Backgammon Online

21-Jun-2010
09:21 PDT

I enjoy the mental stimulation I have found on this particular site! Bravo to the designers and the Zoo escape staff!! One reason I enjoy it is the competitive nature of the players on this site, but I would like to pose a question to any and all player to respond to. For sometime I have accepted challenges from all of the top players on this site but now it is clear to me some would like to "hold on" to their position or ratings in lue of accepting a challenge from anyone who might really have a significant chance in beating them! I imagine from a "practical standpoint" it might be easier to play 6 games or less and hold on too or improve ones rating or position, but if that is the only reason to play why bother!!?? Yes I am not a member at present but I am interested in the challenges and the quality of the games in themselves, what do other players think about this!!!

22-Jun-2010
02:09 PDT

Apparently several players have read my post and I would like to make it clear any player with a rating of 1750 or higher I will gladly play. It is my goal to play games of interest and if you have establish the fundamental applications of this game I look forward to the contest! I find it interesting that some say 1900 or higher some say 1800 or higher well through observation 1750 is a good medium point for me!

22-Jun-2010
09:28 PDT

I really just started playing backgammon after following the link from gameknot-chess and previously had played maybe three times ever! I love Zooescape, some fantastic people here and I've learnt as I've played with great advice and analysis from particularly Aphrodite0123 when she kept beating me on our first games and subsequently Battlescar and Artin have given me more insights to the game. I'm still getting to grips with backgammon lingo and a friend's husband(trying to convince him to play on here) has lent me a Paul Magriel book which I want to get to grips with!
I love the opportunity to play stronger players, but I do understand that the dice can be sometimes a little less than random but very lucky so for those at the top of the table it's a risk playing us littleuns, however I have been privileged to play yourself a few times Dinosaur53 as well as some of the other top people.
PS when you say 1750 you will gladly play I'm guessing that means a current rating rather than a brief high fly? Got to 1773 from briefly once  

22-Jun-2010
10:19 PDT

I have challenged a few people at the top and they have declined. One of them challenged me immediately when I was above them. It is clear that playing a player far below yr ranking costs you a lot of points when u lose and you gain very little so people have to pick their comfort zone. I will not play these players for a while when I pass them. One is less than 60 points difference so I will skip playing little pinkas when I pass him/her. UI will be happy to play anyone 100 points below me and more if we have always played when my ranking was lower.

22-Jun-2010
16:31 PDT

I picked up backgammon because I get some pleasure out of thinking about the probability of different events, e.g., when risks are worth taking or when it's a better idea to play safe. I'm playing on gameknot as well, but I realize I am never going to be a top chess player (not enough time to study and probably not smart enough) but could at least imagine that's possible with backgammon.

ZE is great because so many different people play here so I can get a much more diverse set of players than I can get in person. Because there are better players than me on the site, I can continue to try to improve and judge my progress by how well I play against them (not so well lately!). Regarding who I'll play, I don't turn down a lot of challenges, but I have been trying to cut back the number of games I am playing so I can do other things with my life (like make a living and see my wife!). I have therefore declined more challenges recently (probably one from CharmedOnes, but if so it wasn't solely because of your rating, although I admit that if cucarina had challenged me I wouldn't have said no).