One of the finest ways to improve your backgammon skills andlearn about different strategies from more experienced players, is to read asmany books as you can about the subject. Backgammon books are divided into several categories.  If you are a complete newcomer to thegame, you will want to read introduction books that give you an all-roundpicture of the game without confusing you with unnecessary facts.  Once you have gotten past the beginnerstage, your reading will move to books for intermediates and finallyprofessionals.  There are alsobooks on the market that target certain backgammon strategies such asdoubling, etc.   We have takenseveral of the most popular book in the backgammon industry and dividedthem according to skill level:

Best Backgammon Books: Introductory Level

“The Backgammon Book”– Written by John. R. Crawford and the father of backgammon theory,the late Oswald Jacoby, this book is considered by many to be the preamble to backgammon.   The book provides an all-roundintroduction to the game of backgammon and was responsible for drivingthe backgammon craze of the 1970s. Some of the more interesting chapters included in the book deal with backgammonetiquette, how to organize tournaments and the history of the game.

“Backgammon for Winners”– This book was written in 2002 by one of the best backgammon playersin the world, Bill Robertie.  Thebook is considered more modern due to its adoption of a more aggressiveapproach to play than previous introductory books.  The book aims to teach beginners in an easy step-by-stepmanner, everything about playing backgammon  – from setting up a board to playing good opening rolls.

Best Backgammon Books: Intermediate Level

“Backgammon” –This book, written by Paul Magriel, has very often been referred to in theindustry as the ‘bible’ of backgammon. All the basic concepts of thegame are presented in the book, along with illustrated examples and otherspecific themes.

“501 Essential Backgammon Problems” – Another book by Bill Robertie.   The book contains 31 detailedchapters, each outlining a specific division of backgammon.  The book is considered one of the bestintermediate books on the market.

Best Backgammon Books: Advanced Level

“New Ideas in Backgammon”– Written by two backgammon greats, Hal Heinrich and Kit Woolsley,this book presents a collection of 104 backgammon problems that weretaken from tournament matches and broken down to explain where the player wentwrong and what the right moves should have been.

“Modern Backgammon”– Yet another book by Bill Robertie.  This time the two-time world champion explains themodern-day theories relating to the game of backgammon, largely due tothe new programs that are based on neural networks.  Many claim that it is the most advanced book on checker playthat has ever been written.  Robertie creates four guiding principles for the game of modern backgammon,presents illustrated positions and analyzes a match.