Paul Magriel
| Paul Magriel | |
|---|---|
Magriel in the 2005 World Series of Poker
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| Nickname(s) | X-22; Button |
| Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Born | Paul David Magriel July 1, 1946 (age 70) |
| World Series of Poker | |
| Bracelet(s) | None |
| Money finish(es) | 8 |
| Highest ITM Main Event finish |
683, 2010 |
| World Poker Tour | |
| Title(s) | None |
| Final table(s) | 1 |
| Money finish(es) | 2 |
Paul David Magriel Jr. (pronounced Ma-grill) (born July 1, 1946) is an American professional backgammon player, poker player, and author based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Magriel became New York State Junior Chess Champion at the age of 19, while a student at New York University.
Known as X-22 on the backgammon circuit, Magriel has arguably won more major backgammon tournaments than any other player in the world. He is widely considered the world's premier backgammon teacher, an original and clear-thinking theorist and one of its best players.
The sobriquet X-22 originates from Magriel's simulation of a real backgammon tournament (compare simultaneous exhibition in chess) with 64 boards, designated X-1 through x-64, in which the player designated "X-22" has eventually won.
Magriel first came to prominence on the backgammon circuit when he won the World Backgammon Championship in 1978. From 1977 to 1980, he wrote weekly backgammon columns for The New York Times.
Paul and Renée Magriel (his first wife, later Roberts) have written two books, Backgammon, widely considered to be the bible of the game, and an abridgement for beginning players, An Introduction to Backgammon: A Step-by-Step Guide.
Magriel features in the commentary in the televised backgammon series, High Stakes Backgammon, produced from the 2005 World Backgammon Championships held in Monte Carlo. It was the pilot series that led to the World Series of Backgammon and showcased Magriel's extraordinary oratory skills.
Magriel had several notable finishes in poker tournaments from the mid-1990s in Europe, playing in London, Paris and Vienna in Omaha, hold'em and seven-card stud events. He won the €2,000 no limit hold'em event at the Aviation Club de France in September 2002, defeating a field including Pascal "Triple P" Perrault, Patrick Bruel and Simon "Aces" Trumper on the way to the €48,600 first prize.
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