Backgammon party at MONC XIII

When it comes to fun and games, there are all sorts of draws that may bring you out of the house to compete: trivia nights, Nintendo Wii, dance contests and even Rock-Paper-Scissors tournaments. Venues has always used the energy of competition with the hopes that you and your friends will be inspired to come to their place of business and play. However, the MONC XIII home design store in Sag Harbor (40 Madison St., 631-808-3333, www.monc13.com) is employing a classic contest that, while is likely familiar to most, has yet to be regularly employed by your average tavern as a reason to pay a visit – a battle of backgammon.

Yes, backgammon -- the centuries-old challenge of bearing off checkers, with its rolls of dice and board of triangles. And while it’s safe to say backgammon is not generally viewed as a party-sort-of-sport, MONC will be juicing things up by adding prizes, hors d’oeuvres, the ability to watch the action and cocktails – turning an otherwise usually two-person encounter into a full-fledged celebration.

Those interested in joining the fray should call MONC XIII promptly to reserve a slot, as spaces are limited. The event will be an elimination tournament, but all players are assured a minimum of two games (as while the winners of each round will move on to play each other, so shall the defeated get an opportunity to scrap among their ranks). Everything begins at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17. No need to RSVP if you’re just interested in solely watching and taking part in the cocktail side of the soiree.