Top 5 Recommended Backgammon Books

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The best way to improve at backgammon when you’re not playing is to read backgammon books. Good books will help you think about the game in different ways, give you tips on strategy and tactics, and generally give you a broader perspective on the game.

What backgammon books existed are recommended to help people become better players?

5 Recommended Backgammon Books

  1. An Introduction to Backgammon A Step-by-Step Guide — by Paul Magriel
  2. Backgammon for Winners — by Bill Roberti
  3. Starting Out in Backgammon — by Paul Lamford
  4. Backgammon Boot Camp — by Walter Trice 
  5. Backgammon – Cube like a boss: Patterns, Intuition & Strategy — by Mr. Marc Brockmann Olsen

1. An Introduction to Backgammon A Step-by-Step Guide — by Paul Magriel

Highlights

  • Great introduction to backgammon
  • Sound fundamentals and gameplay
  • In-depth explanations which moves are best
  • Before and after illustrations of different moves

This is by far the best introductory book on backgammon. The relase of Paul Magriel‘s book Backgammon late in 1976 denoted a defining moment in the teaching of backgammon. This was the first real textbook on the game. Educators no longer needed to spend countless hours on details of backgammon technique, but could simply assign chapters in Magriel’s book as required reading for their students.

This is an magnificent book for players of all levels.  It does a fine job of communicating the fundamentals of sound backgammon play. to start with, to become familiar with the ideas; later, to fortify those ideas and to figure out how to place them into practice; and persistently, to maintain the fundamental ideas upon which the overwhelming majority of BG decisions are built. Magriel gives both before and after illustrations for ideal moves, followed by complete explanations for why some moves are better than others.

For players who don’t understand basics of the of the game, studying this book and attempting to apply its ideas over the board constantly prompts colossal change.

Pros

  • Illustrated
  • Step-by-Step Guide
  • Great for players of all skill levels

Cons

  • Hardcover is expensive

2. Backgammon For Winners — by Bill Robertie

Highlights

  • Written by a world champion
  • Basics of playing and winning backgammon
  • Middle and end game tactics
  • Back game and doubling strategy
  • Opening moves and basic probabilities
  • Sample games and breakdowns

Bill Robertie is the world’s best backgammon player and the only two-time winner of the Monte Carlo World Championships. However,

Bill Robertie did not get to be two-time backgammon best on the planet and one of the best players ever by seeking after a conservative game. He calls his style “dynamic backgammon” and he shows it in this book, aiming his lessons at the raw beginner as well as experienced players. He begins at the absolute starting point, from 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 example recreations that show his focuses well.

Bill Robertie is the writer of four propelled books on winning at backgammon and the co-distributer of Inside Backgammon, the world’s foremost backgammon magazine. He’s also a chess expert and a winner of the U.S. Speed Chess Championship. His club and tournaments winnings have allowed him to travel the world in style. Robertie makes his home in Arlington, Massachusetts.

Pros

  • Great for improving backgammon skills
  • Learn winning concepts
  • Sample games with breakdowns
  • Perspective of a world champion

Cons

  • No hardcover

3. Starting Out in Backgammon Paperback – June 1, 2001 — by Paul Lamford

Highlights

  • Excellent first book for beginners
  • User-friendly introduction to backgammon
  • Numerous hints and tips
  • An ideal first backgammon book
  • Strategic advice to improve your gameplay

This book is unquestionably a must for beginners at backgammon. Paul’s writing style is clear and easy to read, making the most complicated concepts manageable. The prose is easy to read, the contents logically structured, the representations are very much introduced and highlight the present day standard documentation. Every part is peppered with helpful hints and tips, highlighting the most essential focuses which boldly summarize the salient points in clear memorable sound bites. The activities toward the end of every section ensure that you have understood and remembered what you have learnt.

Each instructional part ends with a small quiz for the readers to test their comprehension of some of the issues discussed, despite the fact that the main chapters would be improved by extra reference problems to augment the insufficient quiz sections.

Paul Lamford was the 1993 British Backgammon champion and is currently evaluated to be number one in the UK. He is the author of 100 Backgammon Puzzles and is a successive writer of articles for the leading backgammon magazine, Inside Backgammon.

Pros

  • Great for beginners
  • Backgammon advice that’s easy to remember
  • Numerous pro tips and hints
  • Ideal first backgammon book
  • Brush up on the basics

Cons

  • No hardcover
  • No kindle version

4. Backgammon Boot Camp Paperback – May 1, 2004 — by Walter Trice

Highlights

  • Perfect for any skill level
  • Covers backgammon fundamentals
  • Advanced backgammon strategy
  • Doubling cube strategy

Walter Trice’s Backgammon Boot Camp is the first present day book that could be called successor of Magriel’s work of art “Backgammon”. It covers all parts of the game.

Walter Trice wrote the book Backgammon Boot Camp in 2004 at Fortuitous Press, San Francisco. A significant part of the book was distributed on the Internet. Walter Trice has made his name by being one of the top ten players on the American Backgammon Tour for more than ten years. Trice is able to play the game, as well as break down it for the advantage of his readers. In the book Trice offers something for each player, regardless of ability level or experience.

Backgammon Boot Camp starts with the fundamentals and this contains the initial ten sections of the book. After covering the basics; for example, primes, anchors and closeouts the book dives into more propelled diversion play. A portion of the topics covered in the advanced chapters are strategies, plans, options and position examination. The end chapters’ deal with the more energizing subjects of match play and attacking. A test is located at the end of the book permitting readers to review the key purposes of the book.

Pros

  • Perfect for any skill level
  • Waterfall of useful information
  • Advanced strategies and fundamentals
  • Great to improve your game

Cons

  • No hardcover
  • No kindle version

5. Backgammon – Cube like a boss: Patterns, Intuition & Strategy — by Mr. Marc Brockmann Olsen

Highlights

  • Easy to understand doubling cube strategy
  • Advanced backgammon strategies
  • Master the cube
  • Backgammon best seller

Marc Olsen’s book Backgammon – Cube like a boss: Patterns, Intuition & Strategy is all about mastering the doubling cube.

Marc teaches you the fundamentals of knowing when to double and what to do if you are doubled. The right move varies greatly on your position, your opponents position, and where you are in the game. This book will give you priceless insights into evaluating cube decisions, and teaches you to look at several important factors that play into winning at backgammon. Many of Marc’s probability results are based on analysis according to XGR++ results, from the program eXtreme Gammon.

Sometimes all that separates a good player from the greats is the doubling cube. If you want to improve from an Advanced player to an Expert player, you will have to master the cube. This book will help greatly accelerate that process!

Pros

  • Master the doubling cube
  • Improve your backgammon skills
  • Advanced backgammon strategies
  • Easy to follow guide

Cons

  • No hardcover
  • No kindle version

Conclusion

Owning a backgammon book is a great way to improve your backgammon skills and start to pick up on patterns. It is especially good to learn about backgammon opening moves, early and mid game strategies, doubling cube strategies and winning at backgammon. It’s never too late to improve your game, and we recommend every player own at least one backgammon book and always be practicing!

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