Tag: expert

Transcribing a match with XG

If you have Extreme Gammon (aka ‘XG’) for PC, you’ll find the ‘transcribe a match’ option on the startup menu, or under the Menu at the Status Bar.

Here are some pro-tips for transcribing a match:

If bottom player gets opening roll, type larger number FIRST.

Shortcuts:

  • T – ‘takeback’
  • F – ‘fan’ / bounce when player on the bar
  • E – ‘edit’ mode
  • ‘Right-click’ to cancel
  • Keying in the next dice moves to next player’s roll
  • Crtl-D to ‘double’ or click doubling cube
  • Crtl-S to ‘save’

A lot of these tips came from the ‘Help’ menu, and from this video from the USBGF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Est8yjcONac

Book Recommendations

Looking to improve your backgammon game? Review this comprehensive list of backgammon reading material and get ready for greater success with better understanding (hopefully!) This list comes courtesy of SABGA’s Matt Ryder:

For beginners, I’d recommend Michihito “Michy” Kageyama’s book “Opening Concepts” and Marc Olsen’s “From Basics to Badass”.

For intermediates, Walter Trice’s “Backgammon Bootcamp”, Bill Robertie’s “Modern Backgammon” and “501 Backgammon Positions” (get the 3rd edition, where the whole thing has been rewritten in the light of recent bot rollouts).

For experts, Nack Ballard and Paul Weaver’s “Backgammon Openings Book A”, Kit Woolsey’s “Backgammon Encyclopedia Vols 1 and 2”, Kit Woolsey & Hal Heinrich’s “New Ideas in Backgammon” and Marc Olsen’s latest, “Cube Like a Boss”.

Of course, I should not leave out our very own backgammon author, Clyde Wolpe! His book on the game, “Priority Thinking”, is well worth a read, especially for the excellent chapter on backgames. It’s currently a steal on Amazon Kindle for only $3!

This list was last updated 08 June 2020.