waiting for him in Prague is Zdenek Zizka, who took the crown from Mochizuki in 2024 and defended it last year against Thomas Myhr by that same 14–10 margin. One man has never lost a UBC final. The other has never won one.
How the UBC is scored
Most tournaments only ask who won. The Ultimate Backgammon Championship also asks who played better. Every 7-point match puts two points on the table, and the two are counted separately, which is why a player can out-perform the champion and still lose the title.
Chronology
Champion
The winner takes the UBC crown and defends it against next season’s challenger.
Final
The Contender champion faces the reigning UBC champion over a series of 7-point matches.
Contender
Grandmasters compete across the regional circuit and a Final 4 play-off to win the right to challenge.
Point system
Error rates are scored by Backgammon Galaxy Deep Rollouts.
Achievable titles
The road to Prague
Event Schedule
| Monday 23UBC WARM UP | Tuesday 24 UBC M1–M6 + TG OPEN R1–R5 | Wednesday 25 UBC M7–M12 + TG OPEN R6–R10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 |
UBC M1
TG Open R1
|
UBC M7
TG Open R6
|
|
| 12:30 |
UBC M2
TG Open R2
|
UBC M8
TG Open R7
|
|
| 14:00 |
UBC M3
|
UBC M9
|
|
| 15:00 |
Warmup Event
|
TG Open R3
|
TG Open R8
|
| 15:30 |
UBC M4
|
UBC M10
|
|
| 16:30 |
TG Open R4
|
TG Open R9
|
|
| 17:00 |
UBC M5
|
UBC M11
|
|
| 18:00 |
TG Open R5
|
TG Open R10
|
|
| 18:30 |
UBC M6
|
UBC M12
|
|
| 20:30 |
FINAL: Warmup Event
|
FINAL: TG Open
|
Title holder
The reigning champion
Zdenek “ZZ” Zizka successfully defended his UBC title in a very close race against Thomas Myhr from Denmark. We saw some incredibly entertaining backgammon once again this year.
Twelve 7-point matches across three days. Zizka took it 14–10 with a 2.72 average ER to Myhr’s 2.78, the title decided by roughly six thousandths of a point per decision.
Finals
Contender
Rankings
Based on best tournament ER.
2.11
Galactic Grandmaster
UBC 2021 Final, Istanbul
2
2.34
Galactic Grandmaster
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
3
2.61
Grandmaster
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
4
2.61
Grandmaster
UBC 2020 Final, Tokyo
5
2.70
Grandmaster
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
6
2.72
Grandmaster
UBC 2025 Final, Monte Carlo
7
2.75
Grandmaster
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
8
2.76
Grandmaster
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
9
2.77
Grandmaster
UBC 2025 Final, Monte Carlo
10
2.78
Grandmaster
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
11
2.79
Grandmaster
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
12
2.83
Grandmaster
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
13
2.86
Grandmaster
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
14
3.01
International Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
15
3.03
International Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
16
3.06
International Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
17
3.11
International Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
18
3.12
International Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
19
3.14
International Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
20
3.23
International Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
21
3.28
International Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
22
3.28
International Master
UBC 2025 Contender, Copenhagen
23
3.29
International Master
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
24
3.33
International Master
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
25
3.36
International Master
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
26
3.44
International Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
27
3.45
International Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
28
3.47
International Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
29
3.48
International Master
UBC Regional 2023, Iran
30
3.49
International Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
31
3.50
International Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
32
3.51
Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
33
3.53
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
34
3.54
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
35
3.58
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Tokyo
36
3.63
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
37
3.64
Master
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
38
3.65
Master
UBC USA 2023, San Antonio
39
3.70
Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
40
3.71
Master
UBC 2021 Contender, Marbella
41
3.71
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
42
3.73
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
43
3.74
Master
UBC Regional 2023, Iran
44
3.75
Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
45
3.75
Master
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
46
3.75
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
47
3.75
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Tokyo
48
3.76
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
49
3.76
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
50
3.82
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
51
3.82
Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
52
3.84
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
53
3.87
Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
54
3.87
Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
55
3.87
Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
56
3.88
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
57
3.89
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
58
3.95
Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
59
4.02
Master
UBC Regional 2023, Iran
60
4.04
Master
UBC Regional 2023, Iran
61
4.05
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
62
4.10
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
63
4.15
Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
64
4.16
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
65
4.16
Master
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
66
4.23
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Tokyo
67
4.24
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
68
4.25
Master
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
69
4.26
Master
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
70
4.29
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
71
4.30
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
72
4.32
Master
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
73
4.33
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
74
4.44
Master
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
75
4.48
Master
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
76
4.50
Master
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
77
4.51
Expert
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
78
4.52
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
79
4.52
Expert
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
80
4.63
Expert
UBC 2025 Contender, Copenhagen
81
4.61
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
82
4.66
Expert
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
84
4.68
Expert
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
85
4.68
Expert
UBC 2025 Contender, Copenhagen
86
4.85
Expert
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
87
4.87
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
88
4.88
Expert
UBC 2025 Contender, Copenhagen
89
4.97
Expert
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
90
4.99
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
91
5.09
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Tokyo
92
5.14
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
93
5.14
Expert
UBC 2020 Contender, Gibraltar
94
5.18
Expert
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
95
5.19
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Tokyo
96
5.24
Expert
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
98
5.27
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
99
5.29
Expert
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
100
5.36
Expert
UBC 2021 Contender, Marbella
101
5.39
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
102
5.46
Expert
UBC 2023 Contender, Istanbul
103
5.47
Expert
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
104
5.50
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
105
5.52
Advanced
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
106
5.54
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
107
5.62
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
108
5.65
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
109
5.95
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, Tokyo
110
6.06
Advanced
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
111
6.07
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
112
6.10
Advanced
UBC 2022 Contender, Istanbul
113
6.29
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, San Antonio
114
6.62
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, Istanbul
115
6.80
Advanced
UBC 2021 Contender, Marbella
116
6.82
Advanced
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
117
6.91
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
118
7.31
Advanced
UBC 2021 Contender, Marbella
119
7.46
Advanced
UBC 2026 Contender, Stockholm
120
10.46
Intermediate
UBC 2024 Contender, Monte Carlo
Half a century in the making
In 1973 Paul Magriel envisioned a backgammon tournament based on skill. Half a century later in 2019, his vision became reality...
2018
Origin
The idea
Birth of the UBC concept
2019
Final
Monte Carlo
Mochy def. Sander
2020
Contender
Gibraltar
Ueda def. Kageyama
2020
Final
Tokyo
Mochy def. Ueda
2021
Contender
Marbella
Dirk def. Kazuki
2021
Final
Istanbul
Mochy def. Dirk
2022
Contender
Istanbul
Sander def. Zizka
2022
Final
Tokyo
Sander def. Mochy
2023
Contender
Istanbul
Mochy def. Zizka
2023
Final
Istanbul
Mochy def. Sander
2024
Contender
Monte Carlo
Zizka def. Rebelo
2024
Final
Nicosia
Zizka def. Mochy
2025
Contender
Copenhagen
Myhr def. Michy
2025
Final
Monte Carlo
Zizka def. Myhr
2026
Contender
Monaco
Ueda advances
2026
Final
Prague
Ueda vs Zizka
On YouTube
Every UBC match is streamed and analysed live on the Backgammon Galaxy channel.
UBC 2025 Final: Zizka vs Myhr
UBC 2024 Final: Zizka vs Mochy
UBC 2023 Final: Mochy vs Sander
UBC 2022 Final: Mochy vs Sander
UBC 2021 Final: Mochy vs Dirk
UBC 2020 Final: Mochy vs Ueda
UBC 2019 Final: Mochy vs Sander
Rules
The full regulations for each stage of the championship.