Complete Backgammon, by Walter L. Richard

Backgammon Books

Complete Backgammon

AUTHOR: Walter L. Richard

EDITOR: Shepard Barclay

YEAR: 1931

PUBLISHER: David McKay Company

CITY: Philadelphia

BINDING: Hardcover

PAGES: xiv+116

SIZE: 19 cm high, 13 cm wide

TRANSCRIP-
TION: http://www.bkgm.com/books/Richard/Transcription/

CONTENTS:

Introduction
Foreword
The Set-up, Note for Beginners
General Instructions
Luck vs. Skill
General Tactics
Chances and Odds
Opening Moves
First Responses to Opening Moves
Strategy: General strategy; Making points; As the game progresses; Forward game; Running game; Blocking game—side prime; Opposing the opponent's side prime; Back game; Opposing the opponent's back game; Bearing; Opposing the opponent's bearing; Doubling and accepting doubles
Example of Complete Games: Running game; Blocking game; Back game
For Beginners: Equipment; The game
Definitions of Terms
Laws of Backgammon
Laws of Chouette
Additional Rules
Questions Clarified
Tournament Play

COVER: The only complete book on backgammon. Tells you

How to Plan Your Campaign
When and Where to Leave Blots
When to Hit Opponent's Blots
When Not to Hit Them
Correct Opening Moves
Responses to Opponent's Openings
How to Know Whether You're Ahead
When to Double
When to Accept Doubles
When and How to Play a Running Game
How to Build and Use a Side Prime
How to Play the Back Game
How to Oppose the Opponent's Plans
How to Bear Your Men
How to Conduct Tournaments
And gives you the Chances and Odds involved in questions that arise.
What is the proper portion between skill and luck as deciding factors—80 percent against 20, or what?
There is one, and only one safe answer to such a question: When luck is even, the outcome depends 100 per cent upon skill; when skill is even, the result depends 100 per cent upon luck.
Over a long enough period, each player theoretically gets an even break of fortune in the dice throws. Nothing in the world is more dependable than the law of averages. It is fickle in the way it swings back and forth, but always makes up later for its idiosyncrasies. The player therefore should base all of his backgammon moves and claculations upon the assumption that on any occasion the chances favor his getting exactly as good throws as the law of averages indicates—no better and no worse. He will be sorely disappointed at times in his expectations, but his chagrin will be offset eventually by the better-than average fortune encountered at other times, unless he is one of those unfortunates who cannot recognize their share of good luck and therefore consider themselves "unlucky."
Why gamble on luck? Play safe with the skill that this book will bring you.

ABOUT THE
AUTHOR: Walter L. Richard has organized Backgammon tournaments on both sides of the Atlantic, including the first in this country among members of well-known clubs, a meeting which was so successful that it was followed by his formation of a league for periodical competition among teams from leading clubs in New York. He has perhaps done more to popularize Backgammon than any other person, and has initiated some of the most prominent professional instructors into the scientific mysteries of the game.
Although Backgammon was an ancient game in the time of Chaucer, it has remained for Walter Richard's careful study to produce the answers for many plays. Mr. Richard has a consistent winning record, which has seemed uncanny to the average player, but in Complete Backgammon he has reduced the science of the game to its simplest equivalents, laying down a set of rules which will enable the amateur to play with the same skill and precision as a professional.