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

[red+black]

As some of you may know I'm not much of a gambler. I'm still annoyed I lost $90 a few weeks ago playing Casino War, I've never played Roulette or Craps or Baccarat, only played BlackJack sparingly, and if I'm disciplined, hopefully I'll never play a casino game again. However, I am interested in games of skill, be they individual, such as sudoku, or competitive, such as chess or backgammon.

Many poker players are good chess players (eg. Gary Benson), and many others are good backgammon players (eg. Gus Hansen, Erik Seidel, Chip Reese, Stu Ungar, Paul Magriel). I admit I don't these games very well, but I've been thinking of improving my backgammon. So I'm going to try my hand at the Melbourne Backgammon Club next Monday and take it from there. I don't know of any other clubs, but I will probably look into playing online too.

So do any of you play Chess or Backgammon, or any other kind of logic/strategy game? These, together with poker (and studying game theory, which is another interest of mine), can only help your decision-making and keep your mind active into your later life.

 

[DoubleA]

There are so many other ways for me to lose my $'s...do I really want to learn another?

 

[red+black]

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.

There are so many other ways for me to lose my $'s...do I really want to learn another?

The point is finding ways to improve your thinking abilities. Some poker players study game theory not because it directly helps their poker but because it teaches them how to think. The same applies to studying geometry and trigonometry in high school. The fact that most will never need to apply that knowledge is irrelevant. Chess and backgammon are two games that can possibly assist your poker.

 

[danzan22]

I tried playing Backgammon online once, failed miserably and gave up after that.

 

[red+black]

Nine backgammon video tutorials: http://www.pokerzone.tv/jc_school.asp

 

[red+black]

PokerNews has a BackGammon site: http://backgammon.pokernews.com/

 

[Knowledge]

I used to play backgammon when I was a kid.
Great story hansel

 

[Falchoon]

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.


The point is finding ways to improve your thinking abilities. Some poker players study game theory not because it directly helps their poker but because it teaches them how to think. The same applies to studying geometry and trigonometry in high school. The fact that most will never need to apply that knowledge is irrelevant. Chess and backgammon are two games that can possibly assist your poker.

there is a lot of anticipating your opponent, play against their strengths
use proven strategies,
open it up against worst players
keep it tight v better ones
play the hand you've been dealt
play your opponent
play better when you're not tired
do I wait for a better spot and hope the tiles come (keep my -ing) or take what's on offer now

 

[Falchoon]

Not getting married would probably be the best investment advice I can give.*#

'tis true

though I have a house at the expense of about 18 backpacker journeys,
a steady job v yearly sabatticals

not getting divorced is my best current option

 

[red+black]

I'd almost forgotten you were a big nerd Falch .

Just played 19 games of backgammon (http://games.yahoo.com) and won 12 .

And for the first time ever I now know what the doubling cube is for.

 

[godsen]

I read recently that getting married but not getting divorced is the best investment advice you can give, but I'm too lazy to Google News that.

Interesting thread. I know nothing about backgammon.

 

[red+black]

Either did I until a guy at my old job brought in a board and asked if I'd like to learn how to play.

I've done some research and apart from Paul Magriel's BG book from the 70s, the two best current books seem to be:

and

 

[red+black]

14 from 21 in my new career as a backgammon player

 

[Falchoon]

14 from 21 in my new career as a backgammon player

 

[red+black]

PokerZone On Demand - there's poker and backgammon shows from the UK

http://broadband.pokerzone.tv/

Just watched a bit of Gammon Night Live episode 1 and had to jot down the quote below verbatim. Host John Clarke talks a bit about Gus Hansen, Eric Seidel and other great players that started out as backgammon players then moved on to playing poker:

"I still believe that backgammon, and the discipline that comes from backgammon, is the best grounding for poker. If you can really master the discipline that is needed in backgammon, where you're fighting for 1 or 2% here and there, this translates exceptionally well into poker, and I believe that is the reason why so many excellent backgammon players have indeed constituted the brain drain from backgammon to poker."

Good stuff huh?

Still trying to figure out how I can rip videos from that link. Had partial success.

 

[red+black]

Would anyone like to hazard a guess at which game of strategy arguably involves the most skill, and is reported to be twice as complex as the 2nd most skilful game?

 

[Armwarmer]

uno!

 

[Crosby87]

I used to play a lot of chess. Haven't for a while, though.

 

[red+black]

Not uno, not chess. I think chess was ranked 2nd, but even still, a long way behind the hardest game of strategy.

 

[Falchoon]

Not uno, not chess. I think chess was ranked 2nd, but even still, a long way behind the hardest game of strategy.

stratego, those bomb placements, mate of mine at high school and me played it for hours on end,

the other one was that one with the black and white counters that you flip when you have both ends of a line covered, or played on paper rthe first to get 5 in a row.


though seriously scrabble

 

[Armwarmer]

lol @ you taking my uno guess seriously rnb!

stratego, those bomb placements, mate of mine at high school and me played it for hours on end,

omg thankyou for bringing this game up. I haven't played it in years and I think I'll be going out and buying it.

What about bridge?

 

[red+black]

Not scrabble, not bridge.

 

[Crosby87]

Is it that asian game with the black and white stones? I have no idea what it's called, but I think I heard this from someone.

 

[red+black]

Oooh, I think we may have a winner.

 

[grimlock]

Go. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(board_game)

Even the best Go computer programs are easily beaten by an intermediate player.