PRESS RELEASE VENICE, July 12th 2005

Martin De Bruin, the American who lives in Spain, won the

17th City of Venice International Backgammon Tournament

held from the 7th to the 10th of July in the glamorous setting of the Casino of Venice. De Bruin defeated in the final the strong player Vittorio Castro from Lugano.

There were 71 players from 12 countries.

30 trophies were assigned in a festive prize-giving ceremony.

The event was organised by studiogiochi on behalf of the Casino of Venice.

All participants could try out Snowie 4, the world's most advanced
backgammon software.

Herewith the complete results.

RESULTS

CHAMPION (16)
MAIN winner MARTIN DE BRUIN (USA/Spain)
finalist VITTORIO CASTRO (Italy-Switzerland)
CONSOLATION winner PETER BARDEHLE (Germany)
finalist MARIO BONFICO (Argentina)

INTERMEDIATE (23)
MAIN winner FRANCA BOSCARI (Italy)
finalist DOMENICO TORRIELLI (Italy)
semi-finalists LUIGI DE LAZZARI (Italy) / ALBERTO PROFUMO (Italy)
CONSOLATION winner LORENZO LAGANA (Italy)
finalist GIUSEPPE BAU (Italy)

AMATEUR (24)
MAIN winner NADIA DE SANDRO (Italy)
finalist GIROLAMO CASTIGLIONI (Italy)
semi-finalists STEFANO CATANI (Italy) / ANGELA PLEBANI (Italy)
CONSOLATION winner GIANFRANCO LUCCARDA (Italy)
finalist LUCA BONI (Italy)

SUPER LAST CHANCE (32)
winner FRANCO MODENA (Italy)
finalist BABIS DROUVIS (Greece)
semi-finalists ELI SCHVINDLER (Israel) / STEFANO CERIONI (Italy)

WARM UP (32)
winner RYUZO SUZUKI (Japan)
finalist RAFFAELE CASTRO (Switzerland)

DOUBLE CONSULTATION (14)
winners LORENZO LAGANA / IVANO ZANENGHI (Italy)
finalists VITTORIO CASTRO /RAFFAELE CASTRO (Italy-Switzerland)

TROFEO ROMAGNOLI DEI CLUB
winners LUCA BONI / STEFANO SINOPOLI (Backgammon Club Venezia)
finalists ANDREA de ZANDONATI / IVANO ZANENGHI (Backgammon Club Venezia)

71 players officially registered at the tournament: 16 champion, 23
intermediate, 24 amateur, 8 only other official events (double,
quarter-entry, etc. ).

past winners

1989 (155) 1990 (179) 1991 (144) 1992 (258) olympic champion 1993 (141) 1994 (128) 1995 (177) 1996 (232) olympic champion 1997 (170) 1998 (181) 1999 (189) 2000 (221) 2001 (189) 2002 (203) 2003 (121) 2004 (122) 2005 (71)

gerhard stoll, italy carsten joh, germany robert hutchinson, great britain andrè hoffmann, hong kong bob watchel, usa david bridges, great britain michael grabrczyk, germany evert van eijck, holland maurice djemal, panama jerry grandell, sweden markus eek, sweden teppo salo, finland xavier braun, germany artur muradian, armenia jakov nepomniatchy, russia mogens knudsen, denmark giorgio caldera, italy mogens knudsen, denmark martin de bruiin , usa-spain