Michael Hirst, using a unique aggressive style of play fine-tuned by 30 years of experience, won the fifth staging of Strawberry Hill High Stakes Backgammon tournament in St Andrew last evening.

Hirst beat the not very experienced Andrew Issa, one of the last players to qualify for the main draw, 15-12 to win the trophy and take home $455,000.

Hirst also won airline tickets for two to London from Virgin Atlantic, weekend for two at Island Outpost properties, six months membership at Gymkhana, as well as a Sony Ericsson W810 telephone from Digicel.

Trailing Issa by four points during the match, Hirst tied up the scores 12-12 to tilt the game in his favour.

“In backgammon terms, I built a board against him, so I left him with difficult opportunities,” said Hirst.

Issa noted that he was leading 12-8, but took a cube that he regretted. “I got a little deflated, little tired. I let up on the game and my concentration went,” he said.

Issa took home $260,000 for second place.

Ruddy Armstrong finished third with a cash award of $104,000, with Johnny Todd placing fourth with $78,000, and Dwight Sangster grabbed fifth and $52,000.

Hirst defeated Ruddy Armstrong 13-11, two-time winner Alastair Macbeath 11-9, and Greg McLure 11-6 to reach the final of the knock-out round.

Issa took care of Todd 13-11, Sangster 11-7, and Mitta Rousseau 11-9 to reach his final.

Chivas and Appleton and cigar company Adduci also presented gifts to the winners.

Kynan Cooke won the Lost Souls trophy for those failing to reach the main draw. He defeated Freddie Moe 9-7.

Blaise Hart won the inaugural High Stakes trophy in 2006, Macbeath in 2007, Chiva Tafazzoli in 2009, and Macbeath again in 2009.