Jürgen Orlowski is one of the veteran figures in German backgammon on the international stage. His name has appeared in major European tournament results since the late 2000s, and he claimed his most important title in 2016, when he and Bernhard Winkelhaus won the Doubles event at the World Championship in Monte Carlo.
Orlowski's long presence at the professional level extends far beyond a single championship. He ranked 27th in the world in the 2009 Giants of Backgammon list and, in the 2025 list, was ranked 58th among the 64 top players and reserve players included in the ranking. Winning with Germany at the WBGF Team Championships in 2018 and 2019, along with two major individual titles in 2023, forms another important part of his career.
Who Is Jürgen Orlowski?
Orlowski is a German player based in Ulm, with an international tournament career dating back many years. One of his first major results came in 2007, when he won the Saint Amand Backgammon Trophy in France, defeating François Tardieu in the 21-point final.
A year later, Orlowski finished runner-up at the Eden Partouche Backgammon Tournament in France and also reached the runner-up position at the inaugural Cyprus Backgammon Open. During the same period, a fourth-place finish at the Georgian Open and notable results at WSOB events in Cannes and Prague helped establish his name among Europe's recognized players.
No. 27 in Giants of Backgammon and a Return to the 2025 List
One of the important parts of Orlowski's career is his record in the Giants of Backgammon. The list is determined by votes from Championship-level players and tournament directors and is published every two years. In the 2009 list, Orlowski climbed from 51st in the previous edition to 27th in the world.
Years later, his name remained on the ranking. The official 2025 Giants of Backgammon list published by the U.S. Backgammon Federation placed Orlowski at No. 58 in the world; he had ranked 67th in the previous edition. Returning to the list after years of professional competition demonstrates his continued presence on the international scene.
Winning the World Championship Doubles in 2016
One of the most important achievements of Orlowski's professional career came at the Backgammon World Championship 2016 in Monte Carlo. He entered the Doubles event alongside fellow German player Bernhard Winkelhaus and ultimately won the World Championship title.
The competition featured 32 teams. Orlowski and Winkelhaus finished first, while the Italian team of Annalisa Agosti and Laura Monaco finished runner-up. The World Doubles title remains one of the most prominent achievements of Orlowski's career.
Two Consecutive Team Championships with Germany
Orlowski's success in team competitions continued as well. World Backgammon Federation data shows that in 2018 he was a member of Germany's team at the WBGF Team Championship, where the team won the gold medal in Gibraltar.
A year later, Germany won again. The 2019 team, featuring players such as Volker Sonnabend, Tobias Hellwag, Ralf Jonas, Kimon Papachristopoulos and Jürgen Orlowski, finished ahead of Austria and Denmark. As a result, Orlowski has two consecutive team championship titles with Germany in 2018 and 2019.
2023; Mures Open and Merit Open Champion
Despite his long career, Orlowski has remained among the contenders in recent years. One of the strongest periods of his more recent career came in 2023. In June of that year, he won the main event of the Mures Open in Romania, taking first place in the Championship Main.
A few months later, it was time for the TRNC Merit Open 2023. WBGF records him as the winner of the Championship Main at the tournament. A WBF Turkey report also shows that Orlowski defeated Timur Azizov 17-8 in the final. In the same year, he finished runner-up in the Super Jackpot at the Transylvania Open.
Jürgen Orlowski's Results from 2024 to 2026
In 2024, Orlowski finished third in Super Jackpot 2 at the Arkin Open VIP and won the Last Chance at the same tournament. At the Oasis 2024 International Backgammon Cup, he also finished 18th in the main event.
In 2025, he finished 10th in the Championship Main at the Gibraltar Backgammon Championship. The latest result recorded in his WBGF profile is from the Georgian Grand Prix 2026, where Orlowski finished 20th in the main event. This means that after nearly two decades of competing in major events, his name can still be found in high-level international tournaments.
Jürgen Orlowski's Statistics in FTB Gammon System
Orlowski's profile on FTB Gammon System provides a numerical snapshot of part of his professional activity. The system records his rating as 2244.75 and has 86 tournaments and 376 matches for him in its database.
Rating: 2244.75
Tournaments: 86
Matches: 376
Wins: 229
Losses: 147
Win rate: 60.9%
These statistics do not cover every match of his professional career and are limited to the data recorded in that system. Nevertheless, a win rate above 60% across hundreds of recorded matches provides a useful picture of Orlowski's depth of competitive experience.
Orlowski's Current Ranking in Germany
The official Deutscher Backgammon-Verband ranking in September 2026 places Jürgen Orlowski at No. 14 in Germany. His ELO is listed as 1679.3, with an Experience score of 1,188.
The same table includes players such as Dirk Schiemann, Kimon Papachristopoulos and Tobias Hellwag in higher positions. For Orlowski, remaining among Germany's top players after years of international tournament competition is an important part of his professional story.
Jürgen Orlowski's Major Achievements
Orlowski's career combines individual, doubles and team success. His World Doubles Championship holds a special place, but his titles in 2023 and two WBGF team gold medals also demonstrate that his successful career has extended well beyond a single period.
Saint Amand Backgammon Trophy: Champion, 2007
Eden Partouche Backgammon Tournament: Runner-up, 2008
1st Cyprus Backgammon Open: Runner-up
World Championship Doubles: Champion, 2016, with Bernhard Winkelhaus
WBGF Team Championship: Champion, 2018, with Germany
WBGF Team Championship: Champion, 2019, with Germany
International German Championship: Joint third place, 2022
Mures Open Championship Main: Champion, 2023
TRNC Merit Open Championship Main: Champion, 2023
Transylvania Open Super Jackpot: Runner-up, 2023
Arkin Open VIP Super Jackpot 2: Third place, 2024
Conclusion
Jürgen Orlowski is one of those players whose long career is not simply a record of tournament appearances; he has achieved results across different eras. From his No. 27 ranking in the 2009 Giants of Backgammon and World Doubles Championship in 2016 to two team gold medals with Germany and his Mures Open and Merit Open victories in 2023, his career connects multiple generations of professional European backgammon.
His No. 58 ranking in the 2025 Giants of Backgammon, 14th place in the German ranking in September 2026 and continued participation in tournaments such as the Georgian Grand Prix show that Orlowski remains an active player on the international scene. The years have passed and the opponents have changed, but the name Jürgen Orlowski can still be found at major tournament tables.