As with many other games, online or live, there are various reasons why people spend their time playing backgammon. Some may look at this game as a plain hobby, having some fun or enjoying the thrill of an exciting competition. And others will go even further and would be willing to play for money with all the risks - in order to gain a reputation as a good player and win as much as they can. That is why backgammon can become very addictive.
The Real Reason: Community
But the main reason why many players love online backgammon is socializing with others and not the game alone. In backgammon there is a strong emphasis on people as a society. The players can chat between themselves, and other than playing against their rival in the game, they can join an online backgammon community and make friends from all over the world.
I know this from a first-person perspective. I have been addicted to backgammon for over 10 years, playing over 1 million games of online backgammon, being a member of over a dozen online communities, and even got married to a woman I met in one of those communities. So the online community can become a main factor in your life - much more than the game itself - mostly because you have the supportive feeling of a backgammon family.
The Emotional Rollercoaster
Backgammon has its moments and it is not always wonderful. Mostly because this game involves luck, which can create highly emotional reactions - especially when a player runs into bad luck. But as in real life, family and friends are there for the bad times as well. So players can feel comfortable expressing their emotions. But on the other hand, players should remember that they play with real people and try not to insult them.
Tips for a Better Experience
Here are a few tips for staying calm and playing professionally by controlling your emotions:
- Stay polite and nice as much as you can and always remember that there are real people on the other side of the game. You may even want to send them greetings from time to time and make their game enjoyable and fun - you will receive the same from them.
- Be professional and accept losses. You should congratulate rivals as well; they will admire you as a real sport and a fun opponent to play with in the future.
- Play fair without thinking about what is at stake. It's not worth losing friends and reputation while trying to trick your rivals. You may win money but later regret losing the close community you had.
- Stay calm and try to affect your opponents as well. Stay cool and your performance will be better.
There are many other great tips for a better game experience and results, but these are the basics. If you follow them, online backgammon will stay as fun as it should be.