John Burn’s BACKGAMMON is a 100% machine code program put out by Biocal Software, Inc. The program takes about 6 1/2 minutes to load and self starts.
The program comes up running with the title and copyright notice. You are then greeted by the board and asked if you want the dice to be rolled by the computer or by you. Then each player rolls one die and the player with the higher / roll goes first.
You start play by choosing whether you want to double the stakes by doubling the cube (if you won possesion of the cube) or roll the dice. The board is labeled with the letters B thru Y. To move, you press the letter by the piece you wish to move.
When the computer is waiting for a move, it asks From?, and when you answer, it says To? to cut down on the number of keystrokes. All forced moves are done for you.
The game board looks alot like a Backgammon board despite the graphics available. It has a fast response time between moves. This is one of those games that can go on for hours and hours of trying to win a game against the computer. Very challenging.
The instructions state that the program also contains a monitor/disassembler built in and that machine code hackers may write to Biocal for more information on using same for their own programs.
Available from Biocal Software, Inc. PO Box 965, Stinson Beach, CA 94970. Works on the ZX80 with 8K ROM, ZX81, TS1000/1500.