Game 1
Captain Crawley, 1858
From Backgammon: Its Theory and Practice, page 64

Tip Click on any diagram to see a rollout

To begin, Black throws, say, 5; White, 2. Black has therefore won the first move. But, not liking a five to commence the game with, he throws again and the result is —

Black  Black White  White
1. 1-1:  ?
Black to play 1-1.
These are played, 2 from 8 to 7b., and 2 from 6 to 5b.

1-1:  8/7(2), 6/5(2) 5-4:  ?
White to play 5-4.
2 from 12b. to 8 and 9w.

5-4:  13/9, 13/8
2. 3-3:  ?
Black to play 3-3.
2 from 1w. to 7w., occupying adversary’s bar-point.

3-3:  24/18(2) 5-2:  ?
White to play 5-2.
1 from 9 and 1 from 6w. to 4w.

5-2:  9/4, 6/4
3. 6-1:  ?
Black to play 6-1.
1 from 12w. to 7b., and 1 from 6 to 5b.

6-1:  13/7, 6/5 5-3:  ?
White to play 5-3.
1 from 8 and 1 from 6w. to 3w.

5-3:  8/3, 6/3
4. 6-3:  ?
Black to play 6-3.
1 from 8 and 1 from 5b. to 2b.

6-3:  8/2, 5/2 6-5:  ?
White to play 6-5.
1 from 12b. to 2w.

6-5:  13/2
5. 3-1:  ?
Black to play 3-1.
1 from 12w. to 9b.

3-1:  13/9 4-2:  ?
White to play 4-2.
1 from 8w. to 2w., covering man.

4-2:  8/2
6. 6-2:  ?
Black to play 6-2.
1 from 12w. to 5b.

6-2:  13/5 6-6:  ?
White to play 6-6.
2 from 8w. to 2w., the other 2 cannot be played, every point occupied.

6-6:  8/2(2)
7. 4-3:  ?
Black to play 4-3.
2 from 12w. to 10 and 9b.

4-3:  13/10, 13/9 3-1:  ?
White to play 3-1.
1 from 1b. to 4b., and 1 from 2w.

3-1:  24/21, 2/1
8. 5-1:  ?
Black to play 5-1.
1 from 9 and 1 from 5b. to 4b., taking up man (placing the captive on the central division) and making point.

5-1:  9/4*, 5/4 4-3:  ?
White to play 4-3.
Enters captive at 3b., moves 1 man from 12b. to 9w.

4-3:  bar/22, 13/9
9. 6-1:  ?
Black to play 6-1.
1 from 7w. to 12b. (taking man), 1 from 10b. to 9b.

6-1:  18/12*, 10/9 3-2:  ?
White to play 3-2.
Enter at 3b., 1 from 9 to 7w., taking man.

3-2:  bar/22, 9/7*
10. 3-1:  ?
Black to play 3-1.
Enter at 1w. hitting blot and making capture, 1 from 12 to 9b.

3-1:  bar/24*, 12/9 5-1:  ?
White to play 5-1.
Enter 1b. 1 from 3 to 8b.

5-1:  bar/24, 22/17
11. 3-1:  ?
Black to play 3-1.
1 from 9 to 8b., taking man thence to 5b.

3-1:  9/8*/5 4-2:  ?
White to play 4-2.
Both points occupied in enemy’s table, so the prisoner cannot be entered; no move made on the part of White, whose position is not very enviable.

4-2:  ∅
12. 5-4:  ?
Black to play 5-4.
1 from 1w. to 10w.

5-4:  24/15 6-5:  ?
White to play 6-5.
Still cannot enter. “Hope deferred,” &c.

6-5:  ∅
13. 6-3:  ?
Black to play 6-3.
1 from 10w. to 9b., thence to 6b.

6-3:  15/6 1-1:  ?
White to play 1-1.
Enter 1b., 1 from 7 to 5 (2 moves) and 1 from 6 to 5w., securing cinque point.

1-1:  bar/24, 7/5, 6/5
14. 6-4:  ?
Black to play 6-4.
1 from 9 and 1 from 7b. to 3b., taking man and making point.

6-4:  9/3*, 7/3 1-1:  ?
White to play 1-1.
Enter 1b., 3 from 2 to 1w.

1-1:  bar/24, 2/1(3)
15. 6-5:  ?
Black to play 6-5.
1 from 9 to 3, and 1 from 7 to 2b.

6-5:  9/3, 7/2 3-2:  ?
White to play 3-2.
2 from 4 to 2 and 1w.

3-2:  4/2, 4/1
16. 6-3:  ?
Black to play 6-3.
1 from 7 to 4b.: “the table’s full,” like Macbeth’s, and 1 man taken off for the 6 point.

6-3:  7/4, 6/off 4-4:  ?
White to play 4-4.
2 from 6 and 2 from 5w. to 2 and 1w.

4-4:  6/2(2), 5/1(2)
17. 4-1:  ?
Black to play 4-1.
Takes off 1 from 4 point, plays up 1 from 3 to 2, ace point being occupied by the enemy.

4-1:  4/off, 3/2 2-1:  ?
White to play 2-1.
2 from 3 to 2 and 1w.

2-1:  3/2, 3/1
18. 4-2:  ?
Black to play 4-2.
Takes off from 4 and 2, leaving blot — game greatly in favour of Black; risk may be run.

4-2:  4/off, 2/off 6-5:  ?
White to play 6-5.
1 from 1b. to 12b.

6-5:  24/13
19. 5-4:  ?
Black to play 5-4.
Takes off.

5-4:  5/off, 4/off 4-2:  ?
White to play 4-2.
1 from 12b. to 7w.

4-2:  13/7
20. 6-3:  ?
Black to play 6-3.
Takes off from 6, plays up from 6 to 3.

6-3:  6/3, 6/off 5-2:  ?
White to play 5-2.
1 from 1b. to 8b.

5-2:  24/17
21. 6-4:  ?
Black to play 6-4.
Takes off from 5; 4 can neither be played, nor taken off.

6-4:  5/off 5-3:  ?
White to play 5-3.
1 from 8b. to 9w.

5-3:  17/9
22. 5-1:  ?
Black to play 5-1.
Takes off from 5, plays 1 from 3 to 2.

5-1:  5/off, 3/2 4-2:  ?
White to play 4-2.
1 from 9 and 1 from 7w. to 5w., making point.

4-2:  9/5, 7/5
23. 3-2:  ?
Black to play 3-2.
Takes off, leaving blot.

3-2:  3/off, 2/off 4-2:  ?
White to play 4-2.
1 from 1 to 3b., hitting and taking up blot, thence to 7b.

4-2:  24/22*/18
24. 5-1:  ?
Black to play 5-1.
Cannot enter.

5-1:  ∅ 3-2:  ?
White to play 3-2.
1 from 7b. to 12b.

3-2:  18/13
25. 5-4:  ?
Black to play 5-4.
Enter at 4, thence to 9w.

5-4:  bar/16 3-3:  ?
White to play 3-3.
1 from 12b., to 1w.

3-3:  13/1
26. 6-4:  ?
Black to play 6-4.
1 from 9w., to 10b., thence to 6b.

6-4:  16/6 5-2:  ?
White to play 5-2.
1 from 1 to 6b., taking man, thence to 8b.

5-2:  24/19*/17
27. 5-4:  ?
Black to play 5-4.
Enter 4, thence to 9w.

5-4:  bar/16 2-2:  ?
White to play 2-2.
1 (in 4 moves) from 8b., to 9w., taking man.

2-2:  17/9*
28. 6-3:  ?
Black to play 6-3.
Enter at 3, thence to 9w., taking man.

6-3:  bar/16* 5-4:  ?
White to play 5-4.
Enter at 5, thence to 9b.

5-4:  bar/16
29. 3-3:  ?
Black to play 3-3.
1 (in four moves) from 9w., to 4b.

3-3:  16/4 5-1:  ?
White to play 5-1.
1 from 9b., to 10w.

5-1:  16/10
30. 4-4:  ?
Black to play 4-4.
Takes off, and the unhappy White loses a gammon.

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