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BGonline.org Forums
Rehashing "Luck"
Posted By: Ralph Byrns In Response To: Rehashing "Luck" (Daniel Murphy)
Date: Saturday, 19 June 2010, at 1:58 p.m.
Phil Simborg should feel very embarrassed by the quality of my backgammon, given that most of what I know about BG I learned from him. I do, however, greatly appreciate his defense of my characterization of the title conferred on me as a consequence of winning that tournament.
Some background: I was actually introduced to backgammon in 1997 by Joe Sylvester, who was a waiter at a restaurant close to my condo in Chicago. He asserted within 5 minutes of taking my pasta order that he was a "five time world backgammon champion." For about two years, I was a regular ghoti in a vicious but very entertaining chouette centered at Chicago's 3rd Coast. I still know little about international tournaments, but took Sly at his word about his title(s)and consequently, later, thought that inasmuch as the Strategiespiele folks identified their tourney as for the on-line world internet championship, I could legitimately claim the title that I did. In retrospect, I view my "world champion" title as at least as legitimate, if not moreso, than the titles of many "world champion" boxers who, ever after, are nicknamed "Champ.". The bloggers who think my claim dishonest or intentionally misleading seem to me to be both prissy and gratuitously insulting. I do not cheat. My ratings would have been much higher if I had ever used a bot. No one has ever been stiffed when I've lost money to them, although Sly and some others still owe me. [Yeah, I know that Sly owes everybody.] At my website, I merely asserted that I was very lucky to win the Strategiespiele tournament and made light of my skill level. Nonetheless, I will revise my website slightly per some of the suggestions made by the censorious folks among you who seem to derive pleasure from deprecating other people's minor triumphs. If it makes you feel good, think of my title as the equivalent of a title conferred on a Special Olympian.
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