Luigi Villa


Luigi Villa is a backgammon player from Milan, Italy. In 1979, he was List of [world backgammon champions|the winner] of the World Championship held in Monte Carlo.
The very next day after winning the World Championship, he was defeated in a 7-point match by Hans Berliner's computer program BKG 9.8, becoming the first world champion in any board game to be defeated by a software program. Although Villa's play in the match was stronger, the computer received more favorable dice rolls, winning the match 7–1. The match was played for US$5,000, and drew an audience of 200 people.
In 2006, Villa placed second at the World Championship following a six-hour, 25-point final round against Philip Vischjager.