Backgammon for Serious Players (by Bill Robertie)

Bill Robertie's "Backgammon for Serious Players" is the sequel to his "Backgammon for Winners." Robertie is a two-time winner of the Monte Carlo World Championships in Backgammon and is the author of several books on the topic of Backgammon; he is also a chess master and champion. The second edition of "Backgammon for Serious Players" was released in 2003. This primer on backgammon tactics includes five sample games to help intermediate players hone their skills.

This practical book, while targeted to players with some experience, is useful even to highly motivated beginners. "Backgammon for Serious Players" follows along with five games with very different play styles and analyzes and annotates them to teach advanced tactical backgammon play. The examples, taken from real life games played by some of the world's best players, divulge several tips and secrets of backgammon champions.

As he reviews each game, Robertie explains the principles behind various moves and offers alternative plays. In addition, he uses the sample games as a starting point for discussing other game situations. For those who have trouble visualizing, use a board and play along with the examples to get the most out of this densely packed book.

Other useful sections in the book provide information about backgammon tournament play including special rules, and Internet backgammon. For those who are serious about playing backgammon, but who have not read anything on the topic " Backgammon for Serious Players" is a great study.

Where the book may fall short for even some mid-level players is on the strategy arena. The book also lacks good editing; it is filled with typos and small errors that can be distracting, especially when they are in the diagrams and notations. Advanced players will probably find this book too elementary and should seek more advanced instruction for their cube playing.