Poker and backgammon are games that require comparable skills, and yet it seems that poker (포커에이스) is the one of the two games that is way ahead of the other in terms of publicity. In the following, I would like to compare both games using different criteria and thus give an impression of the reasons why the games are each attractive to their respective. It should be mentioned in advance that there are quite a few players who show a certain passion for both games and can also show successes in both games.

Poker vs. Backgammon: Lifestyle and glamor

Even if you don’t like poker or backgammon, which is unlikely after reading this article, you can get a good first impression of the lifestyle factor of the two games if you do a Google search for the terms Backgammon Lifestyle and Poker Lifestyle start.
Poker clearly outnumbered backgammon on the internet in terms of lifestyle factors and is probably also associated with significantly more glamor in the public perception.

Poker is regularly broadcast on TV, the World Poker Championship in Las Vegas is a huge event and every player who has taken a seat at a live poker table understands why the lifestyle factor in this game is significantly greater than in backgammon. Not least because there are usually up to 10 players at a poker table, the game is perceived as more social than the 1-on-1 game typical of backgammon.

Accordingly, the point for the lifestyle factor goes to poker.

Poker vs. Backgammon: social acceptance

Have you ever spoken to a friend or colleague about playing poker? Have you had the same conversation about backgammon before? Could you imagine mentioning poker or backgammon in a job interview when asked about your hobbies?

The reactions will probably be very different. While interest in poker has certainly increased in recent years, even among non-gamers, the general idea of ​​the poker player is still the adventurer and gambler, who above all has to bluff well.

Since backgammon is much less in the public eye, you may encounter less interest in backgammon, but the game is perceived less as a gamble, but rather either as a more demanding person-annoy-not or as a rather boring stone-pushing for men of a set age.

Accordingly, the point for social acceptance is still just about backgammon.

Poker vs. Backgammon: Game of chance or game of skill

Both poker and backgammon have both skill and dexterity components. One could even argue that if there is a skill component, one can no longer speak of a game of chance, since the chance is distributed equally among all players and so in the long term the decisive success factor is skill (skill or dexterity).

Nevertheless, there is a consensus that the distribution of luck and skill is very different in relation to a single backgammon game or, in poker, in relation to a single hand or session.

In both games, a beginner can win against a professional at short notice thanks to the luck component. In both games, the professional prevails in the long run. In practice, however, the luck component in poker is weighted higher in relation to the short-term chances of winning than in backgammon.

In backgammon the dice can of course fall cheaply, but a strong player in the game will find a way to outmaneuver the beginner. In poker, on the other hand, a beginner with the worst possible hand, i.e. 72o, against a professional with the best possible hand, i.e. aces, has a winning probability of 11.59% with a small backup chance of 0.21% on a split. All the beginner has to do is go all in with his 72o preflop and hope for the best.

A clear point for one or the other game cannot be awarded in this category, as it depends on personal preference how attractive the higher luck factor of poker compared to backgammon is.

Accordingly, backgammon gets the point for the higher skill factor.

Poker vs. Backgammon: Tournaments and opportunities to play

Both poker and backgammon can be played live, i.e. in tournaments or in clubs. In contrast to backgammon, poker has better-attended tournaments that take place regularly in every major city or casino. Also online, the number of players who devote themselves to the game of poker is much larger than is the case with backgammon. This is certainly due in large part to the greater luck factor in poker, which makes the game more attractive to casual gamers. This allows casino operators and online providers to operate poker more effectively and economically than is the case with backgammon. Accordingly, poker is promoted more than backgammon and so more new players regularly find their way to poker than backgammon.

Therefore, poker gets the point for the larger number of players and the associated easier entry into the game.

Poker vs. Backgammon: Analysis and ways to get better

There is sophisticated software for both poker and backgammon that helps analyze and improve your own game. A good introduction to backgammon is certainly the free one Gnu Backgammon which is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

There is very good analysis software for poker, such as the open-source tool Pokerstove , the free Equilab from Pokerstrategy as well as various solutions for tracking your hands in online games.

Both games get one point each.

Conclusion

All in all, the comparison between poker and backgammon is balanced. Both games are a mixture of gambling and skill and both games are complex enough to arouse long-term interest through the skill factor.

Nevertheless, it must be noted that the potential for marketing the games in poker seems to be significantly higher and accordingly more players are finding it to play poker.

Read also: Online Betting vs. Traditional Betting