Halloween weekend in Massachusetts means backgammon again. The 2026 Boston Open runs Wednesday, October 28 through Sunday, November 1 at The Verve Hotel Boston Natick, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, 1360 Worcester Street, Natick, MA 01760. It's a stop on the American Backgammon Tour, and for the second year running it's directed by Rory Pascar.
The format
The ABT main event is played as a MoreSwiss in four divisions: Open, Advanced, Intermediate and Novice. Instead of going home after a first or second defeat, players stay in until their third loss. That means more matches for everyone, and a reason to keep fighting after a bad start. Around the main event is a full programme of jackpots, the Players Cup, the WWB Women's Cup, doubles and side events.
Day by day
These are local Boston times from the 2026 brochure and the USBGF timetable. Daylight saving time ends early on Sunday, November 1, so Wednesday through Saturday are EDT and Sunday is EST. The separate schedule page on the Boston Open website still shows 2025 times, so use the brochure.
| Day | Local time | What's on |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Oct 28 | 5:00 p.m. EDT | Super Jackpot and Players Cup (BMAB) begin |
| Thu Oct 29 | 11:00 a.m. EDT | Players Cup final rounds; registration opens for all events |
| Thu Oct 29 | 3:00 p.m. EDT | WWB Women's Cup begins |
| Fri Oct 30 | 3:00 p.m. EDT | Registration closes for the ABT Open, Advanced and Intermediate divisions |
| Fri Oct 30 | 6:00 p.m. EDT | Welcome announcements and Calcutta auction |
| Fri Oct 30 | 7:30 p.m. EDT | ABT main event, round 1 |
| Sat Oct 31 | 12:00 p.m. EDT | Novice division begins |
| Sat Oct 31 | 7:00 p.m. EDT | Lecture: Kent Goulding, "Hidden Whoppers & Bananas Splits" |
| Sun Nov 1 | From 10:30 a.m. EST | Final main-event rounds and side-event finishes |
Thursday and Friday are also packed with jackpot start times, the NEBC 1-Point Quickie, Juniors vs Seniors, SpeedGammon, the Zavoral Board Tournament and doubles. Check the brochure for every start time and entry detail.
Meet the director: Rory Pascar
Rory Pascar
Tournament Director, Boston Open
Rory Pascar has spent decades at the board as a competitive player, and he has four ABT titles: the 2010 Wisconsin State Championship, the 2014 Central States Invitational, the 2024 Viking Classic and the 2026 Atlanta Classic, alongside side-event wins that include both Super and Masters Jackpots. Away from the board, he has become one of the tour's most trusted tournament directors, and he brings a hospitality background to the job of looking after players. His directing work spans Chicago, Las Vegas and Boston, and in 2026 he directed the first Music City Open. When Covid stopped in-person play, he helped run online events that kept the community connected. In 2025 the New England Backgammon Club asked him to bring an ABT tournament back to Boston, and he did. He sits on the USBGF board of directors and its Eligibility Committee, and since 2021 he has been Director of Registration for the Monte Carlo World Championship.
Following along from home
Can't get to Natick? Bet On Gammon's three free fantasy contests let you draft players for the Super Jackpot, the WWB Women's Cup and the Open Championship. They're free to play with virtual points only and are separate from tournament registration. Our Boston draft guide has the deadlines, prices and an honest note on what's known about registrations.
Boston Super Jackpot
Lineups lock Wed Oct 28, 2026 · 5:00 p.m. EDT
Draft this team View contest detailsBoston WWB Women's Cup
Lineups lock Thu Oct 29, 2026 · 3:00 p.m. EDT
Draft this team View contest detailsBoston Open Championship
Lineups lock Fri Oct 30, 2026 · 7:30 p.m. EDT
Draft this team View contest detailsNew to the game, or want a refresher on how tournament play works? Start with the Beginner's Guide to Backgammon and our summary of tournament procedures.
