The doubling cube doesn't strike fear in me. To me it is the simplest bet possible. If you are head, offer the cube if you fall behind and the other guy doubles, you decline.

Don, Your post reminded me of a time I went to a backgammon club in Ottawa. It seems that though they played for money they were more interested in displaying their knowledge of the game than winning.

I didn't care if I won or not so I made some moderately higher risk moves but a couple of lucky rolls (about 1 in 3 odds) and I won the tournament of 8 and all three matches while enduring constant criticism.

Its a lot more fun playing backgammon with drunk Russian sailors in a bar than sober Canadian backgammon nerds.