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What is The Gammon Press?
The Gammon Press is an online backgammon resource and storefront centered on books, lessons and coaching, plus a blog written by Bill Robertie, described on the site as a two-time World Backgammon Champion and the site's resident author. It functions as both a publisher's shop and a learning hub: you can browse instructional titles, read regular problem posts, and look into paid coaching if you want structured help rather than self-study.
What you'll find there
- Backgammon books — the catalogue leans toward opening theory and problem collections aimed at improving players. Examples on the page include a three-part How to Play the Opening in Backgammon series and 501 Essential Backgammon Problems, 3rd Edition. The third opening volume is described as intermediate/advanced level and covers topics such as outfield play, early non-blitz doubles, and opening traps.
- Bill's Blog — regular posts built around concrete positions, often with a diagram-style prompt ("White to play 5-3") and discussion of the strategic choice. The sample post weighs waiting for a shot against abandoning a holding game in a cash-game setting.
- Lessons and coaching — a route for players who feel stuck and want diagnosis and direction rather than more material.
- Newsletter — sign-up for updates, which the site frames as its news channel.
Who it suits
It fits intermediate and advanced players who already know the rules and want to sharpen decision-making, especially opening play and middle-game problems. Beginners may find the book catalogue pitched above their level; the blog is more approachable but still assumes familiarity with terms like anchors, blots, holding games and the doubling cube. If you want free reading first, the blog is the natural entry point; if you want a curriculum, the books and coaching are the paid paths.
A practical next step
Pick one weakness and match it to a format. If your openings feel improvised, start with the opening series; if you can't tell when to double or when to hold an anchor, read a few blog problems and try to commit to an answer before reading the explanation. Compare that experience with a paid lesson only if you keep repeating the same mistakes.
For broader context or a second opinion on a position, established backgammon communities such as Backgammon Galore and Backgammon.org can complement what you read here, though the site's own material is the main draw.
Which backgammon books by Bill Robertie are best for improving my game?
Start with the How to Play the Opening in Backgammon series if your goal is measurable improvement in the early game. On The Gammon Press, the three volumes are Part 1 – A New Way of Thinking, Part 2 – Everything Matters, and Part 3 – Order From Chaos. The site describes Part 3 as intermediate/advanced, covering opening concepts not discussed in Books 1 and 2, plus early doubling decisions in non-blitz positions. If you are new to structured study, begin at Part 1 and work forward; the later volumes assume you have the earlier framework in place.
For a different kind of improvement — pattern recognition and error correction — 501 Essential Backgammon Problems, 3rd Edition is the practical alternative. It is listed among the bestselling books and suits players who learn better from solving positions than from reading theory.
Which to choose
| Your situation | Better starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You keep making questionable opening moves | How to Play the Opening, Part 1 | Builds a decision framework before adding nuance |
| You know the basics but lose in the middle game | 501 Essential Backgammon Problems | Repetition on concrete positions sharpens judgment |
| You already play at an intermediate level | Part 3 – Order From Chaos | The site marks it intermediate/advanced and says it covers material absent from the earlier books |
| You want ongoing guidance, not just a book | Lessons & Coaching or Bill's Blog | The site offers coaching and regular annotated problems |
A useful next step: read the free blog post on the site about holding games and shots, then decide whether your leaks are in the opening or later. If they are later, the problem collection will likely help more than another opening volume.
How can I get personalized backgammon lessons or coaching from Bill Robertie?
The Gammon Press is Bill Robertie's own site, and it lists "Lessons & Coaching" as a distinct section alongside his books and blog. That section is the intended path for personalized instruction: it is framed around the problem of feeling "stuck or unhappy with your play but not knowing how to fix it," which suggests the coaching is aimed at diagnosing specific weaknesses rather than delivering generic beginner material. Start there: The Gammon Press → Lessons & Coaching.
What to expect from coaching with a world champion
Bill Robertie is a two-time World Backgammon Champion, and his written work on the site is aimed at intermediate and advanced players — the opening-series books are labelled Intermediate/Advanced, and his blog problems assume familiarity with concepts like the Jacoby Rule, holding games and cube decisions. Coaching from that background tends to be most valuable if you already know the rules and basic strategy and want to fix leaks in your decision-making.
How to decide whether it fits you
- Best fit: you play regularly, review your own games, and want a strong player to identify recurring errors in cube handling, opening choices or holding-game play.
- Weaker fit: you are brand new and need to learn how the pieces move. The free blog and books will carry you further per dollar at that stage.
- Practical step: before enquiring, save three or four of your recent matches (or a set of positions where you were unsure), note the score and cube state, and bring specific questions. Personalized sessions go further when the instructor can see your actual decisions rather than talking in the abstract.
If cost or scheduling is a barrier, the site's blog and book catalogue let you study the same themes Robertie writes about — opening theory, doubling decisions, holding games — and then use coaching to check your reasoning.
What are the key opening strategies covered in How to Play the Opening in Backgammon Part 3?
Part 3, Order From Chaos, is aimed at intermediate and advanced players who already know the basics from Parts 1 and 2. Its stated focus is opening concepts that the earlier books didn't cover — material the page describes as largely absent from existing backgammon literature.
What the book says it covers
- The outfield. When to run your back checkers to the outfield and when to hold back, plus the follow-up decision: once you've run there and avoided being hit, do you rush the blot to safety or treat it as an asset worth leaving in place?
- Early doubles outside blitz positions. Doubling very early in the game in positions that aren't blitzes — the page argues these are more common than most players assume — with examples and rules of thumb for spotting them.
- Opening traps. Closing advice on avoiding what the page calls the "Blockhead Blockchain," described as a dreaded opening trap.
Practical reading
If you're an improving club or tournament player, the outfield chapter is the most immediately usable part: it addresses a recurring decision that standard opening references tend to skip. The early-doubling chapter suits players comfortable with cube theory who want to extend it beyond obvious blitz positions. Beginners should start with Part 1 rather than jump here.
The page lists the book at 142 pages with 223 diagrams, softbound, priced at $50 plus shipping, and notes it as intermediate/advanced level.
Next step
Read the free sample material on The Gammon Press and Bill Robertie's blog posts on holding games before buying, to check whether his explanatory style and the book's level match how you currently play.
Should I wait for a shot or abandon a holding game in backgammon?
Whether to wait for a shot or abandon a holding game depends less on hope than on your timing and race count. In a one-way holding game, the standard plan is to keep your anchor, watch your opponent clear points, and wait for a shot; the decision point arrives when you hold the anchor but are running out of spare moves. That is when you compare the value of one more turn of waiting against the cost of releasing the anchor and racing.
Bill Robertie frames the problem this way on The Gammon Press: one-way holding games are mostly easy, and the tough decisions come when you hold your anchor but start to run out of material to move. That is his observation from the position he analyzes, not a rule that waiting is always right.
A practical way to decide
- Count the race. If you are clearly behind in the pip count and have no realistic racing chances, waiting for a shot is usually your only route to winning, so you keep the anchor and look for the hit.
- Check your timing. If you have few spare pips and will soon be forced to break the anchor anyway, waiting is not really a choice; you are just choosing when to abandon it.
- Judge the shot quality. A hit that leaves you with a strong board and real winning chances justifies patience. A hit that only trades one blot for another may not.
- Consider the cube. In cash games with the Jacoby Rule in effect, as in the problem above, gammons do not count unless the cube has been turned, which changes how much risk you can justify.
A simple next step: before you commit to holding, count how many rolls you can make without breaking your anchor. If that number is small, plan your exit now rather than waiting until you are forced. If it is large and your opponent still has points to clear, patience usually pays.
Is The Gammon Press subscription worth it for regular backgammon content?
The Gammon Press is best understood as a backgammon bookstore and coaching hub rather than a typical subscription media site. The value for "regular content" comes mainly from Bill Robertie's blog and the steady flow of instructional books, not from a recurring membership that unlocks a large content library.
What you actually get
- Books as the core product. The catalog centers on structured instruction, including the three-part How to Play the Opening in Backgammon series and problem collections like 501 Essential Backgammon Problems. These are one-time purchases aimed at players who want systematic study.
- Bill's Blog. Robertie posts regularly on specific positions and decisions, such as holding-game choices in cash play. This is the closest thing to ongoing free content and is the main reason to check back often.
- Lessons and coaching. The site offers direct help for players who feel stuck, which suits people who want personalized feedback rather than more reading.
- Newsletter. Signing up gets you updates, useful if you want new posts and releases delivered instead of checking manually.
Is it worth it?
Think of it as buying instruction, not subscribing to entertainment. If you already study seriously, the books and coaching are the real draw, and the blog supplements them. If you mainly want a constant stream of free articles, the blog alone may be enough, and a purchase or coaching commitment is harder to justify.
A practical next step: read two or three recent blog posts on a topic you struggle with, such as holding games or opening choices. If Robertie's explanations click and you want more depth, the books become a natural purchase. If you want someone to diagnose your specific leaks, coaching is the better fit. For broader free discussion, communities like Backgammon Galore can complement what you find here.
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