Erik Seidel has spent four decades at the top of poker, but this week the Hall of Famer made headlines for a different board game. According to PokerNews, the 66-year-old entered the $2,500 Super Jackpot at the 2026 Las Vegas Open, his first backgammon tournament in more than 40 years, and reached the final before finishing as runner-up. The match to 17 points was tied 16-16 before he lost the title.
It is a classic Seidel story: understated, competitive and a few inches from a win. It also shines a light on the long and productive relationship between backgammon and poker.
What Happened in Las Vegas
PokerNews describes Seidel as a WSOP ten-time bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Famer. He entered the Super Jackpot, a $2,500 event, after a break of decades from tournament backgammon. Before the event he posted on X that he expected the tournament might push him back into retirement, a typically self-deprecating comment from a player known for his calm demeanour.
Instead, he won his way to the final. In a match played to 17 points, the score reached 16-16, meaning the next decisive game, or the cube action leading up to it, would determine the title. Seidel lost, finishing second. In backgammon, that kind of finish is common: the doubling cube turns single games into huge swings, so a final can hinge on one roll of the dice.
Seidel's Backgammon Background
Seidel's backgammon history is well documented in poker circles. He played seriously in New York in his early years, including at the Mayfair Club. PokerNews quotes him saying in 2019, "I loved backgammon and it was the perfect time to be playing in New York." Many of the game's top players in that era also played poker or traded, and the crossover between the three worlds was strong.
His story echoes a wider pattern. Several players in the poker community have also excelled at backgammon. PokerNews notes that Zdenek Zizka won the 2025 Ultimate Backgammon Championship in Monte Carlo, beating Thomas Myhr to defend his 2024 title. Gus Hansen, one of the most colourful figures in poker history, was a professional backgammon player before he focused on poker.
Why Backgammon and Poker Overlap
At first glance the games look different: one is played with cards, the other with dice and a board. But they share core principles that explain why talented players move between them.
Probability and Decision-Making
Both games revolve around making the best decision with incomplete information. In backgammon, you know the position but not the dice. In poker, you know your cards and the board but not your opponent's holding. Strong players in both games think in terms of probabilities and expected value rather than outcomes. If you want to build that foundation, start with pot odds, equity and our poker odds guide.
The Doubling Cube and Betting
Backgammon's doubling cube is the closest thing the game has to poker betting. A player must judge when they have a big enough advantage to double, and their opponent must decide whether to accept or fold. Those decisions mirror raising, calling and folding. Understanding when you have an edge, and how much to push it, is central to both disciplines.
Variance and Emotional Control
Both games feature short-term luck that can swamp skill. Players who can accept bad beats and focus on the next decision tend to prosper. Losing a match 17-16 after leading is the backgammon equivalent of losing a big pot to a river card. Controlling tilt is just as important at the backgammon board as at the poker table.
What a 16-16 Final Teaches Us
The most striking detail in the story is the score. A match to 17 points tied at 16-16 typically leaves each player needing a single point, so the next game decides the match and doubling offers little extra leverage. In practical terms, both players are down to pure gameplay for the final decisive game.
That scenario is comparable to heads-up poker at the end of a tournament, where stack sizes and blind levels remove most of the complexity and force both players to simply play their best game. ICM and risk-aversion matter less when there is only one prize to claim. The player who handles that pressure better wins, but the outcome is still partly luck.
Why It Matters for Poker Fans
Seidel's runner-up result matters for several reasons. It reinforces that competitive talent translates across games. It reminds fans that legends are still hungry decades into their careers. And it shows that the poker community is not insular: its best players are often drawn to other mind sports.
For the rest of us, there are practical lessons.
Skills transfer. If you are a hold'em player, learning another game, whether Omaha, backgammon or chess, will sharpen your thinking. Our guides to Texas Hold'em and Omaha are good places to begin on the poker side.
Practise regularly. Seidel hadn't played backgammon tournaments for 40 years and still made the final. Part of that is his ability to relearn quickly, but it also reflects a foundation built from years of serious play.
Take shots. Entering a $2,500 event after decades away carries risk, but the potential reward and enjoyment are high. In poker, taking calculated shots at tournaments can build both your bankroll and your experience, as long as you respect bankroll management.
Poker's Wider Cultural Footprint
Stories like this also feed poker's mainstream appeal. Casual fans may not follow every PGT or WSOP result, but they enjoy the personalities behind the sport. A 66-year-old legend returning to a game he loved as a young man is exactly the kind of narrative that travels beyond the poker bubble.
Meanwhile, the poker industry continues to compete for attention with sports betting, esports and other forms of entertainment. Many bettors who use sportsbooks also play poker, and cross-promotion is increasingly common. Compelling human stories help keep the game visible.
Final Thoughts
Erik Seidel didn't win the backgammon title, but he did what he has always done: showed up, competed and came within a single game of victory. His comments before the event suggest he'll retire again, though few would be surprised to see him back at the board if the schedule allows. Whether at the poker table or the backgammon table, great competitors tend to find their way back to the game.