|
Paul Magriel 1976 404pp
This book is the first book every aspiring backgammon player should read.
After an introductory section in which he gives examples of the four most common
types of game (running game, holding game, attacking game and priming game) and
some basic doubling cube strategy and maths, Magriel goes on to tackle most of
the fundamental points of chequer play in chapters such as 'Safe Play vs. Bold
Play,' 'Action Game,' 'When You Are Forced to Leave Shots' and 'The Golden
Point' (on making your opponent's five point). An understanding of these
chapters will raise anyone's game from the "hitting twice is fun, so it must be
right" level to knowing what are the issues involved in a position, what sort of
game one is trying to play, and how best to bring one's objectives about.
The main criticism of the book must be that it is weak on doubling strategy.
This is surely as important as chequer play. There are a couple of chapters on
doubling, but a systematic exposition of the subject, in the style of the rest
of the book, would have made the book even more valuable than it already is.
Sadly, this book is out of print. But whatever your level, do all you can to
get a second hand copy or borrow it from a library.
Stephen Turner
The advantages of Magriel's Backgammon are, first, Magriel was a
clear-minded, distinguished mathematician at the top of the backgammon world
when he wrote it; second, it was the only truly analytic book on backgammon
since Oswald Jacoby and John R. Crawford's The Backgammon Book;
third, it rendered all backgammon texts preceding it (including The
Backgammon Book), and even some subsequent backgammon texts, obsolete as
introductory texts; fourth, it systematically elucidates backgammon strategy,
from fundamental to intermediate to advanced; fifth, it does great justice to
its topics in its well-diagrammed over-400 pages; and sixth, it has passed the
test of time as an introductory text, having been commonly referred to as `The
Bible' of backgammon. Its disadvantages are, first, some important details of
some advanced topics (e.g., desirable back-game points), and even some major
points of some beginning/intermediate topics (e.g., tradeoffs between positional
and racing equity) are obsolete; second, the prose, though very readable, is
structurally and stylistically weak; third, the text has been out-of-print since
some time last year, though is well worth a search of all your local
used/out-of-print bookstores; and fourth, though the publication price was
$24.95, the only mail-order list on which I have found it prices it at $80,
which makes a used/out-of-print bookstore an even better source -- since it is
typically discounted to about $15 there, in my experience (here in the San
Francisco Bay Area).
I think that you should search your local, or even not quite local,
used/out-of-print bookstores for Backgammon, and pay up to about
$50 for it; and then, if you cannot find it at a reasonable price, buy and read
The Backgammon Handbook -- after which
your time won't be best spent reading Magriel soon thereafter.
John Bazigos, June 1993
Magriel's is the only introductory book that is not just for beginners;
reading (and rereading) it can be very helpful to more experienced players
trying to improve their game.
Daniel Murphy, June 1996
I actually have the original hardcover edition of this book when I purchased
it in the early eighties (it's still in NM condition I might add). I had
purchased many backgammon books in those days (eg. The Backgammon Book;
Backgammon for Blood; etc) but this was the main one I referenced time and again
and is one of the best book of its kind that came out of the seventies (and
there were a lot of them). A professor of mathematics, Magriel organizes the
principles and strategies in a very logical manner. He writes in concise
non-technical language, breaking down every aspect of backgammon so its easy to
understand even when discussing advanced theories of the game. It's been a good
15 years since I've got back into playing backgammon and will probably begin
reading some of the latest books out there but I will still be referencing this
one.
JRB from Fargo, ND, March 21, 2001
This textbook revolutionalized backgammon by introducing a set of guidelines
for when to play safely and when to play boldly. These rules are the foundation
of expert play. This book is essential for all aspiring experts.
A
reader from Concord, MA, July 12, 1999
This book greatly improved my game, and I recommend it to anyone who wants
one of the BEST backgammon books available. Don't let the price put you off. If
you budgeted for 2 books, forget both of them and get this one. I've read this
for 4 months and still won't loan it out as I still haven't worn the 'new' off
of it. Gives basic frameworks and explains more technical areas of the game.
This book will drastically improve your game.
A reader from the Ohio
Valley, USA, May 26, 1999
This book greatly improved my game, and I recommend it to anyone who wants
one of the BEST backgammon books available. Don't let the price put you off. If
you budgeted for 2 books, forget both of them and get this one. I've read this
for 4 months and still won't loan it out as I still haven't worn the 'new' off
of it. Gives basic frameworks and explains more technical areas of the game.
This book will drastically improve your game.
A reader from the Ohio
Valley, USA, May 26, 1999
Other book reviews welcome! Email them to DocMartin@Gammoned.com
Return to
the Index of Book Reviews. Return to the Bookstore.
|
