1BACKGAMMON(6)                  BSD Games Manual                  BACKGAMMON(6)
2

NAME

4     backgammon — the game of backgammon
5     teachgammon — learn to play backgammon
6

SYNOPSIS

8     backgammon [-] [-nrwb] [-pr] [-pw] [-pb] [-t term] [-s file]
9     teachgammon
10

DESCRIPTION

12     This program lets you play backgammon against the computer or against a
13     "friend".  All commands are only one letter, so you don't need to type a
14     carriage return, except at the end of a move.  The program is mostly
15     self-explanatory, so that a question mark (?) will usually get some help.
16     If you answer `y' when the program asks if you want the rules, you will
17     get text explaining the rules of the game, some hints on strategy,
18     instructions on how to use the program, and a tutorial consisting of a
19     practice game against the computer.  A description of how to use the pro‐
20     gram can be obtained by answering `y' when it asks if you want instruc‐
21     tions.
22
23     The possible arguments for backgammon (most are unnecessary but some are
24     very convenient) consist of:
25
26     -n      don't ask for rules or instructions
27
28     -r      player is red (implies n)
29
30     -w      player is white (implies n)
31
32     -b      two players, red and white (implies n)
33
34     -pr     print the board before red's turn
35
36     -pw     print the board before white's turn
37
38     -pb     print the board before both player's turn
39
40     -t term
41             terminal is type term, uses /usr/share/misc/termcap
42
43     -s file
44             recover previously saved game from file
45
46     Any unrecognized arguments are ignored.  An argument of a lone `-' gets a
47     description of possible arguments.
48
49     If term has capabilities for direct cursor movement (see termcap(5))
50     backgammon ``fixes'' the board after each move, so the board does not
51     need to be reprinted, unless the screen suffers some horrendous malady.
52     Also, any `p' option will be ignored.  (The `t' option is not necessary
53     unless the terminal type does not match the entry in the
54     /usr/share/misc/termcap data base.)
55

QUICK REFERENCE

57     When the program prompts by typing only your color, type a space or car‐
58     riage return to roll, or
59
60     d       to double
61
62     p       to print the board
63
64     q       to quit
65
66     s       to save the game for later
67
68     When the program prompts with 'Move:', type
69
70     p       to print the board
71
72     q       to quit
73
74     s       to save the game
75
76     or a move, which is a sequence of
77
78     s-f     move from s to f
79
80     s/r     move one man on s the roll r separated by commas or spaces and
81             ending with a newline.  Available abbreviations are
82
83             s-f1-f2
84                     means s-f1,f1-f2
85
86             s/r1r2  means s/r1,s/r2
87
88     Use b for bar and h for home, or 0 or 25 as appropriate.
89

AUTHOR

91     Alan Char
92

FILES

94     /usr/bin/teachgammon     rules and tutorial
95     /usr/share/misc/termcap  terminal capabilities
96

BUGS

98     The program's strategy needs much work.
99
100BSD                              May 31, 1993                              BSD