Just as there is said to be a woman behind every successful man, experienced players of the backgammon board game know that behind every successful backgammon player is a sound backgammon strategy. Since so many of us learn to play backgammon while children, and we find it easy to quickly learn the backgammon instructions and think that we know all there is to know about backgammon setup, we may come to think that the game doesn't require the same level of thought as some other board games. Should we ever have the opportunity to attend a backgammon tournament, or see experienced players in some other context, this illusion is soon dispelled. The presence of the dice in the backgammon set up certainly does indicate that there is an element of luck in the game, but the probabilities of a player winning on the basis of fortunate dice throws alone are so remote as to be statistically insignificant. Even if the throws of the dice always seem to be in favor of a certain player, if that player lacks a knowledge of backgammon strategy they are in no position to exploit their good fortune. Thus, it would not be surprising to find an experienced player soon defeat the inexperienced player with the good dice throws.

Acquiring a sound backgammon strategy is therefore essential for anyone who enjoys winning their backgammon games. Fortunately, today there are many ways to learn how to play good backgammon. A good place to start is one of the backgammon clubs that are found in many cities around the world. Even if you are a complete novice, there is so much to learn by watching the play of more experienced players. When you feel that you have reached a level where you can put up a good match against a skilled player, your learning progresses to a further stage as you develop your skills through experience. Although there is no substitute for actual play, there is also much that can be learned from a perusal of the many books that have been written over recent years describing winning backgammon strategies, and offering tips for improving your play.

The appearance of Internet backgammon sites over the last few years have provided a wealth of opportunities to learn to play backgammon to a high level. All that is required is a connection to the Internet for the backgammon download brings free backgammon the game to your computer. There is no longer any need to go out and buy a backgammon board, checkers, dice and throwing cup since these are all presented to you in virtual form, and with a level of color quality and 3-D appearance whose quality shows the great investment made in the setting up of these gaming sites. Whether you choose to build up your playing skills in games against a challenging backgammon computer, or gain experience playing against fellow enthusiasts from around the world, Internet backgammon has the answer. The sites also contain valuable information on how to improve your game.