WE were delighted to hear that Hong Kong's backgammon team out-rolled the rest of the world in a tense international championship at Monte Carlo. Andre Hoffman, Patrice Hattu and Dr John Simon beat a team which included twice-world champion Bill Robertie by two games to one in the final 10 days ago. Dr Simon, who reached the last 16 in the singles tournament, also won the Courtesy Cup - a surprise honour for Hong Kong in a board game which often seems to bring out the worst in people. ''God knows why they gave it to me. I'm as rude as anyone else,'' said Dr Simon, who has been known to throw his dice around the room in frustration after a particularly cruel loss at the Hong Kong Backgammon Club. ''Perhaps I'm nicer when I play people I don't know very well.'' Dr Simon said they did not visit casinos, or engage in any casual backgammon games for francs. ''I never gamble,'' he informed us politely.
