Games of Logic and Strategy (eg. Chess, Backgammon)

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red+black

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something I posted on another backgammon forum:

I'd be keen to organise (with assistance of course) a major tournament here in Melbourne each January to coincide with the Aussie Millions at Crown Casino and the Australian Tennis Open.

The 2008 Aussie Millions ran from January 5 to 20, while the 2008 Australian Tennis Open ran from January 14 to 27. The 2009 Australian Open will run January 12 to 25, so my estimate is that the best time to organise an event is the 3rd weekend in January.

With many professional poker players in town, I would suggest their interest in entering a $70 backgammon tournament would be minimal. As such, perhaps we could look at a high-rollers backgammon tournament, say $1000 entry and former backgammon players like Gus Hansen, Eric Seidel, Phil Laak, Dan Harrington, etc might be interested.

Backgammon commentator and professional John Clark from England has confirmed that he will be in town in January 2009. If we get John on board, there's a good chance we could get Gus on board also.
 

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red+black

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lol gl getting gus to play in a 1k backgammon tourney

John can probably pull a few strings with Gus. They commentate together on the World Series of Backgammon.

Anyway, the buy-in is irrelevant. Whatever it needs to be to attract interest. Maybe even 25k.

One question is whether Crown would be interested in getting involved in this.
 
Not getting married would probably be the best investment advice I can give.*#

* I'm not married.
# I received this advice from my university Economics lecturer.

No. Not getting divorced is the best investment advice. Married men live longer and many more multi-millionaires are married than not when compared to the average.
 

red+black

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You sure have been popping up in weird places lately. Anyway, it's good you brought that old quote up because I actually said it wrong. What my Micro-economics lecturer actually said was that a woman is the biggest expense a man will ever have.
 

red+black

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The great man:

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n6576375413940039224df2.jpg
 

red+black

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Gus on the possibility for backgammon to increase its popularity, and on some side-bets he made:

[YOUTUBE]on7125Cuf4E[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]iSKTIYWQf5I[/YOUTUBE]
 

red+black

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Sports Illustrated has decided to put their 50+ year archive of articles online for free:

May 04, 1964
EVERYONE FOR BACKGAMMON by Edwin Shrake
(http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1075891/index.htm)
A crowd of socialites and their friends gather on a resort island to play the game they love best.

September 16, 1974
ON A DICEY CRUISE by Edwin Shrake
(http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1089006/index.htm)
The voyage promised to be rough, with high-rolling in the richest backgammon tournament ever, but a first-class gambol was assured.

May 19, 1975
TOUGH MAN ACROSS A TABLE by Edwin Shrake
(http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1089855/index.htm)
Billy Eisenberg will take your money at backgammon or, if you prefer, at bridge. Get smart, play him a little tennis.

February 07, 1977
A QUARTER A POINT ISN'T TWENTY-FIVE CENTS by E. J. Kahn Jr.
(http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092032/index.htm)
The man from the Harvard Club had it figured: 'With dice like yours, an illiterate could win.' But that was before the author's first match in the $191,795 backgammon tournament and the lucky roll that he will always remember.

June 04, 1979
A GAMESMAN'S WAR AGAINST LUCK, DISORDER AND SURFACE CHAOS by Roger Dionne
(http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1095011/index.htm)
Paul Magriel is a mathematician and backgammon champion of the world. His enemy is the dice, which obscure the intricate and beautiful patterns of his game.

June 29, 1992
BIG BACKGAMMON BINGE by Dan Cox
(http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003940/index.htm)
The game's top names descended on Monte Carlo for the world championship.
 

red+black

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I sold my backgammon board tonight, plan to buy a new one in Vegas.

Here's a part 1 of Gus playing his mate Sander Lylloff in a 5-point timed match for USD $10,000.

Worth a look if you want some expert opinions on what Gus means to backgammon.

[YOUTUBE]MNNK-XYqtyE[/YOUTUBE]
 

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red+black

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Gus explaining the game of backgammon (reminds me of Ivan Drago):

[YOUTUBE]l4V6hsuJCno[/YOUTUBE]

PS: this post bumps the Crown 1 thread off the 1st page (forever) :(
 

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Apologies for being slack on my holiday, but I have to report this. I won two backgammon tournaments in the Las Vegas Open! I've just been very blessed with the dice, but I won 11 or 12 matches without defeat. So I have two trophies to drag back home somehow! But I'm tired, too long in Vegas can drain you. I'm flying to Seattle tomorrow which will be my first taste of any weather remotely cool.
 

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Apologies for being slack on my holiday, but I have to report this. I won two backgammon tournaments in the Las Vegas Open! I've just been very blessed with the dice, but I won 11 or 12 matches without defeat. So I have two trophies to drag back home somehow! But I'm tired, too long in Vegas can drain you. I'm flying to Seattle tomorrow which will be my first taste of any weather remotely cool.

well, well, well.
Cash winnings?
 
Apologies for being slack on my holiday, but I have to report this. I won two backgammon tournaments in the Las Vegas Open! I've just been very blessed with the dice, but I won 11 or 12 matches without defeat. So I have two trophies to drag back home somehow! But I'm tired, too long in Vegas can drain you. I'm flying to Seattle tomorrow which will be my first taste of any weather remotely cool.
We love you!
 

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Don't believe that backgammon is not a physical endeavour!

Just bought the book below, arguably one the best strategy books for intermediate players.

 

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For the second year in a row, I made the semi-finals in the Consolation tournament at the South Australian Backgammon Open. Playing a 5 point game, up 2-1, looking good for a gammon, I had a double indirect shot (8 or 10) to put a second man back against my 5 point board. I decide to hold off doubling because if he drops I just get 1 point, and if he takes, and I miss him, he will probably get a shot back at me, and I'd rather not get redoubled.

So I roll and miss him, he rolls and hits me, doubles soon after, that's ok, I'm not in too bad a shape. Except he rolls a few doubles, wins a doubled gammon, and hence, the match. I was not happy. He says he would have dropped my double. There are definite similarities between poker and backgammon. Confidence and body language, real or false, can definitely play a part in the "sportsmanship" of the game. You can offer a marginal double confidently and they may drop, they may trust their second level thinking. Sort of like raising on a semi-bluff and getting your opponent to fold. I've never said it, but a few times I have thought of saying to a thinking opponent "If you double, I'll take!" knowing full well that I will drop and be happy to just lose 1 point.

But damn backgammon is a frustrating game :mad:
 

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I'm looking at setting up my backgammon own club in Carlton, and I've sought out some legal advice. I now have to have a word with the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation. What I want from you guys is some suggestions for some non-casino games. I want to talk to the VCGR in relation to a few games, rather than just ask specifically about backgammon.

I'll start:
- backgammon
- chess
- checkers
- scrabble
- bridge
- othello/reversi
...
 

red+black

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an FYI. I've been in touch with a lawyer friend who got one of his juniors to do some research for me. Then I got in touch with a lawyer at the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation. We spoke a little, but he suggested I write to the Executive Commissioner of the VCGR with some specific questions, which I did.

So I'm just waiting to hear back so I can get my backgammon club off the ground. I have heard from about 20 people (mainly chicks) that are interested in playing so I'm eager to get the ball rolling. Will let you know how it goes.
 
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