GAME CYCLES

Last night was the first night of the season for Las Vegas Backgammon club. It was also awards night for the players who finished in the top 10 last year. As one year or seasons ends and another one begins, I’m reminded me of the cycle of things.

The interesting thing to me about cycles is remembering that a complete cycle always begins where it ends.

Whether we are talking about the cycle of life, a day, a task or a hand of poker, remembering that completing the cycle is vital! It has been very helpful to me to remember that. If I start something and I don’t complete that cycle, I hate it! it’s as if I quit. It’s as if I’m a runner running a lap around the track and half way around I just walked off the track. I hate that feeling.

On a side note, I was never that good a runner. My brother and sister were star cross-country runners in high school and growing up behind them in my small town, I felt pressured to follow in their footsteps. And so I did. Many a times I would be running through some corn field wondering “what the hell am I doing out here?” But in spite of coughing my guts out and not really enjoying it, I finished the race. I completed the 3.1-mile race cycle. And although I didn’t win any trophies for cross-country I’m glad I stuck with it and completed what I started.

In a poker hand, the cycle for me starts when the dealer cuts the deck and ends when the next deck is cut. I like beginning and ending at that point because it usually gives me a minute to digest what happened in the last hand, process it and let it go, before the next hand begins. The physical dealing of the hand will come and go, but did I accomplish what I wanted to do in that cycle? That is the question. I use that point also as a trigger and a way of reminding myself that the last hand is over, now let’s get into playing this one.

So many players who I see lose a hand carry over emotional baggage from one cycle to the next. And as long as they do that they are not in present time. They may be physically playing the current hand, but emotionally they are still in the last one. That affects their decision-making and clouds their judgment.

When I do this I’m reminded of the concept of cycles and do what I need to do to complete it and move on. A cycle of a poker hand is a process we all go through. It’s difficult enough to play the hand you’re in without carrying over baggage of previous ones. At the end of the day may be the time to reflect and learn from all the hands you played, but while you’re playing them I think one of the key strategies is to remain in present time.

 So the cycle of a new Backgammon season is here. This will be my first full season with LVBG and at the end of this cycle I will be one of the top 10 players at the awards banquet next year.

My biggest challenge will be showing up for enough comps to earn the points that come with your performance each week. With all my travelling and other competing interests (poker, tennis, coaching, etc.) showing up will be half the battle. But what would a cycle be without a little challenge to it? Boring. I enjoy playing Backgammon and where there is joy there usually is interest and participation, so I’m confident I’ll confront the challenge and complete the cycle.

Enjoy the Journey!

Kenna