Determining who qualifies for the title of Backgammon Champion is harder than one might think. The winners of the various sports competitions, for example, the Olympic Games are universally recognized, but the definition of who is a Backgammon Champion is open to debate.  One way of defining a Backgammon Champion is to take the winner of the World Championship that is held annually in Monte Carlo. The winner of this event is crowned World Champion.

Some game experts contend that the way this tournament is arranged makes it an imperfect indicator of who is the best international player. Another way of measuring the most successfully player is to go according to “Giants of Backgammon” ratings in which players assess the skill of their competitors. However, this method is also open to criticism for the subjective criterion applied.

All these reservations about definitions having been made, who does it seem is most worthy of carry this esteemed title. A strong contender is the popular backgammon author, Bill Robertie. He ranks as one of only two players who have twice won the Monte Carlo World Championship, back in 1983 and 1987. Interestingly enough he is also a successful chess and poker player so maybe broader gaming skills can be seen as a key ingredient in what goes to make a Backgammon Champion?

Another famous player is Tim Holland. After winning the World Backgammon Championship in Las Vegas in 1967, he managed to retain this title for three consecutive years. He has also won the London championship on two occasions. His fame was further increased by adoption of a rule he devised for the game; logically enough called the Holland Rule. This rule states that following a Crawford game, a player may not double until at least two dice throws have been made by both sides. Although Tim’s rule has fell out of favor in recent years, he has continued to have a position of prominence as a teacher and accomplished backgammon author.

Another well-known backgammon personality who also had a rule named after him was Oswald Jacoby. Today he is perhaps best known for the Jacoby Rule that treats gammons and backgammons as a single game, assuming none of the players have suggested doubling during the game. This rule remains popular in games played for wagers. Besides the rule, Jacoby was an accomplished player from his late teens – he was even playing backgammon during his First World War Service. Many years later he won the International Tournament Trophy successively in 1966, 1967 and 1968

John Crawford was both a competitor and collaborator with Oswald Jacoby. The winner of one international championship and the Regency Cup championship, he co-authored with Jacoby a famous guide to backgammon. The rule Crawford devised concerning the use of the doubling cube has become widely accepted. Interestingly enough Crawford was also a champion bridge player, so it would seem that the skills for these two quite different games have something in common.