The Amazing Book of Backgammon, by Jon Tremaine

Backgammon Books

The Amazing Book of Backgammon
Learn How to Play This Classic Game of
Speed, Skill and Strategy

AUTHOR: Jon Tremaine

YEAR: 1996

PUBLISHER: Tiger Books International plc.

CITY: London

ISBN: 1-85501-768-7

BINDING: Hardcover

PAGES: 125

SIZE: 28 cm high, 25 cm wide

NOTE: Originally published 1995 by CLB Publishing, Godalming, Surrey (England).

READERS
COMMENTS:

"More of a beginners book but beautifully illustrated. Covers all the basics of the game, a bit weak on doubling strategy but good section on the backgame and return play. Also a humourous section on the Psychology of Backgammon, well worth a read."—William Hill, January 1998

CONTENTS:

Introduction
The Bare Bones: The Basics; Tables; The Bar; Set Up; Object of the Game; Blocked Points; Notation; Moving; Rolling Doubles; Blots, Hitting and Re-entering; Bearing Off; Starting the Game; Single Point Games, Gammons and Backgammons; The Doubling Cube; Automatic Doubles; Quiz Question
The Facts of Life: Safety First; The 36 Possible Throws; Odds Against Hitting a Blot
The Opening Moves: The Twenty-one Options; The 1-1 Roll; The 6-6 Roll; The 3-3 Roll; The 4-4 Roll; The 2-2 Roll; The 3-1 Roll; The 4-2 Roll; The 6-1 Roll; The 6-5 Roll; The 3-2 Roll; The 4-3 Roll; The 5-3 Roll; The 6-2 Roll; The 6-4 Roll; The 6-3 Roll; The 5-5 Roll; The 2-1 Roll; The 4-1 Roll; The 5-1 Roll; The 5-4 Roll; The 5-2 roll; Conclusions; Quiz Question
Replies to the Opening Move: Turning the Tables; Exceptions that Prove the Rules; The Second Example; The Third Example; The Fourth Example; The Fifth Example; Conclusion
Let Us Play: Playing the Game; The Second Phase; The Dash for the Post; Final Thoughts
The Prime of Your Life: Playing a Shutout; Spotting a Weakness; Defending against a Prime; Simultaneous Primes; Quiz Questions
Choose Your Weapons: Keeping Your Options Open; The Running Game; How to Count Your Position; Tremaine's Position Count; To Run or Not to Run; The Blocking Game; The Shutout Game; In Conclusion; Quiz Questions
What Is a Back Game? When You Have No Choice; Another Demonstration Game; Looking Back; What Points to Control; Getting Your Timing Right; countering a Back Game; Quiz Questions
Return Play: A Timely Return; Quiz Questions
Bearing Off: Weighing Up Your Options; Balancing Your Board; Overloading Points; "Odds and Evens"; Coming In; The "Closest-Closer" Rule; The "5-2" Rule; The "Old One-Two" Rule; Quiz Questions
Odds and Ends: Working Out the Odds; Quiz Question
The Dynamic Doubler: At the Double!; A Few Simple Rules; When to Accept a Double; The 5-2 Enigma; The Human Factor; Beavering; Laying Down the Ground Rules; Quiz Questions
Chouette: Rules of the Game; Chouette Etiquette; Deals
Coming of Age: Forewarned is Forearmed; The Bone Shaker; The Tut-Tutter; The Chatterbox; The Board Cleaner; The Take Off; The Dice Changer; The Toilet Tripper; The Mis-Call; The Prime Jumper; The Cover Up; The Knock Off
The Correct Attitude: Tremaine's Golden Rules
The Official Rules of Backgammon: The Game; The Throws; The Play; Errors; Scoring; Doubling Game
Quiz Question Answers

COVER: Backgammon is one of the oldest games in existence. A form of backgammon has been played for over three thousand years, and such enduring popularity proves that this is one of the world's great games. It is simple to learn and fast to play, but at the same time it is tactically complex, strategically challenging, and relatively hard to play well. It is a great gambling game, but can also be enjoyed as simple family entertainment, and the combination of skill and luck that characterizes play means that players of differing levels of expertise can sill enjoy competitive games together.
This book is primarily written for the beginner, but such is the breadth of its coverage that intermediate and advanced players will also find plenty of valuable advice in it. The contents are logically arranged: first the author describes the board, the pieces, permissible moves and the set-up of the game, and he then moves on to reveal the best options for opening plays, middle- and endgames, and the most effective tactics to employ to frustrate your opponent's game plan. Demonstration games are featured to illustrate how tactics develop and change during the cut-and-thrust of play.
Probably the most exciting and innovative aspect of this book is the way in which it is illustrated. Uniquely for an instructional book of this type, it features hundreds of annotated colour photographs showing move and countermove, so that the reader can follow exactly what is happening at every stage of play. A concluding chapter on gamesmanship, and how to recognize plays that an unscruplulous player may use against you, rounds off this masterly exposition of a superb game.
Learn from an experienced backgammon teacher how to master the skills of this classic board game. Under his expert guidance you will soon appreciate how best to marshal your forces, and the tactical principles underlying successful play.

ABOUT THE
AUTHOR: Jon Tremaine, a professional magician for over thirty years, was introduced to backgammon while performing his act in Swaziland. He has since played the game in a multitude of countries around the world, and lectures about and teaches backgammon to groups throughout the U.K. In writing this book he fulfils his wish to pass on to others the knowledge that he has gained while touring 80,000 miles a year and playing backgammon all the way! He is also the author of three other titles in this series: The Amazing Book of Magic, The Amazing Book of Card Tricks and The Amazing Book of Origami.