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Dorn gets the recognition he deserves

Posted By: Dorn Bishop
Date: Monday, 7 December 2015, at 9:23 p.m.

In Response To: Dorn gets the recognition he deserves (Phil Simborg)

Thanks, Phil. And thanks to my many other friends in the backgammon community; I felt incredibly supported and loved throughout yesterday's wild hay ride.

At dinner Friday night, my girlfriend Andrea asked me why I enjoyed going to backgammon tournaments. And that made me pause. In 20 years, I had never bothered to reflect on that seemingly obvious question. Was it really love of the game, its beauty, its elegance, its mathematical perfection? Nah. Was it addictive compulsion? the yearning to re-live (relieve?) the suffering of my past? the drive to win? the money? the biding of time until, like the law of gravity, good luck would eventually catch up with the bad? the burning desire for peer recognition of my skill, my hard work, my brilliance?

I must confess: All these thoughts passed through my head. And, at one time or another, each of them has probably been the predominant reason for my playing.

One constant has remained, however, and that's the people. I am not sure if it is now, or if it has ever been, "The Reason" why I have stuck with a sickeningly sadistic game that results in some measure of disappointment about 63/64 of the time. But it has always been something that, on some level, has brought me back. I look forward to experiencing the people and their personalities.

The people. Old friends and new friends, most of whom I know little about other than their PR and how they conduct themselves in the basement conference room of airport hotels. The players, some of whom are as brilliant, as sweet, as kind, as funny, and/or as downright interesting as anyone you will ever meet. Some of whom are even the whole package. And the directors, virtually all of whom are driven by a call to service and a love of the game. Because they sure as hell ain't doing it primarily for the money.

They all inspire me. And they remind me that backgammon really is a beautiful, safe, airport conference room microcosm of life and the lessons to be learned from a life where 63/64 of the time (give or take) your hopes and dreams are left unfulfilled. It's a way to learn about humility, and wisdom, and loss. Lots of loss. And it's about finding joy in your own successes and in the successes of others. And it's about learning to be patient, and supportive, and compassionate toward the guy you just beat and the guy you have known for 20 years who just lost his wife or just received some challenging medical news.

So that's my answer, Andrea my love, my Bicho. I very much appreciate you asking the question.

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