What Can I Learn from Bill Robertie's Backgammon Blog?

Bill Robertie's blog on The Gammon Press teaches practical backgammon decision-making through annotated positions, with the strongest value for intermediate and advanced players who already know the rules and want to sharpen judgment in specific game phases. Posts typically present a concrete position, state the roll and game context, and work through the reasoning behind candidate plays — so you learn a repeatable way to think rather than a single answer.

What the blog covers

The blog is organized around recurring backgammon problems rather than general news. A representative post, "Wait for a shot ... or abandon the holding game?", sets up a cash game position with White to play 5-3 and notes that cash-game problems assume the Jacoby Rule is in effect (no gammon unless the cube has been turned). From there it examines the core tension of one-way holding games: you keep your anchor, watch the opponent clear points, and wait for a shot — but the decision gets hard when you start running out of time or safe moves.

That structure shows the range of topics you can expect:

• Holding games — when to sit on an anchor and when to give it up.
• Opening play — the site's book series covers opening concepts, including the outfield and early doubles.
• Doubling decisions — including early doubles in non-blitz positions.
• Position classification — posts name the game type (holding game, race, blitz) so you learn to recognize it yourself.

How a typical post teaches

The pattern is consistent and useful for self-study:

1. Position and context — game type (cash or match), whose turn, the dice, and any rule assumptions such as the Jacoby Rule.
2. The natural plan — what the "easy" approach looks like, e.g., hold the anchor and wait.
3. The complication — the point where that plan breaks down, such as running out of spare moves.
4. Decision analysis — weighing the alternatives and the reasoning behind the recommended play.

Because each post ties advice to a specific position, you can pause before reading the analysis, choose your own play, then compare. That turns each post into a short drill.

Reading value by skill level

If you are new to the game, start with the books instead; the blog assumes vocabulary and concepts that the book series introduces.

How the blog connects to the rest of the site

The blog is one of three learning channels on The Gammon Press, alongside books and lessons/coaching:

• Books — the How to Play the Opening in Backgammon series (Parts 1–3, each listed at $50 plus shipping and handling) and 501 Essential Backgammon Problems, 3rd Edition ($35). Part 3, Order From Chaos, is described as intermediate/advanced, 142 pages with 223 diagrams, and covers topics such as the outfield and early doubles.
• Blog — free articles that apply and extend the same themes, often as standalone problems.
• Lessons & Coaching — for players who feel stuck and want direct help.

The blog works well as a companion to the books: a post on holding games pairs naturally with problem collections, and the opening posts echo the book series' material.

Practical notes

• Update pattern: posts are dated (the holding-game post is dated Sep 15, 2026), so you can follow new problems over time rather than reading a static archive.
• Rule assumptions matter: when a post says "cash game," it also states which rules apply, so you can tell whether the advice transfers to your match-play games.
• Best use: read a post, cover the analysis, commit to a play, then compare your reasoning — not just your answer — with the author's.

If your goal is to improve decision-making in specific, recurring situations, the blog is worth reading regularly. If you need structured fundamentals first, begin with the opening series and problem books, then use the blog to test what you've learned.