Backgammon in the Eyes of a Math Professor

Christos Papadimitriou, the C. Lester Hogan Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California at Berkeley, talks with Jack Woehr of Dr. Dobb's Portal for the occasion of receiving this year's Katyanagi Prize for Research Excellence about backgammon (among other things). 

It all begins when the interviewer notes that most computer scientists share an interested in music, linguistics and chess. Dr. Papadimitriou who describes himself "a failed musician", speaks Greek and English fluently and can manage his German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Turkish, admits preferring backgammon over chess. Despite his family relations to two of the best chess players in Greece, Papadimitriou find backgammon much more interesting and challenging. 

Backgammon is a game of probabilities; it is clear why someone who comes from an academic field of electrical engineering and computer science would find an interest in the game. Not necessarily. It is the mixture of skill and luck that draws the math professor to the most ancient board game in the world. Of all backgammon qualities, the things he likes about the game is the fact, that unlike in chess or other skill game, even the best backgammon player can lose. In his words: "… life is closer to backgammon, because you can play a perfect game and lose…"