The tournament opened 140 simultaneous board pairings inside Kohi Navruz, a five-story cultural and entertainment complex completed in 2014. Known locally in parts of Central Asia under game categories referred to as nardy, backgammon blends the random element of rolling dice with long-term calculation of risk, probability, and board control. The Dushanbe event featured a significant financial backing for the mind sport, with the short backgammon main title winner collecting 76,000 dollars and the long backgammon main title champion taking 28,000 dollars.
IBF President Umar Kremlev noted during the competition that participants gathered not just for financial rewards, but to experience a growing international community. Alongside the matches, the federation launched an official application for online pairings, registration, and rankings, alongside a dedicated magazine covering both tournament results and lifestyle travel.
The choice of Kohi Navruz for the tournament connected competitive play directly with local craftsmanship. The 40,000-square-meter venue features traditional Tajik woodcarving, stone carving, and glass mosaics, echoing structures that previously hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
Tajikistan’s broader tourism initiatives incorporate international sports events under its 2030 tourism strategy. Foreign visitor numbers reached approximately 1,784,000 in 2025, marking a 27.4 percent increase year-over-year, though 91.8 percent of arrivals originated from Commonwealth of Independent States nations.
Neighboring countries across Central Asia have similarly integrated sporting events into their regional calendars. Uzbekistan hosted the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships and a modern pentathlon event in Tashkent, Kazakhstan staged the Astana Judo Grand Slam and the Games of the Future, and Kyrgyzstan utilized the World Nomad Games around Lake Issyk-Kul to pair traditional sports with tourism.
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