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A practical way to become a winner at backgammon is to glean instruction from the best players. Some of the backgammon world’s highest awards have written books to assist players both novice and advanced.

A good book by a backgammon expert can provide game-changing information at a reasonable price which players (and would-be players) can absorb at their own pace. The Gammon Press store stocks essential reads by Bill Robertie and Kit Woolsey, along with the works of Bob Wachtel, Peter Bell and others. If you want to improve your backgammon game, this is the place to start.

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Creating Checkers to Move

Feb 15, 2019 |

White – Pips 134 (-1)

Black – Pips 135 (+1)
Black to Play 5-3
 

This problem isn’t difficult, but it contains some interesting points. The right play is just 21/13. Remaking the midpoint creates a fluid, well-connected position that’s relatively easy to play compared to alternatives. Black has chances to make the 3-point, and some other rolls that make the bar-point. He gets some outfield coverage in case White’s next roll is 6-3 or 6-4. He blocks White’s best roll, 6-6, turning it from a game-changer into merely a good shot.

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Taking Risks in a Holding Game

Feb 1, 2019 |

(A) Black to play 5-1.

White – Pips 148 (-5)

Black – Pips 153 (+5)
Black to Play 5-1
Problem A shows a routine position in an early holding game. Both sides have an anchor, and the race is very close. Black’s position is slightly preferable since more of his checkers are arrayed in front of White’s anchor, and he therefore has better chances of establishing a blockade.

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Offering Early Doubles

Jan 15, 2019 |

When should you double in the very early part of the game? How soon is too soon? Let’s take a look.

White – Pips 170 (+17)

Black – Pips 153 (-17)
Black on roll. Cube action?

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Play Safe or Play for the Gammon?

Jan 1, 2019 |

White – Pips 78 (+19)

Black – Pips 59 (-19)
Black to Play 4-1

Back at World Cup VI, in 1998, Kent Goulding and I introduced a ‘Quizgammon’ contest, consisting of a set of 30 problems taken from all phases of the game. Everyone who was interested paid an entry fee of $20 and sat down for an hour with their problems and answer sheet. After everyone handed in their solutions, Kent and I went over the answers and announced the winners. The event was an instant success. Players really liked the idea of matching wits, with the luck of the dice finally and thoroughly removed.

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Attacking a Back Game

Dec 15, 2018 |

White – Pips 206 (+83)

Black – Pips 123 (-83)
Black to Play 6-5

This problem is taken from a game in the Athens finals between Billy Horan and I in 1994. (Billy was White, I was Black.) The game was early in the match and the score wasn’t relevant, so I’ve recast it as a cash game position.

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A Backgame Tactic

Dec 1, 2018 |

White – Pips 77 (-109)

Black – Pips 186 (+109)
Black to Play 6-2
 

In this position, Black finds himself at the tail end of an ace-deuce back game. Things seemed promising for a while, then not so good, then downright awful. Now, with seven men trapped behind a full prime and his board almost completely shot, Black has a 6-2 to play.

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