Hyatt Centric Chicago O’Hare
- 6350 N. River Road, Rosemont, Illinois, 60018
Rory Pascar
Tournament Organizer and Director
Contact Rory Pascar for any questions or assistance regarding the Las Vegas Open Backgammon Tournament. He can assist you with hotel reservations, airport transfers, payment of entry fees, tournament registration, questions regarding the tournament format, and anything else you may need. Just let him know!
Tournament Director: Rory Pascar
Phone: 617.699.9100
Email: rory@chicagoopenbg.com
Benjamin Friesen
Tournament Director 2
Ben is currently serving as Interim President and Treasurer of the USBGF. Over the past decade he has established himself as one of the very best organizers and directors in Backgammon. His current tournament directorship résumé includes the Cherry Blossom, Michigan Summer Championships, and Wild West Shootout. Last year he stepped up and assisted Rory when attendance numbers climbed for the reinvented Boston Open. Rory gives Ben much credit for being the key factor in making the Boston Open so seamless and efficient. If Rory is organizing and directing a tournament you can expect Ben to be his TD2 for years to come.
Kaitlyn Speciale
Staff
Kaitlyn has been a part of Rory's tournament staff since he began Directing the Chicago Open in 2011. Over the years, Kaitlyn has taken on significantly greater responsibilities and is now a vital member of Rory's Team. Whether it is assisting with registration, managing side events, handling player questions & requests, or updating the OTS brackets there isn't much she can't do. Just ask Bill & Tara. They are so impressed by her expertise, they brought her to San Antonio to be part of their staff for the Texas Backgammon Championships in February 2026.
Amelia Pascar
Staff - The Boss's Daughter
Amelia will be official Chicago Open staff for the 10th time in 2026. She started out as a gopher, marching around the tournament & hopsitality rooms keeping them tidy. Over the years she has taken on more and more responsibilities such as reporting match results, pairing up players, assisting with tournament draws, player registrations, and prize distributions. She is currently finishing up her Junior year in highschool and looks forward to studying marketing and graphic design in college.
Nelly Jalilvand
Staff
Nelly is the newest member to Rory's staff. She began assisting USBGF in 2024 by supporting Gammon Associates West’s Los Angeles tournaments. Having grown up playing backgammon, she is excited to expand her presence in the community and continue growing her knowledge of the game and tournament operations.
Tara Mendicino & Bill Riles
The Stream Team Dream Team
Tara Mendicino and Bill Riles would be best known for organizing the Texas Backgammon Championships, a feature stop on the American Backgammon Tour (ABT), but due to their efforts to provide the backgammon community with the best and most innovative streaming possible, I believe this will be their legacy. Bill is cool, calm, and collected on the mic while maintaining both a professional and entertaining presence. Tara just pushes the envelope further and further every year. I look forward to seeing what innovation she has in store for us next!
