BackGammon
==========

Rules:

The game is played between two armies of fifteen pieces on a twenty-four
'point' board. To decide who moves first, each player throws a die, the
player with the highest die moving first. These dice are used by the first
player on his move.

The object is to move all your pieces around the board and off the end before
your opponent does the same. Your pieces, the blues ones move anti-clockwise,
the computers white peices moving clockwise.

The roll of two dice are used to move your pieces by the number of points
shown on the dice. Each dice is considered as a separate move and different
pieces may be moved with either die; or the same piece may be moved twice. If
a double is thrown, this counts as four moves of the value shown.

If any 'point' has more than one piece of the same colour on it, then it is
said to be 'blocked' and the opponent is not allowed to land on this point.

If a point has only one piece on it and the opponent lands on it, the lone
piece is 'hit' and is moved onto the 'bar' which separates the board. It must
then restart the journey around the board.

If either side has any pieces on the bar they must be moved back onto the
board before any other piece may be moved.

When all the pieces of one side have been moved into its 'inner' quadrant, 'bearing off' begins.

You must move off the board with an exact throw if possible. If you cannot
use the die to bear off exactly, you must use it up as an ordinary move. If
this is not possible, you must bear off from the highest possible point.

When an army has moved all of its pieces off the board, it is awarded points
according to the nature of its win.

If the losing side has borne off any of its pieces, 1 point is givem for a
STANDARD win.

If the losing side has borne off no pieces but has got all of its pieces out
of the winner's inner quadrant, 2 points are awarded for a GAMMON win.

If the losing side has pieces on the bar or in the winner's 'inner' quadrant,
3 points are awarded for a BACKGAMMON win.

No 'doubling-cube' is provided for in this implementation.

Operation
=========

The level of play (1 = Easy - 4 = Hard) may be adjusted by entering a new
value on the menu at any point during the game. Higher levels may take some
time to evaluate.

To start click on 'Move:' to roll for the start. Alternatively, click 'Play:'
or 'Comp:' to select who starts. Your pieces are blue, the computer's white.

To enter a move click on the letter of the point you wish to move, and the
die you wish to use. Illegal moves will not be allowed and you will have to re-enter your choice.

The menu options are self-explanatory.

c Duncan Cobb - June 3rd 1993
