A backgammon tournament open to all levels, good wine, and three hours where everyone ends up meeting everyone. Nobody needs to know the rules. We teach them in ten minutes.
Seats are limited and go by application, so the room stays mixed and nobody turns up to a crowd they already know. Members of the city groups hear about every date first.
Every date is announced in the city group before it goes anywhere else. Join yours and you will not miss one.
Backgammon & Wine started because the usual ways of meeting people are bad. You shout over music, you swap two sentences, you forget the name.
A backgammon board fixes that. You sit down facing one person. There is something to do with your hands, there is a reason to talk, and there is a winner at the end. Twenty minutes later you know them.
Our nights are curated: people apply, and we build a room that mixes levels, backgrounds and industries. Two leagues run in parallel, so a complete beginner and a seasoned player both have a real shot at the prize. Come alone, you will not stay alone.
Everyone gets a glass on arrival. Boards are already set up, cheese and charcuterie are on the tables.
A short briefing for anyone who has never played, then the draw. Groups of four, one point matches.
Three matches each, so nobody is knocked out early. Hosts move between tables and keep the scores.
The top half plays the Champions League, the rest the Europa League. Two winners, real prizes, photos.
Rules in ten minutes. Then the game does the rest.
Dates land in the city group first, and places go fast. Join the group to see the next ones, then apply for a seat.
Twice a month in Marylebone. The biggest group, and the one with a season ranking.
Join the London groupJust launched. Early members get first pick of the seats for the opening nights.
Join the Paris groupNo, and most people arrive the same way. We teach the rules in ten minutes at the start and the hosts stay with the beginner tables for the first matches. Two leagues run in parallel so you are never stuck playing someone far above your level.
Join your city group, watch for the date, then apply through the form. We read every application and build the room. Past guests and referrals get priority, so bringing a friend helps.
That is how most people come, and the format is built for it. You play three different people in the group stage before the leagues even start.
A glass on arrival, cheese and charcuterie on the tables, the boards, the tournament and the prizes. Extra drinks are on you at the bar.
Three hours, usually seven to ten. The tournament takes about two, and people stay after the final.
Ruben Teboul runs London, Pierre Gaillard runs Madrid and Paris, under Loomizz SAS. We host every night ourselves.