Listening to a very good regular player of DailyGammon I bought 'Backgammon Boot camp' by Walter Trice. Adding shipping taxes and so on I payed 50$ and now I just finished reading it. I know that Robertie will respect Trice because they know each other very well so I don't know if he can ever be objective with the following: What a delusion! I read 501 and Advanced Backgammon by Robertie, and I learned tons of useful hints on BG working hard and studying hard (e.g. I wrote 80 pages reporting most important diagrams and lessons, re-formulating sentences, gathering formulas and tips and so on). Well because backgammon to be taught correctly has to be wrote in the form of problems and then explained throught short lessons on the most valuable tips. What's wrong with BG boot camp?
![]()
It's not a serious book on improving BG from intermediate to advanced, its mainly a sort of chat with an expert on the same famous topics, written a bit too rapidly and disconnected. Lines and lines of bla bla bla and a lesson every 20 pages, almost all well known to an intermediate player, mixed with too nerdish calculations that can't be useful to a good player but not a World class player. Something from the book from page 113 to 146 (33 pages!!) only on races and pipcounting and the 'immortal' 4 checkers position (2 for white and 2 for black) and all possible combinations: well known stuff.
From page 225 to 255 (30 pages) all on prime vs prime with minimal variations and tons of rollouts and similar cases in which even an expert will make some confusion. Really useless, because it's hard to squeeze out a lesson to remember.
Oct 26, 2009 An Introduction to Backgammon: A Step-By-Step Guide Paul Magriel on Amazon.com.FREE. shipping on qualifying offers. A careful explanation of the concepts, strategies, and betting odds of backgammon features simple diagrams and non-technical instructions designed for.
From 1 to 60 (60 pages) of introduction: odds and basic definitions written always 'en passant' and I think it's supposed to be stanard after one reads Backgammon from Paul Magriel. The real juicy part is the one about backgames, that is really well done and complete, full of right example and interesting variations, but that's only 47 pages, that's not worth 50 dolla imo. Maybe I am too much rude, but I'm 'angry': I expected a fresh new book full of modern ideas and tips but I found it really only a chat of well known stuffs, nothing more.
Hey flecha, IMHO you are too negative against boot camp. Well, everybody is free to post his opinion, but your title 'beware of' is a bit too hard imo. Before buying a book you should check infos about it. Boot camp is a compilation of articles that trice wrote. So it's another kind than modern bg from robertie. But everybody recommends it. I don't think that by reading boot camp you will become a worse backgammon player.
Very good method from you to extract the main importen things or lessons from a book. Well, as you already did this, why don't you just sell the book in your country?
I am sure u will get at least 30 $ for it, so at the end you took the!essence! For 20 bucks, and that's literally cheap IMHO.
I rank 'Backgammon Boot Camp' as one of the top 3 backgammon books ever written, along with Magriel's 'Backgammon' and Woolsey/Heinrich's 'New Ideas in Backgammon'. I read it when it came out in 2004, and thought I learned a lot from it, although I was already an experienced player at that point. It covers a lot of ground, is clearly written, and is funny and entertaining in many places.
Walter was a master of the art of making difficult topics clear, an underrated quality in games writers. Can you please tell me how to read it?
Jan 1, 2018 - Up-to-date categorized links to all of the best resources on the Internet to learn about and play the game of backgammon. You can download pdf files to print position cards. Gamer Cafe has a free online position. Clock and Rose Press published the 2004 edition of Backgammon by Paul Magriel.
I simply couldn't find a single way to improve my backgammon. I found it too much superficial and vague in the tips and the lessons (I am referring to tips like 'Prime two checkers, attack one checker' or 'Start to build your prime from the back', when far behind in the race play purely and fight for key points' and so on, very useful imo) and to much deep in abstract calculations that it's impossible to perform in game. I put Robertie's modern backgammon and 501 as 4 and 5 respectively. So what is your list i.e. I would put 1 as Modern Backgammon, 2 as Backgammon Bootcamp, 3 as 501 Essential Backgammon Problems, 4 as 'Boards, Blots and Double Shots' by Norm Wiggins (perhaps the most underrated Backgammon Book I have every read).
Now for the statement that will not make me popular - I do not recommend 'Backgammon' by Paul Magriel to beginners. Yes it was a master piece at the time it was written and it is incredibly clear but. I rolled out the Advanced section excluding the openings chapter.
About 322 positions and found 27% of them incorrect. The Backgammon community owes a debt to Paul Magriel for popularising Backgammon but I cannot recommend his book. I was playing as the captain in a chouette recently where we had put the box into a 12 backgame with 10 men!!!
I wanted to hit the 11th man when a team member said 'Magriel says do not hit extra men. We have the Gammon - what more do you want?' I replied 'I want the Backgammon and I would bet you money that if Paul Magriel was here he would hit too' We hit and scored a Backgammon.
In 'Advanced Backgammon ' Bill deals to the 'do not hit too many men' myth - yet it still remains. Facade Game No Demo more. I for one do not want to put wrong ideas into beginners heads by recommending Paul Magriel's book when there are better books available.
I recommend Backgammon Bootcamp instead because it contains some Match theory and a lot more about Doubling theory. I know that what I have said will not be popular but it is my honest opinion. YOu can learn a lot from 'Backgammon' by Magriel if you roll it out and think about what he got right and wrong.
But leave it until someone is prepared to put in that kind of effort. As I say, I expect to not be popular for saying this. There is no right or wrong here, just opinions is what Walter would say. For Bill it was a defining (and iconic) read; for Fllecha, it was not. I'm a multi-book, multilingual published author who writes mostly on a different subject and teaches. My subject is NOT time sensitive, nor has there been the type of advancements that BG has gad over the last 15 years. Both subjects are complex though and there are abundant opinions on how to teach them.
Self instruction, especially with the Net is a daunting task, just as finding a great fit with a mentor is. Unfortunately the teacher rarely has an empty vessel to work with where they can control what ingredients are added in what order. Walter;s book (contribution)is not meant to be Paul's book or visa versa.
I think this is what Bill is pointing out. The best advice I give (on my subject) is what to read, in what order and what not to read (when I have the luxury of working with an empty vessel).
Getting of on a tangent or even reading out of order or just surging the Net can and usually does impede the process. Nope it's not fair and nope it is not easy when working with complex subjects. The best teachers teach to the mean of their audience and leave some behind and others are bored to tears. Most teachers in school for instance have the challenge of working with a curriculum that a single course in a system their Board demands. What is the composite of one student rarely is the same as another. Walter, Paul, Bill, Kit, Neil or whomever rarely has the luxury of designing a direct route, it is circuitous and often for students it is redundant.
The wise student understands this and seeks a mentor or teacher who can access where they are and design a road map for them to grow without distractions. The gifted teacher or mentor rarely recommends an entire book (or article) they recommend parts or individual concepts from books and reject others. The fool recommends an entire restaurant, whereas the wise recommend a single dish from the menu.
Meet the Instructors! Julian Fetterlein Sebastian Wilkinson (Photos of instructors courtesy of David Startin) The UKBGF is delighted to give full backing to a new UK based backgammon proficiency centre called Backgammon Workshop (BGWS). Launched on July 1st, 2017, this tuition service is run by some of the best backgammon players and teachers in the UK: • Julian Fetterlein is a BMAB Grandmaster who has won numerous tournaments both in the UK and internationally over many years. He is widely regarded as the best backgammon theoretician and teacher in the UK. • Sebastian Wilkinson is also a BMAB Grandmaster and has been a professional player and teacher since 2015, during which time he has had numerous tournament successes. Visit the to see the range of services on offer, including free content, private lessons, commentated matches, match reviews, video lessons and much more.
Read from many students who have achieved great success following personal tuition tailored to their individual needs from individual members of BGWS, enabling them to reach their full potential. Much instructional material will be provided free by BGWS to all Basic and Premium UKBGF members, starting with an between Julian Fetterlein and Jerry Grandell. UKBGF members will require a password to view this – email us at if you do not have one. For those UKBGF members who choose to take things further, a 10% discount will apply to all BGWS services (except video lessons). If you don’t yet feel ready for formal tuition you can get a long way towards becoming a good player by reading the right backgammon books and playing against bots. Free basic tuition is often available at many of the venues listed on our Clubs page where all players, including complete beginners, are usually welcome. If you are a beginner it is a good idea to contact the club organiser in advance to make sure that there will be someone available to help you when you first visit the club.
Learning and Reference There is a wealth of instructional backgammon material online, much of it free. Useful websites include: Backgammon Galore! – A comprehensive and free compendium of all things relating to backgammon and its variants, Tom Keith’s site contains a large collection of articles and answers to FAQ’s. The section alone contains over 150 articles including quizzes and book reviews. The comprehensive is the first port of call for many backgammon queries. Chicago Point – As the strapline says, this is “A Prime Source of Backgammon Information”.
Chicago Point was formally a printed newsletter edited by creator Bill Davis. Now solely online, “The Point” includes articles, tournament results and the definitive, maintained by Carol Joy Cole.
The page by Mel Leifer is an excellent starting point to search for anything backgammon-related in the USA and worldwide. BGOnline – As well as the most-used forum, book reviews and useful links, this site by one of the best players in the world – Stick Rice – includes rollout data of first, second and third moves under different conditions: Unlimited, DMP, Gammon Save and Gammon Go.
PrimeTime Backgammon – A high quality bi-monthly magazine, PrimeTime contains tournament reports, match analyses and other technical articles and is published by the USBGF both online and in printed form. USBGF members can download a free pdf; printed copies can be purchased by mail order from the USBGF BG shop.
Backgammon Studio – An entertaining way to improve your backgammon skills with different types of challenges for you to try. It tracks your performance, thereby enabling you to better focus your efforts to improve your game. There is also an online database of matches (see also the entry under section 4 – Recorded Matches) GammonVillage Magazine – Established in 1999 and with new articles still appearing regularly, GammonVillage offers a huge archive of reports and technical backgammon articles. Subscription charges apply. EXtreme Gammon Opening Book and Replies – XG rollouts of 1st and 2nd rolls under different conditions: unlimited, DMP, and at different match scores See also eXtremeGammon under section 8 below – Analysis Software Chris Bray Backgammon – Chris Bray has published a number of backgammon books for Beginners, Intermediates and Experts, and wrote a backgammon column for the Independent newspaper every Saturday for 22 years, until that newspaper became ‘digital only’ in April 2016. His website includes a ‘Position of the Day’.
Mochy’s Backgammon Today – Blog by Masayuki Mochizuki, universally known as “Mochy”, Japanese professional and world no.1 player at the time of writing. Timothy Chow’s Backgammon Pages – Much interesting material, including quizzes and rollouts of positions from some older backgammon books. The Dorbel Daily – Instructive and entertaining writings by Paul Money. The last entry was in 2013. GammonU (previously GammOnLine) – An online magazine which was published by US expert Kit Woolsey for over three years until December 2003.
Each monthly issue contains instructive articles, and all can be accessed for a one-off payment of $36. An online match is still played between Kit and the subscribers, with daily moves commented upon by Kit.
The GammOnLine Discussion Board is mainly to debate moves in this match. UKBGF Tournament Rules You can download version 1.3 of the current UKBGF tournament rules, revised in September 2015, here: () ().
These are the rules for tournament play used at UKBGF events as well as at many backgammon clubs throughout the British Isles. A summary of the changes is and a full comparison with the previous version of the rules is. There are additional rules for online tournaments, which was last revised in September 2017, which you can download here: () The rules are managed by a subcommittee of the UKBGF Board. The five members of this subcommittee serve a two year term, being re-chosen after each new Board election. Mogali Rekulu Serial Episode 100 Criminal Minds more.
Currently they are: Raj Jansari (chair), Peter Bennet, Anna Clarke, Julia Hayward and Simon Morecroft. If you have any queries regarding the rules please email. Any request for a change in the rules is rigorously debated and individual responses will be sent by email. Revised versions of the rules will be published when needed but, to avoid unnecessary confusion, this will be no more frequent than on an annual basis. Proposed changes are also put forward for consideration with the EUBGF. For the basic rules of the game of backgammon, see: For guidance in matters of backgammon etiquette, see.
Recorded Matches These include matches played and recorded at UKBGF tournaments referred to on the UKBGF blog. 2015 UK Open All the featured matches which were streamed during the 2015 UK Open are available to view via the UKBGF channel. Some XG files of these matches are now available in the. Forums A number of active forums exist where players can discuss the game and ask questions. Some of these sites also offer online play. BGOnline – This site includes the forum where many of the world’s best backgammon players discuss the game. Many of these players are happy to answer questions and share their knowledge.
DailyGammon – Once you are a member and have logged in, the ‘Discussion’ tab on the Top Page takes you to two lively forums: ‘General’ and ‘Politics’. The General forum is mostly backgammon related. FIBS Board – Claims to be “the biggest free backgammon community forum (now from well over 165 countries)” Rec.Games.Backgammon – A forum with much detailed discussion of backgammon problems and positions Backgammon Forum Archive – A good place to look before posting your question to see if it has been asked before. Where to Play For live play at clubs and tournaments in the UK and Ireland, see the and pages. There are many online backgammon servers.
The following are popular within the backgammon community. Of these only Money Gaming is a money site – the others are free to play: GridGammon – GridGammon is the home of the international online backgammon community.
All serious online tournaments are hosted here, and you can watch and save matches between top players. Referral is required in order to join.
Players have a site rating which changes as matches are won and lost. Email: DailyGammon – A free, and fun, online turn-based site with some top players and a discussion forum (see ‘Forums’ above). Play is not live so you can make your moves whenever convenient. All players have a rating which is determined by matches won and lost in the numerous site tournaments. FIBS (First Internet Backgammon Server) – As the name implies, this was the first online backgammon server and is still used by many players. Matches are rated.
See also ‘FIBS Board’ under Forums (above). SafeHarbor Games – Play backgammon and other games for free using downloadable software for MS Windows or Mac OS X. This site, as well the BackgammonAce App (see below), is where the tournaments are hosted.
Backgammon Ace – A fun free App for mobiles and tablets Note: The following is a money site – only play with money you can afford to lose Money Gaming – A reputable site offering regular added money tournaments and cash games with a low rake. Merchandise Geoffrey Parker Games Ltd – This British manufacturer of high quality backgammon boards (and other games) sponsors the UK Open as well as other tournaments both in the UK and overseas. Parkers make the boards used in the finals of The World Championships, The Nordic, The US Open and our own UK Open amongst others.
Erhan 869BG Backgammon Boards – These are good value boards made in Turkey and supplied via the UK agent, Tim Line. Bone Club – This British producer offers a range of inexpensive boards in a variety of colours and designs. P-40 Backgammon – Good quality and durable boards in an anodised aluminium case, from the USA Backgammon and Board Games Shop – Chris Ternel’s UK based company supplies all things relating to backgammon, including boards, dice, clocks and books. Backgammon a la Carte – Based in Flint, Michigan and run by Carol Joy Cole (CJC) for many years, Backgammon a la Carte is the major supplier of backgammon merchandise in the USA. Goods are also shipped to the UK. Books Comprehensive book reviews can be found on several sites, including, and.
Several new backgammon books appear every year. There are also numerous older books still in print or available second hand through specialist suppliers or on eBay. Some are excellent, many are mediocre, and some are very bad. Most books published in the pre-bot era (prior to the late 90s) contain many errors, and in general should be avoided by beginners and intermediates. One notable exception is ‘Backgammon’ by Paul Magriel, originally published in 1976. Essential backgammon concepts are explained with such clarity and simplicity that the work is often referred to as the ‘Backgammon Bible’.
![]() ![]()
It does, nevertheless, contain many errors. Analysis Software Universally referred to as ‘Bots’ – an abbreviation of ‘robots’ – the following are the most commonly used backgammon-playing computer programs. EXtreme Gammon – eXtreme Gammon (or XG) Version 2 is acknowledged to be the strongest commercially available backgammon program which is indispensible for serious students of the game. One permanent activation normally costs $60 but UKBGF Premium members can purchase XG at a 20% discount, or for the GBP equivalent of $48.
Please email for details. XG Mobile – Portable version of eXtreme Gammon for mobiles and tablets. The standard App is free; the Premium version with better features costs $9.95. GNU Backgammon – Probably the strongest free program Backgammon Snowie – Once the world leader, Snowie has not been upgraded for several years and can no longer be recommended. National and International Federations and Associations For UK Backgammon Clubs and Societies see the page on this website.
The following list is by no means exhaustive: many other countries have national backgammon organisations. Please email us if you wish to be listed:. UKBGF – The United Kingdom Backgammon Federation which owns and operates this website, as well as maintaining a presence on and. BIBA – The British Isles Backgammon Association – See page, National Tournament Series. EUBGF – European Backgammon Federation – A European body which aims to unite national federations EBIF – European Backgammon Internet Federation – A European body which organises online tournaments for individuals and national teams BMAB – Backgammon Masters Awarding Body – An International Body which awards Mastership titles to players who achieve the required level of play in a series of recorded matches DBgF – The Danish Backgammon Federation – The DBgF hosts the – probably the largest backgammon tournament in the world – every Easter, usually in Copenhagen. USBGF – The US Backgammon Federation – A membership based community of players not just in the US, but worldwide. The USBGF produces the high quality online and printed magazine, PrimeTime, and has a presence on.
JBL – The Japanese Backgammon Association – ABF – The Australian Backgammon Federation – Also on. WBF – The Worldwide Backgammon Federation – Founded in 1986, the WBF under Marco Fornasir organises tournaments in European countries including Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Georgia and Austria. WBA – The World Backgammon Association – Founded in 2001 by Chiva Tafazzoli. Tournament venues are currently in Germany, Austria and Portugal.
![]() Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2022
Categories |