"I think the thing about backgammon is that the luck of the dice means that a weak player can beat a stronger player quite often."

Backgammon is not a game based on luck. It's a game based on both luck and skill. Pick up any backgammon game book and it's easy to see why there are consistent top rated players in the world and 2- and 3-time world champions. They understand the game on a deeper level.

As for my skill.....I obviously don't know much about the game and at my level, luck has more to do with it perhaps. But just like chess, there is an element of skill and knowledge and once one masters even the basics, your game will improve. If a backgammon players can understand the the elements of probability and odds, the "luck" factor is diminished.