677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves?
Jun 12, 2026•59 min•Ep. 677
Listen to this episode in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episode description
It brings strangers together. It teaches probability, strategy, and emotional control. It has even helped N.F.L. teams win the Super Bowl. Stephen Dubner explores why this ancient game is having a renaissance. (Part two of a series, “We Are All Gamers Now.”)
- SOURCES:
- Remington Davenport, founder of NYC Backgammon Club.
- Frank Frigo, game strategy expert & two-time world backgammon champion.
- Masayuki "Mochy" Mochizuki, professional backgammon player.
- Marc Olsen, C.E.O. of Backgammon Galaxy.
- Robert Wachtel, author and professional backgammon player.
- RESOURCES:
- The Backgammon Chronicles: A Pro's Adventures on Tour Volume 1, by Robert Wachtel (2019).
- In the Game Until the End, by Robert Wachtel (1993)
- "Tric Trac, Clic Clac," (The New Yorker, 1930).
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android