Customer Reviews

Advanced Backgammon: Positional Play

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book outlines advanced strategies for opening and mid-position moves. It is the next step after Robertie's 'Backgammon for Winners' and 'Backgammon for Serious players'. If you have read and disgested these first two books and are looking for the next level then this is a must have. There are over 200 situations covered. Details include reasons for the right move along with alernative plays. Both moves and doubling are covered. The book is broken into several section. Opening moves, mid-game, the blitz, and defense are just a few. Illustraions accompany each example and the reasoning is well written and easy to follow. As Bill Robertie points out there are many books that contain short cuts to winning but when the tournament is over you do not see any of these players around. This a study guide that can be used for a lifetime of playing one of the worlds oldest and most challenging games.

The concept of positional play was something I hadn't dealt with until this book. Although tough for me to get through, the 200 problems illustrating the concepts Robertie postulates were helpful enough to raise my FIBs rating over 200 points. When you get serious about winning, you'll read this book.

Robertie has written a number of books on Backgammon. This is not the one to read first, it may be the one (with volume 2) to read last. But, for advanced players or those who want to become advanced players, this is where the real meat is.

The volume covers a great number of problems that give players difficulty. Robertie's approach is systematic and his writing is lucid. A "must-have" for serious players.