Backgammon, Following after Poker
Written by Poker Listings
Tue, 5 Jun 2007
Category general
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Backgammon - Following in the footsteps of Poker
Poker has grown rapidly the last couple of years, and more and more poker players are also discovering backgammon. The games have more in common than one might think, and it is no coincidence that many world class poker players also play backgammon.
The element of skill is larger in backgammon than in poker. The reason for this is that backgammon is a game of open information while poker is a game of incomplete information. When playing poker you can hardly ever know for sure if it is correct to see the flop, because your information is always incomplete – you do not know what cards your opponents are holding. In backgammon your decisions can always be based on mathematic probabilities – the information you need is right in front of you on the board.
In backgammon you do not have to worry about getting bluffed out of a pot. Your information is more complete and you win and lose according to your playing skills. Many players who play both poker and backgammon see this as the latter’s most appealing quality.
But obviously backgammon and poker have some similarities too. Tournaments are very popular (as in poker) and a good way to learn the game of backgammon. A backgammon tournament consists of matches, each match is played to a predetermined number of points and the first player to reach that number wins the match. When you win a match you advance to the next round and in the end two players face each other in a final round to name a winner.
Raising in backgammon is made with the doubling cube. You are playing for a set amount of money per point. And every time somebody uses the doubling cube, the stakes are doubled. The cube is increasing the psychological dimension of backgammon and allows you to put pressure on your opponent, in the same way as a raise do in poker.
Backgammon on the Internet
Internet backgammon was until recently relatively small, but lately the game has shown a growth rate that matches that of online poker a few years ago. Online gaming experts predict that internet backgammon will be almost as big as internet poker in a few years time.
Backgammon fans living in the US should be pleased to know that the strong skill element in backgammon allows it to avoid the regulatory pressure that have held back the growth of online poker in North America. According to US law backgammon falls on the right side of the chance-luck divide which means that it will be a lot easier to promote in North America.
There are rumors that some of the larger online poker rooms, among them PartyPoker, are planning to launch their own real money online backgammon. People in the Middle East, where backgammon is huge, are also getting access to broadband in an increasing number.
These factors combined make the future for internet backgammon look bright. And some experts predict that online backgammon will be as big as online poker by the end of the decade.
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