Possible to be a backgammon professional?

On Mar 9, 9:09 pm, "risky biz" <risky-....TakeThisOut@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Stu Ungar was credited with being the best Gin Rummy player in the world
> and said he switched to poker because he couldn't find enough rummy games.
>
> Gus Hansen says he was a backgammon pro before becoming a poker player. Is
> there really any kind of action in backgammon? Maybe in Europe.
>
> ------ 
> * kill-files, watch-lists, favorites, and more..www.recgroups.com

Also throw in "hearts" in there. If anyone could tell me where to play
hearts for money, I would so greatly appreciate it.
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

"risky biz" <risky-biz.DeleteThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:ksoea5xclc.ln2@recgroups.com...
> Stu Ungar was credited with being the best Gin Rummy player in the world
> and said he switched to poker because he couldn't find enough rummy games.
>
> Gus Hansen says he was a backgammon pro before becoming a poker player. Is
> there really any kind of action in backgammon? Maybe in Europe.
>
> ------
> * kill-files, watch-lists, favorites, and more.. www.recgroups.com
>

Eric Seidel was a pro backgammon player I belive.

A
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 10 2008 12:10 AM, Jason Pawloski wrote:

> On Mar 9, 9:09 pm, "risky biz" <risky-... RemoveThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> > Stu Ungar was credited with being the best Gin Rummy player in the world
> > and said he switched to poker because he couldn't find enough rummy games.
> >
> > Gus Hansen says he was a backgammon pro before becoming a poker player. Is
> > there really any kind of action in backgammon? Maybe in Europe.
> >
> Also throw in "hearts" in there. If anyone could tell me where to play
> hearts for money, I would so greatly appreciate it.

Anyone who will play you hearts for money is probably cheating. I've
never heard of honest hearts action beyond kitchen table stakes.

Wayne Vinson
http://cardsharp.org
Wayne (dot) Vinson (at) gmail (dot) com

------ 
RecGroups : the community-oriented newsreader : www.recgroups.com
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 10, 12:09 am, "risky biz" <risky-....DeleteThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Stu Ungar was credited with being the best Gin Rummy player in the world
> and said he switched to poker because he couldn't find enough rummy games.
>
> Gus Hansen says he was a backgammon pro before becoming a poker player. Is
> there really any kind of action in backgammon? Maybe in Europe.


There was a _lot_ of money in backgammon some years ago. Frankly, I
was never a good backgammon player but I could find enough bad players
that I made decent part-time job type money. I could also play fairly
profitably in chouettes with one or two good players if the rest were
bad. If I could make that kind of money having to pick my spots that
carefully, the good players must have really made out. The tournament
circuit was also going big in those days but you really had to be a
pretty good player, which left _me_ out.

I don't enjoy the game, which my friend Harold said is an advantage.
He postulates that the desire to play the game causes poker players to
play too many hands and backgammon players to take too many doubles.
He says that enjoying the game is not a disadvantage in bridge, since
you have to play every hand out, so there is no such thing s making
money by folding.

Will in New Haven

--


>
> ------ 
> * kill-files, watch-lists, favorites, and more..www.recgroups.com
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 10, 1:10 am, Jason Pawloski <jpawlo... DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mar 9, 9:09 pm, "risky biz" <risky-... DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> > Stu Ungar was credited with being the best Gin Rummy player in the world
> > and said he switched to poker because he couldn't find enough rummy games.
>
> > Gus Hansen says he was a backgammon pro before becoming a poker player. Is
> > there really any kind of action in backgammon? Maybe in Europe.
>
> > ------
> > * kill-files, watch-lists, favorites, and more..www.recgroups.com
>
> Also throw in "hearts" in there. If anyone could tell me where to play
> hearts for money, I would so greatly appreciate it.


It's too easy to collude in hearts, so no one plays it for serious
money.
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

In article <47d4b85e$0$31313$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com>,
johnny_t <nobodyis DeleteThis @home.com> wrote:

>prior to backgammon being solved there used to be quite a bit of action
>in the game, and didn't suffer the kinds of problems that Russ and crowd
>brought to the game.

You've never heard of Gaby Horowitz? He was a notorious
backgammon cheater, and one of his stunts involved poisoning
his opponent before a big finals match. Not fatally, mind
you, but Gaby wanted to stop him from being able to play the
finals.

Players in LA generally insist that baffle boxes be used.
Have you ever wondered why?

Yes, it's possible to be a backgammon professional, or at least
it used to be... I suspect it still is. I used to follow the
BG tournament circuit back in the early-to-mid 90s, and I knew
several people who made a living from backgammon.

There used to be one particular whale, someone whose name
I won't mention, who pretty much singlehandedly supported
half a dozen pros. Whenever a major tournament was going
on, the big chouette (usually $200-500/point) would spring
up in the back corner of the room.

Back when I was playing, Phil Laak called himself Ultraman
and supported himself by playing backgammon. I have some
incredibly funny photos of him looking like a young preppie...
wonder if they'd make good blackmail fodder?

I know who the guy profiled in this article is:
http://tinyurl.com/27pvxm He's been playing professionally
since the 70s.

Backgammon doesn't have the same quantity of action or availability
as poker does, but I'm pretty sure there's still enough money
floating around to support a small collection of pros.

-Patti

P.S. Here's the most money I've made on BG in a while:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0713490640?ie=UTF8&tag=gammoncopm&lin...de=as2&
--
Patti Beadles, Oakland, CA |
pattib~pattib.org | All religions are equally
http://www.pattib.org/ | ludicrous, and should be ridiculed
http://stopshootingauto.com | as often as possible. C. Bond
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

http://groups.google.com.pk/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/thread/4781f6
2a1c0049c1/a8f85467b402a67f?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=Backgammon++GCA#a8f85467b402a67f

Eric Seidel was a backgammon pro back in the 80's, as well as numerous other
poker players. However, they ran in people with TECHNO GAMMON.

As for HEARTS, anyone playing hearts for big money better have a three man team
or at least a two man team. Same for Bridge.

Back in the 80's, many of the USAs best backgammon players were based there, as
well as the chess players. By the time you realize you've been cheated, you're
too much loser.

Russ Georgiev

http://www.pokermafia.com/
http://www.pokerunchecked.com/
http://www.europokerschool.com/



On Mar 9 2008 9:09 PM, risky biz wrote:

> Stu Ungar was credited with being the best Gin Rummy player in the world
> and said he switched to poker because he couldn't find enough rummy games.
>
> Gus Hansen says he was a backgammon pro before becoming a poker player. Is
> there really any kind of action in backgammon? Maybe in Europe.



_______________________________________________________________
The Largest Online Poker Community - http://www.recpoker.com
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 10, 10:41 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087... DeleteThis @recpoker.com> wrote:
> http://groups.google.com.pk/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/th...
> 2a1c0049c1/a8f85467b402a67f?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=Backgammon++GCA#a8f85467b402a67­f
>
> Eric Seidel was a backgammon pro back in the 80's, as well as numerous other
> poker players. However, they ran in people with TECHNO GAMMON.
>
> As for HEARTS, anyone playing hearts for big money better have a three man team
> or at least a two man team. Same for Bridge.

Please do not get too involved in areas you don't understand. Expert
bridge players have played against cheats many times, and _allowed_
them to cheat, and still skinned them alive. I played a long match ten
years ago against two young guys who were halfway good players. After
the first evening, when we had won about four hundred dollars, I
mentioned to my partner Harold that they were cheating. He said "is it
doing them much good?" So we didn't bring it up and eventually one of
them said he didn't want to play us any more. We hadn't quite won five
thousand dollars in twelve sessions of their cheating and our not
cheating. If you want to get a partner I think I could arrange a
game.

Will in New Haven

--
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 11, 2:22 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087....TakeThisOut@recpoker.com> wrote:
> On Mar 11 2008 6:47 AM, Will in New Haven wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mar 10, 10:41 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087....TakeThisOut@recpoker.com> wrote:
> > >http://groups.google.com.pk/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/th...
> > > 2a1c0049c1/a8f85467b402a67f?hl=3Den&lnk=3Dgst&q=3DBackgammon++GCA#a8f85467=
> > b402a67=ADf
>
> > > Eric Seidel was a backgammon pro back in the 80's, as well as numerous oth=
> > er
> > > poker players. However, they ran in people with TECHNO GAMMON.
>
> > > As for HEARTS, anyone playing hearts for big money better have a three man=
> > team
> > > or at least a two man team. Same for Bridge.
>
> > Please do not get too involved in areas you don't understand. Expert
> > bridge players have played against cheats many times, and _allowed_
> > them to cheat, and still skinned them alive. I played a long match ten
> > years ago against two young guys who were halfway good players. After
> > the first evening, when we had won about four hundred dollars, I
> > mentioned to my partner Harold that they were cheating. He said "is it
> > doing them much good?" So we didn't bring it up and eventually one of
> > them said he didn't want to play us any more. We hadn't quite won five
> > thousand dollars in twelve sessions of their cheating and our not
> > cheating. If you want to get a partner I think I could arrange a
> > game.
>
> > Will in New Haven
>
> Will, if any bridge experts could beat a bridge game I was involved in, I would
> jump off the Golden Gate bridge. It's easy to beats cheats who don't know what
> they're doing. Try beating a cheat that does, especially one that had 100 master
> points by the age of 14. In my early teens, I played bridge in clubs about 4
> times a week.
>
> I would know every finesse that worked. I would know every card in every hand.
> If you could beat that, please apply.

I didn't say we would let you provide the cards. Your game is not
going to be good enough to get by, after all these years, with just
the aid of some signals between you and your partner. Since you were a
good player at one time, and only my partner is world-class, it
wouldn't be the in the same class as the two Broadway gambling
sharpies trying to beat Cublertson but it wouldn't be possible for you
to cheat well enough to win any money. It isn't as if we wouldn't know
who you were and would let you do any card marking or manipulation.

These days everybody seems to get one hundred master points every time
they turn around but I will admit that was quite an achievement back
then. If you haven't played since, you would have a hard time even
so.

Will in New Haven

--
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 11, 2:38 pm, Will in New Haven
<bill.re... DeleteThis @taylorandfrancis.com> wrote:
> On Mar 11, 2:22 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087... DeleteThis @recpoker.com> wrote:
> > Will, if any bridge experts could beat a bridge game I was involved in, I would
> > jump off the Golden Gate bridge. It's easy to beats cheats who don't know what
> > they're doing. Try beating a cheat that does, especially one that had 100 master
> > points by the age of 14. In my early teens, I played bridge in clubs about 4
> > times a week.
>
> > I would know every finesse that worked. I would know every card in every hand.
> > If you could beat that, please apply.
>
> I didn't say we would let you provide the cards. Your game is not
> going to be good enough to get by, after all these years, with just
> the aid of some signals between you and your partner. Since you were a
> good player at one time, and only my partner is world-class, it
> wouldn't be the in the same class as the two Broadway gambling
> sharpies trying to beat Cublertson but it wouldn't be possible for you
> to cheat well enough to win any money. It isn't as if we wouldn't know
> who you were and would let you do any card marking or manipulation.
>
> These days everybody seems to get one hundred master points every time
> they turn around but I will admit that was quite an achievement back then.


LOL. Or he's making shit up like he usually does. 100 master points
at age 14, sure. I suppose he had a PGA card at age 14 too, but
realized he couldn't win in golf because Arnold Palmer switches around
balls on the fairway!
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 11, 2:55 pm, Iceman <oneofc....DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Mar 11, 2:38 pm, Will in New Haven
>
>
>
>
>
> <bill.re....DeleteThis@taylorandfrancis.com> wrote:
> > On Mar 11, 2:22 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087....DeleteThis@recpoker.com> wrote:
> > > Will, if any bridge experts could beat a bridge game I was involved in, I would
> > > jump off the Golden Gate bridge. It's easy to beats cheats who don't know what
> > > they're doing. Try beating a cheat that does, especially one that had 100 master
> > > points by the age of 14. In my early teens, I played bridge in clubs about 4
> > > times a week.
>
> > > I would know every finesse that worked. I would know every card in every hand.
> > > If you could beat that, please apply.
>
> > I didn't say we would let you provide the cards. Your game is not
> > going to be good enough to get by, after all these years, with just
> > the aid of some signals between you and your partner. Since you were a
> > good player at one time, and only my partner is world-class, it
> > wouldn't be the in the same class as the two Broadway gambling
> > sharpies trying to beat Cublertson but it wouldn't be possible for you
> > to cheat well enough to win any money. It isn't as if we wouldn't know
> > who you were and would let you do any card marking or manipulation.
>
> > These days everybody seems to get one hundred master points every time
> > they turn around but I will admit that was quite an achievement back then.
>
> LOL.  Or he's making shit up like he usually does.  100 master points
> at age 14, sure.  I suppose he had a PGA card at age 14 too, but
> realized he couldn't win in golf because Arnold Palmer switches around
> balls on the fairway!-

He isn't stupid enough to lie about something that is public
information, checkable on the ACBL website. And he is certainly bright
enough and good enough at games to have that many points by then. It's
a hard game to get started in and there aren't many prodigies but one
hundrd points at fourteen isn't prodigy class. It's just real good. I
have no problem believing it.

Will in New Haven

--



Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 11 2008 6:47 AM, Will in New Haven wrote:

> On Mar 10, 10:41 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087....DeleteThis@recpoker.com> wrote:
> > http://groups.google.com.pk/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/th...
> > 2a1c0049c1/a8f85467b402a67f?hl=3Den&lnk=3Dgst&q=3DBackgammon++GCA#a8f85467=
> b402a67=ADf
> >
> > Eric Seidel was a backgammon pro back in the 80's, as well as numerous oth=
> er
> > poker players. However, they ran in people with TECHNO GAMMON.
> >
> > As for HEARTS, anyone playing hearts for big money better have a three man=
> team
> > or at least a two man team. Same for Bridge.
>
> Please do not get too involved in areas you don't understand. Expert
> bridge players have played against cheats many times, and _allowed_
> them to cheat, and still skinned them alive. I played a long match ten
> years ago against two young guys who were halfway good players. After
> the first evening, when we had won about four hundred dollars, I
> mentioned to my partner Harold that they were cheating. He said "is it
> doing them much good?" So we didn't bring it up and eventually one of
> them said he didn't want to play us any more. We hadn't quite won five
> thousand dollars in twelve sessions of their cheating and our not
> cheating. If you want to get a partner I think I could arrange a
> game.
>
> Will in New Haven
>

Will, if any bridge experts could beat a bridge game I was involved in, I would
jump off the Golden Gate bridge. It's easy to beats cheats who don't know what
they're doing. Try beating a cheat that does, especially one that had 100 master
points by the age of 14. In my early teens, I played bridge in clubs about 4
times a week.

I would know every finesse that worked. I would know every card in every hand.
If you could beat that, please apply.

Russ Georgiev

http://www.pokerunchecked.com/
http://www.pokermafia.com/
http://www.europokerschool.com/


> --



_______________________________________________________________
Posted using RecPoker.com v2.2 - http://www.recpoker.com
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional? 

On Mar 11 2008 11:38 AM, Will in New Haven wrote:

> On Mar 11, 2:22 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087....DeleteThis@recpoker.com> wrote:
> > On Mar 11 2008 6:47 AM, Will in New Haven wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > On Mar 10, 10:41 pm, Russ Georgiev <43087....DeleteThis@recpoker.com> wrote:
> > > >http://groups.google.com.pk/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/th...
> > > >
> > > > 2a1c0049c1/a8f85467b402a67f?hl=3Den&lnk=3Dgst&q=3DBackga
> > > > mmon++GCA#a8f85467=
> > > b402a67=ADf
> >
> > > > Eric Seidel was a backgammon pro back in the 80's, as well as numerous
> > > > oth=
> > > er
> > > > poker players. However, they ran in people with TECHNO GAMMON.
> >
> > > > As for HEARTS, anyone playing hearts for big money better have a three
> > > > man=
> > > team
> > > > or at least a two man team. Same for Bridge.
> >
> > > Please do not get too involved in areas you don't understand. Expert
> > > bridge players have played against cheats many times, and _allowed_
> > > them to cheat, and still skinned them alive. I played a long match ten
> > > years ago against two young guys who were halfway good players. After
> > > the first evening, when we had won about four hundred dollars, I
> > > mentioned to my partner Harold that they were cheating. He said "is it
> > > doing them much good?" So we didn't bring it up and eventually one of
> > > them said he didn't want to play us any more. We hadn't quite won five
> > > thousand dollars in twelve sessions of their cheating and our not
> > > cheating. If you want to get a partner I think I could arrange a
> > > game.
> >
> > > Will in New Haven
> >
> > Will, if any bridge experts could beat a bridge game I was involved in, I
> > would
> > jump off the Golden Gate bridge. It's easy to beats cheats who don't know
> > what
> > they're doing. Try beating a cheat that does, especially one that had 100
> > master
> > points by the age of 14. In my early teens, I played bridge in clubs about 4
> > times a week.
> >
> > I would know every finesse that worked. I would know every card in every
> > hand.
> > If you could beat that, please apply.
>
> I didn't say we would let you provide the cards. Your game is not
> going to be good enough to get by, after all these years, with just
> the aid of some signals between you and your partner. Since you were a
> good player at one time, and only my partner is world-class, it
> wouldn't be the in the same class as the two Broadway gambling
> sharpies trying to beat Cublertson but it wouldn't be possible for you
> to cheat well enough to win any money. It isn't as if we wouldn't know
> who you were and would let you do any card marking or manipulation.


Will

Realize we don't need to supply the cards. However, I doubt you know that.
First, if a game ever does happen, it will be for high stakes, as low stakes
don't cut it. By the time you realize something is wrong, you'd be stuck enough
to make it worth it.
>
> These days everybody seems to get one hundred master points every time
> they turn around but I will admit that was quite an achievement back
> then. If you haven't played since, you would have a hard time even
> so.

Truth be told, I haven't played any bridge for about 35 years. But in my late
teens I was in the U of W student union building gambling all day long on  money
bridge and hearts until most ran out of serious money. We didn't even take any
chances in bridge, as we'd play 3-1. In hearts, we played 2-2, but had a
mandatory rule the Q must be dropped on the first possible oppourtunity.

I also used to bowl the U of W bowling team for serious money. Five of them
against me. Serious money was bet and dumps were normal, just as in the pool
games.

Russ Georgiev

http://www.pokerunchecked.com/
http://www.pokermafia.com/
http://www.europokerschool.com/

Made it easy when you told your partner the lead you needed.
>
> Will in New Haven
>
> --



_______________________________________________________________
The Largest Online Poker Community - http://www.recpoker.com
 >> Stay informed about: Possible to be a backgammon professional?