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The meaninglessness of backgammon results

Posted By: Jason Lee
Date: Monday, 25 June 2012, at 2:27 a.m.

In Response To: The meaninglessness of backgammon results (Timothy Chow)

I'm not sure I'm correctly parsing your question because it's strangely phrased. However, if you're asking why I don't play in tournaments, it's because I judge that the amount of time and money involved isn't worth the amount of pleasure I'd get out. Part of that pleasure has to do with challenging myself to play well. That's more important to me than winning, especially in a game like backgammon, where the subject line says it all.

I don't want to try to talk you into playing tournament backgammon, but I do want to make sure you have the right picture of things.

Playing in a backgammon tournament is not just about putting some money down, trying to play your best, and maybe winning now and then.

Backgammon tournaments are as much about a social gathering as a competition. When I first started playing in these tournaments, I didn't know very many people at all, and it wasn't as much fun as it is now. Now I look forward to going to tournaments and seeing people that I would now call friends because of a common interest.

The last tournament I played, in Chicago, I enjoyed a very pleasant evening just shooting the bull with Bob Koca and Chuck Bower, after having spent some time with Chuck going over our doubles matches. We talked about backgammon, a bunch of other stuff, and backgammon. We solved none of the worlds problems, but it doesn't matter.

The fact that you become friends (and occasionally enemies!) with the people makes the competition more interesting, and more meaningful.

Not wanting to spend the money, or not feeling like you're good enough can be good reasons, but don't make backgammon tournaments such a colorless thing. It may be a disservice to those people who have never gone to a tournament and don't know what it's like! Backgammon tournaments are fun!

JLee

Messages In This Thread

• The meaninglessness of backgammon results
  Timothy Chow -- Friday, 22 June 2012, at 11:53 p.m.
  • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
    Tom Keith -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 3:16 a.m.
    • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
      Timothy Chow -- Sunday, 24 June 2012, at 6:23 p.m.
  • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
    Henrik Bukkjaer -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 3:04 p.m.
  • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
    Bob Koca -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 3:37 p.m.
    • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
      David Rockwell -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 4:02 p.m.
      • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
        Timothy Chow -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 5:04 p.m.
        • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
          Bob Koca -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 7:28 p.m.
          • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
            Timothy Chow -- Sunday, 24 June 2012, at 6:10 p.m.
            • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
              Tom Keith -- Monday, 25 June 2012, at 2:07 a.m.
            • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
              Jason Lee -- Monday, 25 June 2012, at 2:27 a.m.
              • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
                Timothy Chow -- Monday, 25 June 2012, at 4:31 p.m.
                • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
                  Jason Lee -- Tuesday, 26 June 2012, at 12:46 a.m.
                  • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
                    Timothy Chow -- Tuesday, 26 June 2012, at 5:22 p.m.
            • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
              christian munk-christensen -- Monday, 25 June 2012, at 12:54 p.m.
            • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
              neilkaz -- Monday, 25 June 2012, at 7:57 p.m.
        • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
          Bob Koca -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 7:34 p.m.
          • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
            David Rockwell -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 11:08 p.m.
          • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
            Timothy Chow -- Sunday, 24 June 2012, at 6:21 p.m.
      • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
        neilkaz -- Monday, 25 June 2012, at 7:48 p.m.
    • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
      Victor Ashkenazi -- Saturday, 23 June 2012, at 5:15 p.m.
  • The meaninglessness of backgammon results
    Henrik Bukkjaer -- Thursday, 28 June 2012, at 12:57 a.m.