OpenBSD-4.6/games/backgammon/backgammon/backgammon.6

.\"	$OpenBSD: backgammon.6,v 1.19 2007/05/31 19:19:16 jmc Exp $
.\"
.\" Copyright (c) 1980, 1993
.\"	The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
.\"
.\" Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
.\" modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
.\" are met:
.\" 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
.\"    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
.\" 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
.\"    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
.\"    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
.\" 3. Neither the name of the University nor the names of its contributors
.\"    may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
.\"    without specific prior written permission.
.\"
.\" THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND
.\" ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
.\" IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
.\" ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
.\" FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
.\" DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
.\" OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
.\" HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
.\" LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
.\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
.\" SUCH DAMAGE.
.\"
.\"	@(#)backgammon.6	8.1 (Berkeley) 5/31/93
.\"
.Dd $Mdocdate: May 31 2007 $
.Dt BACKGAMMON 6
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm backgammon
.Nd the game of backgammon
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.Nm backgammon
.Op Fl bdnrw
.Op Fl s Ar file
.Sh DESCRIPTION
This program lets you play backgammon against the computer
or against a
.Sq friend .
All commands are only one letter,
so you don't need to type a carriage return,
except at the end of a move.
The program is mostly self-explanatory:
a question mark (?) will usually get some help.
If you answer
.Sq y
when the program asks if you want the rules,
you will get text explaining the rules of the game,
some hints on strategy,
instructions on how to use the program,
and a tutorial consisting of a practice game against the computer.
A description of how to use the program can be
obtained by answering
.Sq y
when it asks if you want instructions.
.Pp
The possible arguments for backgammon
(most are unnecessary but some are very convenient)
consist of:
.Bl -tag -width indent
.It Fl b
Two players, red and white (implies
.Fl n ) .
.It Fl d
Play without doubling.
.It Fl n
Don't ask for rules or instructions.
.It Fl r
Player is red (implies
.Fl n ) .
.It Fl s Ar file
Recover previously saved game from
.Ar file .
.It Fl w
Player is white (implies
.Fl n ) .
.El
.Sh QUICK REFERENCE
When the program prompts by typing only your color,
type a space or carriage return to roll,
or one of the following:
.Pp
.Bl -tag -width Ds -offset indent -compact
.It Ic d
to double
.It Ic q
to quit
.It Ic r
to redraw the board
.It Ic s
to save the game for later
.El
.Pp
When the program prompts with 'Move:',
type one of the following:
.Pp
.Bl -tag -width Ds -offset indent -compact
.It Ic q
to quit
.It Ic r
to redraw the board
.It Ic s
to save the game
.El
.Pp
Or a
.Em move ,
which is a sequence of one of the following:
.Pp
.Bl -tag -width Ds -offset indent -compact
.It Ic s-f
move from
.Ic s
to
.Ic f
.It Ic s/r
move one man on
.Ic s
the roll
.Ic r
separated by commas or spaces and ending with a newline.
Available abbreviations are as follows:
.Pp
.Bl -tag -width "s-f1-f2XXX" -offset indent -compact
.It Ic s-f1-f2
means
.Ic s-f1,f1-f2
.It Ic s/r1r2
means
.Ic s/r1,s/r2
.El
.El
.Pp
Use
.Ic b
for bar and
.Ic h
for home,
or 0 or 25 as appropriate.
.Sh FILES
.Bl -tag -width /usr/games/teachgammon -compact
.It Pa /usr/games/teachgammon
rules and tutorial
.El
.Sh AUTHORS
Alan Char
.Pp
The strategy is the
.Dq pubeval
algorithm of Gerry Tesauro,
with minimal doubling logic added.