🎲 Beyond Luck: The Mind, Myths, and Magic of Backgammon with Chris Bray
When you think of backgammon, you might imagine a casual beach game, a café pastime, or perhaps an old wooden board collecting dust. But for Chris Bray — professional player, author of Backgammon for Dummies, and long-time columnist for The Times — backgammon is nothing less than a lifelong adventure in psychology, mathematics, and human nature.
On the latest episode of the Kollective Institute of Ideas, we sit down with Chris to peel back the layers of this ancient game.
🎯 The art of balancing luck and skill
"Nearly all games have an element of luck," Chris begins. "But in backgammon, it’s the unique mix of dice, decision-making, and psychology that makes it so addictive."
While a novice can beat a world champion in a single game (thanks to luck), skill always triumphs over time. Chris emphasises that the best players aren’t just mathematicians — they’re master psychologists, reading opponents like open books and leveraging the notorious doubling cube to force tough decisions.
🌀 The hidden world of high-stakes backgammon
Chris's stories lift the curtain on a world few know exists: games for $10,000 a point, legendary players bluffing with million-dollar cubes, and tournaments in Monte Carlo where the entry fee alone is a gamble.
"To be a high-stakes player," he says, "you have to care only about winning or losing — never about the money itself. The moment you do, you're finished."
He recalls players like James Goldsmith and Paul Magriel (known as "X-22"), whose wagers bordered on cinematic legend. The combination of risk, strategy, and raw nerve creates a psychological battleground unlike any other.
🧠 Pattern recognition and mental resilience
Beyond dice rolls and dollar signs, Chris explains that backgammon mastery hinges on two key skills:
Pattern recognition — building a mental library of positions and scenarios through study and experience.
Mental arithmetic — lightning-fast calculations to weigh risk and reward in real time.
And, perhaps most importantly, emotional control. "If you can't divorce yourself from the dice, you have no chance," Chris warns. He likens it to tennis greats like Stan Wawrinka and Serena Williams, who win not just with talent but with unshakeable mental fortitude.
🌟 Lessons for life
Like many ancient games, backgammon is a mirror to life’s unpredictability. Its roots go back 5,000 years, with boards unearthed in Mesopotamia and stories of Roman emperors gambling their empires away.
"There are times you win and times you lose — you can only control your decisions, not the dice," Chris reflects. This mindset transcends the board and offers a powerful framework for facing setbacks in business, relationships, or any personal journey.
📚 Want to start playing?
Chris suggests Backgammon to Win (his personal favourite) or Backgammon for Dummies as accessible entry points. And while online apps like XG Mobile can help, he urges beginners to find a mentor and, above all, play often.
💬 Final words
Whether you’re a gamer, a strategist, or simply someone looking for a fresh challenge, backgammon offers a fascinating world where luck meets logic — and where, as Chris says, "You learn something new every single day."
👉 Listen to the full episode now to hear Chris’s stories of million-dollar games, near-death dice moments, and the art of mastering your mind.
