Backgammon Software: The Features Worth Looking For
Backgammon programs range from simple games with a pretty board to analysis tools stronger than any human. Before you install one, it helps to know what features actually matter. This page is a checklist. If you want a plan for using a program to get better, read study with software; for free options in general, see free backgammon software.
Playing Strength and Levels
A good program offers several levels so that a beginner can win sometimes and an experienced player still gets a challenge. The strongest programs use neural networks that learned the game by playing against themselves. At their top settings they play at or above the level of the best human players, so they are useful as sparring partners and as references.
Look for a program that lets you set the level precisely rather than picking from vague labels like "easy" or "hard".
Match Play and the Doubling Cube
Serious backgammon is played in matches with the doubling cube. Useful software should let you:
- play single games or matches of any length;
- turn the cube on or off;
- apply the Crawford rule in matches;
- apply the Jacoby rule in games outside matches, if you want it.
A program that ignores the cube teaches only half the game.
Hints and Move Evaluation
Many programs can suggest the best move. The better ones show a ranked list of candidate moves with their evaluations, so you can see how much worse your choice was, not just that it was different. The same applies to cube decisions: the program should tell you whether a position is a double, a take or a pass.
Analysis of Finished Games
The most valuable feature for improvement is post-game analysis. After a match, the program goes through every move and cube decision and marks the mistakes, usually with a summary of how well each side played. Being able to save, reload and export games lets you review them later or share positions with friends.
Rollouts
A rollout plays a position out many times with different dice and averages the results. It is the most reliable way a program has to judge a difficult position. Rollouts take time, so check whether the program lets you set their length and run them in the background.
Dice You Can Trust
A common complaint about computer opponents is that "the bot gets better dice." Well-made programs answer this by using a documented random number generator and letting you inspect or replay the dice, or even enter your own rolls from physical dice. If a program hides how it generates dice, treat that as a warning sign. Our fair dice page explains what randomness should look like.
Variants and Extras
Some programs include variants such as acey-deucy or Middle Eastern games, which is fun for a change of pace. Other nice extras include a pip counter, board themes, a position editor for setting up any position you want to study, and training modes that quiz you on positions.
Two Programs Worth Knowing
- GNU Backgammon is free and open source. It plays at a very high level and offers hints, full game analysis, rollouts, match play and a position editor. It runs on all major operating systems.
- eXtreme Gammon is a commercial analysis program widely used by strong players for studying positions and reviewing matches.
Both are best used as study tools: play, analyze, then go back to the board with a better understanding of why the right move is right.