BucksGammon

A few starters on learning how to play and improve your game.

• Rules of Backgammon www.bkgm.com/rules.html www.bkgm.com/rules.html A five minute written lesson on how to play that will give you a basic understanding of the game. Useful if you just need a refresher.

• Backgammon for Complete Beginners. www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9yKQ8QeIOY&feature=related www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9yKQ8QeIOY&feature=related "Part 1 - Introduction and the board." A thorough video presentation.

• Backgammon for Complete Beginners. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMO2yRQFUHM&feature=related www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMO2yRQFUHM&feature=related "Part 2 - The rest of the kit." The next short video in the series.

• Backgammon for Complete Beginners. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB4KvoGEfJM&feature=related www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB4KvoGEfJM&feature=related "Part 3 - Basic Moves." If you have found these video presentations helpful, you can watch the whole series, which you can easily find on YouTube.

• Backgammon Basics - The Rules www.paulspages.co.uk/bgvaults/bgvaults_g.php?f=tips&s=bgbasics.bgg www.paulspages.co.uk/bgvaults/bgvaults_g.php?f=tips&;s=bgbasics.bgg An animated description of how to play the game.

• Casual Play compared with Formal Play www.bkgm.com/articles/Driver/TwoWorlds/ www.bkgm.com/articles/Driver/TwoWorlds/ Only ever played Backgammon casually and not sure which set of rules we play to? Read this great article that also lists all the key differences between formal and informal play.

• Dice Rolls and Probability www.paulspages.co.uk/bgvaults/tips/dicerolls.php www.paulspages.co.uk/bgvaults/tips/dicerolls.php Need help getting your head around working out the odds of various dice rolls? This site will help simplify the maths mystery.

• Pip-Counting www.backgammon-biba.co.uk/PipCount.htm www.backgammon-biba.co.uk/PipCount.htm Only required once or twice per game, sometimes never at all - but if you want to be even a semi-serious player, you have to learn to count the pips. This is a great introductory article in the art of pip-counting.

Other Backgammon clubs travelling distance from Buckinghamshire

• Amersham Backgammon Club https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmershamBackgammon/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmershamBackgammon/ Aimed very much at Beginners and Juniors. Experienced players welcome but expect no prize pools.

• ThameGammon https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThameGammon/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThameGammon/ Gammon in Yhame run by the enigmatic Cheryl. Alternates monthly between free tournaments and social play.

• London Players' Backgammon League londonplayersbackgammonleague.webs.com/ londonplayersbackgammonleague.webs.com/ An opportunity to play longer matches against London players. The league already boasts several BucksGammon players.

• North London BG www.northlondonbackgammon.webs.com www.northlondonbackgammon.webs.com Probably London's most popular Backgammon evening for new players. On the Second Wednesday of every month

• Fulham Backgammon Club fulhambackgammon.weebly.com/ fulhambackgammon.weebly.com/ For players starting out in the game in West London who wish to play in a less intimidating atmosphere. First & Third Tuesday of the month

Play against the computer or other people online.

• GNU BG Tutorial www.gammonlife.com/gnu/index.htm www.gammonlife.com/gnu/index.htm "GNU BG" is free Backgammon software that plays a very strong game and can coach you in the correct moves to make when you play against it. This tutorial guides you through from set up to using this software.

• FIBS - First Internet Backgammon Server newfibs.fibs.com/ newfibs.fibs.com/ This site has been around along time and is popular with players. You can play against other people online here for free. One good aspect is the ability to download the matches you play and analyse them using GNU/Snowie/XG.

• DailyGammon www.dailygammon.com/ www.dailygammon.com/ DailyGammon is postal chess meets backgammon meets the internet. It comes with a health warning as it is highly addictive.

• Extreme Gammon (XG) www.extremegammon.com/default.aspx www.extremegammon.com/default.aspx The foremost Backgammon software. A free version can be downloaded for your i-Pad or i-Phone. If you are going to buy any BG software - this is the one.

Why try and figure out Backgammon concepts for yourself when someone else has done all the work and written them down for you.

• Backgammon by Paul Magriel www.amazon.co.uk/Backgammon-Paul-Magriel/dp/0812906152 www.amazon.co.uk/Backgammon-Paul-Magriel/dp/0812906152 Despite hundreds of books being written on the game this still holds the title of the Backgammon Bible. A must read if you wish to succeed long-term in this game.

• Chris Bray Backgammon www.chrisbraybackgammon.com/ www.chrisbraybackgammon.com/ The Independent Newspaper Columnist and Author's website, includes a useful Position of the Day. Very readable books.

• Backgammon Galore www.bkgm.com/ www.bkgm.com/ A treasure trove of BG stuff!

• More Backgammon Articles www.gammoned.com www.gammoned.com

• UKBGF Backgammon Resources ukbgf.com/backgammon-resources/ ukbgf.com/backgammon-resources/ A handy page of Backgammon links to resources put together by the good folk at UKBGF.