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What about Volume I ?

Posted By: Robert Wachtel
Date: Saturday, 12 July 2014, at 9:54 p.m.

In Response To: What about Volume I ? (Bob Koca)

I have to take credit (or blame, if that is appropriate) for using the word 'sequel'. Perhaps 'sequel' is inconsistent with 'revision' (I'm not sure); but like many of the sequels we encounter in literature and film, the update part of this book gives you a deeper perspective on the events (or, in this case, positions) covered in the original -- before moving on to more difficult and complex positions.

Nor is it just that a "couple of errors have been fixed and RO ... updated." There were no real rollouts available at the time I did the research for IGUE. And there actually were no "errors," in any mathematical sense, within it ... only some faulty guesses I made about the equities of some key positions. Interestingly enough, the positions I was most wrong about are very tough nuts indeed to crack -- so tough XG2 plays them worse than an average advanced player. This means that its rollouts of those positions, no matter how extended, are hopeless. I explain in chapter 6 of the book how I discovered that issue, and how I was able to remedy it by using the beta version of XG3.

As far as Volume I goes: although you don't really need it to read Volume II (because all of its conclusions and most of its reasoning is reprised there), connoisseurs of the game will want a copy – both for its whimsical description of the social dynamics of the money-game backgammon scene of that era, and as an illustration of the effort and ingenuity that was then required to attempt to solve backgammon problems without the aid of computer analysis.

Messages In This Thread

• Bob Wachtel's New Book -- In the Game Until the End, Volume II -- a USBGF Publication
  Bill Riles -- Thursday, 10 July 2014, at 1:05 a.m.
  • What about Volume I ?
    Martin -- Thursday, 10 July 2014, at 3:10 p.m.
    • What about Volume I ?
      Bill Riles -- Thursday, 10 July 2014, at 6:48 p.m.
    • What about Volume I ?
      Bob Koca -- Friday, 11 July 2014, at 5:24 p.m.
      • What about Volume I ?
        Robert Wachtel -- Saturday, 12 July 2014, at 9:54 p.m.
    • What about Volume I ?
      Robert Wachtel -- Saturday, 12 July 2014, at 10:01 p.m.
  • Bob Wachtel's New Book -- In the Game Until the End, Volume II -- a USBGF Publication
    Tenland -- Thursday, 10 July 2014, at 7:32 p.m.
    • Bob Wachtel's New Book -- In the Game Until the End, Volume II -- a USBGF Publication
      Bill Riles -- Thursday, 10 July 2014, at 8:28 p.m.
      • Bob Wachtel's New Book -- In the Game Until the End, Volume II -- a USBGF Publication
        Bill Riles -- Friday, 11 July 2014, at 4:42 p.m.