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I bitch, I moan, I whine, I complain

Posted By: Barry Silliman
Date: Tuesday, 21 October 2008, at 6:32 p.m.

In Response To: I bitch, I moan, I whine, I complain (Stick)

Stick, free armchair psychoanalysis, and if you think its rubbish, then it probably is...

you have the curse of greatness and high expectations.

You've been cited for your brilliant play and dubbed the next great player. You expect to win every match and anything less is a disappointment. You're like the New York Yankees where anything short of a World Series title is a disappointment.

You're a Type A personality- brash, cocky and confident, traits that probably serve you well in both poker and in backgammon.

You need to realize that you may outplay your opponent 97% of the time but you are still going to have a hard time winning more than 60% of your matches on the ABT over the long haul. That's why the 'B' players pay their money and take their chances in the Open.

I'm not saying anything new here- it is very hard to win a tournament. It could be you against 63 slugs in a 64-player field, and if you're a 60% favorite in every match, you still are less than a 5% favorite to win the tournament. Add in the fact that there are a few other non-slugs besides you and it gets harder.

Several years ago I had a revelation that changed my attitude to the game completely. I had high hopes when I first got into club play and tournament play and was ready to let backgammon make me famous (within the bg world at least). But the realization I had was that instead of trying to get something out of backgammon (money, fame, glory) I turned it around and decided that instead I would see what I could give back to the great game of backgammon, and just let the chips fall where they may.

I'm still on cloud nine because of the incredible good fortune I had to win at Baltimore this past weekend. I went in just hoping I could win a match or two before being eliminated. I was relaxed and confident in the finals because I was playing with house money. I mentioned in a separate thread a few weeks ago that I hadn't even made a ripple in the ABT pond. Well at least now I made a little splash, I know it wasn't Monte Carlo or Las Vegas or even Michigan or Pittsburgh. But there's a jocular saying in my wife's family when gifts are received, "It'll be under the bed in a week", that is, joy is fleeting.

So I'm enjoying my brief splash in the pond now, and then in a week I'll go back to seeing what I can give back to the game instead of harboring any delusions that I'll be the next Neil Kazaross or the next Stick Rice.

You've already given immensely just by hosting this site with your forum and your rollouts. Thank you, Stick, and also to all the other experts who contribute here by sharing their knowledge even at the expense of their equity.

Relax Stick, enjoy the beauty of the game, you're going to get your share of the wins.

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