The Love of Backgammon

I have not seen too many blogs dedicated to Backgammon (at least not active ones), therefore I decided to create a blog to discuss my favourite game and I am determined to keep this blog active! One of the best things about Backgammon is that it involves both luck and skill. I am not a gambler, and I tend to avoid any type of games that involve chance (including the lottery), but Backgammon provides what is to me the perfect balance between luck and skill. In this game, if you lose due to lack of luck, at least you can tell yourself that you tried your best!

Since this is the first post, I thought a good place to start would be to provide a list of sites where you can play Backgammon online for free and without downloading software or playing for real money (that is for later). My top three sites are (in the order that I discovered them):

1. Free Online Backgammon Game (NabiscoWorld.com)

http://www.nabiscoworld.com/Games/game_large.aspx?gameid=10036

This is a good place to start if you have never played the game before. You can play against the computer (an annoying lady with a big mouth, but you can mute her) or you can play against a real person if someone is available. What is good about this site is the fact that the computer usually wins when playing against a beginner. Since it is a computer, it will always make the best move based on your moves, which allows you to practice your skills. This site is also a good way to benchmark your skills progress because after you play against a real person (at the two sites below) and go back to this site, you will realize how much you have improved. You realize that you can now outsmart the computer.

2. Internet Backgammon (Windows)

You may or may not realize that your computer most likely comes with the Backgammon game. It can be found under Games (go to your start menu, go to All Programs, then go to Games). I am not sure which Windows operating system is the first to include Backgammon but I am certain that Windows XP and anything after would include it. Playing Backgammon here is live and against a real person. Very fun. The downside to playing here is that your opponent can leave the game anytime (some people do this when they get frustrated, annoyed, or about the lose the game). I will admit that I have done this a few times myself. :)

3. BackGammon on Facebook (by GamePoint)

I just discovered this recently and I think I am going to stick to this until I am ready to play for money. :) To play, all you need to do is add the application. There are three major pros to this site. First pro to playing on Facebook is that you can play against your Facebook friends or with people whom you do not know. Second pro would be the fact that there is a ranking and point system in place which allows you to see where you stand in the midst of the other players. This makes the game more competitive and more enjoyable. Third pro would be the fact that your opponent will be penalized if they leave in the middle of the game which makes cheating or playing unfairly more difficult. At this site, you can also view other peoples' games that are in progress or others can watch you and your opponent play.

Play Backgammon. It's fun!