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Frequently Asked QuestionsGeneral questionsWhat is GNU Backgammon?What operating systems are supported?Where do I get it?What backgammon variety do backgammon directions I have to pay for GNU Backgammon?This GNU variety stuff sounds interesting.I want to learn more about backgammon.Though I really read backgammon board game all the documentation I still have questions.I want to make a few proposals. I have new playing backgammon in your browser ideas.How to installWhere do I find an installable version for my operating system?Do I need some other software backgammon variety to run GNU pogo backgammon Backgammon?I want to install a newer version.I would like to compile it from the source code.What software do I need for compiling under GNU/Linux?What software do I need for compiling under MS Windows?It online backgammon tournament does not backgammon compile.On what CPU will GNU Backgammon run fastest?Starting gnubgI get an error message when starting.GNU Backgammon complains about missing files.Starting from the WinXP gammon empire menu it plays like a beginner.My screen mixes backgammon variety up while backgammon starting GNU Backgammon.I only get a command-line interface. Where is the nice board?When I restart GNU Backgammon all backgammon download my settings are gone.I do not need this graphical stuff. Where is the terminal for commands?Playing backgammonWhat is the difference of a new game or backgammon free gamedesire match or session?What the heck is a beaver in Backgammon?How do I move the chequers?Why am I allowed variety to place more than 5 chequers on a point?GNU Backgammon plays poorly.GNU Backgammon is too backgammon for real backgammon variety money strong for me.I think the bot is cheating. It always gets good dice.SettingsWhere can I change the name of backgammon variety the human player?How do I change the colours?How do I stop backgammon the backgammon shoveit.com yahoo annoying beeps?"What are "Plies?"What is "noise?"What is "reduced evaluation?"AnalysingWhat are these funny letters backgammon for real money at the right bottom?How do I set up a position manually?Which formats must I use to import positions?Which formats must I use to import matches?How 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 backgammon cheat for?Abbreviations"GWC"?"MWC"?"DP"?"CP"?"TG"?"epc"?
Frequently Asked Questions
General questions
What is GNU Backgammon?
GNU Backgammon (gnubg) is software for playing and analysing backgammon positions, games and matches. It??Ts based on a neural network. Though it already plays on a very backgammon high backgammon variety backgammon supply 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 backgammon kurnik systems are supported?
Currently, GNU Backgammon is actually designed for GNU/Linux. It also compiles and (hopefully) runs under *BSD, IRIX, Solaris and True64 Unix. Last but not least there are frequently binaries for MS Windows and variety MS DOS. It has also been ported to backgammon and chess table MacOS. When you backgammon variety successfully port GNU Backgammon to other operating systems, you are welcome to give us a note at bug-gnubg@gnu.org.
Where do I get it?
The official backgammon sets website is http://www.gnubg.org. The source code for GNU Backgammon can be dowloaded as a source tarball. There is also a daily snapshot of the source code here. You can also get backgammon variety backgammon rules backgammon and setup the source code through backgammon CVS. MS Windows binaries are available at this page. electronic backgammon GNU/Linux RPMs are also available at this page.
What do I have to pay for backgammon variety GNU Backgammon?
GNU Backgammon is Free Software and is a part of the GNU Project. You backgammon calendar may download it for free. For more information see the GNU General Public License. But be aware that GNU Backgammon is not public domain software or backgammon supply shareware as you perhaps know from MS Windows.
This GNU stuff backgammon variety sounds interesting.
Take a look at the GNU home page. It??Ts also the free backgammon on line page for Free Software Foundation.
I want to learn more about backgammon.
A good place to start is Backgammon Galore. For an extensive link collection, go to Gammon backgammon back door Links.
Though I really read all the documentation I still have download play65 questions.
Send an email to the gnubg-mailinglist. If variety backgammon variety 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 what happens before the error occurs.
I want to make a few proposals. I backgammon news have new ideas.
You??Tre backgammon welcome! Send an email with your suggestions to gnubg-mailinglist.
How to backgammon piece install
Where do I find an installable version for my operating system?
For MS Windows, visit this site. GNU/Linux RPMs are available backgammon variety at this page. For installation on Mac OSX, you should backgammon history read this page.
Do I need some other software to run GNU Backgammon?
No. Everything you need is included in play yahoo backgammon 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 backgammon tournament well on this page. (acepoints directory)
I want to install a newer version.
If you are using a MS Windows operating system, make a copy of backgammon backgammon variety either .gnubgrc or .gnubgautorc and .gnubgmenurc. You backgammon set up will find them either in ??~c:??T or the home directory of your GNU Backgammon (for instance: backgammon variety c:\Program Files\gnubg\). After backgammon freeware you have installed the new version, copy them back.
If you are working with GNU/Linux, these files are probably in your home directory (`~/??T). They won??Tt be overwritten by installing a new version of free backgammon game GNU Backgammon, but it??Ts always a good idea to have a backup of variety them.
I would like to compile it from the source code.
Good luck to you! Download the source backgammon download freeware code and make sure to read one of the following two items: What software do I backgammon com it shove need for compiling under GNU/Linux?, What software do I variety need for compiling under MS Windows?.
What software do I need for compiling under GNU/Linux?
Unpack the GNU Backgammon snapshots and follow the instructions online backgammon for real money of the file `INSTALL??T.
What software do backgammon variety I need for compiling backgammon variety under MS Windows?
Nardy Pillards has published a fine instruction guide at http://users.skynet.be/bk228456/GNUBgW.htm. Go variety to this play backgammon online page and follow the steps shown there.
(Unfortunately this page seems online backgammon rules to be gone, for now follow the instructions at http://www.gnubg.org/index.php?itemid=50.)
It does not compile.
Check that you have installed all necessary development packages.
Look for warnings or errors during compiling. If you still don??Tt get a clue, send a message to the gnubg-mailinglist.
On backgammon masters what CPU will GNU Backgammon run fastest?
Here is a list of CPU backgammon and Evaluations per second (Analyse??'Evaluation Speed).
Feel free to add your CPU:
Evals/sec
CPU
System/Mainboard
RAM
OS
GNUBG-Version
28000
Intel backgammon software 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 2.66 GHz
Dell play motif backgammon Dimension 3100
512 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14.3-devel
24500
Sempron 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 internet backgammon game MB
Win XP SP2
0.14.3-devel
21759
Athlon64 3000+ (32bit mode)
Acer Aspire 1522
512 MB
Kubuntu 5.04
0.14.3-devel
20120
Athlon XP 2500+ backgammon variety (@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 backgammon X41
1024 MB
Win XP SP2
0.14.3-devel
16900
P4 2 GHz
?
256 backgammon rules MB
Win 2000
0.14-devel
13000*
AMD 1GHz
Jetway
1536 MB
Win 2000
0.14-devel
10506
Intel 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 instructions to play backgammon .. 13700
1) According to cat /proc/cpuinfo
Starting gnubg
I get an error message when starting.
Well, backgammon boards your backgammon variety computer wants to communicate with you. Give it a chance and read (and try backgammon to understand) what it is telling you. Then read the next items carefully:
GNU Backgammon complains about missing variety download play65 files.
GNU Backgammon backgammon com it shove reads several different files at startup. It will first try to read a file backgammon variety called gnubg.wd. This is a file which contains all 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 search for a weights file called gnubg.weights. This backgammon and chess table file also contains the neural net weights, but is stored in ASCII format. If none of these files are found, variety GNU gnu backgammon Backgammon will start, but it will give you a warning about these missing files, and it will play very poorly.
GNU Backgammon will also read the backgammon games bearoff databases at startup. There are usually two bearoff databases. The first is backgammon backgammon variety called gnubg_os0.bd, and has stored data about the bearoff probabilities of all position where both players have 15 or fewer chequers left playing backgammon on their six backgammon variety home board points. If this file is not found, GNU Backgammon will create a heuristic bearoff database for these positions. This database is a also called the ??~One Sided Database??T, since free backgammon it evaluates each 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 yahoo backgammon also contains cubeful equities (Money Game) for backgammon all the variety positions. If this file is not found at startup, GNU Backgammon will evaluate late backgammon variety bearoff positions with the one sided bearoff database.
Starting from the WinXP menu it plays backgammon variety online backgammon tournament like a beginner.
Open the MS Windows menu and go to the entry for gnubg. Right-click with the mouse and choose `properties??T. Check, if the play backgammon on line `working path??T is the same directory as the `*.exe??T-file one line above. If not, adjust the working path.
My screen mixes up backgammon while starting GNU Backgammon.
Install the backgammon freeware 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 a ATI Rage ??�somewhat??� there free backgammon game still might be some problems with the graphical interface (GTK+)and MS Windows.
I backgammon play backgammon on line only get a command-line backgammon variety 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 users should check if GTK+ is installed.
When I restart GNU Backgammon all my settings are gone.
Did you save backgammon table your settings backgammon variety (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 backgammon terminal variety and start gnubg with the option -t.
MS backgammon calendar Windows users: Look for a file called gnubg-no-gui.exe in GNU Backgammons install directory or open the MS Windows download play65 menu Run??� and type 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 match or session?
When you start a new match, you will be asked to play to a real money backgammon certain amount of points (for example, 7 points). The player who firstly backgammon variety reaches this amount wins the backgammon variety match.
Starting a new session means playing to an infinite amount. Be aware that the rules do slightly differ backgammon variety then. You may break this session at any point and save it.
If you choose to variety play a new backgammon game, GNU Backgammon will open the last saved match or session you quit. When there is backgammon casino online no saved match or session you will start a new infinite session.
What the heck is a beaver backgammon setup in Backgammon?
A beaver is only allowed in a money game session. To beaver means to redouble, retaining control backgammon for money of the cube, immediately after your opponent doubles. For more information see the glossary at Backgammon Galore.
How do I move the chequers?
The easiest way to move chequers is to ??�drag and drop.??� Put your mouse pointer over a chequer variety you want to move, press the left free backgammon mouse backgammon variety button and drag the play65 real money chequer to the desired point, holding down the button while dragging.
If you backgammon variety prefer to use mouse clicks, the left mouse button is for the left die shown on your board. Right click your mouse for the right die.
If you always want the higher number displayed on the left, go to the menu Settings??'Appearance??'General and select Show backgammon higher die on left.
Why am backgammon instructions I allowed doubling cube to place more than 5 chequers on a point?
The official backgammon tournament rules allow to put all 15 chequers on a point. If you want to play with a maximum of 5 chequers, go to the menu variety Settings and activate the Egyptian Rule. Note: The Egyptian Rule is not in the standard rules of backgammon. The position evaluator in GNU backgammon instructions Backgammon doesn??Tt have a clue backgammon board game about how to evaluate positions according to the Egyptian rule either. It strongly recommended that this rule is not used if you??Tre trying to learn backgammon variety 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 the Backgammon World download backgammon game Championship.
If this plan fails, check whether the weights backgammon file is loaded at startup. See also GNU Backgammon complains about missing files.
GNU Backgammon is too strong for me.
Go to the menu Settings??'Players and change backgammon variety download backgammon game the values for Player 0. There is also a set of predefined settings you may choose from.
I think the bot is cheating. It always gets backgammon download freeware good dice.
In its default backgammon variety configuration, the dice generator does not cheat. In backgammon the menu Settings you may choose between different random dice generators. gammonempire If you still think GNU Backgammon is cheating, program your own dice generator or roll manually. It doesn??Tt gnu backgammon cheat!
Settings
Where can I change the name of the human player?
Go to the menu Settings??'Players ??� and click on Player 1. At backgammon casino online 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 the tasmanian backgammon colour of chequers, the points and the board itself.
How backgammon backgammon variety do I stop the annoying beeps?"
Go to the backgammon variety menu `Settings??'Appearance??T and click on the `General??T tab at the right. Disable the option `Beep on illegal input??T.
What are "Plies?"
A ply instructions to play backgammon describes how variety far GNU Backgammon evaluates the position. ??�0-ply??� means that GNU Backgammon estimates the worth of the position as it play yahoo backgammon is. A ??�1-ply??� evaluation looks one step deeper. GNU Backgammon also evaluates positions that may occur on further rolls. ??�2-ply??� is another roll further and so on.
The more plies you choose, computer backgammon the more you strengthen GNU Backgammon. Keep in mind that this will also decrease the playing speed.
Note also that ??�0-ply??� in GNU backgammon piece Backgammon is equivalent to the ??�1-ply??� evaluation of Snowie.
It??Ts possible that Snowie??Ts is backgammon supply a playing ply while GnuBg??Ts is a position evaluation ply. When playing at 1-ply Snowie will make each possible move for the player??Ts roll (that??Ts 1 ply) and analyse backgammon variety the resulting positions. Playing at 2-ply it will take each of those backgammon variety free backgammon download positions and make all the opponent moves for all possible rolls (the 2nd ply) and then analyse the resulting positions. In GnuBg the initial set of possible moves is taken for granted, play backgammon online 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 of the first set of moves perhaps makes instructions to play backgammon the counting seem funny.
Looking at it a different way, if you give GnuBg a position and analyse it at 1-ply, it will make all backgammon supply the moves for all possible rolls (the 1st ply) and then analyse the resulting positions. With Snowie it will assume that the position arose from a move (that??Ts a gammon empire pretend 1st ply) then make all the moves for all possible rolls (the 2nd ply) and analyse them. This time it??Ts Snowie that seems to be counting backgammon games strangely.
What is "noise?"
Noise is a facility for party gammon 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 and deeper. It cuts the search for candidate moves to increase evaluation speed.
Analysing
What are these real money backgammon funny letters at the right bottom?
You will find two small windows titled `Position??T and `Match ID??T at the bottom of the GNU Backgammon backgammon cheat window. Here you may use the `position_id??T- or `match_id??T-format for setting up or copying positions.
An explanation of both play backgammon on line 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 online backgammon rules gnubg 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 of the board empties the point. backgammon tournaments A left or right click sets up a certain amount of chequers depending gnu backgammon on where exactly on the pip you click. Set up the cube with a right mouse click on it.
You can also drag and drop chequers when holding down the Ctrl key.
Finally, go to the menu and backgammon free gamedesire select `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 supported.
Which backgammon supply formats must I use to import matches?
You may 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 pogo backgammon switch the players sides?
Go to the backgammon setup menu `Game??T and click on `Swap players??T.
What do "!" and "?" mean?
After analysing a game or a match GNU Backgammon is able to do some comments on chequer play or cube decisions. Open the menu `Window, Game online backgammon for money record??T and you will see a list of the moves. If the actual move or cube decision differs from the best, GNU Backgammon will put a comment on it.
The default settings are:
+0.040 (very good): Not in backgammon com it shove use yet
+0.020 (good): Not in use yet
-0.040 (doubtful): ?!
-0.080 (bad): ?
-0.160 (very bad): ??
You may change gammonempire these comment in the menu `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 is the error rate determined?
GNU Backgammon determines a player??Ts strength according to her average error (per move):
Average backgammon shop Error
Skill Level
0.000 .. 0.005
Extra-terrestrial
0.005 .. 0.010
World class
0.010 .. partygammon 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, 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 free backgammon on line 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 playing backgammon in your browser with a lower pip count may in many situations want to try to nabisco backgammon 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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