Our Brains & Backgammon
Most of my friends are not backgammon players. They know I play, but they don't play. I was at a dinner party last month, and someone asked about it. I told them how often I play, and that when I have time, I also compete, but I'm never going to be a master of the sport, which is okay with me. Then someone said, "Well, why do you play? Isn't it mostly luck anyway?" (Yes, he was from Wall Street.)
I paused and then said, "Well, isn't there an element of luck, intuition, and skill in anything we do that has a result? Backgammon, even more than chess, for me, is one of the great competitive games that I can play. Men and women compete equally. You buy a stock. Isn't there some element of luck or things out of your control?" There was a silent pause, so I added, "And, it's great for my brain synapses."
Another pause.
"What does it do to the brain?"
"Well, actually, I don't know, but I know I feel sharper playing it."
Busted.
So, of course, I went home and did some digging.
Get this. And yes, I did send it to everyone at the dinner party.
It turns out that when it comes to making quick decisions, our brains are remarkable. Whether you are a seasoned player or just learning, you've probably noticed how quickly you can evaluate your next move. At the core of quick decision-making is something called "pattern recognition." Our brains are constantly taking in information, and the more we play, the more patterns we begin to recognize. These patterns tell us when it's time to be aggressive, when to play defensively, or when to take a calculated risk. This ability to draw on past experiences and stored knowledge is what allows us to make decisions in that split second.
So, of course, I then started to think about how that could also work to my detriment. I, for one, am very dependent on those recognized patterns and often don't look beyond the one that stands out like a bolded paragraph. Note to self.
Another factor at play is something neuroscientists call "chunking." When you're new to backgammon, every move may feel overwhelming because you're processing each possible decision individually. However, as you gain more experience, your brain starts grouping pieces of information together. Instead of analyzing every single checker and dice combination independently, your brain starts chunking similar scenarios together. This reduces the mental load and makes it easier to scan the board and see your best options immediately.
Behind the scenes, your brain is also engaging in what's called "heuristics"—mental shortcuts that help simplify complex decisions. For example, your brain might recognize that it's generally safer to create closed points or that leaving a single checker exposed is a risk you want to avoid unless absolutely necessary. These rules of thumb allow you to cut through the noise and arrive at your next move without getting bogged down by unnecessary details.
This last paragraph has some holes in it, but again, it's good to know and make sure you're not leaning on it too much.
But backgammon isn't only about strategy; there is that element of chance playing a significant role, which was disparagingly pointed out to me at dinner. Handling uncertainty is another impressive feature of our brains. Studies show that when faced with risk, our brains weigh the potential rewards against the possible losses. It's what helps us calculate when to play it safe or when to go for a bold move. Over time, these calculations become almost instinctual, even though there's a mix of logic and intuition involved.
So, backgammon offers a unique opportunity to blend intuition with calculated strategy. I know that some play based on computer precision, but I like that if I know the person across the table, or even sense their love of taking doubles—or even better, turning them down—I’ll go with my gut. PR be damned. I'm never going to be a master, and that's not my goal, so I can take those risks against the "right move" and enjoy the moment of whether I got away with it. My love of the game includes the fact that I can do things like this when playing and take the consequences, no matter what they cost me. It beats buying 100 shares of every AI stock in hopes of making a billion dollars in the next month or two.
I have always trusted my gut instincts; they have served me well over the years, and in backgammon, those instincts can work hand in hand with my analytical approach, or so I think. When I combine intuition with learned strategies, I believe I get a powerful combination that allows me to sometimes outsmart my opponent—often without even realizing how quickly I made the decision to "go gut," as I call it.
The bottom line? Our cognitive abilities are improved by playing while also providing an outlet for fun and social interaction. Imagine, our brains are constantly working to make sense of the game, balancing risk and reward, logic and chance—all in a matter of seconds. How cool is that?
Happy playing!
– Christine Merser
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Christine touches on a point that gets little attention in the backgammon literature – and that’s incorporating your knowledge of your opponent into your decision-making. I once met a top player who said she could smell fear in her opponent. Since I know dogs can smell fear, I didn’t rule it out that she had that sense. She knew her opponent would likely drop dangerous takes so she would double.
One top player I know actually studies the matches of his opponents before going into a match. He notes that XG analyses assume both players play perfectly – which obviously isn't true. By knowing an opponent's weaknesses such as a tendency to drop early doubles or take passes, he can incorporate behavior from past play into his decisions.
- Karen Davis
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WBIF Launches 2nd Women's World Team Championship
The World Backgammon Internet Federation (WBIF) launched the 2nd Women's World Team Championship on September 1, 2024. In doing so WBIF expressed the hope that it will not only be an enjoyable and competitive tournament, but also raise the profile of women in backgammon worldwide.
It is being played online on the Heroes.BackgammonStudio.com server and will conclude in January 2025. In 2024 Team USA for the WBIF Women’s World Team Championship includes: Kara Schultz; Leyla Zaloutskaya; Irina Litzenberger; Karen Davis; Mary Morse; and Lynda Clay (captain).
Twenty-three countries have entered the competition: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. One hundred thirty-two women are registered to play on the 23 teams – up substantially from 87 players who played on 16 teams in the Inaugural Women’s Team Championship in 2023. Norway won the 2023 competition followed by Sweden and France.
The tournament is a Swiss format. Up to six women play on the team, with five women playing in each round; captains determine the lineup for each round. A country wins the round if at least three players win their 13-point online matches. Countries are eliminated if they lose three rounds.
The top three teams receive certificates and prizes distributed from the 100 Euro per team entry fee pool (50%; 30% 20%). In the event of ties in number of country team winning rounds, ties are broken by the most individual player match wins.
Team USA members were selected through a process developed by the U.S. Backgammon Federation Women’s Committee composed of Irina Litzenberger, Lynda Clay, and Kara Schultz. The criteria used for the WBIF Women’s Team Championship were circulated to USBGF members in August and may be found on the USBGF website.
In addition to requiring USBGF membership and U.S. citizenship or residency, the 6-player online team includes:
– Top 2 finishers from the USBGF Online Tournament Series (OTS) in the previous year – Mary Morse and Lynda Clay
– Top 2 finishers from the WBIF World Women’s Championship Finals in the previous year – Kara Schultz and Leyla Zaloutskaya
– Top 2 all-time WBIF Performance Rating (PR) at the time of selection – Irina Litzenberger and Karen Davis.
Additionally, for Online Team Formations in 2026 and beyond, players must have played in at least 6 USBGF Online Tournament Series (OTS) in the previous year events from January to December.
These criteria are in accordance with WBIF requirements which state that: Team selection should be determined by placement in online national championships for each country - it is also allowed to use the PR of international or national WBIF tournaments for selection of players, in keeping with the overall philosophy of the WBIF.
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Watch Our Review of the Final of the Inaugural Women’s World Team Championship
The Final of the Inaugural Women’s World Team Championships, held in Stockholm, Sweden, from July 8-10, 2024, was a historic and thrilling event. Women from eight countries competed for the title of World Champions. In the end, women’s teams from the U.S. and the United Kingdom fought for the World Champion title in a tightly contested final round. A dozen difficult decisions that arose in the final were revisited by members of the two teams and grandmasters during a Women’s World of Backgammon Learning Session on September 10. These champion players explained their thinking during the high-profile final in a discussion led by Roberto Litzenberger, co-director of the BMAB Players Cup.
Women’s Team USA won the event with team members: Karen Davis (captain), Irina Litzenberger, Leyla Zaloutskaya, Lynda Clay, Teri Harmon, and Rain Ackerman.
Women’s Team UK finished second with team members: Julia Hayward (captain), Rachel Rhodes, Merrin Rose, Becca Bell, Anna Clark, and Anna Price.
The first-ever Women's World Team Tournament by the World Backgammon Federation is not just a competition; it's a celebration of progress, inclusivity, and the enduring allure of backgammon.
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Winning Women Around the World
Women are increasingly placing in American Backgammon Tour and international events. In August/September they included:
WBGF - WORLD DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP & 1st BACKGAMMON FESTIVAL AACHEN
August 10-16, 2024; Aachen, Germany
WBGF WORLD DOUBLES CONSULTATION (40 teams): 1-Anna Sofia Jørgensen (Denmark) & Oliver Squire (United Kingdom), 2-Andreas Bünz (Germany) & Akiko Yazawa (Japan),
CHARLEMAGNE OPEN - MASTERS (58): 2-Martha Gjelseth (Norway)
CHARLEMAGNE OPEN - INTERMEDIATES (22): 1LC-Susanne Lahme (Germany)
SPEEDGAMMON (64): 2-Marianne Snarheim Husum (Norway),
PRO/AM DOUBLES CONSULTATION (32 teams): 1-Dagfinn Snarheim (Norway) & Marianne Snarheim Husum (Norway), 2-Johan Huyck (Belgium) & Inge van den Dorpel (Belgium), 3/4-Ingo Mohr & Svetlana Mohr (Germany) / Thorsten Hoyer (Germany) & Natascha Hoyer (Germany).
120€ LIMITED JACKPOT (8): 2-Diana Merlusca (Romania).
BEGINNERS (22): Winner #2-Susan Frosch (Germany);
ROOKIES (7): 1-Nathaly Allende (Germany), 2-Paula Lahme (Germany)
Aachen Doubles Oliver Squire and Anna Sofia Jorgensen; Pro-am Doubles Consultation; Martha Gjelseth (Norway) Aachen 2nd Masters
UKBGT - 10th UK BACKGAMMON OPEN 2024 (preliminary results)
August 23-26, 2024; Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
WOODLAND CUP (69): 3/4- Natalie Singh.
GRANGE CUP (40): 1-Diana Sulimirski, 2-C.J. Uttley.
SPEEDGAMMON (64): 3/4- Hannah Parente.
BRITISH BACKGAMMON AWARDS 2023:
Most Promising Newcomer (Masters): Merrin Rose
Most Promising Newcomer (Intermediate): Miranda Moulton
ABT - 2024 VIKING BACKGAMMON CLASSIC
August 28-September 2, 2024; Bloomington, Minnesota
ABT THOR ADVANCED (47): 5/7-Sabine Brinkman (Germany) / Maggie Sweeney (MI).
BERSERKER LIMITED JACKPOT (24): 3/4-Carol Joy Cole (MI)
EARLY RAVEN ADVANCED (27): Kelsey Rose (NY).
RAINBOW BRIDGE DOUBLES (22 teams): 2-Donna Lafferty (IN) & Kit Woolsey (CA), 3/4-Chris Knapp (MA) & Patty Knapp (MA)
VIKING BEGINNER (6): 1-Fatholah Kassemi (MN), 2-Amy Latek (WI).
NOVICE WORKSHOP ROUND ROBIN #1 (4): 1- Carol Jud (MN), 2-Sara Thornson (NE).
NOVICE WORKSHOP ROUND ROBIN #2 (4): 2-Meg Donovan (NE).
DMP RAIDS (32): 2-Jean Surko (MN).
SHIELDMAIDEN CHALLENGE (16): 1-Carol Joy Cole (MI), 2-Joan Koscielny (FL
12th LIONS BACKGAMMON CUP
August 29-September 1, 2024; Bad Durkheim, Germany
CHAMPIONSHIP: 2-Josefin Bichler
INTERMEDIATE (56): 2-Lena Sahlén
SUPER JACKPOT I (32): 1-Josefin Bichler
CONSULTING DOUBLES (34 teams): 3/4 Josefin Bichler & Thomas Kazemieh
LADIES CUP (14): 1-Denise Kaiser (Switzerland), 2-Marianne S. Husum (Norway).
JOSEFIN BICHLER TRIPLE-THREAT IN BAD DURKHEIM
In a stunning triple accomplishment Josefin Bichler won the Super Jackpot, finished second in the Championship division, and finished third/fourth in the Consulting Doubles with Thomas Kazemieh at the 12th Lions Cup tournament in Bad Durkheim at the end of August! We hasten to call out Josefin’s fantastic results not only at Bad Durkheim but also her victory in the Super Jackpot at the 3rd French Riviera Challenge in Beaulieu in June, and her second place finish in the Speedgammon event at the 7th Gibraltar Backgammon Championship in February. Our congratulations to Josefin!
We deeply regret our error in unintentionally omitting these results from our Women’s World of Backgammon Newsletter in September 2024 and extend our sincerest apologies to Josefin!
It's a cause for celebration for all of backgammon that women are rising to pre-eminence in major international and national backgammon events. The mission of the Women’s World of Backgammon, founded three years ago, is to promote women’s participation, place, and pre-eminence in competitive backgammon. We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting activities to help achieve this mission, raise awareness, and recognize achievements.
Going forward we plan to recruit volunteers to help us cover the burgeoning growth and pre-eminence of women in backgammon worldwide and to establish a review process that ensures significant achievements receive highlighting. We welcome your help -- if interested, contact us.
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Upcoming Events
Sept 26-30 – 3rd Jamaica Championship, Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Jeb Horton, director. Click here for details.
Sept 26-29 – Players Cup BMAB St Louis, held in conjunction with the St. Louis Gateway Open, Holiday Inn West, Mo. David Todd, director, 314-749-9687; James Feher co-director, stlbackgammon@gmail.com. Click here for details.
October 16-20 -- Player's Cup BMAB Denver, Ben Friesen director held in conjunction with the 6th Wild West Shootout, Embassy Suites, Denver, CO Dan Minardi Director, 303-356-3679. Click here for details.
November 5-10, Worldwide Backgammon Federation, 11th Merit International Open, Kyrenia, North Cyprus, Arda Fındıkoğlu President WBF –
Turkey; Marco Fornasir – General Secretary, WBF
Click here for details.
November 19-25 – Miami Open and Player's Cup BMAB, Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort, Sunny Isles Beach, FL, Avi Cohen Tournament producer,
786-999-2623;
MiamiOpenBG@gmail.com; Arda Fındıkoğlu, President, WBGF – Turkey, Head director; David Presser (Israel), Boot Camp director; Roberto Litzenberger, Player's Cup BMAB director. Click here for details.
December 12-15 – California State Championship, Hilton LAX, CA Candace Mayeron producer 310-422-1646. Click here for details.
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