Rather unusual artwork for the cover of a backgammon book - a jailbird caged behind backgammon bars!
In this book, Arthur Prager proclaims that “Backgammon is tricky, but backgammon players are trickier still” as he relates a medley of his experiences with a wide range of victims and tricksters met in a backgammon romp around the world back in the heyday of the game (1970s).
Labelling those he manipulates as “rabbits” that he can pull out of a hat anywhere and make them perform “according to my rules”, some of Prager’s anecdotes of the psychological trickery he and other players use are simply hilarious.
Our favourite story is the one about the “Jill-the-Ripper Diversion” in which a ravishing redhead is challenged to a match by a Texas oil baron which they play next to at a swimming pool in Houston.
They are down to the last roll of the game and Jill must roll double sixes to win. As she leans forward to pick up her dice cup, the sound of ripping cloth is heard and Jill’s bikini top falls off. Frantic, she drops her dice and clutches at her top screaming at everyone around to cover their eyes – seconds later, when the coast is clear, the Texas oilman opens his eyes to see a 6-6 sitting on Jill’s side of the board.
Another story tells of how one player was able to move backgammon checker on a board from beneath the table – “black magic” – and the tales go on and on. Backgammon players will find this little book very entertaining to read.
The text on the back cover tells more:
“With limitless wit and a zany sense of what sportsmanship is all about, Arthur Prager takes the reader from tongue-in-cheek tactics to downright outrageous strategems as he romps through the hilarious world of cheating at America's newest game craze. This inventive guide to backhanded backgammon includes methods for psyching out opponents, distracting them, confusing them, hustling them, and generally driving them to frustrated brinks. Here you will meet the masters of the art, from the Chic Sheikh and Jill the Ripper to the Happy Hustler, master of literally offensive strategies both on and off the board. The emergency maneuvers described here are bound to capture the imagination of even the most serious backgammoners. From the Oral Fixation (swallow the betting cube!) to the Mad Blotter, Underhanded Backgammon is the ultimate guide to winning through intimidation.”
And check out some of the names of the book’s chapters:
1. Introduction: Between the Lines
2. Know Your Rabbit
3. Suffer Little Children
4. Never Laugh at a Stand-up Karmic
5. The Chic Sheikh
6. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Can Also Deal Out a Cauliflower Ear
7. That Old Black Magic
8. Happy Hustlers
9. And More Rabbits
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