good place to start at backgammon?

Blunder · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 7

I’m really new to this whole backgammon thing and I’m starting to feel my way around the different resources available. Let me tell you, I’m seriously overwhelmed!
There is so much STUFF out there and I honestly don’t know where to start. My question is really whether anyone can help direct me to really good resources for beginners. I’m looking for texts that are simple to follow and that don’t carry too much advertising hype.

Shaker · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 20

Hi there and welcome to the great world of backgammon!

I’d suggest that you do a simple google search for general backgammon strategy as a start. This will give you some good basic reading on the subject and get you familiar with the terms and concepts connected to the game.

You can then start looking out for internet articles written by specific backgammon experts. Some that come to mind right now are series written by Paul Money, Walter Trice, Mary Hickey, Francois Tardieu, Frank Frigo (the 1994 World Backgammon Champion), Peter Leifter, Paul Magriel and Tom Keith.

Another idea would be to get the GNUbg program. You can use this program to play against yourself and get yourself analyzed. This is a great way to see where you are going wrong and how you can steadily improve your game. If I’m not mistaken, Robert-Jan Veldhuizen wrote an article on how to download GNU and a guide on how to use it. Once you’ve mastered this program and want to record your live games, read the tutorial by Jay Bidal that explains how to do so.

Good Luck!