HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: robert@geoblue.gcn.uoknor.edu (Robert Lindsay)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Shattered States
Date: 24 Jul 92 18:42:31 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Geosciences Computing Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

In article <1992Jul23.202805.7348@terminator.cc.umich.edu> jlb@ccs.itd.umich.edu (Jeff Bailey) writes:
>I've seen a boardgame called Shattered States (manufacturer unavailable)
>that, while very expensive, bore some resemblance in workings to Illuminati
>and looked interesting.  Could someone who's played this please give me their
>opinions of it?  Thanks in advance!

I played it with the designer in DC. Basically it's more of a "risk with
cards" kinda thing. The US is split into a bunch of different areas, and
you get certain powers depending on the area you control (e.g. TexaS gives you
oil, kansas wheat, the NE give you liberals which cause riots (which can
cause a state to lose it's powers..). If you've got a 4-6 players it's a lot
of fun.

>-- 
>-- Jeff Bailey, jlb@ccs.itd.umich.edu (Open 24 Hours a Day!)
>Standard disclaimer - If you wanted U/M's views, you came to the wrong place. 
>"The owner of the game deals and plays first." -- Nuclear War/Escalation
>
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: smpod@mars.lerc.nasa.gov (Stefan)
Subject: Re: Canadian Wargames Journal
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: who knows
Distribution: na
Date: 23 Jul 1992 14:56 EDT  

rleroux1@sol.UVic.CA (Roger Leroux) writes...
>>How good is it?
> 
>IMHO, it's the best independent game magazine around. Note: They do *not*
>cover role-playing games. At all. Ever. They are entirely devoted to
>wargames and simulations. They also have a column called "Around the Block"
>which is devoted to Columbia Games (and they are, incidentally, the
>official spokesmagazine for them).

What do you mean by 'independent game magazine'?

Newsgroups: rec.games.board
From: helen@pulua.hcc.hawaii.edu (Helen Rapozo)
Subject: Re: Star Trek Anniversary Game
Keywords: star trek
Organization: Honolulu Community College
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 04:59:59 GMT

In article <15586@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> lwood@landau.ucdavis.edu (Lynn Scott Wood) writes:
>
>To be honest, the game itself isn't any good.  The rules are vague and seem to
>skip important things, and it seems that they tried to put things on the board
***********
I agree with you on that point.  Seems the parts list that are listed 
in the rule book didn't match with was in the box.  I tried to return
the game to store I bought it from and they offered another set.  Before
I had left I opened up the second box only to find that it still had the
same missing parts (parts in question was the 24 Valor cards which
doesn't say how you earn them in the first place).  I had the feeling
that this was an error in how the game was made so I kept the original
set with me.

>answer all "Warp 1" cards and most of the "Warp 2", but were getting stuck with
>the higher levels.  So, if you feel that a set of trivia cards is worth ~$50, 
>go for it.  Otherwise, well, I COULD be considered an investment...
>
************
According to the rules if you incorrectly answered a question you lose
something from your ship (like a phasor or warp engine goes inactive)
that the card will state.  While I have opened my box I didn't unwrap
the cards, but looking at the side that has the questions, there is
no section on what is made inactive if you answered wrong.




Honolulu Community College            cs_rapozo@hccadb.hcc.hawaii.edu
874 Dillingham Blvd.                  helen@pulua.hcc.hawaii.edu
Honolulu, HI 96817                    rapozo@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu
Ph#: (808) 845-9202
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: sheyn@csa.bu.edu (Igor)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: NetGammon Propoganda ;)
Date: 25 Jul 92 14:09:31 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Originator: sheyn@csa


I hope u don't forget to mention server's IP numbers.
Igor
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: coyote@leland.Stanford.EDU (The White Blackbird)
Subject: Re: Has BG changed in 15 years?
Organization: Nevermore, Inc.
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 92 08:17:25 GMT

In article <Bs8L1n.9q@world.std.com> erb@world.std.com (ed r baker) writes:
= I've been playing on the new BG servers recently, after an absence from the
= game for 15 years.  Several oppenents have mentioned that the game has
= changed.  Is this really true? 

Yes.

= What would Oswald Jacoby say?

After playing for dimes with Robertti?  Probably, "Where's my
checkbook?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The White Blackbird		|      Because I love my country. . .
Nevermore, Inc.			|	Clinton and Gore in 92
coyote@leland.stanford.edu	|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: jaffray@ragu.berkeley.edu (Alan Jaffray)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: How much luck is there?
Date: 24 Jul 1992 05:16:45 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Math. Department.
NNTP-Posting-Host: ragu.berkeley.edu

How significant is the luck factor in backgammon?

i.e., if a top expert plays 100 games against a fairly good player, what
would the final score be? (on average.)  What about against a random fish?

Could be important if a backgammon Elo rating were to be established...

-- Alan
From: JeffS@cup.portal.com (Jeffrey K Seidel)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Mich. Prob with 6-6
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 20:00:29 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: world

       B 24 23 22 21 20 19:18 17 16 15 14 13    [6]    Match to:9           
          X     O  O     O     O        O  X
                O  O     O     O      
                                                  [2]
                   
                                                      
                                                    
                         X                 O   
                   O  X  X  X  X  X     X  O   
          O        O  X  X  X  X  X     X  O          
       B  1  2  3  4  5  6: 7  8  9 10 11 12    [6]

O to move 6-6 (double sixes) owning a 2 cube in a 9 point match tied at
6 points aside.
     
This was a fairly controversal position that was discussed at the
Michigan Summer Championship Tourney. As one can see there are many
possibilities but it was boiled down to 6 plausible moves: (as viewed by
the board numbers _not_ from O's point of view)

1) 2(4-16)
2) 2(4-10)/2(12-18)
3) 2(12-24)x
4) 2(4-10)/2(17-23)
5) 2(12-18)/2(17-23)
6) 2(4-10)/(12-24)x

While not to say other moves did not have some degree of merit, they
were discarded for various reasons. It seems reasonable to assume that X
will not be hanging around on his 24 point given any escaping numbers.
I will also note that only 2 of the moves above made 'the finals' and
that it was an almost even split in opinion between the two.
     If you feel you have a viable answer (even if it does not include
one of the 6 moves listed above), please post your choice(s) and some
form of reasoning behind the selection. I'll let it go until the end of
the weekend before posting the 2 moves that resulted from some very
steamed discussions.
                                 Enjoy,
                                        JeffS
From: wizard@think.com (Paul Gilberti)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: Mistake on 2nd Quiz
Date: 24 Jul 1992 15:47:28 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: gandalf.think.com

I'll take a chance at ridicule.

In the first quiz:
  White will win in a maximum of two moves.  I would play 6-4 6-4 5-3 5-3
in the hope that white will not roll a double.  This allows me to win if I roll
double 4s, 5s or 6s.  I don't see any other chance at pulling this out.

Basically the same logic in the second quiz:
  I'd move 5-OFF 4-3.  Then I would need double 3s, 4s, 5s or 6s to win.

Of course, I could be missing something.
From: acct110@CARROLL1.CC.EDU (Robert Buraczewski)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: NetGammon ONLINE!!!
Date: 30 Jul 92 00:47:19 GMT
Reply-To: "Backgammon strategy" <BKGAMMON@indycms.iupui.edu>

Hi!

   Regarding the Netgammon server, does anyone out there know how
to respond to the 'login' prompt the first time on?  I have no
I.D. or passwords right now and would reaaly like to know how to
register.  Thanks much!

                                  Robert Buraczewski
                                  acct110@carroll1.cc.edu
From: roy@panix.com (Roy Radow)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Please Help
Date: 26 Jul 92 01:42:23 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

Today I went out and bought King Graham's Checkers & Backgammon
by SIERRA. I am only an average or better Backgammon player but
even on the "expert" level this program was a joke. (Leave a 
man open anywhere on the board and King Graham was sure to try
to hit it- no matter what the situation.)

Quite honestly I am rather computer stupid (I have only been 
using one for a very short period of time and am still in the
"trained monkey" stage- i.e. a friend who is a real computer 
maven taught me some "tricks" which I can perform correctly
if I am lucky.)

I am also, however, a backgammon junkie.  So...

Is there a program that anyone can recommend, and how would 
I be able to get my hands on it?

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Roy


P.S. A fellow player once told me that backgammon is sometimes
called Shesh Besh (sp?) which is supposed to be six/five in
Persian. (The move which is also called "Lovers Leap").  
Is this just another urban legend?

All I know is that my friend's father who came from Persia
used to play this silly game all the time. Of course, that
was before I became addicted myself. :-)

-- 
Roy Radow		roy@panix.com         ...rutgers!cmcl2!panix!roy
North American Man/Boy Love Association -For a packet containing a sample
Bulletin, publications list and membership information send $1.00 postage
to: NAMBLA Info,  Dept.RR,  PO Box 174,  Midtown Station,  NYC NY  10018.
From: antti.pitkanen@compart.fi (Antti Pitkanen) 
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: BG FOR PC
Date: 21 Jul 92 14:00:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: ComPart BBS, Helsinki-Finland, +358 0 506 3329 (14 lines V.32bis)
Reply-To: antti.pitkanen@compart.fi (Antti Pitkanen) 

Does anybody know a good backgammon for PC. Please let me know, where
to get one.
From: vancleef@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: One more things...
Date: 28 Jul 92 23:56:59 EDT

Oops, I forgot to metion that to read your telegrams do 'read'.

-Garrett



Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: coyote@leland.Stanford.EDU (The White Blackbird)
Subject: Netgammon?
Organization: Nevermore, Inc.
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 01:51:12 GMT


Does anyone know the ip address for garret vancleef's netgammon
server?

thanx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The White Blackbird		|      Because I love my country. . .
Nevermore, Inc.			|	Clinton and Gore in 92
coyote@leland.stanford.edu	|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pbf@heinlein.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Phil Franklin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: A backgame question
Date: 21 Jul 92 12:36:02 GMT
Organization: Bellcore

In article <1992Jul20.165729.1263@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>, jrk2v@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (John Robert Klein) writes:
|> In article <1992Jul17.221118.9478@walter.bellcore.com> pbf@inoms.bellcore.com (Phil Franklin) writes:
|> >
|> >Money game, even opponents. 
|> >
|> >     24 23 22 21 20 19   18 17 16 15 14 13 
|> >    ---------------------------------------
|> >    |X  X  O  .  O  O | | O  O  .  .  .  X|
|> >    |X     O     O  O | | O  O            |
|> >    |X              O | |                 |
|> >    |                 | |                 |  
|> >    |                 | |                 |
|> >    |               X | |                 |
|> >    |   X  X     X  X | |                O|  [2]
|> >    |.  X  X  O  X  X | | .  X  .  .  O  O|      
|> >    ---------------------------------------
|> >     1  2  3  4  5  6     7  8  9 10 11 12 
|> >
|> >a) X to play 2-1.  
|> First of all forget about improving your
|> your timing for a 1-2  backgame.  By far your best chance is to win the
|> game forwards.  To that end hitting on the 11 point is much better than
|> hitting on the 4.  X has to keep O busy coming in, not just for 1 roll but
|> for lots of rolls so trying to hit both checkers is best.  
|> With either play if O
|> rolls a 4 you're hurting so you should make the move that gives you the
|> best position when O misses.

Okay, I'm willing to accept that the backgame is pretty hopeless.
However, it seems to me that even with a forward-looking strategy,
hitting on the 4 is better.  If I assume O is going to dance next
turn, then I prefer to have 4's to cover the 4-point and 2's and 3's
to move up in O's inner board, rather than 2's and 4's to *slot* the
4-point.  If O dances, then I can pick up the blot on 11 later.  And
he's much more likely to keep dancing with a 5-point board.

|> >b) X to play 5-1.  
|> I agree with Joli again.  Again, forget about timing a 1-2 backgame from
|> this position.  Its almost impossible.  X should be trying to get off the
|> gammon while keeping alive some slim winning chances if he gets lucky.  SO
|> he should pick up his blots and hope to escape from one of the backk points
|> before his board breaks, while keeping the  other back point in the hope
|> of getting a shot at O.  Btw, one other possible move is 13/8, 6/5 so X can
|> step up with both 2s and 3s and not have to break the 1 point. But I prefer 
|> making the 2 point which may actually be a better point to hold while O is
|> bearing her checkers in. In other words if X has a choice of giving up the
|> 1 or the 2 point he should probably give up the 1 point. 

Granted that playing for the backgame is pretty hopeless, then 13/8
makes good sense (though this was not Kansil's point).  I agree with
you about the value of O's 2-point in this position -- it could save
the gammon!
From: sheyn@csa.bu.edu (Igor)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: server down?
Date: 25 Jul 92 14:12:23 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Originator: sheyn@csa


Just to make sure u r aware of that, there is an alternative server
at 134.130.130.46. If both servers r unreachable that probably means
that Andreas is implementing a new version ( it's now up to version 1.023 )
Igor
From: jaffray@ragu.berkeley.edu (Alan Jaffray)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Looking for opponent on gammonserver
Date: 24 Jul 92 04:51:57 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Math. Department.
NNTP-Posting-Host: ragu.berkeley.edu

Hello, all.  I'm a beginner -- I've read Magriel so I know some strategy,
but have very little experience against good players -- and would like to 
find an opponent to play against on the backgammon server.  An N-point 
match would be preferable...  I'm usually around any time PM except Sunday
or Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Pacific time.  I'm trying to improve my
play so I'll play against any strength opponent.  If I get killed, it's only
ego points.  :-)

(I've tried hanging out on the server, but usually no one is there, and 
perhaps we can make this a regular thing...)

Oh, BTW, Andreas Schneider is second on my list of candidates for sainthood, 
right after Matthew Clegg (who wrote the Internet bridge program, OKBridge).

-- Alan (Puff@gammon, Puff@okbridge)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: pbf@heinlein.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Phil Franklin)
Subject: Re: Mich. Prob with 6-6
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 12:45:38 GMT

JeffS@cup.portal.com (Jeffrey K Seidel) writes:
|>        B 24 23 22 21 20 19:18 17 16 15 14 13    [6]    Match to:9           
|>           X     O  O     O     O        O  X
|>                 O  O     O     O      
|>                                                   [2]
|>                                                     
|>                          X                 O   
|>                    O  X  X  X  X  X     X  O   
|>           O        O  X  X  X  X  X     X  O          
|>        B  1  2  3  4  5  6: 7  8  9 10 11 12    [6]
|> 
|> O to move 6-6 (double sixes) owning a 2 cube in a 9 point match tied at
|> 6 points a side.
|>      
|> This was a fairly controversal position that was discussed at the
|> Michigan Summer Championship Tourney. As one can see there are many
|> possibilities but it was boiled down to 6 plausible moves: (as viewed by
|> the board numbers _not_ from O's point of view)
|> 
|> 1) 2(4-16)
|> 2) 2(4-10)/2(12-18)
|> 3) 2(12-24)x
|> 4) 2(4-10)/2(17-23)
|> 5) 2(12-18)/2(17-23)
|> 6) 2(4-10)/(12-24)x
 
What an interesting position!  6-6 ruins my chances for a holding
game, making me too far advanced, so my strategy is to hold X until I
can escape past his prime, hopefully priming him back or closing him
out. 

Based on my analysis, I would eliminate choices 3, 4, and 6
immediately.  Making the 1-point doesn't help contain X, so 3 is out.
Ditto for 4 and 6; a four-point board is not part of my plan, and a
blot on my 1-point doesn't help my cause either.

Play 5 has merit.  It gives me a broken 5-prime, with 4's the only
escape number for X.  This is certainly a good start at containing X.
However, it leaves me little flexibility in the outer boards, and if
my blot on 12 is hit I'm in deep trouble.  For these reasons, I reject
it. 

Play 1 has a lot to recommend it.  X has little chance of escaping,
and 25 rolls make either the 18- or 20-point next turn.  It's only
drawback is that holding the 16-point doesn't exert as much outfield
control as would the 10-point.

Play 2 is the other reasonable move.  I establish a broken 5-prime,
while maintaining flexibility and outfield control.  The one drawback
to this play is the blot on 12; over 1/3 of the time, O is going to
force another of my checkers behind his 5-point prime after this move. 

On balance, 4/16(2) looks best to me.  I have good chances to hem X
in, with little immediate risk of attack (thus time to consolidate my
blockade).

- Phil
From: king@reasoning.com (Dick King)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Hangin' aroung the Backgammon Cyberden
Date: 22 Jul 92 01:17:48 GMT
Organization: Reasoning Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA


I hereby publicly state an intention to hang around the smoke-filled electronic
backgammon den on most Mondays and Wednesdays and Fridays, from 1750-1820
[later on Friday]

-dk
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: ekw@world.std.com (Elliott C Winslow)
Subject: Re: Money game: X to play 3-2
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Distribution:     world
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 05:39:46 GMT

STOWE@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU ("H. Stowe") writes:

> |24 23 22 21 20 19| |18 17 16 15 14 13|
> |.  O  .  .  .  . | | .  .  .  .  .  .|
> |                 | |                 |
> |                 | |                 |
> |X                | |                 |
> |X                | |                 |
> |X  X             | |                 |
> |X  X        X  X | |                 |
> |X  X  O  O  X  X | | .  .  .  .  .  .| [$]
> |1  2  3  4  5  6 | | 7  8  9 10 11 12| [$]
> X to play 3-2
> X is an intermediate player in the box against two very good players.

Three plays mkake some sort of sense: 5-3x 5-2, 6-4x 6-3x, and (nobody seems
to mention this yet) 5-3x-0.  I prefered the last play for a few seconds,
but I can't justify the extra shots, both right away and on the next roll.
It's possible it's still the right play, because *when you are not hit* the
extra checker is quite useful.

The double hit deserves merit, because of all the times he fans, whether
with two or one without hitting.  The angle of hitting, getting hit back,
and hitting the third checker, *and *then *winning, is a nice long shot,
which feels o so nice when it happens, but really.  More likely is he fans,
you leave another shot, he hits it, and then he gains enough in the race to
win. Ho-hum.

--Elliott
From: vancleef@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: Netgammon?
Date: 28 Jul 92 02:42:45 EDT

In article <1992Jul28.015112.28132@leland.Stanford.EDU>, coyote@leland.Stanford.EDU (The White Blackbird) writes:
> Does anyone know the ip address for garret vancleef's netgammon
> server?
> 

It's still not ready yet :( I have one minor problem to iron out (everything
else looks real nice), I will try to get to it tomorrow evening time
permitting. I still have to write the online docs too... 

I did most of the hard work last weekend, and am now stuck with trying
to come up with an efficient method to decide how the dice are to be used
when men are exited from the board (I know this sounds stupid, but
when you *really* think about it, it is a rather involved problem!).

-Garrett

WHen I am ready to beta test the server, I will post the net address
and port. The beta version will not have a rating system, you will
be permitted to play N-point matches. Everything is in place, except
for the above stated problem. I have been real busy lately, so this is
sort of dragging on, but I don't want to stat it up until everything
works correctly, and it is 99% there :)

> thanx
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> The White Blackbird		|      Because I love my country. . .
> Nevermore, Inc.			|	Clinton and Gore in 92
> coyote@leland.stanford.edu	|
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------


Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: vancleef@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: NetGammon (or that _other_ backgammon server :)
Date: 24 Jul 92 15:25:13 GMT
Article-I.D.: ohstpy.13084.2a6fe89a

Due to a very busy week at work I had to delay starting up NetGammon
(the _other_ backgammon server :) and I will try to finally get it 
started up this weekend.

-Garrett
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: erb@world.std.com (ed r baker)
Subject: Has BG changed in 15 years?
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 04:41:46 GMT

I've been playing on the new BG servers recently, after an absence from the
game for 15 years.  Several oppenents have mentioned that the game has
changed.  Is this really true?  What would Oswald Jacoby say?


Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: marvin@rama.informatik.rwth-aachen.de (Andreas Schneider)
Subject: Re: server down?
Organization: Rechnerbetrieb Informatik  /  RWTH Aachen
Date: 26 Jul 92 08:38:40 GMT

cambler@zeus.calpoly.edu (The Squire, Phish) writes:

>I'm getting repeated connection refused messages from the
>backgammon server, and an occasional no reply at all.

>Any news?

The server will be down until Monday morning 7 am. The reason for
this is that I can't reach 134.130.130.46 myself and I don't have
a key that would allow me to reboot the machine on weekends. 
Someone must have turned the computer off before leaving :-(
Andreas

-- 
Email: marvin@ouzo.rog.rwth-aachen.de
       marvin@pool.informatik.rwth-aachen.de
Mail: Andreas Schneider, Kapuzinergraben 8, 5100 Aachen, Germany
Phone: +49-241-35562
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
From: pbf@inoms.bellcore.com (Phil Franklin)
Subject: Re: Tournament Match
Keywords: Kissane vs Markowitz
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 12:22:58 GMT

In article <1992Jul20.160805.20424@cbnewsm.cb.att.com>, baileff@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (robert.a.meese..jr) writes:
|> 
|> I have been recording backgammon matches for over 10 years.
|> Matches is one of the best sources to improve our game.  This one was
|> recorded at the 40th Indiana Open.  Both are of Championship
|> level players.  Enjoy.  
|> 
|> Let me know if you any questions and whether you like this kind of 
|> material to be posted from time to time.
|> Butch Meese, Indianapolis
|> butch@att.att.com

Butch, thanks for posting this match.  I'm very interested in seeing
more of such matches posted on the net -- I wish I had some to
contribute myself.  

Perhaps matches like this will generate some positions worth
discussing, too.

- Phil