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Backgammon vs. Poker

Posted By: Matt Cohn-Geier
Date: Wednesday, 26 February 2014, at 1:02 a.m.

In Response To: If (Pat MacNeil)

Here's the thing. It's true, there are some similarities between backgammon and poker. They are both games. Both involve statistical and logical reasoning. Both involving making choices in the face of uncertain outcomes in which probability plays some role.

Beyond that, there are some major differences between backgammon and poker. Poker immediately lends itself to gambling, whether money or tournment wise. If you play in a few poker tournaments, you think "hey, I could make money online playing poker tournaments, and I could play any time I wanted." There is no such online market for backgammon, and has never really been one except perhaps for one brief window in the mid 2000s. No kids are dropping out of school to become professional backgammon players, because most kids don't know that backgammon exists.

If backgammon were a multibillion dollar industry, where there was a mass of kids spending all their hours playing online, or federal agents were raiding multiple underground backgammon games, then it would have enough similarities to poker to justify implementing nationwide policies. If, at some point, there were a World Series of Backgammon in a Vegas casino with a $10k entry fee on ESPN, then I could understand not having minors around.

But, backgammon is a game that kids play with their grandma (that is, if either the kids or grandma are aware of its existence). Barring them from playing doubles with their parents because there is a nominal entry fee seems crazy (whether a state could or would legally construe it as gambling might vary from state to state and I am not a legal expert by any means--but it certainly seems well beneath their pay grade).

Messages In This Thread

• Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
  phil simborg -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 3:36 p.m.
  • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
    Chiva Tafazzoli -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 4:28 p.m.
    • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
      institute -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 12:26 a.m.
      • How did you find America? John Lennon 50 years ago): Turn Left at Greenland
        Rick Janowski -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 1:55 p.m.
  • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
    Art Grater -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 5:43 p.m.
  • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
    Coolrey -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 5:44 p.m.
  • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
    stw672 -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 8:44 p.m.
    • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
      Keene -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 9:18 p.m.
      • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
        Art Grater -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 11:13 p.m.
    • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
      phil simborg -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 9:29 p.m.
      • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
        Ray Kershaw -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 9:51 p.m.
      • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
        Art Grater -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 11:16 p.m.
    • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
      Adam Torkelson -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 9:56 p.m.
      • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
        Fatboy -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 10:02 p.m.
  • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
    Fatboy -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 9:59 p.m.
    • If
      Pat MacNeil -- Monday, 24 February 2014, at 11:38 p.m.
      • If
        Art Grater -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 2:10 a.m.
        • Slaves and women?
          phil simborg -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 3:12 a.m.
          • Slaves and women?
            Pat MacNeil -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 3:35 a.m.
            • Slaves and women?
              Fatboy -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 10:57 p.m.
          • Backgammon, gambling, and now sugar too? Say it ain't so, Phil!
            mamabear -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 3:49 a.m.
      • Backgammon vs. Poker
        Matt Cohn-Geier -- Wednesday, 26 February 2014, at 1:02 a.m.
        • Chatter
          Pat MacNeil -- Wednesday, 26 February 2014, at 6:32 p.m.
  • the new list:
    garyo -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 6:20 a.m.
  • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
    Jason Lee -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 2:02 p.m.
    • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
      phil simborg -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 4:21 p.m.
      • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon - In support of Phil
        Keene -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 5:14 p.m.
        • Bravo
          Bill Riles -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 7:03 p.m.
        • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon - In support of Phil
          phil simborg -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 7:52 p.m.
          • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon - In support of Phil
            Leonardo Jerkovic -- Wednesday, 26 February 2014, at 5:46 a.m.
            • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon - In support of Phil
              Stick -- Wednesday, 26 February 2014, at 5:50 a.m.
              • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon - In support of Phil
                Leonardo Jerkovic -- Wednesday, 26 February 2014, at 5:54 a.m.
                • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon - In support of Phil
                  Art Grater -- Thursday, 27 February 2014, at 8:12 p.m.
      • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
        Jason Lee -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 5:21 p.m.
        • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
          Adam Torkelson -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 6:54 p.m.
        • Lets agree to disagree
          phil simborg -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 7:59 p.m.
          • Lets agree to agree
            Jason Lee -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 9:40 p.m.
      • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
        Art Grater -- Tuesday, 25 February 2014, at 11:59 p.m.
        • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
          Jason Lee -- Wednesday, 26 February 2014, at 12:55 a.m.
  • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
    Michael Crane -- Thursday, 27 February 2014, at 12:42 p.m.
    • Children in London lives ruined by Backgammon
      Michael Crane -- Wednesday, 12 March 2014, at 2:58 p.m.