Conclusion of a Highly Competitive 25th Cyprus Open
The 25th edition of the FMBGT Cyprus Open has officially concluded after a wide array of individual and team competitions. Beyond the premier Main Event, competitors battled across Consulting Doubles, Speedgammon, Super Jackpot, Consolation, Last Chance, and the Ladies Tournament.
This variety of formats challenged players across diverse competitive conditions, providing multiple pathways to tournament glory.
A standout storyline of this edition was the exceptional performance of the Iranian delegation. Milad Momeni secured third place in the Main Event, while Hamid Esmaeili, Arash Afrouzian, and Yousef Abdollahnezhad captured major titles and podium honors across side events.
Below is a comprehensive review of results across all 11 tournament flights.
Ozan Ozgur Crowned Cyprus Open Main Event Champion
The flagship competition of the 25th Cyprus Open brought together 222 competitors. At the conclusion of the event, Ozan Ozgur secured the championship title with 13 wins, two losses, and one bye.
Gia Rizinashvili finished as runner-up with 12 wins and three defeats, while Iran's Milad Momeni claimed third place with 11 wins and three losses.
Milad Momeni's podium finish in the Main Event marked one of the crowning achievements for Iran in this edition.
Main Event top finishers:
Champion: Ozan Ozgur
Runner-Up: Gia Rizinashvili
Third Place: Milad Momeni (Iran)
Additionally, Amirhossein Motarjem finished in 14th place overall with seven wins and three losses.
Rambiz Khalili Yazdi Captures Consulting Doubles Crown
The Consulting Doubles flight stood out as another premier attraction at the Cyprus Open, featuring 82 contenders in a double-elimination bracket.
At the end of the competition, Rambiz Khalili Yazdi claimed the championship title individually. The duo of Konrad Froeschl and Peter Carlsson finished as runners-up, while the team of Ozan Ozgur and Murat Uzun took third place.
Consulting Doubles top finishers:
Champion: Rambiz Khalili Yazdi
Runners-Up: Konrad Froeschl & Peter Carlsson
Third Place: Ozan Ozgur & Murat Uzun
Rambiz Khalili Yazdi's title win was another major achievement for Iranian backgammon at the event.
Review of the Five Speedgammon Champions
Speedgammon provided high-tempo excitement throughout the Cyprus Open schedule. Five distinct speedgammon tournaments were contested during the 25th edition.
Speedgammon #1: Thomas Myhr Takes the Title
The first speedgammon event gathered 71 participants. Denmark's Thomas Myhr went undefeated with six straight victories to win the championship.
Ibori Regue Demeri took second place with a 5-1 record, while Aykut Keskin finished third.
Iran's Amin Shahvalizadeh placed fifth with four wins and one loss.
Speedgammon #2: Undefeated Victory for Hamid Esmaeili
The second speedgammon contest featured 82 players and yielded one of Iran's top successes at the tournament.
Hamid Esmaeili stormed through the bracket with a perfect 7-0 record to capture first place and the championship title.
Mario Wakim finished as runner-up, and Shai Asraff claimed third place.
Top finishers:
Champion: Hamid Esmaeili (Iran)
Runner-Up: Mario Wakim
Third Place: Shai Asraff
Speedgammon #3: Championship for Jan Jacobowitz
The third speedgammon tournament featured 26 competitors, with Jan Jacobowitz capturing the title.
Speedgammon #4: Juergen Orlowski Triumphs
The fourth speedgammon event brought together 26 contenders. Juergen Orlowski finished atop the field undefeated with five victories.
Eren Sarikaya secured second place, while Sevingul Amirov finished in third.
Speedgammon #5: Jerzy Benke Wins, Farhad Heydari Podiums
The fifth speedgammon tournament featured 67 players. Jerzy Benke claimed the title undefeated with six wins, while Taner Kandirali took second place.
Iran's Farhad Heydari recorded four wins and one loss to reach the semifinals and finish third overall.
This podium finish marked another significant achievement for Iran in the speedgammon category.
Ali Haydar Bayar Wins Super Jackpot
The Super Jackpot division attracted 72 players, with Ali Haydar Bayar capturing the championship crown undefeated with six victories.
Yakov Emrad finished in second place with a 5-1 record, while Ciurtin Radu took third place with four wins and one defeat.
Super Jackpot top finishers:
Champion: Ali Haydar Bayar
Runner-Up: Yakov Emrad
Third Place: Ciurtin Radu
Arash Afrouzian Wins Consolation Title
One of the biggest triumphs for Iran at the 25th Cyprus Open came via Arash Afrouzian in the Consolation tournament.
Competing in a 110-player field, Afrouzian won all seven of his matches to take first place undefeated.
Ciurtin Radu finished runner-up with six wins and one loss, while Edward Apazyan claimed third place with five wins and one loss.
Consolation top finishers:
Champion: Arash Afrouzian (Iran)
Runner-Up: Ciurtin Radu
Third Place: Edward Apazyan
Afrouzian's undefeated campaign stood as one of the hallmark Iranian highlights of the event.
Yousef Abdollahnezhad Claims 3rd in Last Chance
The Last Chance tournament featured 200 players, making it one of the largest divisions of the event.
England's Gaz Owen won the championship undefeated with seven victories. Thomas Myhr took second place with a 7-1 record, and Iran's Yousef Abdollahnezhad placed third with six wins and one loss.
Top finishers:
Champion: Gaz Owen
Runner-Up: Thomas Myhr
Third Place: Yousef Abdollahnezhad (Iran)
Abdollahnezhad's podium finish added another valuable honor for the Iranian contingent in Cyprus.
Gamze Demirkol Ozdag Wins Ladies Tournament
The Ladies Tournament featured 14 competitors, with Gamze Demirkol Ozdag capturing the championship undefeated with four wins.
Miray Altas placed second with three wins and one loss, while Ahdieh Bahadori secured third place.
Ladies Tournament top finishers:
Champion: Gamze Demirkol Ozdag
Runner-Up: Miray Altas
Third Place: Ahdieh Bahadori
Iranian Performance Summary at the 25th Cyprus Open
A defining narrative of this championship was the widespread success of Iranian players across multiple brackets. Iranian contenders captured titles and high podium finishes in both primary and secondary divisions.
Key achievements by Iranian competitors:
Milad Momeni: 3rd Place, Main Event
Rambiz Khalili Yazdi: Champion, Consulting Doubles
Hamid Esmaeili: Champion, Speedgammon #2
Farhad Heydari: 3rd Place, Speedgammon #5
Arash Afrouzian: Champion, Consolation Tournament
Yousef Abdollahnezhad: 3rd Place, Last Chance Tournament
Amin Shahvalizadeh: 5th Place, Speedgammon #1
These achievements reflect a dominant tournament run by the Iranian team across diverse competitive categories.
Final Wrap-Up: International Stars and Iranian Triumph
The 25th Cyprus Open successfully concluded across 11 competitive categories, defined by world-class performances and major milestones.
While Ozan Ozgur secured the Main Event crown and Milad Momeni claimed third, Iranian players including Hamid Esmaeili and Arash Afrouzian celebrated title victories in secondary divisions.
Combined with Farhad Heydari's third-place finish in Speedgammon #5 and Yousef Abdollahnezhad's third place in Last Chance, the tournament highlighted the immense depth of Iranian backgammon.
The Cyprus Open once again demonstrated that international backgammon championships extend far beyond the main bracket, offering competitors a grand stage to earn prestigious titles.