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Frequently Asked QuestionsGeneral questionsWhat is GNU Backgammon?What operating systems are supported?Where do I get it?What backgammon backgammon empire do I have to pay for GNU Backgammon?This GNU stuff sounds interesting.I how to play backgammon want to learn more about backgammon.Though I really read all the documentation I still have questions.I want to make a few proposals. I have new ideas.How to installWhere do backgammon site I find an installable yahoo backgammon version for my operating system?Do I need some other software to run GNU Backgammon?I want backgammon to install a newer version.I would like to compile it from the source code.What backgammon software do I need for compiling under GNU/Linux?What software do I backgammon site need for compiling under MS Windows?It does not compile.On what CPU will GNU Backgammon run fastest?Starting gnubgI backgammon calendar get an error message when starting.GNU Backgammon complains about zone backgammon missing files.Starting from the WinXP menu it plays like a beginner.My screen backgammon mixes up while starting GNU Backgammon.I only get backgammon site a command-line interface. Where is the nice board?When I restart GNU Backgammon all my settings are gone.I do not need this graphical stuff. Where is the terminal for commands?Playing backgammonWhat backgammon game table is the difference of a new game backgammon site or match or session?What the heck is a beaver in Backgammon?How motif backgammon do I backgammon move the chequers?Why am I allowed to place more than 5 chequers on a point?GNU Backgammon plays poorly.GNU Backgammon is too strong for me.I think the bot is cheating. It always gets good dice.SettingsWhere can I motif backgammon change the name of the backgammon backgammon site game boards human player?How do I change the colours?How do I stop the annoying beeps?"What are "Plies?"What is "noise?"What is "reduced evaluation?"AnalysingWhat are these funny site letters at the right bottom?How do I set up a position manually?Which formats must I use to partygammon import positions?Which formats must I use to import matches?How backgammon download can I switch the players sides?What do "!" and "?" mean?How is the error rate determined?What does "Pips" mean?What does "epc" mean?DatabasesWhat is the `Database' menu for?Abbreviations"GWC"?"MWC"?"DP"?"CP"?"TG"?"epc"?
Frequently Asked Questions
General questions
What backgammon site is GNU backgammon Backgammon?
GNU Backgammon (gnubg) is software for playing and analysing backgammon positions, games and matches. It??Ts based on a neural network. backgammon for money Though it already plays on a playing backgammon very high level, it??Ts still a work in progress. You may play GNU Backgammon using the command line or a graphical interface (based on GTK+).
What operating systems are supported?
Currently, GNU Backgammon is actually designed for GNU/Linux. It also compiles backgammon site and (hopefully) runs under *BSD, IRIX, Solaris and True64 Unix. Last but not least there are frequently binaries for backgammon site MS play 65 Windows and MS DOS. It has also been site ported to MacOS. When you successfully port GNU Backgammon to other operating systems, you are welcome backgammon galore to give us a note at bug-gnubg@gnu.org.
Where do I get it?
The official website is http://www.gnubg.org. The source code for GNU Backgammon backgammon kurnik can be dowloaded as a source tarball. There is also a daily snapshot of the source code here. You can also get the source code through CVS. MS Windows binaries are available at this page. GNU/Linux RPMs backgammon are also backgammon site free online backgammon available at this page.
What do I have to pay for GNU Backgammon?
GNU Backgammon is Free Software and is a part of the GNU Project. doubling cube You may download it for free. For more information see the GNU General Public License. But be aware that GNU Backgammon backgammon site site instructions to play backgammon is not public domain software or shareware as you perhaps know from MS backgammon on line Windows.
This GNU stuff sounds interesting.
Take a look at the GNU home page. It??Ts also the page for Free Software Foundation.
I site want to learn more about backgammon.
A good place to play65 play 65 start is Backgammon Galore. For an extensive link collection, go to Gammon Links.
Though I really read all the documentation I still have questions.
Send an email backgammon empire to the gnubg-mailinglist. If it is a bug, be sure to include the name of your operating system, the version of gnubg you use, and any error messages you receive. Try to describe exactly backgammon instructions backgammon site what backgammon happens before the error occurs.
I want to make a few site proposals. I have new ideas.
You??Tre welcome! Send an email with your suggestions to gnubg-mailinglist.
How to install
Where do free backgammon software I find an installable version for my backgammon site backgammon book operating system?
For MS Windows, visit this site. GNU/Linux RPMs are available at this page. For installation on Mac OSX, you should read this page.
Do I need some other software to run GNU Backgammon?
No. java backgammon Everything you need travel backgammon set is included in the binaries.
If you want to use the 3D board version on Linux, you might have to install the additional libraries that can be found as well on this page. (acepoints directory)
I want to install a newer backgammon backgammon site cheat version.
If you are using a MS Windows operating system, make a copy of either .gnubgrc or .gnubgautorc site backgammon cheat and .gnubgmenurc. You will find them either in ??~c:??T or the home directory of your GNU Backgammon (for instance: c:\Program Files\gnubg\). After you have installed the new version, copy them back.
If backgammon site you are working with GNU/Linux, these files are probably in your home directory internet backgammon game (`~/??T). They won??Tt be overwritten by installing a new backgammon site directions version of GNU Backgammon, but it??Ts always a good idea to have a backup of them.
I would like to compile it from the source code.
Good luck to site you! Download travel backgammon set the source code and make sure to read one of the following two backgammon site items: What software do I need for compiling under GNU/Linux?, What software do I need for compiling under MS Windows?.
What software do I need for backgammon board compiling under GNU/Linux?
Unpack the GNU Backgammon backgammon snapshots and follow the instructions of the file `INSTALL??T.
What software do I need for compiling under MS Windows?
Nardy Pillards has published a fine instruction guide at http://users.skynet.be/bk228456/GNUBgW.htm. Go to backgammon this page backgammon and follow the steps shown there.
(Unfortunately this page seems to be gone, for backgammon site now follow the instructions at http://www.gnubg.org/index.php?itemid=50.)
It does not compile.
Check that you have installed all necessary backgammon games development packages.
Look for warnings or errors during compiling. If backgammon site you still don??Tt get a clue, send a message to the gnubg-mailinglist.
On what CPU will GNU Backgammon run fastest?
Here playing backgammon is a list of CPU and Evaluations per second (Analyse??'Evaluation Speed).
Feel free to add your CPU:
Evals/sec
CPU
System/Mainboard
RAM
OS
GNUBG-Version
28000
Intel Core Duo 1.66 GHz
Mac mini Core Duo
512 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14-mingw
27000
Intel Pentium M 735 (1.7 GHz)
AOpen 1557-J
1024 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14-mingw
26000
Celeron 331 free backgammon on line 2.66 GHz
Dell Dimension 3100
512 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14.3-devel
24500
Sempron backgammon 2800+ (rev E6@2000 MHz)
Asus K8V-X
768 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14.3-devel
23000
P4 2.8 GHz
Asus P4P800D
1024 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14.3-devel
21759
Athlon64 3000+ (32bit mode)
Acer Aspire site 1522
512 MB
Kubuntu 5.04
0.14.3-devel
20120
Athlon XP 2500+ backgammon galore (@1833 Mhz)
MSI K7N-Delta2
1024 MB
Suse Linux 9.2
0.14.3-devel
20200
Pentium M 1.7 GHz
Sony Vaio Z1XSP
512 MB
FreeBSD 5.2
19515
Intel Pentium M 0.8 GHz 1)
Sony Vaio PCG-SRX51P
256 MB
Fedora FC6(T3)
0.14.3-devel
19200
Pentium M 1.6 GHz
IBM X41
1024 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14.3-devel
16900
P4 backgammon table backgammon site 2 GHz
?
256 MB
Win 2000
0.14-devel
13000*
AMD 1GHz
Jetway
1536 MB
Win 2000
0.14-devel
10506
Intel backgammon site Pentium M 0.8 GHz
Sony Vaio PCG-SRX51P
256 MB
Windows XP(SP2)
0.14-mingw
6200
celeron 650 MHz
toshiba laptop
256 MB
Win me
0.14-devel
* Highly variable: 12000 .. 13700
1) According to cat /proc/cpuinfo
Starting backgammon history gnubg
I get an error message when starting.
Well, your computer wants to communicate with you. Give it a chance and read (and try to understand) what it is telling you. Then read the backgammon tournaments site next items carefully:
GNU Backgammon complains about missing files.
GNU Backgammon reads several different files at startup. It will first try to read a file called gnubg.wd. This is a file which contains all travel backgammon the neural net weights and is necessary for the program to evaluate positions. If this file is not found, or found corrupted or with an incompatible version, GNU Backgammon will play backgammon free search backgammon site for a weights file called gnubg.weights. backgammon play yahoo backgammon This backgammon site file also contains the neural net weights, but is stored in ASCII format. If none of these files are found, GNU Backgammon will start, but it backgammon online yahoo will give you a warning about these missing files, and it will play very java backgammon poorly.
GNU Backgammon will also read the bearoff databases at startup. There are usually two bearoff databases. The first is called gnubg_os0.bd, and has stored data about the backgammon bearoff probabilities of chouette all position where both players have 15 or fewer chequers backgammon instructions left on their six home board points. If this backgammon site file is not found, GNU Backgammon will create a heuristic bearoff database for these positions. This database download backgammon game is a also backgammon called the ??~One backgammon site Sided Database??T, since it evaluates each backgammon board player separately. The other bearoff database is called gnubg_ts0.bd. This bearoff database contains win probabilities for all bearoff positions with six or less chequers. It also contains cubeful equities (Money Game) for all the positions. If this file is not found at startup, GNU Backgammon will evaluate late bearoff positions yahoo backgammon with the one sided bearoff database.
Starting from the WinXP menu it plays like a beginner.
Open the MS backgammon site Windows menu and go to the entry for gnubg. Right-click with the mouse and site choose `properties??T. backgammon accessory Check, if the `working path??T is the same directory as the `*.exe??T-file one line backgammon online yahoo above. If not, adjust the working path.
My screen mixes up while starting GNU Backgammon.
Install the newest driver for your graphic card. Be sure that you have chosen at least a desktop resolution of 65535 (16 bit colour depth). If your card is site backgammon site a ATI Rage ??�somewhat??� there backgammon betting still might be some problems backgammon board game with the graphical interface (GTK+)and MS Windows.
I only get a backgammon site command-line interface. Where is the nice board?
Using MS Windows, just click on the correct menu entry (`GNU Backgammon for windows??T). If it still doesn??Tt work, check whether `c:\[path-to-your-gnubg]\gnubg.exe??T exists or not.
GNU/Linux backgammon for money users should check if GTK+ is installed.
When I restart GNU Backgammon all my settings are gone.
Did you save site your settings free internet backgammon backgammon (menu: Settings??'Save settings) before you quit?
I do not need this graphical stuff. Where is the terminal for commands?
For GNU/Linux users: open a terminal and start gnubg with the option -t.
MS Windows users: backgammon site Look for a file called gnubg-no-gui.exe in GNU Backgammons backgammon tournament install directory or open the MS Windows menu Run??� and type backgammon board game c:\[path-to-your-gnubg]\gnubg-no-gui.exe. There is also a menu entry GNU Backgammon Command Line Interface.
Playing backgammon
What is the difference of a new game or backgammon site match or session?
When you start a new match, you will backgammon setup be asked to play to a certain amount of points (for example, 7 points). The player who firstly reaches this amount wins the match.
Starting a new session means playing to an infinite amount. Be backgammon free gamedesire aware that the rules do slightly differ then. You may break this session at any point and save it.
If you choose to play yahoo backgammon play a new backgammon game, GNU Backgammon will open the last backgammon saved match or session you quit. When there is no saved match or session you will start a new infinite session.
What backgammon piece the heck is a beaver in Backgammon?
A beaver is only allowed in a money game session. To backgammon site backgammon calendar beaver means to redouble, retaining control of the cube, immediately after your opponent doubles. For more information see the glossary at Backgammon Galore.
How do computer backgammon I move the chequers?
The easiest way to move chequers is to ??�drag free backgammon game download and drop.??� Put your mouse pointer over a chequer you want to move, press the left mouse button and drag the chequer to the desired point, holding down the button while dragging.
If you prefer to backgammon use mouse clicks, the left mouse button is for backgammon site the left site electronic backgammon die shown on your board. Right click your mouse for the right die.
If free online backgammon you always want the higher number displayed on the left, go to the menu Settings??'Appearance??'General and select Show higher die on left.
Why am I allowed to place more than 5 chequers on a point?
The official backgammon tournament rules allow to put all 15 chequers on a point. If download backgammon game you want to play backgammon site with a maximum of 5 chequers, go to the menu Settings and activate the Egyptian backgammon Rule. Note: The Egyptian Rule is not in the standard rules of backgammon. The position backgammon history evaluator in GNU Backgammon doesn??Tt have a clue about how to site evaluate positions according to the Egyptian online backgammon rules rule either. It strongly recommended that this rule is not used if you??Tre trying to learn backgammon.
GNU Backgammon plays poorly.
Are you sure? If the answer is yes you should think about going to Monte Carlo this summer and win play65 backgammon site the Backgammon World Championship.
If this plan fails, check whether the weights file is loaded at backgammon backgammon site freeware startup. See also GNU Backgammon complains about missing files.
GNU Backgammon is too strong for me.
Go to the menu Settings??'Players and change the values for Player 0. There is also a set play backgammon free of predefined settings backgammon checkers you may choose from.
I think the bot is cheating. It always gets backgammon good dice.
In its default configuration, the dice generator does not cheat. In the menu Settings you may choose between different random dice generators. If you still think GNU Backgammon is cheating, program your own dice generator or roll site manually. It doesn??Tt play backgammon for money cheat!
Settings
Where can I change the name of the human player?
Go to the menu Settings??'Players ??� and playing backgammon click on Player 1. At the top there is a field to change the human player??Ts name.
How do I change the colours?
Go to the menu `Settings??'Appearance??T. Here you may change backgammon board game the colour of site backgammon site chequers, the points and the board itself.
How do I stop the annoying beeps?"
Go to the menu `Settings??'Appearance??T and click on the `General??T tab at online backgammon game the right. Disable the option `Beep on illegal input??T.
What are "Plies?"
A ply describes how far GNU Backgammon evaluates the position. ??�0-ply??� means that GNU Backgammon estimates the worth of the position play backgammon online free as it is. A ??�1-ply??� evaluation looks one step deeper. GNU Backgammon also evaluates positions that may occur on further backgammon site rolls. ??�2-ply??� gammon empire backgammon is another roll further and so on.
The more plies you choose, the more you strengthen GNU Backgammon. Keep in mind that this will also backgammon board game decrease the playing speed.
Note also that ??�0-ply??� in GNU Backgammon is equivalent to the ??�1-ply??� evaluation of Snowie.
It??Ts backgammon board possible that Snowie??Ts is a playing ply while GnuBg??Ts is a position evaluation ply. When playing at 1-ply backgammon site Snowie will make each possible move for the player??Ts roll (that??Ts 1 ply) and analyse the resulting positions. Playing at 2-ply it will take each of those positions and backgammon supply make all the opponent moves for all possible rolls (the 2nd ply) and then backgammon empire analyse the resulting positions. In GnuBg the initial set of possible moves is taken for granted, ie. not counted as a ply, because GnuBg??Ts plies are position evaluation plies. Thus, for each of those possible moves a 0-ply analysis is done. GnuBg??Ts discounting real money backgammon of the first set of moves perhaps makes the counting seem funny.
Looking at it a different way, if computer backgammon you give GnuBg a position and analyse it at 1-ply, it will make all the moves for all possible rolls (the 1st ply) and then analyse the resulting positions. With Snowie it play motif backgammon will assume that the position arose from a move (that??Ts a pretend 1st ply) then make all the moves for backgammon back door all possible rolls (the 2nd ply) and analyse them. This time it??Ts Snowie that seems to be counting strangely.
What is "noise?"
Noise is a facility for disturbing GNU Backgammon??Ts 0-ply evaluation. Raising the noise level decreases its playing strength.
What is "reduced evaluation?"
Reduced searches only work with 2-ply evaluations playing backgammon and deeper. It cuts the search for candidate moves to increase evaluation speed.
Analysing
What are these funny letters at the right bottom?
You will find two small windows backgammon board game titled `Position??T and `Match ID??T at the bottom of the GNU Backgammon window. Here backgammon boards you may use the `position_id??T- or `match_id??T-format for setting up or copying positions.
An explanation of both formats will follow in GNU Backgammon??Ts documentation (hopefully soon).
How do I set up a position manually?
Open a new game, match or session. If gnubg free backgammon already rolls the dice, don??Tt bother. Press `edit??T, and either type the position_id and press Enter on your keyboard, or use the mouse to set up the chequers.
A mouse click at the border backgammon kurnik of the board empties the point. A left or right click sets real money backgammon up a certain amount of chequers depending on where exactly on the pip you click. Set up the cube with a right cheat for backgammon on pogo mouse click on it.
You can also drag and drop chequers when holding down the Ctrl key.
Finally, go to the menu and select msn backgammon `Game, Set turn??T to choose the player on roll. The dice will then disappear.
Which formats must I use to import positions?
Currently only `*.pos??T by Jellyfish are free backgammon supported.
Which formats must I use to import matches?
You may backgammon instructions import .mat by Jellyfish or .ssg by Gamesgrid. There is also support for .tmg files from TrueMoneyGames. Also supported is the oldmove format used on Fibs.
How can I switch the players sides?
Go to the menu `Game??T and click on `Swap players??T.
What do "!" and "?" mean?
After download play65 analysing a game or a match GNU Backgammon is backgammon betting able to do some comments on chequer play or cube decisions. Open the menu `Window, Game record??T and you will see a list of the moves. If the actual move or cube decision differs from the best, GNU backgammon betting Backgammon will put a comment on it.
The default settings are:
+0.040 (very good): Not in use yet
+0.020 (good): Not in use yet
-0.040 (doubtful): ?!
-0.080 (bad): ?
-0.160 (very bad): ??
You may change these comment in the menu zone.com backgammon `Window, Annotation??T choosing another comment for moves and/or double.
[Note. Why a ? move should be deemed worse than a ?! move - that??Ts one of life??Ts little mysteries.]
How download backgammon game is the error rate determined?
GNU Backgammon determines a player??Ts strength party gammon according to her average error (per move):
Average Error
Skill Level
0.000 .. 0.005
Extra-terrestrial
0.005 .. 0.010
World class
0.010 .. 0.015
Expert
0.015 .. 0.020
Advanced
0.020 .. 0.025
Intermediate
0.025 .. 0.030
Beginner
0.030 ..
Novice
After analysing a game, playing backgammon match or session you can see the summary in the menu `Analyse, ??� statistics??T. Note that you can??Tt change the ranges of these values.
What does "Pips" mean?
The pip count is a measurement showing the total number of pips required for a player to bear off all chequers from the current position. It can be regarded as a rough estimate of the ??�raceness??� of the position ??" a player with a lower pip count may in many situations want to try to race, whilst the opponent (with the higher pip count) may want to try blocking/holding. See also the explanation on BackGammon Galore.
(For the non-native-english speaking community it might be helpful to know that when you roll a six and a five, the total pips of that roll is eleven.)
What does "epc" mean?
When bearing off chequers, you may notice a display showing the current epc value (next to the display of Pips). The epc display can be turned on or off under menu Settings ??" Options ??" Display (at least in the current version, as of June 2005).
epc stands for Effective Pip Count, and is an alternative measurement of the ??�goodness??� of the position. The usual pip count can be a misleading ??�goodness??� estimate when both players are bearing off. What is more important (for making cubing decisions) is the expected number of rolls each player needs to bear off her chequers.
The effective pipcount is defined as this excpected number of remaining rolls, muliplied with the average number of pips in a roll, which is 8.167. (The average number of pips in a roll would be 7 if rolling a double wouldn??Tt yield a double pip count ??" i.e a double-6 yields 24 pips, not 12.)
Thus, epc takes into account not only the current pip count, but also the expected pip wastage:
effective pip count (epc) = pip count + expected pip wastage
An example:
Position: 5 chequers on the 1-point, 4 chequers on the 2-point.
Pip count: 5?-1 + 4?-2 = 13
epc: 2.189 (expected number of remaining rolls) * 8.167 = 17.878
Wasted: 17.878 - 13 = 4.878
It??Ts clear (hopefully) that the expected pip wastage (and hence the epc) increases with more chequers on lower points (e.g. you get pip wastage when rolling a 6 to bear off a chequer from the 2- or 1-point).
It is further explained on BackGammon Galore, especially in a post by Douglas Zare.
How do one calculate the epc then, or the expected number of remaining rolls? Gnu BG uses a prepared database (is this correct?). A player would probably use some quite complicated heuristics (please see the aforementioned post by Douglas Zare, and do get back here and explain it!)
Databases
What is the `Database' menu for?
Go find a newer build if you still have the database.
Abbreviations
"GWC"?
??�GWC??� is an abbreviation for game winning chances.
"MWC"?
??�MWC??� is an abbreviation for match winning chances.
"DP"?
In the menu `Analyse, Game/Match/Session statistics??T you will see a window with some statistics. Near the bottom, you??Tll see four lines beginning with `Missed ??� and Wrong ??�??T. ??�dp??� means ??�doubling point??� and describes a situation in the game, where you probably should have doubled your opponent.
"CP"?
Could someone expain this one please? [In the context of ??�Missed doubles (below CP)??� and ??�Missed doubles (above CP)??�].
CP = Cash-Point
From Max Friis page http://xfriis.dk/maxfriis/bg/double.html CP is:
??�your opponent??Ts take-point now seen from your side of the board (your cash-point which equals 100% minus your opponent??Ts take-point??�
If you are the leader in the match, the relevant take- and double-points will often look something like this (where TP*=CP):
The doubling windows (intervals) are:
[DP;CP] = Your doubling window! This window does not contain any information about redoubles but only the distance to the point where you do not want to play for the double amount of points.
[TP;DP] = 100% minus your opponent??Ts doubling window now.
[reTP;reDP] = 100% minus your opponent??Ts doubling window after he has taken.
"TG"?
??�TG??� is an abbreviation for ??�too good??� (to double). It points to a situation in the game, where you probably should have kept the cube (mostly because of decent, sometimes very good, gammon chances) rather than doubling out your opponent.
"epc"?
See What does "epc" mean?
This should be an internal link, not an external one. But I can??Tt figure out how to link internally to a subsection. Anyone?
gnu_backgammon_faq.txt · Last modified: 2006/10/06 11:31
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