Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosemary Steffen.
Hi Rosemary, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
A little over a year ago, I barely knew how the checkers moved. My dad, a longtime backgammon player, taught me the game, and not many people believe me when I say how recently I started. I went from learning the basics to competing in tournaments across the continent — and now I’m consistently winning and placing in events.
As I started competing more seriously, I noticed I was often the only young woman in the room. I loved the game, but I realized there was a huge opportunity to make backgammon feel more modern and welcoming for younger players — especially women. That’s what inspired me to create The Social Point, a social backgammon club based in Fort Lauderdale that hosts events all over the city. One of our recurring events is Dice, Lies, & Alibis — a weekly speakeasy-style backgammon social on Tuesdays at Bar Betty.
I also created an educational social-to-competitive pipeline called “Road To,” which developed into The Social Point Team — a group that travels together to compete in tournaments. In Miami, I had a team of 11 players, mostly women, and I recently brought a team to Washington DC where everyone performed incredibly well. Seeing us all walk into tournaments in matching tracksuits is honestly one of the things I’m most proud of.
Now, I’m planning “Road To Jamaica” for this fall and growing The Social Point. What started as me learning a board game from my dad has turned into a community and movement. Today, The Social Point serves as a third space where people can connect, learn something new, compete, and build friendships in a world where genuine social connection is becoming harder to find.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Getting people to consistently show up for something you’re building from scratch is really hard.
There have also been challenges navigating tournament spaces as a young woman. I’ve had moments where I felt like I had to advocate for myself more than others did. There have been times where I was encouraged to “stay in my lane” or not move up divisions, not because of my skill level but because I was a younger woman entering spaces that traditionally skew older and male.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Social Point is a social backgammon club focused on making backgammon feel approachable and exciting. We host events throughout Fort Lauderdale and South Florida. Our signature format, “The Social Ladder,” is a fast-paced format where players rotate and move up the ladder throughout the event, and if they win three matches in a row, they win a prize. It’s designed to make the game feel social, interactive, and beginner-friendly while still creating a competitive atmosphere. Someone can walk in never having played before and still immediately feel included.
What sets us apart is that we’re not just teaching people how to play a game — we’re creating a community. A lot of our players had never touched a backgammon board before attending their first Social Point event, and now some of them are traveling with us to tournaments around the country.
One of the things I’m most proud of is building The Social Point Team through our “Road To” pipeline. We’ve created a team culture around learning and competing together, and many of our members are women and younger players who never really saw themselves represented in competitive backgammon spaces before.
I also think The Social Point has helped modernize the image of backgammon. We host events everywhere from cafés to speakeasies, and we intentionally create environments that feel social and beginner-friendly instead of intimidating. Whether someone wants to casually learn over cocktails or improve and compete internationally, we want there to be a place for them within our community.
At the end of the day, I want people to know that The Social Point is about connection just as much as competition.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how social and active Fort Lauderdale is. There’s always something happening, and people are open to trying new experiences.
My least favorite thing would have to be parking. It takes forever to find a spot, and it doesn’t come cheap.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fortlauderdalebackgammonclub.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialpointclub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Fort-Lauderdale-Backgammon-Club/61582909400912/#
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesocialpointclub
