usr/share/man/cat6/backgammon.0



BACKGAMMON(6)          BSD Reference Manual         BACKGAMMON(6)


N\bNA\bAM\bME\bE
       backgammon - the game of backgammon

S\bSY\bYN\bNO\bOP\bPS\bSI\bIS\bS
       b\bba\bac\bck\bkg\bga\bam\bmm\bmo\bon\bn [ - ] [ n r w b pr pw pb t_\bt_\be_\br_\bm s_\bf_\bi_\bl_\be ]

D\bDE\bES\bSC\bCR\bRI\bIP\bPT\bTI\bIO\bON\bN
       This program lets you play backgammon against the computer
       or against a "friend".  All commands only are one  letter,
       so you don't need to type a carriage return, except at the
       end of a move.  The program is mostly self documenting, so
       that  a  question mark (?) will usually get some help.  If
       you answer `y' when the  program  asks  if  you  want  the
       rules, you will get text explaining the rules of the game,
       some hints on strategy, instruction on how to use the pro-
       gram, and a tutorial consisting of a practice game against
       the computer.  A description of how to use the program can
       be  obtained  by  answering  `y'  when it asks if you want
       instructions.

       The possible arguments for backgammon (most  are  unneces-
       sary but some are very convenient) consist of:


       n\bn       don't ask for rules or instructions

       r\br       player is red (implies n)

       w\bw       player is white (implies n)

       b\bb       two players, red and white (implies n)

       p\bpr\br      print the board before red's turn

       p\bpw\bw      print the board before white's turn

       p\bpb\bb      print the board before both player's turn

       t\bt_\bt_\be_\br_\bm   terminal is type _\bt_\be_\br_\bm, uses /etc/termcap

       s\bs_\bf_\bi_\bl_\be   recover previously saved game from _\bf_\bi_\bl_\be.  (This
               can also be done by executing the saved file,
               i.e., typing its name in as a command)

       Arguments  may  be  optionally preceded by a `-'.  Several
       arguments may be concatenated together, but not after  `s'
       or  `t'  arguments, since they can be followed by an arbi-
       trary string.  Any unrecognized arguments are ignored.  An
       argument  of  a  lone  `-'  gets a description of possible
       arguments.


4.2 Berkeley Distribution  May 31, 1993                         1


BACKGAMMON(6)          BSD Reference Manual         BACKGAMMON(6)


       If _\bt_\be_\br_\bm has capabilities for direct cursor  movement  (see
       _\bt_\be_\br_\bm_\bc_\ba_\bp(5))  _\bb_\ba_\bc_\bk_\bg_\ba_\bm_\bm_\bo_\bn  ``fixes''  the  board  after each
       move, so the board does not need to be  reprinted,  unless
       the  screen suffers some horrendous malady.  Also, any `p'
       option will be ignored.  (The `t' option is not  necessary
       unless  the  terminal type does not match the entry in the
       /etc/termcap data base.)

Q\bQU\bUI\bIC\bCK\bK R\bRE\bEF\bFE\bER\bRE\bEN\bNC\bCE\bE
       When the program prompts by typing only your color, type a
       space or carriage return to roll, or


       d\bd       to double

       p\bp       to print the board

       q\bq       to quit

       s\bs       to save the game for later

       When the program prompts with 'Move:', type


       p\bp       to print the board

       q\bq       to quit

       s\bs       to save the game

       or a _\bm_\bo_\bv_\be, which is a sequence of


       s\bs-\b-f\bf     move from s\bs to f\bf

       s\bs/\b/r\br     move one man on s\bs the roll r\br

       separated  by  commas or spaces and ending with a newline.
       Available abbreviations are


       s\bs-\b-f\bf1\b1-\b-f\bf2\b2   means s\bs-\b-f\bf1\b1,\b,f\bf1\b1-\b-f\bf2\b2

       s\bs/\b/r\br1\b1r\br2\b2    means s\bs/\b/r\br1\b1,\b,s\bs/\b/r\br2\b2

       Use `b' for bar and `h' for home, or 0 or 25 as  appropri-
       ate.

A\bAU\bUT\bTH\bHO\bOR\bR
       Alan Char


4.2 Berkeley Distribution  May 31, 1993                         2


BACKGAMMON(6)          BSD Reference Manual         BACKGAMMON(6)


F\bFI\bIL\bLE\bES\bS
       /usr/games/teachgammon   - rules and tutorial

       /etc/termcap             - terminal capabilities

B\bBU\bUG\bGS\bS
       The program's strategy needs much work.


4.2 Berkeley Distribution  May 31, 1993                         3