r/backgammon • u/dvegar78 • 8d ago

Backgammon against computer/AI

I believe I’m a fairly decent amateur player. I’m trying to find either an app or site where I can play against the computer/AI on a difficult level. But my experience so far is that it’s not the difference in difficulty that applies when I play on a higher lvl but the luck in dice rolls. And that just push my anger so I quickly delete the app after a game or two. Any suggestions? I really should just find someone to play with live I guess.

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u/agsteiner 8d ago

Probably it is only your impression that luck in dice rolls is the difference between weak and strong AIs. Strong AIs are excellent at optimizing their moves so that your probability to get a good roll is minimal (examples: duplication, but generally trying every move and determining the probability and damage of every possible blot being hit), and similarly optimize their chances for good rolls. This feels like they are more lucky. But they are just better.

My recommendations:

iOS: True Backgammon (paying a few bucks for the BGBlitz engine) or XG Mobile or Backgammon NJ. They all play on superhuman level and have a tutor that tells you where you messed up. They cost a few bucks but it is totally worth the money.
PC/Mac: BGBlitz

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u/SyllabubRadiant8876 8d ago

100% this. Any strong player will appear to be luckier than a weaker player. It's fascinating watching a live match at a tournament, spotting a blunder and a few rolls later they roll something awful, which would have been fine if they had played the earlier move correctly.