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Backgammon Books
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Backgammon:
Master Versus Amateur
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VOLUME:
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1
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AUTHOR:
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Kit Woolsey
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YEAR:
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2000
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PUBLISHER:
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The Gammon Press
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CITY:
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Arlington, MA
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ISBN:
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1-880604-13-2
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BINDING:
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Softcover, staple-bound
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PAGES:
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91
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SIZE:
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28 cm high, 21 cm wide
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DESCRIPTION:
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The most popular feature of Kit Woolsey's online backgammon magazine GammOnLine is the online match. Woolsey plays a match against the readers, where the moves and cube actions of the readers are chosen by a consensus vote—the readers voting online for their choice. After each move, Woolsey comments on the play.
Master versus Amateur Volume 1 is a transcript of the first online match played in 1999, with the reader's votes and Woolsey's detailed comments on each play.
The format is quite instructional. You get to see what a majority of average to top players will do in different situations. After a speculative double, how likely is it that the opponent will drop? What is the popular choice of the various opening rolls and responses? These and other questions are answered in an empirical manner which has not been done before.
While it might seem that a consensus vote would distort the play, this does not happen. There is no danger of a major oversight which an individual player might make over the board, since while a few readers might overlook a play the consensus will not. The flights of fancy which an individual player might try will also be voted down by the consensus.
Woolsey plays as he would in a normal over-the-board match. He does not use a computer or spend an undue amount of time on each play, so some of his comments and conclusions may be wrong. But, as an expert player and top-notch annotator, no one is better at explaining how the expert thinks about a position.
Here is Woolsey's approach to the doubling decision:
To double or not to double, that is the question. What should our thought process be?
First of all, we (mentally) move to the other side of the table and ask ourselves the following question: If we were doubled in this position, would we take? There are three (not two) possible answers to this question:
1) Yes, I'm absolutely sure it is a take.
2) No, I'm absolutely sure it is a pass.
3) I'm not 100% sure.
If the answer is (1), then it still might be correct to double. This would be the case if there were a significant chance that on the next exchange (we roll, he rolls) he will now have a big pass. If the position is that volatile, it is proper to double even if the take is easy. Otherwise it is correct to wait.
If the answer is (2), then it still might be correct to double. This would be the case if either the gammon chances were small or if there were a significant chance that after the next exchange (we roll, he rolls) he will now have a big take. Otherwise it is correct to wait and play for the gammon.
If the answer is (3), then it is always correct to double. I have written this elsewhere calling it Woolsey's Law. It is valid in virtually all situations. The only possible exception may occur when you are well ahead in the match and the double would put you out or nearly out. In this situation it may pay to be conservative. Otherwise, follow Woolsey's Law. You won't go far wrong.
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READERS
COMMENTS:
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"Woolsey's annotations are terrific—there is something for players of all levels.
As an alternative to buying the book, you can subscribe to GammOnLine and read the full annotated match online together with over a dozen subsequent matches. Great stuff."—Tom Keith, June 2003
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CONTENTS:
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BY THE SAME
AUTHOR:
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How to Play Tournament Backgammon
Kit Woolsey
1993: The Gammon Press, Arlington, MA
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Philip Marmorstein versus Michael Greiner
Kit Woolsey
1994: The Gammon Press, Arlington, MA
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Mika Lidov versus Hal Heinrich
Kit Woolsey
1994: The Gammon Press, Arlington, MA
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Joe Sylvester versus Nack Ballard
Kit Woolsey
1994: The Gammon Press, Arlington, MA
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New Ideas In Backgammon
Kit Woolsey, Hal Heinrich
1996: The Gammon Press, Arlington, MA
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The Backgammon Encyclopedia, Volume 1
Cube Reference Positions
Kit Woolsey
2002: The Gammon Press, Arlington, MA
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Understanding Backgammon
Lessons for Serious Players
Kit Woolsey, Tami Jones
2003: The Gammon Press, Arlinton, MA
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52 Great Backgammon Tips
At home, tournament and online
Patti Beadles, Kit Woolsey
2007: Batsford, London
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