Milan Jovanović on Top Again – Triumph in Valjevo

At the tournament held from May 22 to 24, 2026, in Valjevo, Milan Jovanović confirmed that he is currently in peak form on the Serbian backgammon scene, winning the 6th Valjevo Backgammon Open with an impressive record of 10 wins and only a single loss.

The starting list featured 38 players from Serbia, North Macedonia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bulgaria. The tournament was played under a pure Swiss system with a triple-elimination rule—where every loss is costly, but players get a genuine chance to showcase their skills to the fullest.

Particularly striking was the battle of Erduan Jablaničanin, the 2025 Serbian champion, who found himself on the brink of elimination as early as the third round after suffering two consecutive losses at the very start of the tournament. However, the experience and class of the champion shone through; Jablaničanin bounced back to finish the tournament in 13th place with four wins.

Jovanović’s most dangerous rival was Suad Rujević, who looked unstoppable for a long time. He started with five consecutive wins and only faltered for the first time in the sixth round, precisely against Jovanović. The two players continued to trade places at the top of the standings, with Jovanović also defeating Sava Nadaždin twice along the way. Before the start of the 11th round, only two players remained at the top of the table—Jovanović and Rujević, each with just one loss. Jovanović left no room for drama, defeating Rujević in both the 11th and 12th rounds to secure the title in the most convincing way possible. Third place went to Goran Meloski from North Macedonia with a 6-3 record.

Milan Jovanović takes home the trophy from Valjevo just two weeks after winning the title in Novi Sad. If this is a sign of a championship season to come, the rest of the calendar promises a thrilling competition.

On an interesting note, Milan also organized this tournament. Some have to work, and some have to win. He decided to do both.