About Us

The Internet Backgammon Database (IBGDB.com) was started in December of 2006 by Michael Strato Liberopoulos, a Canadian journalist and newspaper-magazine editor who has played backgammon for more than 50 years. Strato is also the Editor of the GammonLife.com online backgammon magazine and community website.

IBGDB.com was created and is maintained with the help of Michael’s wife, Marjorie Serrano Blanco.

Michael Strato has been actively involved in the online-offline backgammon scene since 1995 and has reported live from backgammon tournaments in many countries.

In 2002, Editor Strato was awarded the prestigious Chairman’s Trophy at the World Backgammon Championships in Monte Carlo, Monaco for his support of their event, and for providing daily coverage from the scene of the World Title on a number of occasions in the 2000s.

In May of 2007, at the 19th European Championships in Velden, Austria Strato was also presented with a special plaque by the Worldwide Backgammon Federation (WBF) for his “kind cooperation” and support of their tournaments around the world. The WBF, its President Alberto da Pra and Secretary-General Marco Fornasir, have organized many annual events worldwide since 1986.

Michael Strato receives plaque from Mr. Marco Fornasir, WBF’s Secretary-General and TD in May 2007.

Michael Strato is considered by some in the international backgammon community as “the foremost consultant on the game in the world” because of his backgammon contacts worldwide, involvement with online backgammon play sites and especially because he was instrumental in helping to organize the first-ever backgammon tournament in history to pay out more than one million dollars.

He was the consultant for the event called the PartyGammon Million, which was the idea of Stephen Pearson of Player International in England.

The tournament was held with success at The Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas from January 21-26, 2007.

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Strato has been the Backgammon Consultant for:

• The Play65.com backgammon server of Israel: once the world’s largest backgammon play site, Strato provided content (articles about Backgammon) to the Play65 website and also developed a system to detect and discourage cheating by players using bots to help them make the best moves. His work protected honest players and gave Play65 the reputation as a fair site to play on.
• The Partouche Group of France: Europe’s largest land-based casino operator, Strato was their consultant in the development of the PartoucheGammon online backgammon platform. Partouche and Eric Guedj created the World Series of Backgammon (WSOB), a television series with episodes from major events – Strato was also a consultant for the WSOB.
• Player International Ltd. of the UK: Helping to organize the first-ever Million Dollar backgammon tournament.
• Consultant for GammonPower.
• Consultant for TurboGammon.

If you are interested in acquiring consulting services on the game of backgammon from Michael Strato, please contact him at michael.strato@gmail.com

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