Can anybody recommend an advanced-bg-book?
stefan waldherr
I've somehow reached a `plateau', where it seems to me
that I cannot improve my bg-play anymore --- and I've
been here a long time. So, can anybody recommend a
good book for an advanced bg-player (I mean no book,
where I'm tought how to move, how to bear off and
the like --- something about tactics, etc)? Thanks
in advance.
(BTW, count another 20$ for the donation!)
cu
stefan
--
Stefan Waldherr voice +49 431 8950305
fax +49 431 8950305
Germany e-Mail s.wal...@physiologie.uni-kiel.de
Mike Burns
>Hi folks,
I really got a lot out of Barclay Cooke's "Backgammon Probabilities
and Paradoxes". It's a book of many plausible situations, showing
you the roll and asking how to move. Answers are provided, with
analysis of course. Many of the situtations are similar to ones that
occur every day. The good thing about this book is that many of the
answers show a move which is slightly better than the obvious one.
After reading and thinking, you'll probably agree that the suggested
move is the best. Making moves which are subtlely better than the
obvious will move you to that next level of gammon.
Another good book (actually 2 vol set) is "Advanced Backgammon" by
Robertie.
Good luck.
Mike Burns (mburns on FIBS and Netgammon)
US nat'l debt is an | Govt: Beating down the | I speak for only me.
immoral contract and | multitude and scoffing | PGP key available
should be repudiated.| at the wise. |
Vote Libertarian! | Rush-Farewell to Kings | mbu...@gemini.edu
Frankb33
Magriel as a basic
Roberties advanced Backgammon although i don't like his style of play
Ortegas faszinating backggamon is short and good. His books Costa Rica 93
and Costa Rica 94 are very well too. The books from Wolsey and
especially his Matchquiz series is also very well
ciao
frank // frankb on FIBS
(up again sigh! )
// frankb33 on PBEM
Joseph A. Wetherell
<s.wal...@physiologie.uni-kiel.de> writes:
>
>Hi folks,
>
>I've somehow reached a `plateau', where it seems to me
>that I cannot improve my bg-play anymore --- and I've
>been here a long time. So, can anybody recommend a
>good book for an advanced bg-player (I mean no book,
>where I'm tought how to move, how to bear off and
>the like --- something about tactics, etc)? Thanks
>in advance.
>
>(BTW, count another 20$ for the donation!)
>
>cu
>stefan
>--
>Stefan Waldherr voice +49 431 8950305
> fax +49 431 8950305
>Germany e-Mail
s.wal...@physiologie.uni-kiel.de
Regards,
Joe Joeweth on FIBS
Stephen Turner
>
> I really got a lot out of Barclay Cooke's "Backgammon Probabilities
> and Paradoxes". It's a book of many plausible situations, showing
> you the roll and asking how to move. Answers are provided, with
> analysis of course. Many of the situtations are similar to ones that
> occur every day. The good thing about this book is that many of the
> answers show a move which is slightly better than the obvious one.
> After reading and thinking, you'll probably agree that the suggested
> move is the best. Making moves which are subtlely better than the
> obvious will move you to that next level of gammon.
>
I haven't read this book, but you might be interested in the following reviews
from my Web page:
168 problems, most of which are very interesting. Current thinking is that
solutions to about a third of them are wrong, but the analysis gives very
good insight into how Cooke, a first-generation world class player, thought
about backgammon.
(Marty Storer, May 1992)
Cooke's Paradoxes & Probabilities is way off the beam, because it purports to
treat more delicate decision-making, but does so erroneously, potentially
causing severe damage to your game.
(Albert Steg, May 1994)
Be careful! Any reasoning from an expert can sound plausible, but may not be
right. Robertie's Advanced Backgammon is probably a better bet.
--
Stephen R. E. Turner
Stochastic Networks Group, Statistical Laboratory, University of Cambridge
e-mail: sr...@cam.ac.uk WWW: http://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~sret1/home.html
British Isles Backgammon Association Champion '95; British Open winner '96.
Matthew Daly
>
>I haven't read this book, but you might be interested in the following reviews
>from my Web page:
>
>168 problems, most of which are very interesting. Current thinking is that
>solutions to about a third of them are wrong, but the analysis gives very
>good insight into how Cooke, a first-generation world class player, thought
>about backgammon.
>(Marty Storer, May 1992)
Would anyone happen to have a specific list of which problems are wrong?
My advanced BG book collection is just Magriel and this at the moment,
and I enjoy reading BP&P if only to disagree with some of the positions
which take (what I feel are unnecessary) risks in order to avoid (what
I feel are unlikely) problems down the road, but I'd appreciate knowing
if I should really be learning from these positions instead of
critiquing them too harshly from the basis of my own inexperience.
-Matthew Daly
James Eibisch
>--
>Stephen R. E. Turner
[snip]
> British Isles Backgammon Association Champion '95; British Open winner '96.
Show off! Er, I mean congratulations :-)
--
_
James Eibisch ('v') N : E : T : A : D : E : L : I : C : A
Reading, U.K. (,_,) http://www.i-way.co.uk/~jeibisch/
=======
Dan Scoones
I had the good fortune to obtain a copy of this book when I began to
study backgammon in the fall of 1993. I enjoyed Cooke's reasoning and
have managed to apply some of his ideas in my games. One thing that
always intrigued me was his reluctance to hit, even in certain holding
game positions. As Robertie once wrote, "Cooke disdained the race."
It's my impression that most of the positions in Paradoxes and
Probabilities came from Cooke's own practice, and therefore his
solutions have always seemed peculiarly correct. When I read Marty
Storer's review on the WWW Backgammon page, I too was surprised that
he claimed such a high proportion of "wrong" solutions.
I'd be very interested to see some clear examples of a Cookeian
"wrong" solution. Can anyone oblige?
Good dice,
Dan
rook (FIBS)
Farhan Malik
ro...@islandnet.com (Dan Scoones) writes:
>I had the good fortune to obtain a copy of this book when I began to
>study backgammon in the fall of 1993. I enjoyed Cooke's reasoning and
>have managed to apply some of his ideas in my games. One thing that
>always intrigued me was his reluctance to hit, even in certain holding
>game positions. As Robertie once wrote, "Cooke disdained the race."
I've also enjoyed the book a lot.
>I'd be very interested to see some clear examples of a Cookeian
>"wrong" solution. Can anyone oblige?
You need look no further than the first problem. In response
to an opening 4 1 played 13/9 6/5 white rolls 4 4. Cooke says 24/20*
24/20 8/4 8/4 can't be wrong. I have rolled out four possible replies
10,000 times and Cooke's solution was fourth best.
The top two plays are 24/20* 20/16* 13/9 13/9 and 24/20*
20/16* 8/4 8/4. I cannot say which is better since both fall within
the standard deviation of each other. Both have an equity above
.490 +/- .013.
Next best was 24/20* 24/20 13/9 13/9 with equity of .431 +/- .012.
Fourth best was Cooke's solution with equity of .338 +/- .012.
scriabin on FIBS