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Backgammon For Winners, 3rd Edition | 
 enlarge | Author: Bill Robertie
Publisher: Cardoza
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
Buy Used: $2.85
You Save: $10.10 (78%)
New (27) Used (21) from $2.85
Avg. Customer Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 127570
Media: Paperback
Edition: 3
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 1580420435
Dewey Decimal Number: 795.15
EAN: 9781580420433
ASIN: 1580420435
Publication Date: October 1, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Overall Very Good Condition. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. EZ Return Policy. No Sale Ever Final. FAST Daily Shipping. 5STAR Seller (Z851)
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Amazon.com Review
Bill Robertie did not become two-time backgammon world champion and one of the greatest players of all time by pursuing a conservative game. He calls his style "dynamic backgammon" and he teaches it in this book, aiming his lessons at the raw beginner as well as experienced players. He starts at the very beginning--setting up the board--and takes the reader through his approach to every element of play. It's an approach that pays off, as his championship record shows. The book is rich with clear diagrams and explanations, with three sample games that illustrate his points well.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 Want to play better backgammon? Start here! March 21, 2008
I learned to play backgammon in college. Then, 25 years later, I started playing again, online. I stunk. I really, really stunk. I was so bad that I decided to either learn to play the game well, or get out of Dodge. I picked up this little book, and my game began to turn around. Robertie writes clearly, and for beginners.
If you want to play better backgammon, here's my formula: Read this book. At the same time, download and install the gnubg program. It's free, and it's the best. Use the "hint" mode in gnubg, and try to learn why it's recommending all those bizarre moves. Compare those moves to what Robertie says. Keep at it, then keep at it some more. Your backgammon will get better, I promise.
I have two other Robertie books: Backgammon for Serious Players, and 501 Essential Backgammon Problems. I recommend them both, but it's Winners that got me started. Thanks, Bill!
Backgammon for Winners, 3rd ed., Robertie February 17, 2007
A fine book by an author who obviously knows the game. Has improved my game, but can't help the role of the dice. My wife beats me all the time. But after this book, not by as much.
A new player's view July 24, 2004
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I wanted to get into playing backgammon at some of the online sites, but I hadn't played in years. I figured I needed some help so went looking for a book on backgammon and more or less at random picked Backgammon for Winners by Bill Robertie. And it turned out to be a decent choice.
It's a fairly thin book, which I liked. I didn't want to spend 2 weeks reading about the history of the game (at least not right now). Robertie jumps right into the meat of the subject, first giving the rules and a bit of broad strategy as well as best opening moves for every possible first roll of the dice. But the bulk of the book is taken up with three different sample games, and Robertie analyzes each move of each game, giving lots of explanation for why something was a strong or poor move. While he suggests you set up a board and move the pieces yourself, there were enough illustrations that you don't have to do so (I didn't).
By the time you work through these three sample games you'll understand backgammon notation, the different phases/styles of a backgammon game, why control of certain points is more important than others, and you'll even see examples of when the 'rules of thumb' should be broken. He does a good job of urging you to go back and reread a section if its covering difficult material, keeping you from glossing over it with an "I'll figure this out later" shrug.
Overall, I'm thinking this is a good first backgammon book. Recommended.
Good quick introduction to aggressive Backgammon January 10, 2003
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I've been playing chess since I was a little kid, but a group of friends at the local coffeehouse started to play a lot of backgammon. So this book was a first attempt at seeing how the pros approach this dice-based game.In short, the book is great if you want a quick read that outlines the best opening moves and gives you a feel for aggressive 'modern' backgammon. In addition to the rationale behind how to use opening dice rolls, the book gives you 3 sample games and lets you hear the pro's thoughts on possible moves. My favorite line is "He could play 14/20, moving the blot on the 14-point to safety, but this is a craven play, unworthy of a modern player." :) How could you not like such opinionated tutelage?? I could have used more exposition on why some seemingly valid plays (e.g. hitting an opponent's blot in your inner table even though its deep) are really less effective. Even better would be some statistical analysis showing why some moves make sense when looking at the odds, but I'm not sure there's such a book out there.
 Typo Heaven September 15, 2000
10 out of 13 found this review helpful
An interesting book for the semi-advanced player is destroyed by typo after typo, a fault that ultimately drives the reader mad. What's going on in the publishing world?
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