Backgammon

The Classic Game of Skill and Luck for the PalmOS

Backgammon

The Classic Game of Skill and Luck for the PalmOS

Table of Contents

1 Welcome and Registration

1.1 About Backgammon

1.2 System Requirements

1.3 Registering Backgammon

1.4 Contacting Stand Alone Inc.

1.4.1 Business Hours

1.4.2 Email

1.4.3 Phone

1.4.4 Regular Mail

1.4.5 World Wide Web

1.5 Reporting Bugs

1.6 Version History

2 Basic Rules of Backgammon

2.1 BackgammonÕs Objective

2.2 The Board

2.2.1 Bar

2.2.2 Home Boards and Outer Boards

2.2.3 Direction of Movement

2.3 Deciding the First Move

2.4 Dice Rolls and Movement

2.5 Blocked Points

2.6 Blots and Bumping Pieces

2.7 Getting Bumped Men Back Into Play

2.8 Bearing Off

2.9 Scoring and the Doubling Cube

3 Backgammon for PalmOS

3.1 Starting a New Game

3.2 Making the First Move

3.3 Rolling Dice

3.4 Moving Pieces

3.5 Bearing Pieces Off

3.6 Bringing Bumped Pieces Back Into Play

3.7 The Doubling Cube

3.8 Taking a Move Back

4 Statistics and Preferences

4.1 Settings

4.1.1 Computer Opponent

4.1.2 Computer Plays White or Black

4.1.3 Computer Skill Level

4.1.4 Auto Advance Turns

4.2 Dice Statistics

4.3 Game Statistics

4.3.1 Games Played

4.3.2 Games Completed

4.3.3 Total Points

4.3.4 Singles

4.3.5 Gammons

4.3.6 Backgammons

4.3.7 Losses

1 Welcome and Registration

1.1 About Backgammon

Backgammon is an adaptation for the PalmOS of the

classic board game. Backgammon has every thing you need to play on your

PalmPilot. It includes a computer opponant with four skill levels, full

statistics so you can track your games, and a doubling cube to make the game

more interesting.

Included in this archive are the following packages:

¥Backgammon.prc

This is the software package that you need to install on your PalmPilot.

¥Backgammon.pdf

This is the usersÕ manual for Backgammon.

¥Backgammon.txt

This is a text only format of the usersÕ manual. If at all possible, use

the pdf version of the manual as it has layout and graphics that cannot

be included in the text version. The pdf version of the manual is viewed

using Adobe¨ Acrobat Reader¨. This can be obtained free of charge at

www.adobe.com.

¥SAStuff.txt

A list of all of the software available from Stand Alone Inc.

1.2 System Requirements

Backgammon is designed to work on both the

PalmPilot 1000, 5000k, Professional and Personal units, as well as the Palm

III device. Throughout this manual, PalmPilot is used to refer to any of these

units.

1.3 Registering Backgammon

Backgammon is Shareware, and costs $15.00.

The Backgammon Demo will work for a 30 day trial period. At the end of the 30

Days, it will stop working. To avert this tragedy, you will need to get in

touch with Stand Alone to register your software. You can register with us by

several different methods.

You will need to include the following information, no matter how you choose

to register. Most importantly, you need to include your name EXACTLY as it is

entered in your PalmPilot, including spaces. We use this to generate your

password, so it must be precise. You will need to specify which programs you

wish to register, and include payment for each of them. We accept Visa,

Mastercard, and American Express. If you are using normal mail, you can send

us a check as well. Make sure to include your card number, the expiration

date, and what type of card you are using. You also need to give us a way to

get in touch with you. Email is the preferred way, followed by your address

and phone number. An Email address is not strictly necessary, but it will

result in much faster service.

For instant gratification, register by phone, and pay using Visa or

Mastercard. To do so, call (773) 477-2492 and we will give you a password

right over the phone.

Alternatively, you can send us a check to the address below.

You can also Email us. Just Email us the relevant information, and weÕll send

you a code. If you are registering through Compuserve, use, GO SWREG.

Once you register, you will receive a password from us. To install the password,

first tap on the Menu silkscreen button. Then, select Options, and tap Enter

Password. Finally, enter your password on the space provided.

1.4 Contacting Stand Alone Inc.

There are several ways to get in touch with

us here at Stand Alone, Inc. Email is the preferred form of communication,

but whatever works for you is fine. If you have any questions, comments,

suggestions or compliments, please don't hesitate to contact us through any of

the methods listed below.

1.4.1 Business Hours

Stand Alone is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday to Thursday, CLOSED Saturday and

Sunday. These times are CST and GMT -5.

1.4.2 Email

internet: [email protected]

AOL: Std Alone

CompuServe: 76342,3057

1.4.3 Phone

Voice: (773) 477-2492

Fax: (773) 477-2579

1.4.4 Regular Mail

Stand Alone 3171 N. Hudson

Suite 1 Chicago IL, 60657

USA

1.4.5 World Wide Web

http://www.standalone.com

1.5 Reporting Bugs

If you find a bug in our software, it would be helpful

if you reported the bug to us. To report a bug, please Email us with Bug

Report Request in the subject line. In the Email, include the following

information:

¥What type of PalmPilot you are using (i.e. Personal)

¥The software name and

version number (i.e. Backgammon 1.0)

¥The error number

¥A brief description of

how we can recreate the error

¥Your name and Email address so we can contact

you when the bug is fixed

When reporting bugs, it is best to Email us, rather than calling, so that the

programers have a written record of the information they need to solve the

problem. As soon as we receive your Email, the programer will examine the

problem, and fix it.. Because our programers are busy creating software, it

can take a while for them to reply, but they will release a new version of the

software that fixes the bug as soon as they can.

1.6 Version History

Version Date Notes

1.0 April 1, 1998 First public release

2 Basic Rules of Backgammon

This chapter provides a brief introduction to the rules of backgammon. If you

are an experienced player, feel free to skip this Chapter entirely and go on

to Chapter 3, which discusses the details of Backgammon for PalmOS. This

chapter makes no attempt to go into the intricacies of backgammon strategy,

and any readers that are interested should take a look at any of the many

books that have been published on the subject.

2.1 BackgammonÕs Objective

The objective of backgammon is to move all of your men to your home board,

and then off. The first player to do so wins the game.

2.2 The Board

The backgammon board is made up of 24 triangle-shaped spaced called points.

Each player has 15 men that move around the board on these points. Backgammon

for the PalmOS sets up the board for you, so you donÕt need to worry about

that.

2.2.1 Bar

The space in the middle of the board is called the Bar. Any pieces that are

bumped are placed on the Bar until they can enter play again. For information

of bumping pieces, please see Section 2.5.

2.2.2 Home Boards and Outer Boards

Each Player has a Home board and an Outer board. In Backgammon for the

PalmOS, the upper left hand board is WhiteÕs Home board, and the upper right

hand board is WhiteÕs Outer board. The lower left hand board is BlackÕs Home

board, and the lower right hand corner is BlackÕs Outer board.

2.2.3 Direction of Movement

WhiteÕs pieces move from BlackÕs home board to WhiteÕs home board. BlackÕs

pieces move in the opposite direction: from WhiteÕs home board to BlackÕs

home board.

2.3 Deciding the First Move

To decide the first move, both players roll one die. The player with the

higher roll moves first, using the die values that were rolled to decide the

first move. If both players roll the same number, the dice are rerolled until

one player rolls a higher number.

2.4 Dice Rolls and Movement

Each playerÕs turn starts with them rolling two dice. The numbers that are

rolled on the dice determine how far a player can move a man on the board.

For example, if a 4 and a 6 are rolled, you could move one piece four spaces

and a second one six spaces; or could choose to move one piece six spaces and

then the same one again four more spaces, for a total of ten spaces.

The exception to this rule is when a player rolls doubles. When doubles are

rolled, the player gets four moves of the double rolled, rather than just two.

For example, if you roll 3,3 then you could move four pieces three spaces

each, one piece three spaces four times for a total of twelve spaces, or some

combination in-between. Sometimes, you cannot move one or more of your die

rolls. In this case, you make the moves that you can, and lose the rest. If

you have no legal moves, then your turn ends.

2.5 Blocked Points

If a point has two or more pieces on it, then it is owned by the player whose

pieces are there. None of the opposing playerÕs pieces can be moved to that

point. If one player blocked six points in a row, the group is called a

Prime, and no enemy pieces can get past it.

2.6 Blots and Bumping Pieces

If there is only one piece on a point, then is called a Blot. Blots are

vulnerable, and should be avoided if possible. If your opponent lands a piece

on one of your blots, then your piece is bumped, and moved to the Bar.

2.7 Getting Bumped Men Back Into Play

If one or more of your men are bumped to the Bar, then you have to bring

these men back into play before you can make any other move. Bumped men start

at the Bar, and are brought back into play on the opposing sideÕs Home board.

If you cannot bring a bumped piece into play because of blocked points, then

you lose your turn.

2.8 Bearing Off

The ultimate goal in backgammon is to bear off all of your pieces. Bearing

off is the process of moving a piece of yours off the board from your Home

board. Most importantly, you may only bear off pieces if all of your pieces

are in your home board. Once all of your pieces are in your home board, any

roll that moves a piece off the board will bear it off. If you bear all of

your pieces off the board, then you win the game.

There are also a few special rules involved with bearing pieces off. If you

have a die roll that will let you move pieces within your Home board, you are

not required to bear a piece off. Also, if you have a die roll that is greater

than the number needed to move a piece off, you can use it to bear the piece

off. However, you must use the roll on a piece furthest away in the home

board. For example, say you have a piece on the three point, and the five

point, and you roll a six. You are allowed to use the roll to bear off the man

on the five point, but not the three. Continuing the example, say that next

turn you only have a man on the three point and you roll another six. Now,

because the man at the three point is the one furthest out in the Home board,

you can use the six to bear the piece off.

2.9 Scoring and the Doubling Cube

A win in backgammon is usually worth one point. However, there are several

things that can change that. If you bear all of your men off of the board

before your opponent gets any off, then you have achieved a Gammon, which is

worth two points. If you bear off all of your men and your opponent has a man

on the Bar or in your home board, then you have achieved a Backgammon, worth

three points.

The game is made more interesting with the use of the doubling cube. The

doubling cube has numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64. At the beginning of the

game it starts at 64, showing that neither player has doubled. At any point in

the game, either player can choose to double by placing the die on the board

with the 2 facing up. The game is then worth twice the points that it normally

would be worth. The doubling cube is now kept by the player who was just

doubled. This way, one player cannot keep raising the score. Each player

always has the choice of refusing a double. However, if you refuse the double,

then you lose the game at the point value before the double was offered.

3 Backgammon for PalmOS

Chapter 2 described the rules for any backgammon game, and this chapter

explains the specifics of playing backgammon on your Pilot.

3.1 Starting a New Game

To begin a new game of backgammon, tap on the Menu button and select Options.

From the Options menu, tap New Game. This returns the board to the starting

position and begins a new game. You can also use the shortcut Command-N to

begin a new game as well.

3.2 Making the First Move

To start a game of Backgammon for the PalmOS, tap the Roll Dice button. This

makes the roll that decides who goes first. The die on the left is for White,

and the die on the right is for Black.

3.3 Rolling Dice

To roll the dice, tap the Roll Dice Button. You begin each turn by rolling

the dice.

3.4 Moving Pieces

Pieces are moved in one of two ways. The first way is to tap and hold on the

piece you wish to move, and then drag it to the destination point. The second

way is to tap the piece you wish to move, and then tap the destination. If

you are in a position where you cannot make a move, tap the Roll Dice button

to end your turn. Backgammon for the PalmOS will not let you end your turn if

your still have any valid moves left.

3.5 Bearing Pieces Off

To bear a piece off, tap on the piece and drag it off of the board. All the

standard rules apply when bearing pieces off, so you must have all of your

men in your home board before you can bear any of them off.

3.6 Bringing Bumped Pieces Back Into Play

If you have a piece that has been bumped to the Bar, you need to bring it

back into play before you can make any other move. To bring a bumped piece

back into play, tap on the destination point for the man. It will then be

moved there automatically.

3.7 The Doubling Cube

In Backgammon for the PalmOS, the doubling cube starts at one. To double the

other player, tap the doubling cube. If you are doubled, then you have the

option to accept or decline the double. If the double is declined, then the

declining player loses the game. The only time that you can double is before

you roll the dice for your turn.

WARNING: If you have Auto-Advance Turns set on, then you will not be able to

double.

3.8 Taking a Move Back

To take a move back, tap on the Menu button, andselect Edit. Then, tap on

Undo Move. Alternatively, you can use the short cut Command-U. You can only

use Undo Move to take back one move.

4 Statistics and Preferences

Backgammon for the PalmOS has a number of ways to customize the game to your

preferences, as well as keep track of the statistics for your games. All of

the options listed below can be found by tapping the Menu button, and then

selecting the Options menu.

4.1 Settings

The Settings screen lets you customize the game to your preferences.

4.1.1 Computer Opponent

If this box is checked off, the computer takes one of the sides in the game.

If it is unchecked, then both sides are human controlled.

4.1.2 Computer Plays White or Black

You set the side that the computer plays by tapping on either the White or

Black box. The color selected is the one played by the computer.

4.1.3 Computer Skill Level

The computer player has four different skill levels: Beginner, Medium, Hard,

and Expert. The selected box determines the level of the computer. In the

Beginner and Medium levels, the doubling cube is disabled.

4.1.4 Auto Advance Turns

If this box is checked, the dice are automatically rolled as soon as the turn

begins. This speeds up the game, but because the doubling cube needs to be

used before the dice are rolled, you can never double if this option is

turned on.

4.2 Dice Statistics

The Dice Statistics screen shows you the number of times each combination of

dice has been rolled. The number to the left of the slash is for White, the

number after the slash is for Black.

If you tap the Show % button, then the screen shows you the percentage of

times that the dice combinations are rolled for each player. If you tap the

Menu button while at this screen, the Option menu appears with the choice to

reset the dice statistics.

4.3 Game Statistics

The Winning Percentages screen shows the statistics for all of your games.

If you tap the Menu button while at this screen, the Option menu appears with

the choice to reset the game statistics.

4.3.1 Games Played

Shows you the number of games you have started.

4.3.2 Games Completed

Shows you the number of games that have been

finished.

4.3.3 Total Points

Shows the number of points each player has won.

4.3.4 Singles

Shows the number of normal games won by each player.

4.3.5 Gammons

Shows the number of Gammons won by each player.

4.3.6 Backgammons

Shows the number of Backgammons won by each player.

4.3.7 Losses

Shows the number of games, rather than points, lost by each

player.