Backgammon for dummies?

[Rudbaeck]

I've never played backgammon. Literally never. It does however sound fun, and I'd like to give it a shot on the side.

What is the "Getting Started in Hold'em" of Backgammon? The "Small Stakes Hold'em"? The "Hold'em for Advanced Players"? (I have a feeling the name Robertie will figure in the answers somewhere.)

Any good web resources one must know about?

Anything that I as a clueless noob forgot to ask?

[bennyk]

backgammon galore (http://www.bkgm.com/)

post in "Other Gambling"

bk

[zaphod]

[ QUOTE ]
I've never played backgammon. Literally never. It does however sound fun, and I'd like to give it a shot on the side.

What is the "Getting Started in Hold'em" of Backgammon? The "Small Stakes Hold'em"? The "Hold'em for Advanced Players"? (I have a feeling the name Robertie will figure in the answers somewhere.)

Any good web resources one must know about?

Anything that I as a clueless noob forgot to ask?

[/ QUOTE ]

It all depends on how serious you are to get good. Some quality sites are:

gammonvillage.com
gammonline.com

These two pages are the 2+2 of backgammon.

Maybe some of the material are too advanced when you are learning the game.

[Baulucky]

I recommend in this order:

1-Backgammon by Paul Magriel (There's a new edition). Expensive. The "old bible".
2-501 Essential Backgammon problems. Robertie. Cheap, good.
3-Advanced Backgammon Volume 1. Robertie. "New Bible part 1"
4-Advanced Backgammon Volume 2. Robertie. "New Bible part 2".

After you digest that, then some computer program like Snowie (Best, expensive) or Gnu or Jellyfish to really learn that computers are, for all practical purposes, the best at backgammon.(i.e.: Computers dominate all but the very best of opponents).

[zaphod]

[ QUOTE ]
After you digest that, then some computer program like Snowie (Best, expensive) or Gnu or Jellyfish to really learn that computers are, for all practical purposes, the best at backgammon.(i.e.: Computers dominate all but the very best of opponents).

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? I don't think there is any proof that Snowie is better than GNU, it might even be that GNU are better than Snowie. And GNU is an ever evolving program, while Snowie 4 already are a few years old. So if Snowie is better than GNU(which i doubt), GNU will probably become better than GNU in the future.
True if you are really serious about getting VERY good at backgammon you will want to use both Snowie and GNU. But for everybody else i don't think it is worth buying Snowie.


I don't see any reason for using Jellyfish, the other free alternative GNU, is clearly better.

[sfer]

[ QUOTE ]
What is the "Getting Started in Hold'em" of Backgammon? The "Small Stakes Hold'em"? The "Hold'em for Advanced Players"? (I have a feeling the name Robertie will figure in the answers somewhere.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Read the list of people NPA thanks at the beginning of GSIH.

[solucky]

agree with bauluckys list and added that any serious backgammonplayer move to poker in the moment:). Poker is the number one topic on backgammontourneys and usually we play a round holdem after the BG -tourney and i am in europe!!!!