We played a lot of board games in the Vance household growing up. Parchesi, Life, Monopoly, Chinese Checkers, Sorry, regular checkers, Connect 4, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Hungry Hungry Hippos – if the game existed, we played it.

Unless that game was backgammon – or, as we called it, “the other side of the checkerboard.” We probably didn’t play because my parents didn’t know how and it wasn’t self-explanatory enough to play without reading the instructions.

So when I saw the new World Series of Backgammon channel on Joost, I thought I might finally learn how to play. And learn I did! First of all, you can use backgammon as a verb – like “the worst thing that could happen in a game is that you could get backgammoned.” You can also use backgammon without the "back" – like “if he moves there, he can get gammon.” “Pigeons” are players who think they’re better than they are. I don’t understand what a “beaver” is, but it’s a legitimate backgammon term.

Aside from that, there are a lot of similarities to poker. You play in casinos or you can play online. There’s also an entire professional circuit – with money to be won. And it’s a game of luck and skill.

You’ll have to decide, though, if backgammon tournaments are as scintillating to watch as poker.