International Backgammon Federation (IBF) Launches Asian Grand Prix 2026 Backgammon Tournament in Dushanbe with a Grand Prize Fund of Half a Million Dollars!
Today, in the capital of Tajikistan, one of the largest events in the world of intellectual games has commenced — the international backgammon tournament Asian Grand Prix 2026. Organized by the International Backgammon Federation (IBF), the competition is being held in Dushanbe for the first time, becoming the third Grand Prix series of this year and continuing the successful stages in Tashkent and Tbilisi.
More than 300 athletes from over 30 countries are taking part in the competition. The youngest participant is 22-year-old Kalin Stefanov from Bulgaria, while the oldest is John Rockwell from the USA, who is 88 years old.
The IBF has set a new industry standard by guaranteeing an unprecedented prize fund of $500,000 USD. Participants will compete for medals in a record-breaking 12 disciplines — a feat unmatched anywhere else in the world.
For the matches, a large-scale venue with state-of-the-art technical equipment for 140 gaming spots has been set up at the Navruz Palace Cultural and Entertainment Center (Kokhi Navruz). A professional refereeing team of 22 arbiters representing Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan is working at the tournament.
Coinciding with the start of the tournament in Dushanbe, the official IBF mobile application has been launched. It is already available for download on the App Store and Google Play. The application creates a unified digital environment for players and fans: here one can play backgammon online, be the first to learn about IBF events, register for them, follow athlete rankings, and more.
The International Backgammon Federation also presents its first international magazine dedicated to backgammon and the people who make up our global community — International Backgammon Journal. The first issue features an in-depth interview with IBF President Umar Kremlev, highlights from the Georgia Grand Prix and the first World Championship in long backgammon, stories of champions and players from around the world, as well as content on style, travel, IBF development, and the future of our sport. The corporate publication will be released twice a year.
Umar Kremlev, President of the International Backgammon Federation: "In just one year, the IBF has held three Grand Prix events and the first World Championship in long backgammon. And today we are together again — right here in Dushanbe. It is important for us that players come to tournaments not only for victory and prize money. The most important thing is for everyone to feel: they are expected here, they are known here, they are among their own. And we want our family to grow even bigger."
The competition will run from October 5 to 11 at the Navruz Palace Cultural and Entertainment Center (Kokhi Navruz).
Tournament partners: SeaBreeze project, Rossotrudnichestvo in Tajikistan.
Photos from the opening ceremony are available here.
