The Asian Grand Prix 2026 Tajikistan will take place from October 5 to 11, 2026, at the Kohi Navruz complex in Dushanbe. The International Backgammon Federation, or IBF, has announced a guaranteed $500,000 prize pool after tax for the event. The Backgammon Main event also has a capacity of 300 players.
However, the appeal of the tournament is not limited to the prize money. The list provided to the editorial team for publication includes several well-known names in world backgammon, from world champions to players who continue to compete prominently in major international tournaments.
Top Players at the 2026 Tajikistan Backgammon Tournament
The announced list includes players from the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, the United States, Japan, Russia and Afghanistan. At the time of review, the official IBF tournament page was publishing the schedule and registration information but did not display a complete public list of participants on the same page. Therefore, the names below are based on the editorial list, and significant achievements are mentioned only where an independent and verifiable source is available.
- Oliver Squire – United Kingdom: Winner of Super Jackpot No. 1 at the 2026 World Backgammon Championship in Monte Carlo, a competition with 96 participants.
- Jürgen Orlowski – Germany: An experienced German player who ranked 14th in the September 2026 ranking of the German Backgammon Federation.
- Aykut Keskin – Turkey: One of the players included in the announced Turkish list.
- Mike Svobodny – United States: 1984 World Backgammon Champion. He also won the 1992 World Cup and the 1996 Nordic Open.
- Akiko Yazawa – Japan: World Champion in 2014 and 2018, making her one of the most decorated names on the list.
- Sergey Erokhin – Russia: 2015 World Championship runner-up; he faced Cihangir Çetinel of Turkey in that year's final.
- Ali Haydar Bayar – Turkey: Another Turkish player on the tournament's announced list.
- Tobias Hellwag – Germany: A German player who ranked sixth in the September 2026 ranking of the German Backgammon Federation.
- Mikael Vardanyan – Russia: One of the Russian players on the list.
- Vasily Chemokhonenko – Russia: Another representative of Russia on the announced list.
- Najibullah Salamzy – Afghanistan: Listed by the editorial team as being from Afghanistan. However, his WBGF profile lists Germany as his nationality, so this detail should be cross-checked with the tournament organizer before final publication.
Two World Champions Among the Notable Names
The presence of Mike Svobodny is one of the most interesting aspects of this list. He became World Champion in 1984, meaning his world title dates back more than four decades. His recorded achievements also include winning the 1992 World Cup and the 1996 Nordic Open.
Alongside him is Akiko Yazawa, the Japanese player who won the World Championship in 2014 and 2018. Meiji Gakuin University also records both world titles in its profile of Yazawa. This is where the tournament lineup becomes particularly notable: two world champions from different generations are set to appear alongside each other.
Sergey Erokhin: 2015 World Championship Runner-Up
Sergey Erokhin also has a record that makes him stand out in this field. Official results from the 2015 Monte Carlo World Championship show that he advanced from the 160-player Championship field all the way to the final, ultimately finishing as runner-up.
In that competition, Cihangir Çetinel of Turkey won the title. Erokhin's run to the World Championship final demonstrates his experience at the highest level of competitive backgammon.
Oliver Squire and Germany's Notable Players
Oliver Squire is one of the players who recorded a significant result in 2026. Data from Backgammon Results shows that he finished first among 96 participants in Super Jackpot No. 1 at the 2026 Monte Carlo World Championship.
Germany is also represented by Tobias Hellwag and Jürgen Orlowski. The September 2026 ranking of the German Backgammon Federation places Hellwag sixth and Orlowski 14th. These rankings provide a clearer picture of their current standing in German backgammon.
When Will the Tajikistan Tournament Take Place?
According to official IBF information, the Asian Grand Prix 2026 Tajikistan will take place from October 5 to 11, 2026, in Dushanbe at the Kohi Navruz complex. The tournament has a guaranteed prize pool of $500,000 after tax.
The schedule is not limited to the Main event. The Backgammon program also includes the Masters Cup, Doubles, SuperBlitz, Blitz, 1-Point, Women's and Sprintgammon events. The Main event will use a Swiss system and Triple Elimination format and can accommodate up to 300 players.
Final Thoughts
The presence of names such as Akiko Yazawa, Mike Svobodny, Sergey Erokhin, Oliver Squire, Tobias Hellwag and Jürgen Orlowski makes the Tajikistan tournament particularly interesting for backgammon followers. Some of these players have won or finished runner-up at the World Championship, while others have recorded notable results in competitions this year.
However, a complete public participant list was not available on the official IBF page at the time of review. Therefore, final verification against the organizer's official list is advisable before publishing the names and nationalities, especially in the case of Najibullah Salamzy.