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Bill Robertie

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Consider All Possibilities

 

A lot of backgammon positions are pretty simple: the right play is either forced or completely obvious. Many others involve a clear decision between two very different alternatives. These problems may be hard to solve, but at least the choices are clear.

Some positions, however, involve a lot of possible plays, all of which are somewhat reasonable. These positions can be very tricky, and one of the dangers is overlooking the best play altogether while sorting through the wealth of possibilities. Be alert, and try to enumerate all the plays before starting to rank them.

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Software Review: eXtreme Gammon

Some product reviews are hard to write. Do I like this product? Do I really like this product? Can I wholeheartedly recommend it, or do I have a few lingering reservations?

Fortunately, eXtreme Gammon (or ‘XG’ as it’s known in the backgammon world) presents no such problems. It’s the best backgammon software available, and if you’re a serious player (or aspire to be one) you have to have it. Period.

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The Backgammon Encyclopedia, Volume 2

The Gammon Press is pleased to announce the publication of Kit Woolsey’s new book, The Backgammon Encyclopedia, Volume 2. This new book builds on Kit’s work in Volume 1 by examining new doubling reference positions in these 10 categories:

1) Early Advantage
2) The Semi-Blitz
3) One Man Back
4) On the Bar
5) Containment
6) Hitting a Blot
7) Escape
8) Priming
9) Crunching
10) Racing

The Backgammon Encyclopedia, Volume 2 is available now. You can order it from the Backgammon Books section on this website. The price is $30 plus shipping.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the beginning of Chapter 2.

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