Discovering Backgammon, by R. C. Bell

Backgammon Books

Discovering Backgammon

AUTHOR: R. C. Bell

YEAR: 1979 (1975)

EDITION: Second edition

PUBLISHER: Shire Publications Ltd.

CITY: New York

ISBN: 0-85263-474-9

BINDING: Softcover

PAGES: 48

SIZE: 18 cm high, 11 cm wide

DESCRIPTION:
This is a very tiny book, not much more than the booklet of instructions you get with many commercial backgammon sets. The 48 small pages are crammed with information, though, including some things you won't find in other backgammon books. One chapter describes several variant games such as Dutch backgammon, Russian backgammon, Tawula, Doublets, Chasing the Girls, Tourne-case, and Fayles. Another chapter describes some of the history of the game. There is even a chapter describing how to construct your own boards and pieces.

READERS
COMMENTS:

"This book (pamphlet) has zero helpful to say about strategy and tactics. It has two very old backgammon problems. What little interest there is has to do with variations on the game as played in other countries."—Andrew Loewy, Customer Review at Amazon.com, January 2000

CONTENTS:

Glossary of backgammon terms
1. Essentials of backgammon
2. Classic moves
3. Chance and probability
4. Strategy
5. Problems
6. Other games played on the backgammon board
7. The ancient world.
8. Making boards and pieces
9. Gambling
Bibliography

COVER: The ancient game of backgammon is a popular gambling game. But, as the author of this book points out, backgammon is such a good game that it does not require the incentive of hight stakes, or of any stakes at all, to enjoy its unique combination of luck, in the the throw of the dice, and skill, in how to use the throw. Backgammon can test the intellect as much as chess, but the element of chance means that a good player may be beaten by an inexperienced opponent. This book is intended to help new players to master the funcamentals of the game; to stimulate their interest and increase their pleasure. It also sketches in the game's ancient origins, advises on how to make one's own board and pieces, and describes some other games that are played on a backgammon board.

ABOUT THE
AUTHOR: R. C. Bell was born in 1917 in Sudbury, Ontario, and came to Enlgand in 1928. Educated at Haileybury College and St Bartholomew's Hospital, he qualified MB BS (Lond) in 1941. During the war he served in the Emergency Medical Service and then in the RCAF; for his last two years of service he was Senior Medical Officer at the RCAF Station, Goose Bay, Labrador. Mrried, with three children, he is the author of several books. His first work, Board and Table Games of Many Civilizations, won the Premier Award of the Doctor's Hobbies Exhibition in London. Mr Bell is also the author of Discovering Old Board Games, Discovering Mah-jong, Discovering Dice and Dominoes and Discovering Chess in this series.