Backgammon Computers Provide a Benchmark

In the last ten years backgammon computers have become very popular. This is different from online backgammon games where two opponents play against each other in an electronic format of the game. Here the opponent is a computer that has been programmed to play backgammon games.

There are many advantages that backgammon computers provide. One of them is benchmarking. Since the backgammon players are all playing against an opponent of a standardised capability, they can be rated against each other based on how they have performed against the computer over several backgammon games. These backgammon ratings can then be used to seed backgammon players in backgammon tournaments. Also backgammon players know that they have improved when their backgammon ratings have risen.

One of the most common crib stories reported by backgammon players in the backgammon blog posts and chat rooms around the world is that the backgammon ratings against backgammon computers have fallen drastically. There is so much obsession with these backgammon ratings that fall in ratings leads to depression, despondency and wanting to give up backgammon games.

However backgammon experts come to the rescue with words of comfort and advice. Losing streaks are not unheard of whether playing against human opponents or backgammon computers. Backgammon players have to put this behind them and concentrate on their play. Often poor play is the source of the fall in the backgammon ratings and fortunately this can be remedied. Another reason cited for fall in backgammon ratings is too many backgammon games. Backgammon players go for the overkill in an attempt to improve their backgammon ratings, get fatigued and begin to lose backgammon games they should not.