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Backgammon Articles

Paul Magriel - Backgammon Legend
Paul Magriel - The Man and Legend
19.04.2012
PaulMagriel, a brilliant mathematician and an extraordinary skill games player, has become a living legend in the backgammon and gaming world many years ago. He was born (1946) and raised in New York City; graduated the New York University and became a member of the National Science Foundation at Princeton University, always focusing on probability as his major field of interest. Paul even served... Read more...
Choose your pip count method
Backgammon Pip Counting Methods
21.02.2012
One of the most powerful and useful skills in backgammon games is pip counting. Knowing how to calculate, the number of points (pips) your checkers need to go through until they are all gathered in their home board, ready to start the bearoff stage, gives you the ability to evaluate your strength in the game, helps you plan your next moves and make rational cube decisions.    The... Read more...
Backgammon tournaments
Internet Backgammon Tournaments
27.12.2011
Backgammon tournaments are multiplayer matches, in which the winners get prizes, trophies and sometimes honorary degrees. There are a few types of backgammon tournaments, each one with its own version of rules, but in all of them there are predetermined series for two players. The players are divided into couples, whether randomly or according to previous data, which keep changing during the... Read more...
With Mochy at Velden II
31.10.2011
 By Robert WachtelThe three divisions of the 2011 Velden Open backgammon tournament -- masters, championship and intermediate – drew 30, 30 and 29 players respectively from a total of 23 countries. And more than half of these players entered the consulting doubles competition, despite the stiff 500 euro entry fee. My partner – Masayuki Mochizuki (Mochy) – and I somehow got through our first... Read more...
Velden Bay view - host of the European Backgammon Championship
With Mochy at Velden
03.10.2011
By Robert Wachtel.  Perhaps the most tireless ambassador of backgammon today is the Japanese superstar and world’s current #1 player, Masayuki Mochizuki (aka Mochy). A true professional, Mochy not only consistently performs at the highest level in backgammon tournaments both on his native island, in the United States and on the European circuit; he teaches as well. His web site, http://back... Read more...
The World's Revenge Part 3
01.08.2011
On Sunday, April 24th, at about 10:30 PM, the final consulting match between Denmark and the Rest of the World began. The backgammon teams of seven faced off in a corner of the ballroom of the Scandic Hotel Copenhagen, site of the Nordic Open, with a crowd of about forty standing-room-only spectators on hand and many more watching the action on a streaming internet feed. Denmark’s comeback on the... Read more...
The World's Revenge Part 2
26.06.2011
Last year Team Denmark crushed the Rest of the World. But in terms of error (or performance) rate the squads had played on a comparable level. Now the World sought its revenge. The Danish lineup was pretty much the same as last year’s, with the notable absence of poker/backgammon superstar Gus Hansen. It seems that Gus, an amazing physical as well as mental specimen (he was a competitive... Read more...
Nordic Open
The Nordic 2011: A Double Coming-Out Party
06.06.2011
By Robert WachtelThe Nordic Open, held each year in Copenhagen on Easter weekend, is one of the premier events on the backgammon calendar. For various reasons, Denmark has become the strongest backgammon nation on the planet; and the Danes’ cousins, the Norwegians and Swedes, are also formidable players in their own right. Add to this the circumstance that Copenhagen is just a hop away from... Read more...
The World's Revenge Part 1
26.05.2011
“The cruelest game,” the late Barclay Cooke said memorably of backgammon. And, he might have added, one of the loneliest. “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,” runs an old blues song: and indeed, among tournament players – from the greenest novices to the most seasoned experts -- you hear this sentiment expressed constantly. Very few of us are wired to withstand the wrenching reversals of... Read more...
Backgammon Software and Online Learning
15.05.2011
Modern technology has not only opened new online backgammon playing opportunities and modes, but has also created ways to help players improve their game skill. Special backgammon software were developed in order to assist backgammon players sharpen their strategy thinking and strengthen their decision making process through the game.A previous article has reviewed backgammon history, up till the... Read more...
Backgammon Online Game
Backgammon Online Game
27.04.2011
Backgammon has always been a very popular game; it has survived since ancient times through Middle Ages up till our modern days; and its popularity, even though had some low points, has been growing and expanding through the years. Since backgammon online was launched, backgammon game has become more prevalent than ever. More and more people from all over the world are exposed to this ageless... Read more...
Walter Trice - Backgammon Analyst & Theorist
13.04.2011
Walter Trice, a well known and highly respected backgammon player, theorist, analyst and author; had live in Massachusetts (USA) his entire life until his sudden death, at the age of 60, in 2009. Trice had been a professional backgammon player for more than 30 years, although restricted himself to events inside the USA. His international reputation as a top analyst and theorist was acquired by... Read more...
Meribel Backgammon 2010
Meribel Backgammon 2010
26.01.2011
By Robert Wachtel  “This is bad, very bad,” said Clive Kay, shaking his head in dismay. “Why, a week ago, when I left, it was -10 ?C. “Now it’s +10 ?C. This is bad.” Meribel tournament organizer, Clive Kay, looking dapper at the summit Photo credit: Andrea Wirth Our gang of four -- Clive, the two Japanese backgammon superstars, Michy and Mochy, and I -- had just left that morning from our... Read more...
Meribel Backgammon Tournament
Meribel Backgammon Tournament
26.01.2011
By Robert WachtelContinued from Meribel Backgammon part 1It was only at 10:30 PM Friday night, after two days of entertainments, and then a generous cocktail party followed by a civilized two-hour dinner break, that the main Meribel backgammon tournament commenced. I was paired with Simon Pankvelashvili, a sympathetic Georgian (of the bordering-Russia, not southern-USA variety) whom I had met and... Read more...
Cyprus Backgammon Open 2010
Cyprus Backgammon Open 2010
10.01.2011
By Robert Wachtel (Continued from: Back to the cradle of Backgammon in the 2010 Cyprus Open) By Robert Wachtel (Continued from: Back to the cradle of Backgammon in the 2010 Cyprus Open) 2010 Cyprus Backgammon Open tournament was held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, in the northern half of the divided city of Nicosia, on the Turkish half of the island. Because Turkish Cyprus is not recognized by any... Read more...
Back to the Cradle: Cyprus Backgammon Open 2010
Back to the Cradle: Cyprus Backgammon Open 2010
10.01.2011
By Robert Wachtel Modern backgammon, as developed – and, nowadays studied – in Europe, the Americas and Japan, is just a small tweak removed from the traditional board game that has been played in the Middle East for millennia by millions and millions of people of every age and economic class. Most everyone, in countries like Iran, Turkey, Syria, Israel, Egypt and Iraq, learns backgammon as a... Read more...
The Kids from Bristol Backgammon Open
The Kids from Bristol Backgammon Open
09.12.2010
By Robert Wachtel It had been seventeen years since I had played backgammon (and lived) in Great Britain. I left in 1993 as the reigning national champion, having won that title by vanquishing another vagabond American, Alan Steffen, in the final of a tournament held by the storied backgammon entrepreneurs Martin and Bambi de Bruin, on the Isle of Man -- that picturesque tax haven located in the... Read more...
Mallorca Backgammon Challenge 2010
Mallorca Backgammon Challenge 2010
11.11.2010
By Robert Wachtel Majorca! For a tennis enthusiast like myself, this otherwise obscure fragment of Spain floating a few hundred miles east of the mainland in the Mediterranean is instantly recognizable as the home of world number one Raphael Nadal – as well as the previous generation’s great champion, Carlos Moya. So after learning that backgammon organizer Chiva Tafazzoli had chosen the island... Read more...
Norway Backgammon Cup
Norway Backgammon Cup
14.10.2010
By Robert WachtelLast year I immediately headed south after Stockholm to play in the big WSOB tour stop in Prague. But this year: no Prague. Since it’s just an island hop from Stockholm, where I played the Swedish Backgammon Open, to Oslo, where I am lucky enough to have a friend or two, I decided to spend another week in the Scandinavian lands. So it was off the next weekend (September 10-... Read more...
Swiss Elegance
Swiss Elegance
26.09.2010
By Robert Wachtel Although online backgammon games and tournaments are nowadays pretty much available to players 24/7 and 365 days a year, the live international tournament circuit has been a seasonal affair for the last fifteen years or so. There are events aplenty in Europe from April (Nordic Open time) through October; but it’s just when you need a getaway the most, in the drear of winter,... Read more...
2010 Spring Backgammon Tournament
2010 Spring Backgammon Tournament
12.08.2010
By Nick Begakis (Press Release)Angelo Ali won the 2010 Spring Backgammon Tournament held on Sunday, 21 November 2010 at the South Australia Backgammon Club. The backgammon tournament is a triple elimination event, where "all players receive an opportunity to be humiliated several times before slinking into the unlimited buy back tournament to do it all again." Eighteen players... Read more...
The Road Less Traveled
The Road Less Traveled
10.07.2010
By Robert Wachtel The last few years have been tumultuous ones in the live backgammon tournament scene. Inspired by the fantastic worldwide growth and media adaptability of poker, a number of entrepreneurs invested heavily in the development of backgammon as a spectator sport and televised entertainment. Backgammon 2000s The money began flying in January, 2007, when the Gibralter-based company... Read more...
Most Luxurious Backgammon Venues
Most Luxurious Backgammon Venues
23.06.2010
Many live backgammon tournaments are held in some of the most exotic and luxurious places in the world... and why not? Backgammon is the oldest and most cherished game in the world and has been called “The King of Games” and “The Game of Kings” throughout history... and so it deserves class and prestige!So if you are a backgammon tournament organizer and want to attract as... Read more...
2nd US Backgammon Open Results
2nd US Backgammon Open Results
30.05.2010
Mary Hickey has championed the 2nd US Backgammon Open, held between May 13 and May 16 2010 in South San Francisco, California. To win this title and the accompanying prize, the backgammon player and author had to win eight successive matches, including the 17-points final against Dorn Bishop of San Diego, who had also finished second at the New Mexico Backgammon Championship earlier this year.... Read more...
Nordic Open Backgammon Championship Results
Nordic Open Backgammon Championship Results
05.05.2010
By Robert Wachtel With all the excitement and media attention generated by the World vs. Denmark backgammon match, it would have been easy to forget that one of Europe’s biggest and most prestigious backgammon tournaments was taking place in the same venue at the same time -- were it not for the crowds. One hundred and thirty four players paid 700 euros apiece to enter the Championship... Read more...
Denmark vs. World Backgammon Match
Denmark vs. World Backgammon Match
30.04.2010
The second part of Robert Wachtel's review of the Denmark vs. the World match, which drew most of the attention in the last Nordic Open backgammon tournament. Click to read the first part, with introduction to the teams' members, the Nordic Open and backgammon in Denmark generally. By Robert Wachtel Through some unaccountable miscalculation on Mr. Rice’s part, your correspondent was not offered... Read more...
WBGT Nordic Open 2010
WBGT Nordic Open 2010
21.04.2010
By Robert Wachtel One of my favorite backgammon buddies, a German expert who nowadays plays mostly online backgammon but has never been afraid to gamble it up with select over-the-board opponents, never tires of telling me how silly it would be for him to attend the Nordic Open, the international tournament hosted by the Danish backgammon federation over the Easter weekend in Copenhagen. “Why... Read more...
Backgammon Money Management Tips
Backgammon Money Management Tips
23.02.2010
By Robert WachtelThe backgammon money management tool the Kelly criterion tells you how much to bet with a given advantage; but for most of us, that just raises a new question: how are you supposed to figure out what your advantage is? Begin by using these rules:Remember to enter into your calculations all of your expenses. Under this category comes the rake you pay at a card club or online... Read more...
The Golden Rules of Money Management
The Golden Rules of Money Management
16.02.2010
By Robert Wachtel In the previous money management articles, I introduced the reader to the “Kelly criterion” -- a mathematical rule designed to choose the optimal amount to bet in various gambling situations, including backgammon -- and explained some of the typical psychological obstacles that a gambler will need to overcome when trying to apply this rule . Having laid this abstract... Read more...
What Do Gamblers Want
What Do Gamblers Want?
24.01.2010
By Robert Wachtel In earlier articles about money management, I introduced the mathematical betting-optimization tool known as the “Kelly criterion,” and demonstrated that anyone with an emotional makeup which inclines either to optimism or pessimism will find that rule almost impossible to use. Now I would like to explain why it is such a daunting task -- even for normal, emotionally stable... Read more...
How Much to Bet in Backgammon
How Much to Bet in Backgammon
17.01.2010
By Robert WachtelThe answer to the backgammon player’s perennial dilemma, “How much should I bet?” was discovered half a century ago by the Scottish mathematician Jon Kelly. Kelly demonstrated that within a universe of bettors, it was precisely the ones who wagered exactly X% of their bankroll whenever they had an X% advantage who would win the race to riches against those... Read more...
Chouettes East and West
Chouettes East and West
04.12.2009
Read more...
Hitting Factors in Backgammon
Hitting Factors in Backgammon
19.11.2009
To be, or not to be, that is the Question:Whether 'tis Nobler in the minde to sufferThe Slings and Arrowes of outragious Fortune,Or to take Armes against a Sea of troubles,And by opposing end them: to dye, to sleepeNo more; and by a sleepe, to say we end William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (circa 1600)Shakespeare must have been a backgammon player; he mentions the game in his early... Read more...
Playing Live Backgammon
Playing Live Backgammon
05.11.2009
By Robert Wachtel If you find yourself feeling overdressed when you put on a T-shirt along with your underwear to play backgammon, perhaps it is time that you entered a live tournament. The Internet has spawned a whole generation of players who have never had to do a pip count, be on guard for their opponent’s illegal moves, play a match on a chartreuse... Read more...
Playing in the Danish Backgammon Leagues
Playing in the Danish Backgammon Leagues
21.10.2009
By Robert WachtelWhy, the rest of us would like to know, has the tiny northern European nation of Denmark produced such a disproportionate number of the world’s top backgammon players? To be sure, part of the answer must lay in the cold-as-ice, imperturbable Scandinavian temperament, as displayed most famously by the “great Dane”, backgammon and poker superstar Gus Hansen. But... Read more...
Online Backgammon Etiquette
Online Backgammon Etiquette
14.10.2009
With online backgammon etiquette, there are no visible or physical interactions between the players but there are still many things you can do to make it a pleasurable experience for both players; remember there is another person on the other side of the computer who expects to be treated with respect and courtesy just as you should expect to be treated.A backgammon server is like a private club... Read more...
Bots Killed the Backgammon Stars
Bots Killed the Backgammon Stars
08.09.2009
By Robert WachtelThe neural network programs, when they arrived on the backgammon scene in the mid 1990s, were great equalizers. Talent and experience became almost irrelevant overnight, and all of a sudden anyone could unlock the secrets of the most complex and difficult positions and study the game systematically, as if from a school book. Players quickly found out that the bots’... Read more...
Sportsmanship in Backgammon
Sportsmanship in Backgammon
07.09.2009
By Robert WachtelBecause both the law and society as a whole disapprove of gambling, most skill players – participants in games like poker and backgammon that require considerable calculation and judgement – think of themselves as inhabitants of a competitive underworld, far removed from the one so minutely reported on and analysed in the sports sections of the major newspapers and... Read more...
Winning online- Backgammon and other games
Winning Online- Backgammon and Other Games
06.09.2009
     1st Lesson: become an affiliate or ask for rakeback. So here is lesson number one: be an affiliate first, a player second. Sign up all your friends and anyone else you can find, sit back and watch the money roll in. Nowadays it’s accepted practice to share some of your commissions with your sign-ups (it’s called giving them “rakeback”) – but you will... Read more...
Backgammon Cheats Online & Over the Board
Backgammon Cheats Online & Over the Board
30.08.2009
By Robert WachtelThe bugaboo of all gambling is cheating. The largest and most familiar arena in which this principle applies is the stock market, the funding engine of capitalism. As long the public feels that the market is fair, it can be persuaded to bet on (or “invest in”) promising businesses. But when there is too much corruption (i.e. cheating) and too many scandals come to... Read more...
Internet Backgammon Pioneers
Internet Backgammon Pioneers
20.08.2009
By Robert WachtelBecause internet backgammon is not structurally suited to group play, all of the sites that have ever offered the game have followed an invitational model. That is, players who are looking for a game arrange to play directly with their prospective opponents others rather than depending upon the site to match them. Until two parties agree to play one another, and agree upon the... Read more...
The On Line Backgammon Experience
The On Line Backgammon Experience
16.08.2009
By Robert WachtelIn the early 1990s, when a few brave programmers started exploring the possibility of playing games of mixed skill and chance such as backgammon in the brave new universe of the internet (it was called the “world-wide web” back then), it would have taken a Nostradamus to anticipate the startling changes that the next few years would hold. Connections to other... Read more...
Week Long Backgammon Proposition
Week Long Backgammon Proposition
30.07.2009
By Robert WachtelIn the pre-computer backgammon age, the technique of rolling positions out by hand and/or playing them as propositions was the only way to learn the game; but the value of these techniques was quite limited nonetheless. Even days and days of painstaking rollouts were inadequate to get to the truth of many complicated backgammon positions, and every expert had a long list of... Read more...
Proposition Bets in the Pre Backgammon Computer Era
Proposition Bets in the Pre Backgammon Computer Era
23.07.2009
By Robert WachtelContinued from what the computers did to backgammon, this episode begins with this position, set up by our forgotten hero: Well! Perhaps the New York backgammon geniuses might now reluctantly admit that the proposition they had just gotten crushed with (with 7 checkers off) was a close take; but there was no way that their inflated egos would allow them to back down from... Read more...
What the Computers Did to Backgammon
What the Computers Did to Backgammon
16.07.2009
By Robert Wachtel In the pre-computer era, everything about backgammon was difficult and confusing. But with the opportunities to make money were fabulous. When I learned to play, in the late 1970s, the international backgammon circuit, which spanned jet-set watering holes throughout Europe and the Caribbean, was populated by a moveable menagerie of poseurs and egomaniacs. Very few players... Read more...
Backgammon The Elegant Game
Backgammon The Elegant Game
23.06.2009
By Robert Wachtel The contrast between the popular gambling games of poker and backgammon is a fascinating one. Poker, the game of the American frontier, distils the drama of democracy and free enterprise into a few cards and the ability to market them as a product. It allows, indeed encourages, a variety of annoying, obnoxious and deceitful behaviours, all... Read more...
Online Backgammon Benefits & Useful Features
Online Backgammon Benefits & Useful Features
09.06.2009
By Robert Wachtel Today’s leading backgammon sites offer both the casual and serious player a number of useful features including efficient ways to analyze and improve the play, satellite tournaments and free entrances for live events, protection from "sharks" and players who misuse bots, backgammon bonuses, and other freebies. For the real student of the game, the most enjoyable... Read more...
Chouette Skills
Chouette Skills
24.05.2009
By Robert Wachtel In two preceding articles I explained how the “chouette”, an enjoyable group backgammon competition that is not yet available on line, works. I also differentiated between two forms of chouette: the “consulting” form, in which the captain’s teammates are allowed to advise him, and the non-consulting, in which they are absolutely... Read more...
Backgammon Etiquette
Backgammon Etiquette
10.05.2009
As in life, in the game of Backgammon there also exists a code of ethical behavior. This is probably the most thorough guide you will find anywhere about proper manners when playing over the board at a real live backgammon tournament. The second part of our backgammon courtesies guide will focus on online backgammon etiquette. Live Tournament Etiquette Let’s first talk about conventional... Read more...
Backgammon Money Management: The Kelly Criterion
Backgammon Money Management: The Kelly Criterion
26.04.2009
by Robert Wachtel Gamblers possess a special kind of courage. While the ordinary citizen believes that “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,” the gambler follows a different axiom. “Fools rush in,” he says, “… and get the best seats.” His boldness serves him well: it terrifies his opponents in backgammon and poker – and in betting on the stock... Read more...
Backgammon Chouette
Backgammon Chouette
03.03.2009
Written by Robert Wachtel Once upon a time, before the internet shrank the world to the size of a utility closet, you needed to place yourself in the physical presence of other human beings, complete with their appalling prejudices, superstitions, whining, personality quirks, shot-taking, slow-paying and stiffing, fashion disasters and body odors, just to... Read more...
Backgammon And Poker
Backgammon And Poker
21.01.2009
Gus Hansen is famous for making his name as a top professional backgammon player before turning his attention to high stakes poker. Other poker greats like Dan Harrington and Howard Lederer are also skilled backgammon players. What’s the connection between poker and backgammon? There are actually quite a few. Luck Vs. Skill One of the clearest similarities... Read more...
En ligne GammonEmpire
En ligne GammonEmpire
28.12.2008
Gammon Empire, considéré comme le leader des sites de backgammon en ligne, voit sa communauté s’accroitre rapidement avec plus d’un million de joueurs enregistrés et plus de 10.000 joueurs connectés simultanément. Gammon Empire propose un élégant plateau de jeu en 3 dimensions et des sons réels. Vous... Read more...
GammonEmpire Backgammon
GammonEmpire Backgammon
21.12.2008
GammonEmpire ist mit mehr als 1.000.000 registrierten Spielern und 10.000 Online-Nutzern die führende und am schnellsten wachsende Backgammon Software im Internet. GammonEmpire bietet beeindruckende 3D Grafiken und Sound-Effekte. Es ermöglicht Ihnen entweder zum Spaß, oder um richtiges Geld mit Leuten aus aller Welt zu spielen. Backgammon... Read more...
Jouer au Backgammon en Ligne
Jouer au Backgammon en Ligne
14.12.2008
Comment profiter un maximum du jeu en ligne?   Je suis un joueur passioné de backgammon en ligne depuis plus de 15 ans depuis la création de FIBS (premier site internet de backgammon). Mais j’ai aussi beaucoup aimé être un joueur de « tournois live » et de chouettes (money games). Mais je connais de nombreux... Read more...
Backgammon- How to Improve Your Game
Backgammon- How to Improve Your Game
05.12.2008
We can’t all be top backgammon players for many reasons. To become a truly top player requires three things:   Natural ability, including great gaming skills and an amazing memory for reference positions and numbers; Knowledge. There are many things that must be learned and memorized in order to fully understand the game. (Fortunately, the top players and... Read more...
The Price of Gammons
The Price of Gammons
03.12.2008
Most intermediate players, and many championship level players, do not truly understand how gammons affect their cube decisions. Maybe this will help shed some light on the subject for you.   We take or drop cubes based on the relative risk of winning and losing the game, and the relative risk of winning and losing gammons and backgammons. Basically, when we are doubled, we have... Read more...
More on Opening Rolls in Backgammon
13.11.2008
 Backgammon Opening Rolls- IntroductionIn this article we are going to look at three more backgammon opening rolls: 52, 54, 64 All of these rolls can be played in at least two ways and we will examine the pros and cons of the various plays. Let’s remind ourselves of what we are trying to do in the backgammon opening rolls as part of the backgammon game strategy: Make new... Read more...
Basic Checker Play Strategy
Basic Checker Play Strategy
16.09.2008
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Basic Checker Play Strategy- Part 2
13.09.2008
This article is for beginner and intermediate players and covers the basic concepts of checker play. TRY NOT TO STACK YOUR CHECKERS:The more checkers you have on a single point, or on two points, the less flexibility you have to hit, make more points, or advance your checkers. So generally, try to avoid putting more and more checkers on the same point. Sometimes that means you... Read more...
Playing Backgammon- Thinking Out Of The Box
Playing Backgammon- Thinking Out Of The Box
28.08.2008
Let me start off this article by dispelling a myth that many people have about backgammon. The myth is that once you learn the backgammon basics and study the game, you will pretty much know the right plays most of the time. It’s simply not true. No matter how long you play this game or how much you study the game, you will often come across situations... Read more...
How to Use The Backgammon Bots Effectively
How to Use The Backgammon Bots Effectively
13.08.2008
Today, we are fortunate to have computers to help us learn and analyze backgammon. I know many of the best players in the world very well, and ALL OF THEM use backgammon computers to help them study the game and improve their skills. The two most respected programs in use today are Snowie and GNUBG. Snowie has been around longer, is easier to use, and... Read more...
Gammons- It
Gammons- It
09.08.2008
One of the toughest decisions we often have to make is just how much we should gamble to try to win a gammon. As you know, a gammon doubles the points you win, so if you can win a gammon, it’s like winning two games at once. The problem is, a lot of the time the play that is more likely to get you a gammon is risky and often results in losing more... Read more...
My Best Advice for New Backgammon Players
My Best Advice for New Backgammon Players
04.08.2008
    If you are a new backgammon player, or even if you have been playing for some time, there are 7 very basic, important things I think you would do well to remember. I have drummed these ideas into my students for the past 20 years, and I know they will help your game.   Backgammon is NOT a game of luck. It is a game of odds. The better you play the... Read more...
Backgammon Luck Vs. Backgammon Skill
Backgammon Luck Vs. Backgammon Skill
01.08.2008
People often debate the question of backgammon - luck or skill? The answer is simple: the closer the players are in ability, the more luck there is. In fact, if you take two players of identical skill level, it’s all luck!   Take two backgammon players where one is slightly better, the slightly better will win slightly more games. And take two players where one is... Read more...
So You’ve Counted the Pips…Now What??
So You’ve Counted the Pips…Now What??
28.07.2008
Read more...
Danish Backgammon Federation
Danish Backgammon Federation
30.06.2008
The Danish Backgammon Federation (DBGF) is the most important backgammon organization in Denmark. Headed in Copenhagen, the DBGF organizes local and international backgammon tournaments and events such as the prestigious Nordic Open. The backgammon association promotes the game actively across Denmark via its website, its "Gammon" magazine and through... Read more...
A Beginner
A Beginner
17.06.2008
If you are new, or relatively new to Backgammon, I have some thoughts I believe will save you a lot of anguish and pain over the next few years. I wish I didn’t have to learn these things the hard way myself!   Backgammon is a game of luck and skill, but there is a lot more skill than you think. The funny thing about this game is that the worse you play... Read more...
The Backgammon Blitz
The Backgammon Blitz
07.06.2008
I believe the best way to understand how to do a proper blitz in backgammon is to start with the dictionary. The dictionary defines the word “blitz” as follows:   “an overwhelming all-out attack”  The idea of the blitz is to barrage your opponent by hitting him and making points and hopefully, if you are successful, closing him out... Read more...
Backgammon is not the Cruelest Game after all!
Backgammon is not the Cruelest Game after all!
02.06.2008
Years ago Barclay Cooke wrote a book called, “Backgammon, The Cruelest Game.” In his book he pointed out how nasty the game can be if you get some bad dice. I’ve recently come to believe that Barclay was wrong, and that backgammon is really a very kind and nice game, especially if some backgammon sportsmanship policy is applied.    Take, for example, the... Read more...
A basic Backgammon lesson for all
A basic Backgammon lesson for all
02.06.2008
A basic Backgammon lesson for all By Phil Simborg     This article is a basic Backgammon lesson with visual examples presenting different Backgammon positions and analyzing them. Take a look below where black has to play the dice shown. Decide what you think is the best play for each Backgammon move, check if you can see what each of these positions has in common.... Read more...
Taking Your Backgammon Game to a Higher Level
Taking Your Backgammon Game to a Higher Level
21.05.2008
I know many players who take backgammon seriously. By this I mean they really care about improving their game and they want to play at the highest level they can. By the way, I consider myself to be in that category.  What I find really interesting is that some people in this category are clearly getting better year after year, while others don’t seem to be making much... Read more...
Backgammon Opening Moves- Best Of 2008
Backgammon Opening Moves- Best Of 2008
30.04.2008
With the help of the modern computer programs, there is now little doubt or debate about opening moves. If you want to play at the highest odds, you simply must make these  backgammon moves.    Here’s the latest (as of 2008).   6-5    run a back checker 6-4    There are 3 acceptable plays. You can make your two... Read more...
The Luck Factor In Backgammon
The Luck Factor In Backgammon
22.04.2008
After playing backgammon for forty years, I think I’ve heard just about all the arguments about the luck factor in the backgammon game. Nobody denies that luck is involved, but there is great disagreement about subjects concerning luck.   Many believe the backgammon game has far too much luck, and we should change the rules to make backgammon a game of skill. ... Read more...
Backgammon Opening Rolls - 3
13.04.2008
Backgammon Opening Rolls -IntroductionIn this following article we are going to look at three more backgammon opening rolls: Split or slot rolls (3): 21, 41, 51 All of these backgammon opening rolls can be played in at least two ways and we will examine the pros and cons of the various plays in backgammon game. Let’s remind ourselves of what we are trying to do in the opening as our Backgammon... Read more...
Backgammon online spielen
Backgammon online spielen
12.04.2008
Was sind die größten Vorteile des Backgammon-Online Spiels ? Ich bin ein begeisterter Online-Backgammon Spieler seit über 15 Jahren, als sich FIBS (First Internet Backgammon Server) entwickelte, aber ich bin ebenso ein enthusiastischer Live-Spieler, sowohl Money Games, als auch Turniere interessieren mich sehr. Dennoch kenne ich viele Live-... Read more...
Understanding Match Equity in Backgammon
Understanding Match Equity in Backgammon
11.04.2008
When you are playing a backgammon match to a given number of points, the doubling cube decisions can be quite complicated. Whether or not you should double or take really boils down to two factors: the position of the checkers on the board, and the score of the match. There are some backgammon positions that are clearly a double and a drop at one... Read more...
Backgammon Clubs | Play Backgammon in the USA
Backgammon Clubs | Play Backgammon in the USA
06.04.2008
Where can you play backgammon in the USA? Whether you reside their or you are on a trip, this backgammon clubs directory is meant to guide you to the places where you can share your love of backgammon with people like yourself, learn from experienced players and play backgammon tournaments. Backgammon Clubs Directory Backgammon Clubs in Alabama NW Alabama Backgammon ClubWeekly... Read more...
10 Most Common Backgammon Mistakes
10 Most Common Backgammon Mistakes
25.03.2008
I am an expert on Backgammon errors…I’ve been committing them for over 45 years. Maybe I can save you some pain by pointing out the most common errors I, and most other backgammon players, often make. I have also been teaching Backgammon for over 20 years, and I have seen players making these mistakes over and over.  They come unprepared to play. Before you sit down to... Read more...
Backgammon Download | Download Free Backgammon Game
Backgammon Download | Download Free Backgammon Game
06.02.2008
There are two basic types of free online backgammon games: those you can play directly online and those you'll have to download. No-Download Backgammon Games Also known as browser games, these online backgammon games are based on Flash or Java technology and require no download; all you have to do is login, and start playing directly on the browser. You can find them in any large online gaming... Read more...
Playing Backgammon For Forty Years
Playing Backgammon For Forty Years
03.02.2008
One of my favorite quotes is: “Does he have forty years of experience, or one year of experience forty times?” This quote applies to me, as I have been playing backgammon for some 45 years, but I only have about 20 years of experience. You see, for the first 25 years I played, I hardly learned a thing.    Like a lot of players I know, I pretty much just sat... Read more...
Interview With The Backgammon Player Phil Simborg
Interview With Backgammon Player Phil Simborg
16.01.2008
Hi Phil, thank you for accepting to be interviewed. Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself and when and how you began playing backgammon? I am 62 years old, married to a wonderful lady (Randee) who is often my backgammon partner, and I live in Chicago. I am a sales manager and sales trainer in a print management company. I became a very excellent duplicate bridge... Read more...
New Backgammon League
New Backgammon League
13.01.2008
  Congrats to Eric Barr and Kathleen Davis of Kansas City. These two visionary people have begun a movement that could do more to bring tremendous growth to backgammon in the U.S. than anything to date. Of course, I hope what they are doing here will spread to the rest of the world as well.   Most tournaments involve significant entry fees, but there are tens of thousands... Read more...
Backgammon Clubs in the U.S.
Backgammon Clubs in the U.S.
06.01.2008
I have been asked to offer my thoughts and opinions about Backgammon Clubs around the U.S., and since I have played at most of them, I guess that makes me about as well-qualified as anyone.   Bill Davis’ Backgammon Club Of course, being from Chicago, I am prejudiced, but I think the evidence is clear that Bill Davis’ Bar Point Club has to be held up as the shining... Read more...
Handicap Systems for Backgammon
Handicap Systems for Backgammon
24.12.2007
Golf, bowling, and many other games have developed handicap systems so that players of unequal skill can compete. In backgammon, there is no formal handicap system. The problem is that in backgammon, we really don’t have a very good method to determine just how good one player is vs. another. Even the play sites that have ratings for players are very misleading. One player may... Read more...
Play backgammon? Take a Lesson form the Pros
Play backgammon? Take a Lesson form the Pros
15.12.2007
One of my favorite expressions is:  “You don’t know what you don’t know.”  For example, you could play backgammon for many years and keep making the same backgammon mistake over and over and not know it.  It’s true…I know people who do it.  I’ve done it myself!Playing backgammon is fun, but most of the time most people are playing,... Read more...
Play backgammon? Take a Lesson form the Pros
Play backgammon? Take a Lesson form the Pros
15.12.2007
One of my favorite expressions is:  “You don’t know what you don’t know.”  For example, you could play backgammon for many years and keep making the same backgammon mistake over and over and not know it.  It’s true…I know people who do it.  I’ve done it myself!Playing backgammon is fun, but most of the time most people are playing,... Read more...
WSOB UK Masters Results
WSOB UK Masters Results
20.11.2007
English backgammon player John Hurst won the UK Masters, which took place last week at the Casino at The Empire, at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Leicester Square casino, London. The UK Masters is the first event in the 2007-8 World Series of Backgammon tour. Hurst will qualify automatically for the WSOB Final, scheduled to July 2008. UK Masters will be broadcast by Eurosport from December... Read more...
Learning Backgammon
Learning Backgammon
11.11.2007
I have been teaching beginner and intermediate students for about 20 years, and I have found that the best way to learn the game is not just by playing, although that is essential, but by breaking down the game into key segments and studying and learning those one at a time.  The game is simply too varied, too confusing, and there’s just too much to learn for a newer player to take in,... Read more...
YOU ROLL TOO MANY DOUBLES!
You Roll Too Many Doubles!
11.11.2007
How often have you head opponent complain about the dice?  Funny thing is, they feel that way even when they win!<?xml:namespace prefix = o /> Don’t think this is just something that happens to people who play backgammon online.  Some write it off to chronic bad luck, and others actually suspect that the dice are crooked or they opponents are somehow cheating. Most of the live and on... Read more...
Going for the Gammon
Going for the Gammon
04.11.2007
When should you try to win a gammon? One of the most difficult decisions in the game  is deciding when to gamble to try to win a gammon, or when to play safe to simply try to win the game. In match play, the decision is often complicated by the score.  If winning a gammon wins the match, clearly there are more reasons to go for the gammon.  Conversely, if losing the game costs... Read more...
Idiot
Idiot
25.10.2007
The game of backgammon has been around for centuries, but the doubling cube is only about 60 years old.  My guess is somebody slaughtered his best friend or wife or someone in a game of backgammon and didn’t see enough suffering, so he invented the cube. The idea of the cube is to allow either party to double the stakes of the game.  Instead of playing for $1.00, you can raise... Read more...
First Interactive Football Team
First Interactive Football Team
24.10.2007
  Play65 Backgammon sponsors the World's First Interactive Football Team   The online backgammon room Play65 sponsors the first football team in the world managed by internet users. Hapoel Play65 Kiryat Shalom is the first interactive web 2.0 football team in the world. The pioneer project is a collaboration of the popular online backgammon room Play65 and the Israeli social... Read more...
Backgammon History - Post Doubling Cube
Backgammon History - Post Doubling Cube
25.09.2007
The Backgammon history (the advent of doubling) As we saw in the previous article, backgammon was losing its appeal in the fast-paced society of the 1920’s because the games took too long and it was difficult to wager large amounts of money. Whether the game would have survived we can only surmise but some time around 1925 or 1926 two things that would change the game forever happened at... Read more...
Backgammon Books
Backgammon Books
08.09.2007
Recommended Backgammon books, by Chris Bray Backgammon does not benefit from the same magnificent bibliography as chess. One of the reasons for this is that nobody thought of writing down the moves of a backgammon match until 1973, about 300 years after the first recorded chess game! Backgammon does appear in books before the start of the twentieth century, but rarely. The most obvious... Read more...
The Reason to play Backgammon
The Reason to play Backgammon
01.09.2007
 There are many reasons to play backgammon, online or live, as a hobby, to spend time, just to have some fun, exiting competition, gain a reputation as a good backgammon player, play for money and more; not at last the game is very addictive. But the one major reason why so many non professional players love the game is socializing. Have a chat besides a game, become member of an online... Read more...
So You’ve Counted the Pips…Now What??- Part 2
28.08.2007
In this article, I will not try to give you all of the formula for adjusting pip counts based on gaps and distribution in this article…I simply want you to know that this is something that must be taken into account, and something you will have to learn if you want to become a pro backgammon player. But I do want to give you what I consider to be the “best” approach to determining whether to... Read more...
Alternative Rules to Make the Game Interesting
Alternative Rules to Make the Game Interesting
11.08.2007
Over the years, in various chouettes and games, I have tried several alternative rules aimed at making the game more interesting, more skillful, or just more fun. Here are some you might try that I have enjoyed: Roll Over:  Each player has the option of making his opponent roll over ONE TIME during the game. Once you use it, you can... Read more...
It
It
11.08.2007
I have played backgammon for 45 years.  For the first 20, I did not take the game very seriously…I mostly played with friends and family.  I never entered a tournament or played for money.  Then one day, about 25 years ago, I walked into a restaurant in Chicago and there was a group of people gathered around a backgammon board all playing together.  I found out later... Read more...
Live Backgammon Tournament
Live Backgammon Tournament
19.06.2007
There is Nothing like Live Backgammon Tournaments! I know that many of you have been playing backgammon for years, on line, and have never played in a live backgammon tournament.  For many of you, it is simply because you live in a place where there are very few, or no backgammon tournaments. But many of you can easily get to a live event from time to time.  I STRONGLY RECOMMEND you do... Read more...
Backgammon History
Backgammon History
09.06.2007
The history of backgammon in two parts Part 1: Origins  Backgammon is one of the oldest games in existence alongside Go and Chess. It is probably about 5,000 years old and may well have originated in what today is Iraq – previously Mesopotamia.  Recent evidence supporting this was found when these very early dice (made of human bones) were discovered in the area:  The... Read more...
Backgammon Equipment - Checkers, Dice & Cups
Backgammon Equipment - Checkers, Dice & Cups
05.06.2007
          All About Backgammon Equipment (Second part) CHECKERSWe will continue our backgammon equipment journey with the checkers; It is best to buy backgammon checkers with the board, because there must be an exact fit or the board will not play right or close up right.But after a few years, people do see checkers chip, break, or get lost, and you... Read more...
5 Backgammon Tips every Backgammon Player should Know
5 Backgammon Tips every Backgammon Player should Know
31.05.2007
         5 Backgammon Tips     Here are my best 5 pieces of advice for Beginning and Advanced Backgammon Players.        Beginners Backgammon Tips : Backgammon is NOT a game of luck.  It is a game of odds.  The better you play the odds the more you will win.  Not every time, but the... Read more...
Backgammon Lesson
Backgammon Lesson
14.05.2007
A Free Backgammon Lesson For Everyone! By Phil SimborgEditor's note: Backgammon.Org is proud to have Phil Simborg as our On-Line Professional.  His articles and positions appear on this site and in our forum, and Phil is available to all our readers to answer specific questions about the game.  Phil has distinguished himself as a player, teacher, and writer and is highly respected in... Read more...
Great Backgammon Sets
Great Backgammon Sets
27.04.2007
Great Backgammon Sets  At our site, we discuss and recommend mostly of online backgammon game and its many advantages. From the second that the internet revolution brought the gaming area into account and entered the great option of online backgammon game, people had started to get addicted to this wonderful game of online backgammon. I know that many of you have been playing online... Read more...
Backgammon Equipment - The Basics
Backgammon Equipment - The Basics
17.04.2007
All about Backgammon Equipment (First Part)Editor’s Note:  Phil Simborg has been playing this game for over 45 years and has proven to be a top tournament and money player.  He lives in Chicago and travels extensively throughout the U.S. playing in private games and tournaments.Like any other game or sport, if you want to play backgammon well, it helps to have the right backgammon... Read more...
The Backgammon Blitz- Part 2
28.03.2007
Read more...
Guide to Winning in Chouettes
24.03.2007
The most exciting game in the world to me is Backgammon, and the most exciting way to play Backgammon is with 3 or more players at a time. It’s called a “Chouette”. One player plays against all of the rest, usually for money, and the winner each game continues to be the lone player (box). This type of play forces you to not only use your backgammon skills, but because of the use of... Read more...
How to Prepare for the Big Tournament
How to Prepare for the Big Tournament
21.03.2007
 If you have ever played at a live backgammon tournament, you know that there is nothing else like it.  I’ve played in many, and my adrenaline goes up every time.  One thing is certain, when I spend all that money to enter, get a hotel room, travel, and sacrifice such a great deal of my personal life and time to play, I don’t just go to fool around.  I want to win... Read more...
Opening Rolls in Backgammon
20.03.2007
Backgammon Opening Rolls - Introduction On the first article " Backgammon Opening Rolls- 1",  we looked at opening rolls that are always played the same way. On this second article we are going to look at a further group: Rolls on which there is broad agreement (2): 62, 63 Both of these backgammon opening rolls can be played at least two ways and we will examine the pros and cons of the... Read more...
Ten Best Backgammon Lessons I Ever Had (part 8 -10)
16.03.2007
 By Phil Simborg In my 45 years of playing backgammon, I have been fortunate to have been given lessons and tips from some of the best players who ever lived.  Here is the final part of my 10 best backgammon lessons: backgammon lessons 8 - 10: 8.    David Wells.  I played for money and for fun many hours with David, and he’s a great backgammon player and teacher... Read more...
The Best Backgammon Lessons I Ever Had (part 6 - 7)
15.03.2007
 By Phil Simborg backgammon lessons 6 - 7: 6.    Jack Jacobs.  Over the years, Jake has probably taught me more and insulted me more than anyone I know.  But his insults are so intelligent and fun, and he was usually right, so I never got made at him.  One thing Jake convinced me that has been a great lesson, is do not play down to your opponent.  If... Read more...
Ten Best Backgammon Lessons I Ever Had (part 3 - 5)
14.03.2007
  By Phil Simborg In my 45 years of playing backgammon, I have been fortunate to have been given lessons and tips from some of the best players who ever lived.  Here is the second part of 10 best lessons, summarized for you. backgammon lessons 3 - 5: 3.    Joe Sylvester.  One of the all-time greats lived with me in Chicago for several months.  I didn’t... Read more...
Ten Best Backgammon Lessons
13.03.2007
By Phil Simborg In my 45 years of playing backgammon, I have been fortunate to have been given backgammon lessons and tips from some of the best players who ever lived.  Here are the 10 best lessons, summarized for you. backgammon lessons 1 - 2: 1.    Oswald Jacoby. In 1967, just out of college, I was a top bridge player (life master).  I found myself playing often, in... Read more...
Play Backgammon on The Internet
01.03.2007
  Backgammon Sites- Play backgammon online The backgammon game is maybe the most popular game in the world. all around the world you can see people play backgammon; on vacations, by the pool, on the beach. People play backgammon in Sinai, Thailand, Australia and everywhere. Of course there are the professional players who play this game all over the world, in backgammon clubs and on... Read more...
Taking Your Backgammon Game to a Higher Level - Part 2
24.02.2007
The Why of Every Backgammon SituationOne of the elements of learning strategy that I think is key is to attack this game in segments. You can’t really learn much by simply playing games and trying to figure out what went wrong. You have to study the backgammon game in small bites to be able to internalize and know and remember what you’ve learned.For example, I do not play games and... Read more...
Ten Best Backgammon Lessons
Ten Best Backgammon Lessons
18.02.2007
By Phil Simborg In my 45 years of playing backgammon, I have been fortunate to have been given backgammon lessons and tips from some of the best players who ever lived.  Here are the 10 best lessons, summarized for you. backgammon lessons 1 - 2: 1.    Oswald Jacoby. In 1967, just out of college, I was a top bridge player (life master).  I found myself playing often, in... Read more...
Learning from the Machine
12.02.2007
IntroductionThis is the second article where we are going to look at how you can use modern technology to improve your game and also get more enjoyment from it on a day-to-day basis. In the first part we covered some of backgammon history. In this article we will complete our review of backgammon software and start to look at actually playing the game.  Computers (Continued)Not long after TD... Read more...
Free Backgammon Software
09.02.2007
 How can you tell which free backgammon online software is good? The internet is providing a lot of ways to pass the time, some of them were here along time before we even thought about the net. Free backgammon game was obvious then like any other game but today with the many choices it is becoming hard to tell which of the free online backgammon softwares - that became so common at the... Read more...
The Random of Dice
The Random of Dice
31.01.2007
Are the online dices outcomes random? A big topic in online backgammon in always, whether or not computer generated dice are true random. While anyone can see real dice roll on a real board, players cannot see how the server generates the numbers, which leads to general suspicions, especially when players run into streaks of bad luck.Most online backgammon servers use the same random number... Read more...
Gammons - It
18.01.2007
Let’s take a look at Illustration 1 below. Black has to play 2-2, and he has two choices: he can move the two checkers off his 4 point to his 2 point and then take 2 checkers off, or he can take 4 checkers off.If you move the checkers off your 4 point, there is no chance that you will leave a blot and get hit, so you will certainly win this game 100 percent of the time. But if you... Read more...
Playing Backgammon Online? Get the Most out of it!
Playing Backgammon Online? Get the Most out of it!
24.12.2006
How to get the Most Out of Playing Backgammon Online?I have been an avid online backgammon player for over 20 years, since FIBS (First Internet Backgammon Server) was developed.  But I have also been an enthusiastic live player…both money games (chouettes) and tournaments.  I like both, a lot.  But I know many live players that say they don’t enjoy playing backgammon... Read more...
How to Win in Chouettes
How to Win in Chouettes
20.11.2006
How to Win in Chouette Backgammon?Backgammon chouette, which is 3 or more players competing for points or money over the same board, is one of the most fun and challenging forms of gambling and competition I have ever experienced.  To me, it is far more interesting and fun than any card game or table game you can find anywhere, including Las Vegas! Over the years I have learned much... Read more...
Psychology in Poker vs. Backgammon
Psychology in Poker vs. Backgammon
02.11.2006
How Can you Use Poker Psychology to your backgammon game? Any experienced poker player understands the importance of determining weaknesses in an opponent's game and acting accordingly. For example, suppose an opponent virtually never bluffs. Naturally you will only call his bets when you have a solid hand of your own which you expect may beat his legitimate hand. If you can't beat a legitimate... Read more...
Backgammon Strategy
Backgammon Strategy
17.10.2006
Basic Backgammon Strategy: What you need to KnowThis is the “basics backgammon strategy” for all levels of play.The number one thing to know, no matter how good you are, is that YOU DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING!  Even the best players in the world must study what backgammon beginners study in order to improve their game.  If you want to get better, you must read books and... Read more...
Backgammon coupon
Backgammon coupon
02.10.2006
Backgammon coupon - a smart way to play!    In the poker world it is very common to get poker coupon or bonus as a way to attract players. Lately, the backgammon servers understood that and today, the big backgammon download softwares, are doing something very similar- the backgammon coupon - a great thing for both sides (the backgammon download company and the backgammon game... Read more...
Gammonempire bonus code
Gammonempire bonus code
02.10.2006
GammonEmpire bonus code - a smarter way to playThe biggest backgammon online servers offering a backgammon bonus code. It is a code being used on the backgammon programs. There are a few different types of backgammon bonus codes. Gammon Empire bonus code are offered to new players. Play 65 bonus is for backgammon players who bring their depositors friends to play on the software. Many companies,... Read more...
Backgammon Bonus
Backgammon Bonus
03.09.2006
Backgammon Bonus - a smart move! Backgammon bonus is a major part of the online backgammon experience. Some of the biggest backgammon servers offer a backgammon bonus. The bonus can come in a few different ways. It can be for a number of games played on a specific backgammon software. A backgammon bonus for the first time someone uses the software (see Play65 Bonus which is also known by the... Read more...
GammonEmpire real money backgammon
GammonEmpire real money backgammon
22.08.2006
GammonEmpire is one of the most successful backgammon server and software ever. As one of the first online backgammon games, gammonempire along with a few other backgammon communities (as play65, fibs etc.) made the backgammon on the internet what it is today - one of the most popular games ever and maybe the most successful skill game.  Gammonempire real money version is one of the playing... Read more...
Learning from the Machine
Learning from the Machine
29.07.2006
Introduction  In these articles we are going to look at how you can use modern technology to improve your game and also get more enjoyment from it on a day-to-day basis. To do that we have to understand the history of backgammon and also how we, as human beings, develop our understanding of games and therefore our skills. Let’s start by looking at the history. History... Read more...
Play65 real money backgammon
Play65 real money backgammon
16.06.2006
Play65 - Play real money backgammon   Real money backgammon is one of the most popular game in the world. If you are a backgammon player, I am sure you have heard of the play65 real money backgammon.After a few years of developing and growing, today it is maybe the most famous backgammon fun / real money backgammon software on the internet.  Play65 was one of the first backgammon rooms... Read more...
Backgammon Races (part 1)
Backgammon Races (part 1)
30.05.2006
Introduction to Backgammon Races Whilst we struggle to understand the complexity of the middle game of backgammon we continue to make progress in areas of the game where computers can assist us most easily. The obvious candidate area for analysis is the non-contact endgame where the race becomes of paramount importance. If we can produce and learn formula to cover the majority of positions... Read more...
PartyGammon
PartyGammon
29.05.2006
PartyGammon Site review (part 2)  As I promised, this is a new article reviewing the backgammon software of party gaming - the PartyGammon Backgammon. I have to apologize to you, my backgammon players friends, because the software is already available for a few weeks and only now I am writing this article. There are a few reasons to that; first, I had some other things to do and second, I... Read more...
Gammon Empire Backgammon
Gammon Empire Backgammon
22.05.2006
Gammon Empire - Site Review    The online gaming is one of the most popular areas which was created by the internet, especially when talking about games such as the backgammon  game which have always been popular. When entering the gammon empire backgammon site it is very clear why. The gammon empire backgammon site has an amazing design and a very respectable looks. All the... Read more...
Play backgammon for real money
Play backgammon for real money
22.05.2006
Backgammon Money Games   Like every other game, the backgammon game too needs a change after the player learned the rules and the strategy, had enough experience and can play in a reasonable speed. If you played any game for a few times, you can understand the need of a new thrill. This thrill can be made by complicating the game, changing some of the rules and of course, by making the... Read more...
Backgammon Opening Moves
Backgammon Opening Moves
22.05.2006
The right  Backgammon Opening Moves to choose There are two major things you should know about backgammon opening moves:  The experts, having studied backgammon opening moves for many years, and having had the benefit of backgammon experience, the use of computer programs, and tremendous personal skill and intuition, have virtually all agreed on what are the best opening... Read more...
Bearing off (The Last Lap)
Bearing off (The Last Lap)
21.05.2006
Introduction to Bearing Off   In this first article on bearing-offs we are going to look at the final stages (or endgame) of a backgammon game. As a reminder you cannot bear off any checkers until you have all fifteen of them in your home board. If, during the course of bearing off, you have a checker hit and sent to the bar, it must make the return journey from the bar all the way back... Read more...
Party Gammon
Party Gammon
19.05.2006
Party Gammon as a part of the online backgammon scene development: The online backgammon scene today:    Party gammon as everyone else, understood that the next generation of the backgammon is the online backgammon. As I said on other articles, all the professional backgammon players and every other backgammon lovers already saw that. The availability and the convenience of the online... Read more...
Slot Or Not
Slot Or Not
03.05.2006
Slot Or Not What play would you make in the following position? Let’s follow our usual format : 1) It is double match point – there are no gammon or cube considerations, we just want to win this specific backgammon game. 2) We trail badly in the race, but the opponent is on the bar. That’s all this is about – what is our plan? Slot the 5-point now and hope to... Read more...
Backgammon Opening Rolls
Backgammon Opening Rolls
29.04.2006
Backgammon Opening Rolls- Introduction Backgammon Opening Rolls have Always been Played the Same Way. In this article and on of subsequent articles we are going to go right back to basics and examine how to play the opening backgammon rolls, and build our backgammon strategy in order to win. As with other games such as chess the opening roll goes a long way towards defining the type of game... Read more...
Backgammon Variations
Backgammon Variations
28.04.2006
  Backgammon Variations To those who play backgammon game on an occasional basis it may seem that there is no rhyme or reason to each individual game as it develops from the starting position. This is far from the truth of the matter. In the same way that different opening moves and strategies in chess lead to very different types of game, so the same is true of backgammon. To use a... Read more...
Backgammon Tournament Play
Backgammon Tournament Play
28.04.2006
Backgammon Tournament Play Introduction In this first article we are going to look at the very basics of backgammon tournament. In subsequent articles we will look in depth at the highly complex world of match play.Backgammon tournament play is much more difficult than money play because the match score adds a significant level of difficulty. It is no surprise the best players in the world are... Read more...
When to Double
When to Double
07.04.2006
 When to Double and When to Go for the Gammon?Here’s the situation, and we’ve all been there:  it’s fairly early in the game, and everything has gone well, and you’ve got a great position, and if all goes well, you might well win a gammon.  The only problem is, you haven’t doubled yet and the cube is in the middle.  So, if you win a gammon, you... Read more...
When to Double
When to Double
07.04.2006
 When to Double and When to Go for the Gammon?Here’s the situation, and we’ve all been there:  it’s fairly early in the game, and everything has gone well, and you’ve got a great position, and if all goes well, you might well win a gammon.  The only problem is, you haven’t doubled yet and the cube is in the middle.  So, if you win a gammon, you... Read more...
Game Type - High Anchor Backgammon
Game Type - High Anchor Backgammon
06.04.2006
Introduction to 'High Anchor' type of game In the first article on backgammon game types , we defined eight different categories of middle game: 1. Running Game (or Race)2. High Anchor3. Mutual Holding Game4. Low Anchor5. Blitz (see article on the topic - Backgammon Blitz)6. Prime versus Prime7. Back Game8. Scramble In this Article, We are... Read more...
The Doubling Cube
The Doubling Cube
03.04.2006
The Doubling Cube in Backgammon Game The Doubling Cube is mysterious to many backgammon game players. At the same time, it is a tremendously important part of the game. Any experienced player will tell you that even a moderate cube error will on average cost far more than most serious checker play errors. This article will cover the basics of the doubling cube , both in money play and in match... Read more...
Live Backgammon Tournament Tips |  Backgammon Tournament Advice
Live Backgammon Tournament Tips | Backgammon Tournament Advice
10.03.2006
Live backgammon tournaments - a few tips to enjoy it more:If you are new, or relatively new to playing in live backgammon tournaments, here are a few things that might make it a little easier for you.Before the tournament: Talk to the backgammon tournament director ahead of time, and find out exactly what division and events you should be playing in.  Generally, you want to play in... Read more...
Backgammon Game Betting
Backgammon Game Betting
05.03.2006
Backgammon Betting game- Online great option! In most of competition games, betting is very common. It makes every game much more interesting and thrilling and the players have to think much more thoroughly of each and every move they make. When I thought about it, I couldn’t find a game that doesn’t have a betting variation- without including the games made specifically for... Read more...
The Concept of Equity in Backgammon
The Concept of Equity in Backgammon
28.02.2006
Backgammon game strategy - Equity Explained In my online Backgammon lessons, I often say things like “If I pass I am 43% to win” or “My equity here is over 0.6, but I still don’t think it’s a double.” - These concepts of “equity” are important building blocks for an understanding of backgammon game and to build your backgammon strategy, yet they... Read more...
Raise in Poker vs. Doubling Cube in Backgammon
Raise in Poker vs. Doubling Cube in Backgammon
19.02.2006
Raise vs. Doubling Cube in Poker and Backgammon Game The raise is the most powerful weapon in poker. In layman's terms, it says to the other guy "put up or shut up". The opponent is forced to either concede the pot or throw in more money when he would rather not do so. Good players raise aggressively and often. It keeps their opponents off balance, and forces them to make losing... Read more...
Backgammon Checkers and Chips
Backgammon Checkers and Chips
17.02.2006
This article about 'Chips and Checkers'  in Backgammon game  has written by: Lee Munzer Poker and Backgammon game share many interesting similarities. In fact, many of the top poker pros, like Gus Hansen and Erik Seidel, have played backgammon tournaments before the poker craze. With the advent of the Internet, Backgammon game is now easier than ever to learn, play and score... Read more...
You've got to do the math when playing backgammon
You've Got to Do The Math When Playing Backgammon
09.02.2006
How to do the math and win the game (An article for Advanced Players) Sorry, my backgammon friends, but I have bad news for you.  If you want to be a really good, competitive backgammon player, it takes a lot of work.  No matter how smart your are, how much natural “feel” you have for the game, and no matter how much experience or so-called "backgammon skill" you have, you will never... Read more...
Backgammon Gambling
Backgammon Gambling
05.02.2006
The Online Backgammon Gambling The backgammon game is becoming more and more common on the internet. One of the most popular uses of this game is the backgammon gambling. Since the development of online backgammon game, the backgammon gambling lovers are joining one after another the biggest online backgammon communities and make it what it is today. The backgammon gambling was always one... Read more...
Backgammon vs. Poker - Games Comparison
Backgammon vs. Poker - Games Comparison
02.02.2006
Why a poker player would love to play Backgammon game?  This article is designed for all poker players who would like to learn about the exciting game of Backgammon. I have been playing backgammon for more than 30 years and I can tell you that it is a game of excitement and drama just as much as poker. Some of our greatest poker players are great backgammon players. Gus Hansen is likely... Read more...
Backgammon Affiliate Program
Backgammon Affiliate Program
20.01.2006
 Join Backgammon affiliate program to make profits!There’s more to online gaming than casinos and poker. Joining an affiliate program is one of online backgammon benefits. So, join our backgammon affiliate program and promote the most popular skill game ever - Backgammon, using our free backgammon affiliate program - backgammon affiliates . The advantages of joining our Backgammon... Read more...
5 point Holding Game Backgammon Strategy
5-point Holding Game Backgammon Strategy
03.01.2006
Backgammon strategy - 5 point Holding Backgammon GameOne of the most common formations in backgammon strategy is the '5-point holding' backgammon game.Backgammon strategy - 5 point Holding Backgammon GameOne of the most common formations in backgammon strategy is the '5-point holding' backgammon game.You anchor on your opponent’s 5-point, but are hit several times in the game. You make your board... Read more...
How to play Backgammon
How to play Backgammon
02.01.2006
Backgammon Instructions How to play backgammon - The basicsBackgammon is a game, which uses checkers, dice and dice cup along with a doubling cube on a board of 24 triangles (points) as instruments in a small battle on the playing field. Each player has fifteen checkers, which he sets up in the following fashion (insert starting position [position one] here) as his opponent sets up his checkers... Read more...
Play65 Backgammon
Play65 Backgammon
31.12.2005
Introduction to play65 backgammon:  The first realistic backgammon game software I found was the play65 : realistic, friendly, and you can even hear the cubes rolling… then I understood the magic. The play65 program I use is being used also by the gammon empire site and of course the collaboration of the two backgammon game largest communities makes a much bigger backgammon game... Read more...
Internet Backgammon | Playing Backgammon on the Internet
Internet Backgammon | Playing Backgammon on the Internet
22.05.2005
  Internet Backgammon - Software Features   Internet backgammon software looks is one of the first important things you should pay attention to when searching for a place to play backgammon online. 3D internet backgammon software that looks and feels like the real game, in addition to a friendly user interface, lots of opponents in variety skill levels, plus the... Read more...
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