Jason Pack

Jason Pack

Jason has always thought that certain backgammon players are indeed luckier than others. Not because they roll double fives more frequently, but because they have the vision to see that our pastime is so replete with beauty, truth, wisdom and companionship. Our community furnishes fascinating friends on all continents and effortlessly transcends politics: connecting Arabs, Persians, and Jews; Kurds, Turks, Greeks, and Armenians; it can even almost bridge the ancestral animosity between Danes and Swedes. Visually the game trains us to see harmony and balance. And as one plays for thousands of hours, further layers reveal themselves. The game mirrors many of life's core dilemmas: risk vs reward; skill vs luck; gut instinct vs reflection; art vs science; humbleness/timidity vs confidence/brashness. I am honoured to have learned some of backgammon's many lessons via great teachers and mentors. The game has helped me improve in areas of intrinsic weakness: patience, nerves, tolerance, etiquette, humbleness. It has also helped me better understand certain dynamics at play in geopolitics, investment decisions, and neo-liberal capitalism. You can read some of my Backgammon Articles drawing on these lessons. My Disorder Podcast, which explores world affairs, also frequently draws on the psychology of game playing and themes of risk taking. Of all that I've achieved in life; my achievements in Backgammon arguably mean the most to me. They have been purely meritocratic and given the most joy. Below are some highlights: o 2024 Selected as a Grandmaster of Backgammon by the Backgammon Masters Awarding Body (BMAB) o 2024 World Championship 2nd Place Speedgammon o 2024 Swedish Open 2nd Place Speedgammon o 2022 NY Metro Open Doubles Champion o 2019 UK Open Super Jackpot Champion o 2018 World Champion of Doubles Backgammon o 2018 Captain of Winning Team of World Team Tournament o 2016 London Open Speedgammon Champion o 2015 Connecticut Masters and Open Champion o 2015 Michigan Masters Champion o 2015 Michigan Open 2nd Place o 2014 UK Open Champion o 2014 Nordic Open Super Jackpot Champion o 2014 Nordic Open 2nd Place in Doubles o 2013 British Open Champion