Miscellaneous

Forum Archive : Miscellaneous

 
rec.games.backgammon mini-FAQ

From:   Daniel Murphy
Address:   raccoon@cityraccoon.com
Date:   29 March 1998
Subject:   rec.games.backgammon mini-FAQ
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   351e2399.7216503@news.businessnet.dk

rec.games.backgammon mini-FAQ

New readers: welcome! This mini-FAQ has the answers to some
of the most Frequently Asked Questions in rec.games.backgammon
and pointers to some of the many backgammon-related sites on
the internet.

Old (experienced) readers: you are invited to direct new readers
with Frequently Asked Questions to this mini-FAQ or to any of the
sites it cites.

This mini-FAQ is posted from time to time in rec.games.backgammon.

    AMAZING IF TRUE: THE ODDS THAT YOU WON'T FIND AN ANSWER TO
    YOUR QUESTION BY FOLLOWING THE LINKS HERE ARE ABOUT 35 TO 1.

Q1. What is rec.games.backgammon?

Q2. Where's the complete FAQ for rec.games.backgammon?

Q3. Where else can I find answers to Frequently Asked Questions?

Q4. Where can I play backgammon on the internet?

Q5. What are the rules of backgammon?

Q6. Where can I find out about real life backgammon clubs
    and tournaments?

Q7. Where can I find out about backgammon computer programs?

Q8. Where can I find annotated games, matches and positions
    on the internet?

Q9. Where can I buy backgammon books or equipment?

Q10.The dice on [Server X] are unbelievable -- are they
    really random? Is [Program Y] a good player, lucky or
    a cheat? Was my experience "unusual"? What should
    I expect from "random" dice?
______________________________


Q1. What is rec.games.backgammon?

    rec.games.backgammon is the newsgroup for backgammon lovers.

    What we talk about: As the only newsgroup devoted to
    backgammon, rec.games.backgammon is the appropriate place
    for articles on any backgammon-related topic. r.g.bg readers
    enjoy a wide-ranging, lively, informative, and generally
    amiable discussion of upcoming events, tournament results,
    club announcements, backgammon strategy and position analysis,
    backgammon software, servers, books and equipment, learning and
    improving, programming, statistics, perception, terminology,
    tournament procedures, etiquette, and cheating (!) and random
    dice in real life and on-line.

    What we'd rather not see: spam, of course, off-topic posts,
    and the same questions again and again. Before posting,
    do check to see if you can't easily find an answer elsewhere.
    Read the rec.games.backgammon FAQ, enjoy the many and marvelous
    sites on the World Wide Web devoted to backgammon, and bring
    yourself up to date on popular rec.games.backgammon topics
    by reviewing the rec.games.backgammon archive.

Q2. Where's the complete FAQ for rec.games.backgammon?

    The r.g.bg FAQ is on the WWW Backgammon Page at:

    http://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~sret1/backgammon/faq.html

    The FAQ is full of useful information but has not been
    updated since 1995, which is why it is not posted to
    rec.games.backgammon.

Q3. Where else can I find answers to Frequently Asked Questions?

    See these two web sites:

    The WWW Backgammon Page, by Stephen Turner
    http://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~sret1/backgammon/ or
    http://www.gamesdomain.com/backgammon/ (U.S. Mirror Site)

        Contents:

        rec.games.backgammon FAQ
        Matches archive
        Worldwide list of clubs
        Book reviews
        British Isles Backgammon Association

        Backgammon Basics
        Playing Backgammon on the Internet
        Computer Programs
        Books and Magazines
        Matches
        Clubs and Competitions

    Backgammon Galore, by Tom Keith
    http://www.bkgm.com/

        Contents:

        rules of backgammon
        glossary of backgammon terms
        collection of the best articles from rec.games.backgammon
        list of online sites
        directory of backgammon software
        annotated matches
        Motif

    The WWW Backgammon Page and Backgammon Galore include links to
    most of the other backgammon-related sites. For a comprehensive
    list of links, see:

    Gammon Links by Mel Liefer at Chicago Point Online
    http://homepage.interaccess.com/~chipoint/links.html

Q4. Where can I play backgammon on the internet?

    Choose from over 20 servers. The four most popular seem to be:

    FIBS, the First Internet Backgammon Server
    http://www.fibs.com/

    Games Grid
    http://www.cyberarts.com/

    Internet Gaming Zone
    http://www.zone.com/

    Netgammon
    http://www.netgammon.com/

    See lists and/or descriptions of all servers at the WWW
    Backgammon Page, Backgammon Galore or Gammon Links.

Q5. What are the rules of backgammon?

    You'll find them at Backgammon Galore or in the FAQ. The WWW
    Backgammon Page also has links to backgammon rules in languages
    other than English.

Q6. Where can I find out about real life backgammon clubs
    and tournaments?

    The WWW Backgammon Page has a worldwide list of backgammon clubs.

    Mark Your Calendar Alive! lists upcoming tournaments around the
    world.
    http://homepage.interaccess.com/~chipoint/calendar.html

Q7. Where can I find out about backgammon computer programs?

    See reviews and/or pointers to web sites at the WWW Backgammon
    Page, Backgammon Galore or Gammon Links.

Q8. Where can I find annotated games, matches and positions
    on the internet?

    The WWW Backgammon Page

    Backgammon Galore

    Backgammon By the Bay, by Richard McIntosh
    http://www.backgammon.org/bgbb/games.html

    Morten's Annotated Games, by Morten Wang
    http://home.sol.no/~warnckew/gammon/matches.html

    Acepoint's Home Page, by Achim Müller
    http://home.deltacity.net/~acepoint/index.htm

Q9. Where can I buy backgammon books or equipment?

    The WWW Backgammon Page, Backgammon Galore or Gammon
    Links will all direct you to sources for books and
    equipment. See book reviews on the WWW Backgammon Page.

Q10.The dice on [Server X] are unbelievable -- are they
    really random? Is [Program Y] a good player, lucky or
    a cheat? Was my experience "unusual"? What should
    I expect from "random" dice?

    This is perhaps the most contentious topic discussed on
    in rec.games.backgammon.

    If you have experienced a streak of dice playing against a
    computer opponent or on a backgammon server that you can't
    quite believe is possible with fair and random dice, welcome
    to the crowd: in r.g.bg, almost every popular program and
    server has been accused of having biased or cheating dice.

    Because serious and casual backgammon players alike want to
    know they are getting a fair shake, rec.games.backgammon
    readers welcome thoughtful articles on this topic.

    Facts and statistics, though not easy to come by, are especially
    welcome, since they are more likely to lead to productive
    discussion. Articles from posters who ignore what has already
    been presented, discussed and analyzed in rec.games.backgammon
    are less welcome.

    The rec.games.backgammon archive contains several articles on this
    topic. Reading and understanding them is a good way to make your
    own post on this topic more credible and interesting, learn a
    little about both "luck" and statistics, and, perhaps, make you a
    better backgammon player.

        Selected Articles From the rec.games.backgammon Archive


(http://www.bkgm.com/rgb/rgb.cgi?menu+fibsdice,softwaredoesitcheat)

    FIBS--Dice

        Analysis of 10 million rolls
            (Stephen Turner, 5 Apr 97)
        Analysis of 5 million rolls
            (Robert-Jan Veldhuizen, 28 Oct 96)
        Are they biased?
            (Kit Woolsey, 24 Oct 96)
        Controlled by hackers?
            (Michael J Zehr, 22 Feb 96)
        How to test
            (Kit Woolsey, 10 Jan 95)
        Random number generator
            (Stephen Turner, 21 Mar 97)
        Stats entering from the bar
            (Tom Keith, 3 Apr 97)
        The 2.78% solution
            (William Hill, 1 Oct 96)
        The dragon number generator
            (William Hill, 23 Mar 97)

    Software--Does it cheat?

        BG by George
            (George Sutty, 6 Nov 95)
        Cybergammon
            (Goto Informatique, 2 Aug 96)
        Hyper-Gammon
            (ZZyzx, 29 Jun 96)
        Jellyfish
            (Ron Karr, 12 Oct 97)
            (Michael J Zehr, 10 Jun 97)
            (Fredrik Dahl, 6 Jun 97)
            (Stephen Hubbard, 29 Mar 97)
        MVP Backgammon
            (Mark Betz, 28 Oct 96)
        Motif
            (Robert D. Johnson, 12 Oct 96)
        TD-Gammon
            (Gerry Tesauro, 13 Feb 97)

                            Thanks for reading!

URL: http://www.cityraccoon.com/minifaq.html
Created 1998-01-19
Revised 1998-03-29
Last posted to rec.games.backgammon 1998-03-29
Contents by Daniel Murphy

                           Nær salten Østerstrand


_______________________________________________
Daniel Murphy        http://www.cityraccoon.com
 
Did you find the information in this article useful?          

Do you have any comments you'd like to add?     

 

Miscellaneous

Backgammon computers  (Graham Bayne+, Mar 2005) 
Backgammon in famous paintings  (Dan Scoones, Mar 2000) 
Backgammon versus poker  (Peter Hallberg, June 2006) 
Backgammon's popularity  (Anon+, Sept 2003) 
Board orientation  (Daniel Murphy, Mar 1999) 
Calculation versus instinct  (Kit Woolsey, Jan 1998) 
Checker play versus cube play  (Gregg Cattanach, Oct 2004) 
Checker play versus cube play  (David Montgomery, Jan 1998)  [Recommended reading]
Copying positions from books  (Stick+, Nov 2005) 
Famous people who play  (Carem Wiklicm+, Dec 2002) 
Free lesson  (Donald Kahn, Apr 1999) 
General tips  (Hank Youngerman, Aug 1998) 
Giants of Backgammon list  (Raccoon+, Mar 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Handicapping  (Kees van den Doel+, Aug 2003) 
Handicapping  (flash, Aug 1998) 
Handicapping--Pass or pick a roll  (Michael J. Zehr, Dec 1997) 
Handicapping--Rerolling 5-4  (Mary Hickey, Feb 2004)  [GammOnLine forum]
How bots rate you  (Phil Simborg, Mar 2010) 
Initiatives by local clubs  (Raccoon, Mar 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Is online gambling legal in the U.S.?  (Chuck Bower+, June 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Maximizing earnings  (Stanley E. Richards+, Oct 2005)  [GammOnLine forum]
Money management  (Carly Robson+, Jan 2009) 
Money management  (Gnoh Mon+, July 2004) 
Money management  (Adam Stocks, Jan 2003) 
Money management and the Kelly Criterion  (Stuart Thomson+, June 1999)  [Long message]
Notation  (Dean Gay, Feb 2000) 
Notation  (Kit Woolsey, July 1995) 
Position cards  (Francois Hochede, Jan 2004) 
Posted diagrams are scrunched up  (Dale+, Sept 2000) 
Top women players  (Tami+, Nov 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Typesetting backgammon  (Jason Lee+, Apr 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
What is Zbot?  (Douglas Zare+, Dec 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
What is backgammon?  (David C. Oshel, Aug 1997) 
Why do people play for money?  (Hank Youngerman+, Sept 2005) 
World Champions  (John Bazigos, June 1994) 
rec.games.backgammon mini-FAQ  (Daniel Murphy, Mar 1998)  [Recommended reading]

[GammOnLine forum]  From GammOnLine       [Long message]  Long message       [Recommended reading]  Recommended reading       [Recent addition]  Recent addition
 

  Book Suggestions
Books
Cheating
Chouettes
Computer Dice
Cube Handling
Cube Handling in Races
Equipment
Etiquette
Extreme Gammon
Fun and frustration
GNU Backgammon
History
Jellyfish
Learning
Luck versus Skill
Magazines & E-zines
Match Archives
Match Equities
Match Play
Match Play at 2-away/2-away
Miscellaneous
Opening Rolls
Pip Counting
Play Sites
Probability and Statistics
Programming
Propositions
Puzzles
Ratings
Rollouts
Rules
Rulings
Snowie
Software
Source Code
Strategy--Backgames
Strategy--Bearing Off
Strategy--Checker play
Terminology
Theory
Tournaments
Uncategorized
Variations

 

Return to:  Backgammon Galore : Forum Archive Main Page