Erik Seidel wins runner-up title in his first backgammon tournament in over 40 years.

Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel finished as runner-up in backgammon at the 2026 Las Vegas Open $2,500 Super Grand Prix, marking his first backgammon tournament appearance in over 40 years.

The last time Erik Seidel participated in a backgammon tournament, Reagan was still the President of the United States, Michael Jordan had not yet made his NBA debut, and the Berlin Wall was still standing.

More than 40 years later, the ten-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner decided to try again. Despite joking that he might be sent straight back to retirement, the Poker Hall of Famer nearly won the entire tournament.

66-year-old Seidel participated in the 2026 Las Vegas Open $2,500 Grand Prix, competing against some of the world's top backgammon players, and ultimately won the runner-up title in a fiercely contested final.

A state of being is temporary, but true strength is eternal.

Before the match, Seidel announced his return on X, although he wasn't particularly optimistic about his chances.

"Tomorrow I will participate in my first backgammon tournament in over 40 years, facing some of the world's top players. It will likely force me to retire again, but I will try again in 40 years," he wrote on October 6.

As it turns out, Seidel had nothing to worry about. The poker legend fought his way through the field of the $2,500 Super Grand Prix, making it to the finals, but ultimately missed out on the championship.

On Thursday, Seidel returned to X and posted an update in a much more positive tone than his initial prediction.

The final battle went on until the very end, with the two sides tied at 16-16 after 17 points.

For someone who hasn't participated in a backgammon tournament in over 40 years, winning second place against top opponents is quite an impressive comeback.

What is backgammon, and why do poker players like it?

For those unfamiliar with backgammon, it is a two-player board game where opponents compete to move their 15 pieces off the board before the opponent can finish.

Players roll dice to determine how far they can move, but deciding how to move is the real skill. There's also a doubling die that allows players to increase their bets during the game.

Like poker, backgammon combines luck, probability, risk management, and strategy. You can't control the dice, just as you can't control the cards you're dealt, but over time, making better decisions than your opponent can give you an advantage.

This is a game that Seidel is particularly familiar with. Before becoming a professional poker player, he was a serious backgammon player in New York, frequenting the famous Mayfair Club, where both games captivated some of the sharpest minds of the time.

“I love backgammon, and it was the perfect time to play in New York,” Seidel told PokerNews in 2019. “There was always a game going on in Mayfair. I started making money playing the game. Back then, it was a bridge and backgammon club.”

Seidel eventually turned his attention to poker, finishing as runner-up in the 1988 WSOP Main Event, losing to Johnny Chan—a moment that became famous. That heads-up duel was later immortalized in the poker movie "Rounders."

He went on to build one of the most successful careers in poker history, winning ten WSOP gold bracelets and being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2010.

Seidel isn't the only poker star with backgammon skills.

Seidel is not the only poker player who can compete with the world's top backgammon players.

In July 2025, Czech poker pro Zdenek Zizka won the Ultimate Backgammon Championship (UBC) in Monte Carlo, defeating Denmark's Thomas Myhr and successfully defending his title, which he won in 2024.

Just weeks before his UBC victory, Zizka won his first WSOP gold bracelet in the $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event, defeating Shaun Deeb heads-up to win $232,498.

Poker legend Gus Hansen was also a professional backgammon player before turning to poker.

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