Backgammon Pro Robert Wacthel Talks with Play65
In an exclusive interview, backgammon player and author Robert Wachtel talks about playing backgammon for a living, confirms the rumors about his PhD in philosophy, looks back at his many wins and one unfortunate loss, recalls the prehistoric computerless era and reveals a secret plan to bring peace to the Middle East, with backgammon help, of course.
Robert Wachtel, 61, doctor of philosophy of science from the University of Toronto, was born in New York City and now resides in Playa Del Rey, California. He was introduced to backgammon about 30 years ago, and since then he won the national backgammon championships of the UK, Sweden, and Italy, championed the 2001 Las Vegas Open (Championship and Doubles) and finished second at the 2004 Monte Carlo World Backgammon Championship. Robert Wachtel is also the author of the backgammon book In the Game until the End: Winning in Ace-Point Endgames, and he is currently looking for a publisher for his second book, a deeply researched non-fiction book that does not involve backgammon.
"I learned to play backgammon at age 29, in a chess club in Toronto, Canada, where I had just finished my postgraduate studies. I was self-taught; when I first learned the game, I spent most of my waking time playing and studying." Wachtel strolls down memory lane to Play65 blog’s request.
When did you decide to become a professional backgammon player?
"I never decided to become a professional backgammon player. It was more like I discovered that I could make money and have fun playing at the same time. But of course, to the extent that this discovery discouraged me from pursuing other career paths, one could, I guess, count it as a ‘decision’."
What are the characteristics one needs to become a world-class backgammon player?
"Patience and above all - a love of the game. If you truly enjoy playing and thinking about backgammon, you will not need to "discipline" yourself or get yourself "motivated" to study. You will wake up and go to sleep with puzzles that you simply enjoy solving."
On Backgammon Prehistory
"We had Magriel’s book, which is still a classic, but we did not have strong computer programs. This meant that you had to learn by trial and error, mathematical analysis, and playing positions out hundreds of times. By the time that Jellyfish and Snowie came out, I had a collection of some hundreds of puzzles: positions that I had never been able to solve definitively. I cannot describe what a thrill it was to finally be able to get the "answers" to them. Nowadays, I routinely analyze as much of my play as possible."
Backgammon & Gambling
Despite, or maybe in spite of losing $100,000 on a single roll of the dice in the 2007 Crowns Cup, Wachtel is not flinched by the association of backgammon and gambling.
"In my latest writing project I set myself the task of proposing a healthier approach for society to take towards gambling than it does at present. Specifically, I argue that the moral and political attitude of viewing gambling as a "vice" is socially dysfunctional."
Can you play backgammon without money involved?
"Yes, you can absolutely play backgammon without playing for money or being a gambler, ‘though if you really hate to invest any money in your play you can hardly become well-known. Even tournament play involves the financial commitment of entry fees, travel and expenses."
Future of Backgammon
"I am confident that some young producer will find a way to televise backgammon so as to make it as exciting as poker." Robert Wachtel looks forward for the next exciting evolution of the much loved game. "And, of course the project of cultivating the millions of natural players in the Middle East, which Play65 is involved in, would be a great way to advertise the peace in that area that we all wish for."
