In ancient times, when the mysteries of the world could not be adequately explained due to the lack of science and philosophy, primitive cultures and civilisations relied upon myths and legends in order to explain, rationalise and justify natural occurrences. The ancient Greeks relied upon the legend of Persephone in order to explain the changing of the seasons, and whilst we, as a more sophisticated and technologically advanced society are able to explain the world around us in greater and more accurate detail, some of us still rely on abstract concepts to justify our ignorance.


Gamblers and people who routinely engage in games of chance or luck will invariably use luck as a catch all for either successes or defeats, either hailing Lady Luck as the merciful queen, or the cold hearted tyrant who cost them so much. However, the English poet and novelist John Milton once claimed that “luck was the residue of design” and this is so much more than poetic license, and in relation to backgammon, Lady Luck really does favour those who exercise due diligence before playing.


On the face of it, backgammon is a deceptively simple game, after all given that the players roll dice to move their counters from one end of the board to the other, how challenging can that be?


The one crucial thing that distinguishes a mediocre player from a skilled one is that a veteran will be able to manipulate each and every dice roll to his advantage, and to force  the randomness of the dice roll to benefit them. Say for example that you want to try and block the free passage of your opponents pips, and to that effect you intend to pin down a number of his points with your own pips. The earlier you can do this within the game, the better because you will be able to dominate the playing field and thereby securing yourself an even bigger head start.


If you want to move one of your pips 3 spaces away, then the odds would stand at 3 to 2, whereas if you wanted to move them 6, you would stand a 50-50 chance of getting the desired roll.


Being aware and confident with backgammon odds are two concepts that are worlds apart, and can be a real struggle for a novice to master. However, rest assured, if you can commit yourself in this way, you will find that you will develop a greater appreciation for the game.