Position List for Tim Holland’s
“Better Backgammon”
Tom Keith, 2013

Better Backgammon Tim Holland was one of the world’s strongest players in the early 1970’s — he won the World Championship of Backgammon three times. He was also a great teacher. This book is a fine example of Holland’s ability to clearly explain how to think through a problem and come up with the right answer.

Better Backgammon was written 40 years ago. The advice it contains is generally sound. But, when reading any backgammon book from the “old days” (i.e., any time in the last century), it is a good idea to have access to computer rollouts . That way when the author slips up — and he does occasionally — you won’t learn the wrong lesson.

What follows is a list of all the problems from the book. What would you do in each position? Decide on your play, then click on the board for that position to see the author’s commentary and a rollout of the top plays.

Page 4

White to play 6-5.

Page 5

White to play 6-5.

Page 6

White to play 6-5.

Page 8

White to play 5-4.

Page 9

White to play 6-1.

Page 11

White to play 4-3.

Page 12

White to play 4-3.

Page 14

White to play 6-5.

Page 15

White to play 6-4.

Page 17

Should Black double?
Should White take?

Page 18

White to play 5-2.

Page 20

White to play 5-2.

Page 21

White to play 4-3.

Page 22

White to play 4-3.

Page 24

White to play 2-1.

Page 25

White to play 2-1.

Page 26

White to play 2-2.

Page 28

White to play 4-1.

Page 29

White to play 2-1.

Page 31

White to play 4-2.

Page 32

White to play 5-1.

Page 33

White to play 6-1.

Page 34

White to play 6-6.

Page 36

White to play 6-6.

Page 37

White to play 6-5.

Page 39

White to play 4-3.

Page 40

White to play 2-2.

Page 42

White to play 5-4.

Page 44

White to play 4-3.

Page 46

White to play 6-2.

Page 47

White to play 4-1.

Page 48

White to play 4-1.

Page 49

White to play 2-2.

Page 52

White to play 4-2.

Page 53

White to play 3-2.

Page 55

White to play 2-1.

Page 56

White to play 6-6.

Page 57

White to play 6-1.

Page 60

Should White redouble?
Should Black take?

Page 61

Should White redouble?
Should Black take?

Should White redouble?
Should Black take?

Page 62

White to play 4-2.

Page 64

Black to play 5-3.

White to play 6-1.

Page 65

White to play 6-1.

Page 67

White to play 3-1.

Page 69

White to play 6-1.

Page 71

White to play 6-1.

Page 72

Should White double?
Should Black take?

Page 75

Should White double?
Should Black take?

Page 77

Should White double?
Should Black take?

Page 78

White to play 6-5.

Page 80

White to play 4-3.

Page 81

White to play 4-3.

Page 82

Should White double?
Should Black take?

Page 84

Should White double?
Should Black take?

Page 85

White to play 4-1.

Page 86

White to play 2-1.

Page 88

White to play 4-1.

Page 89

White to play 3-1.

Page 90

White to play 5-1.

Page 91

White to play 2-2.

Page 93

White to play 5-2.

Page 95

White to play 4-3.

Page 96

White to play 4-3.

Page 97

White to play 1-1.

Page 99

White to play 2-1.

Page 101

White to play 1-1.

Page 102

White to play 1-1.

Page 103

White to play 1-1.

Page 105

White to play 1-1.

Page 106

White to play 2-2.

Page 107

White to play 2-2.

Page 108

White to play 4-1.

Page 110

White to play 6-3.

Page 111

White to play 3-2.

Page 113

White to play 6-1.

Page 114

White to play 5-4.

Page 116

White to play 6-5.

Page 118

White to play 6-1.

Page 119

White to play 2-2.

Page 120

White to play 6-5.

Page 122

White to play 6-5.

Better Backgammon (1974), by Tim Holland

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Backgammon Galore : Books