Backgammon Software Review

Backgammon software has changed the game more than anything since the doubling cube. Today's programs play far better than any human, and they can analyze your games move by move. Used well, a bot is the best teacher you will ever have. This review looks at the main programs and how to get the most out of them.

A short history

The turning point came in the early 1990s, when Gerald Tesauro at IBM built TD-Gammon, a neural network that learned by playing millions of games against itself. It reached the level of top human players and even changed opinions on some opening moves. Commercial programs such as Jellyfish and Snowie followed in the 1990s and 2000s and brought bot analysis to ordinary players. There were also small programs for handheld devices such as Palm OS organizers, but they are now history. Today two programs dominate.

GNU Backgammon

GNU Backgammon, often called GNUbg, is free and open source software from the GNU Project. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

• Strength: it plays at a world-class level, using neural networks trained in the same spirit as TD-Gammon.
• Analysis: it can analyze complete matches, mark every checker play and cube decision as fine, doubtful, an error or a blunder, and give an overall error rating for each player.
• Rollouts: it can play a position out thousands of times to estimate the true equity of each move.
• Extras: it imports match files from many sources, has a built-in tutor mode that warns you when you are about to make a mistake, includes bear-off databases, and can also play variants such as hypergammon.

The interface looks a little old-fashioned, but for the price, nothing beats it. It is the natural first choice for anyone who wants to learn.

eXtreme Gammon

eXtreme Gammon, usually called XG, is a commercial program and is widely regarded as the strongest backgammon bot available. It is the standard reference among serious players and tournament analysts.

• Strength: very strong evaluations and fast, accurate rollouts.
• Analysis: clear match reports with a performance rating (PR) that sums up how well you played; lower is better.
• Ease of use: a modern, polished interface that makes reviewing matches quick and pleasant.
• Mobile: a version for phones and tablets lets you play and train on the go.

If you are serious about improving and willing to pay, XG is worth it. If not, GNU Backgammon will take you a very long way.

Other programs

BGBlitz is another strong program, written in Java and available on several platforms. Many online servers also include their own simple analysis tools. For training, though, the two programs above are the usual choice.

How to learn with a bot

1. Play, then review. Play your matches as normal, then load them into the program and run a full analysis. Do not look at the bot's hints while you play, or you will not learn to think for yourself.
2. Start with the blunders. Look first at the biggest errors. One large cube mistake often costs more than a dozen small checker-play slips.
3. Find patterns. If you keep making the same kind of error, such as passing doubles you should take or breaking anchors too early, study that theme. Our articles on the doubling cube and holding games are good places to start.
4. Use rollouts for close calls. When two moves are close, a rollout gives a more reliable answer than a quick evaluation.
5. Track your error rate. Watching your average error rate or PR fall over months is the clearest proof that you are improving.
6. Practice specific skills. Set up positions from your games, such as bear-offs or blitzes, and play them against the bot several times.

Conclusion

For most players the best plan is simple: install GNU Backgammon, play, and review every match. Move to eXtreme Gammon when you want the strongest analysis available. Either way, a bot that shows you your mistakes is the fastest road to better backgammon.