backgammon/backgammon/backgammon.6

.\"	$NetBSD: backgammon.6,v 1.13 2012/04/21 12:27:27 roy Exp $
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.\"	@(#)backgammon.6	8.1 (Berkeley) 5/31/93
.\"
.Dd June 27, 2020
.Dt BACKGAMMON 6
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm backgammon
.Nd the game of backgammon
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.Nm
.Op Fl
.Op Fl nrwb
.Op Fl pr
.Op Fl pw
.Op Fl pb
.Op Fl t Ar term
.Op Fl s Ar file
.Sh DESCRIPTION
This program lets you play
.Nm
against the computer
or against a "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,
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,
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 `y' when it asks if you want instructions.
.Pp
The possible arguments for
.Nm
(most are unnecessary but some are very convenient)
consist of:
.Bl -tag -width ".Fl pr"
.It Fl n
don't ask for rules or instructions
.It Fl r
player is red (implies
.Fl n )
.It Fl w
player is white (implies
.Fl n )
.It Fl b
two players, red and white (implies
.Fl n )
.It Fl pr
print the board before red's turn
.It Fl pw
print the board before white's turn
.It Fl pb
print the board before both players' turn
.It Fl t Ar term
terminal is type
.Ar term ,
uses
.Pa /usr/share/misc/terminfo
.It Fl s Ar file
recover previously saved game from
.Ar file
.El
.Pp
.\"
.\" 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 arbitrary string.
Any unrecognized arguments are ignored.
An argument of a lone `-' gets a description of possible arguments.
.Pp
If
.Ar term
has capabilities for direct cursor movement (see
.Xr terminfo 5 )
.Nm
``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
.Pa /usr/share/misc/terminfo
data base.)
.Sh QUICK REFERENCE
When the program prompts by typing only your color,
type a space or carriage return to roll, or
.Bl -tag -width ".Ic s-f"
.It Ic d
to double
.It Ic p
to print the board
.It Ic q
to quit
.It Ic s
to save the game for later
.El
.Pp
When the program prompts with 'Move:', type
.Bl -tag -width ".Ic s-f"
.It Ic p
to print the board
.It Ic q
to quit
.It Ic s
to save the game
.El
.Pp
or a
.Em move ,
which is a sequence of
.Bl -tag -width ".Ic s-f"
.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
.Bl -tag -width ".Ic s-f1-f2"
.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 ".Pa /usr/share/misc/terminfo" -compact
.It Pa /usr/games/teachgammon
rules and tutorial
.It Pa /usr/share/misc/terminfo
terminal capabilities
.El
.Sh AUTHORS
.An Alan Char
.Sh BUGS
The program's strategy needs much work.