A Fond Farewell, and a Continued Commitment from Christine Merser, Founder, WWB

Three years ago, Blue 2's founder Christine Merser started Women's World of Backgammon with her co-founder, Karen Davis. She has just announced her resignation from the organization.

It is with mixed emotions that I announce my resignation from the board of Women’s World of Backgammon after three wonderful years. When Karen and I decided to start Women in Backgammon, the goal was simple: to promote women's participation, place, and preeminence in competitive backgammon, a space where our voices were underrepresented. Today, I’m proud to say we’ve made significant strides in that direction, building a thriving community of passionate, skilled women (and girls) eager to learn, compete, and shine in this timeless game. 

Backgammon offers more than just a game; it provides opportunities for critical thinking, strategic play, and a sense of empowerment that benefits women and girls of all ages. It’s a game of wit, patience, and perseverance—skills we all carry into our daily lives. Watching the excitement of new players discovering this world and seeing seasoned competitors reach new heights has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my work on women's issues.

While I am stepping down from the board, I want to say that this is not goodbye. I will continue to work closely with Karen, Irina, and Melanie to pursue the vision we have all set forth—one where women’s participation in backgammon continues to grow and flourish. The passion I have for this mission remains strong, and I am just a text away should I be needed. However, I have other commitments that are pulling me in a different direction, and it feels like the perfect time to step aside; WWB is on its way. I will continue to support the group as needed.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made me feel welcome as I strove to bring my set of skills to the mission. A few I would like to mention by name: Mike Gibbons, who supported us financially and personally before I'd even gotten the words out of my mouth—his counsel was invaluable. Art Benjamin, whose kindness and commitment to our group have been paramount from day one; he even loaned me some cash when I didn’t realize you had to pay in cash to register for a tournament. He was the first interview we did on our now successful YouTube channel, before we had proven we could do it well. Candace Mayeron, who is now a friend and always digs deep into what I ask her to consider, providing honest, smart, and clear input. She is a force. And, of course, Zdenek “ZZ” Zizka, who taught me a lot and is one of the nicest humans in the game. Lastly, but most importantly, Karen Davis. We’ve never played a match together—we have very different styles—and she has shown me the benefit of 'pause,' as well as discipline, which has always been a struggle for me but which she confidently brings to every single thing she does. I consider her a lifelong mentor, and I’m so grateful to know her as well as I do. It’s the best gift I’ve gotten on this journey.

I want to add a story here. Grandmaster chess player Anna Muzychuk refused to compete in the Championship in Saudi Arabia back in 2017. As a result, the Ukrainian missed out on the opportunity to win the World Fast Chess and Blitz Championships. Her standing plummeted because of it. 

It's been a long road back for her.

The 31-year-old gave a very honest response when explaining her reasons for choosing not to go to the Middle East and compete. Here’s what she said back then: "In a few days, I will lose two world titles, back to back, because I decided not to go to Saudi Arabia. I refuse to play by special rules, to wear an abaya, to be accompanied by a man so I can leave the hotel, so I don't feel like a second-class person. I will follow my principles and not compete in the World Fast Chess and Blitz Championship, where in just 5 days I could have won more money than dozens of other tournaments combined."

Years later, just a few months ago, she placed second in the world in the Cairns Cup—seven years after she refused to play in Saudi Arabia and lost her standing. She has not given up and is back among the top players in the world.

In my opinion, chess is not a sport known for collaboration. Every man (or occasional woman) for themselves. The best player wins. The one who makes no mistakes. The one who tries to ignore the person sitting across from them. I don't think it translates much to real life. I have no desire to play chess. 

Our sport—our fabulous backgammon, on the other hand—has luck to contend with. Skill. Assessing the other person. (I still contend that in tournament play the computer doesn’t take that into consideration, and it matters.) It’s like life. Learning to win. Learning to lose. Learning to support others who have beaten you, or whom you have beaten, sometimes because of the turn of the dice, not the acumen of your play. I have seen players with much higher rankings watching the final match that they should have been playing in, but for the luck of the dice—and they are rooting for a friend, a colleague, or just admiring the play of those in the match.

I believe that if some of the men in that tournament in 2017 had said they would not play unless it was moved to a location where women could compete equally, they would have been playing against her. I believe the backgammon community would have stood behind her, saying, "Change the venue, or you will not see us there."

And here is my point. I have found most of the men in the game curious about why we needed to have a WWB. And when they asked questions, they got it immediately—just like a 3-1 roll at the start of a match. No brainer. They support us. They want to play against the best, without regard to gender. They are lightyears ahead of so many men in other places—chess, business, etc.—who just don't want to think about the issues we face as we strive to be our best selves in the game. 

It's the men of backgammon I lift my glass to as I move on to other things. I thank you for welcoming us and supporting us. And I can't wait until we have our place at the table in numbers greater than we have now.

I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Women’s World of Backgammon and to continuing to champion the brilliant, dynamic women who are shaping this exciting new era of the game. Thank you all, and I'll be watching.

Warm regards, 

Christine Merser

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As Christine leaves the Board, I can’t thank her enough for enticing me to take this journey. She approached me at a backgammon haven in Maine one summer morning three years ago as I hunched over my computer – working as usual. She said she’d like to help promote women in backgammon. I had just met her the evening before in a chouette, but I responded, “Oh, okay.” And from that seed sprung what has become the Women’s World of Backgammon. 

She has been generous – dedicating resources from her marketing firm, Blue2 Media, and approaching her vast network of friends and colleagues to provide the start-up we needed.

But the real gift has been her strategic vision and her skill in engaging others to join in the cause. She taught me that stories can be more powerful than numbers at moving the needle. She insisted on raising the bar on effective communication and led the way in everything from podcasts to a survey learning from backgammon players – men and women – what they wanted to improve their game and how to remove obstacles to becoming the best they can be. She was willing to experiment, moving on when something didn’t work to breaking new ground and finding something that did.

…So boundless thanks, Christine, for all that you have done, and the legacy you have helped create. Your willingness to stand ready to provide wise counsel and problem solving when needed is another mark of your character. Blue2 Media's motto is to entertain, engage, and educate – you’ve done that for Women’s World of Backgammon!

With the addition of Melanie Hughes and Irina Litzenberger to the WWB Board of Directors, we’re ready for you to pass the torch. We will continue the race to achieve our mission of promoting women’s participation, place, and preeminence in competitive backgammon.

- Karen Davis