| Luck Vs Skill in Backgammon
I am often asked about the luck factor in various board and card games, including Backgammon. I would suppose we could also include a discussion about casino games as well. To begin with, classic partnership card games such as Spades, Euchre, Pinochle, and Bridge are not really a valid comparison to board games. Yes, the duplicate versions of these games do favor the accomplished players. This is especially true in Bridge, given the plethora of bidding conventions, defensive technique, and play of the hand. It is the partnership factor that makes all of the difference here. And now we come to the individual games.
Games of absolute skill
Chess, Go, and Checkers are games of absolute skill. There are no variables here. If you are a novice, and make a bad move in any of these games, the experienced person on the other side of the table will pounce on your mistake like a snow leopard! The better player almost always wins, although there are those rare instances when the amateur upsets the more experienced opponent. Reversi and Othello also have a very high skill factor, and Cribbage normally rewards the seasoned player. However, there is a "cut" for each deal and there can be "swings" of many points depending on which card is upturned. We also must consider the "fresh deal" aspect of the game, which often decides the outcome.
Where luck plays a part
Now we come to casino games. There has to be a house advantage in any casino game. Otherwise, they could not stay in business for very long! Slots are pre-programmed to pay off at designated intervals. Roulette is a very bad bet. Blackjack when played with a single deck, can favor a person who counts cards or uses a "Thorpe" system. Yet very few casinos have one deck games, and most have shoes with six or eight decks. In short, you can decrease the house advantage by making prudent bets and understanding the odds of your favorite game.
Poker, and the World Series of Poker in particular, has had a massive popularity explosion during the past five years, thanks to television and the Internet. There are many professionals who make a handsome living at Texas Hold' Em Poker. Still, luck is a factor when it comes to winning – along with psychology, bluffing, and the ability to "read" your opponents. Legends such as Hellmuth, Bronson, Ivey, and Lederer have honed their games to a very high level. They rarely lose to weaker players, although it does happen every so often. After all, how many times have you seen a player done in by the "Turn" or "River" Cards? And how many times have you seen a player win by filling a straight, flush, or full house on the last card of a hand? Most Poker "pros" are in fear of amateurs, as the weaker players are very unpredictable.
Now we come to Backgammon. At first glance, the use of dice would appear to infuse a huge luck element into the game. It is also true that the rank novice can defeat a professional at any given time. But the skill of the experienced player will usually overwhelm the vacillating luck of the weaker player as more games and matches are played. The doubling cube, an innovation from the late 1920s in New York City, completely revolutionized Backgammon. Now, the player who had a significant positional advantage or pip count lead in a game could offer the cube to his opponent, forcing a decision. Most good players would turn down the cube while in a bad position, rather than rely on luck to "steal" the game. It is not a miracle that the legends of the game (Robertie, Magriel, and Woolsey come to mind; there are lots of other great players, too) have prospered in the Backgammon arena. Some tournaments have offered million dollar prize funds!
Finally, it must be noted that Backgammon is usually a stakes game, and the wagering of money will often separate the professionals from the amateurs. Regardless of this, a modicum amount of effort will result in finding an opponent of approximate or similar ability.
Now the game can be fun!
Enjoy the balance of your Summer! | |
