Backgammon NJ 4+
Play vs. AI, friend, or online
Jimmy Hu
-
- £4.99
- Offers In-App Purchases
iPhone Screenshots
Description
● GAME CENTER -- Play online, chat, invite friends, auto-match with random players
{ Real-time } Play online in real-time
{ Turn-based } Play online at your own pace
● VERSATILE -- Play offline vs. computer or against another person in 2-player mode
● CUSTOMIZABLE -- More options than any other backgammon app
Play & learn backgammon at skill levels ranging from beginner to world-class!
Backgammon NJ is a full-featured game which uses an advanced, neural network-based, artificial intelligence. Play against a computer AI, another person in 2-player mode on one device, or online against friends & other players. Using Tutor Mode & Hints, Backgammon NJ can show you how to improve your game!
Discriminating players will appreciate how well the AI plays. It uses a neural network trained on millions of positions, a bearoff database, & a match equity table to achieve strong gameplay that will challenge even expert players.
REVIEWS
"[I] know strong bg play when I see it. This app is the strongest iPhone bg app I've played with by far. It does not cheat period. ...Analyzing these matches with eXtreme Gammon confirms a world class level of play with normal luck factors. If you are losing, get over it. So would 99.9% of the other backgammon players in the world. It is just that good. Learn from it." -Richard Munitz, Giant of Backgammon, #21 world ranking in 2009
"Backgammon NJ plays at an extremely high level with an excellent interface, and I often use it to practice on my iPhone when I am traveling. I recommend it highly to my students and friends." -Phil Simborg, Professional Backgammon Teacher and Player, www.mindgamescenter.com
"I've played over 500 games now; I've checked about 5% of these against World Class Desktop programs (GNU, BGBlitz); and I've actually used some of the competition. NJ has the best interface and has more useful functions than any other backgammon apps out there."
"For serious backgammon players, Backgammon NJ is the way to go." -Macworld.com, May 2012
IS THIS GAME RIGHT FOR YOU?
This game is best for people:
• Who recognize the strength of neural network backgammon bots
• Who want to improve their game by playing against a world-class level AI
• Who will use the in-depth, technical features included in the app to prove that it is honest (https://www.njsoftware.com/note.html)
• Who won't expect to win consistently on the higher skill levels
FEATURES
• Neural network-based AI
• 2 game types: Standard Backgammon or Nackgammon
• 4 skill levels: Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert
• Customizable board design & checker colors
• Mersenne Twister algorithm for random number generation
• Doubling cube
• Single games or match play up to 25 points
• Crawford rule for match play
• 1-player mode vs. computer
• 2-player mode on one device
• Game Center: Play real-time or turn-based online matches with friends & other players
• Chat with your online opponent
• Online Elo & Experience leaderboards
• Block list for auto-match
• User-friendly, tap-to-move interface
• Highlighted checker movement options
• Hint & Undo
• Learn with Status Meter & Tutor Mode
• Game & dice stats, including Elo rating & ER
• Match info: GnuBG ID, win chances, equity, top 10 moves, & cube decisions
• Email match files
• Practice mode with unlimited undo (1-player vs. computer)
• Manual match recording mode with unlimited undo & speed mode option
• Options to reverse board direction, resign, use one-tap moves, auto bearoff, auto finish, use Jacoby rule, & much more
• Match analysis (in-app purchase): Analyze past match files, view moves & errors for match, step through match, jump to position, play from position, save match files permanently
IMPORTANT
• If an online match ends for any reason, you'll receive the Elo pts you deserve. FAQ: https://gamecenter.njsoftware.com
• Contact us for help: https://contact.njsoftware.com
What’s New
Version 7.0.2
v7.0:
- Added "Stop Auto Finish When Doubled" option
- Added "Display Statistic/Meter" option
- Added "Match File/Info Export" option (includes Share function)
- Added "Swap Match File Player Position" option
- Added "Analyze Most Recent Match" option to Double Tap & Swipe Left on Status Meter settings (included in Analysis Package in-app purchase)
- Updated for iOS 18
- Minor bug fixes
v7.0.2:
- Fixed issue where some online play buttons were not being grayed out
Ratings and Reviews
Mike
Why are the dice so one sided not very realistic, the computer gets 4 to one doubles and always at the right time not realistic very frustrating.
Please don’t try and convince people that the dice are random, they are not, and the game also knows what’s coming next so it can anticipate the next move. The plus to this game is that it has improved my game 10 fold.
I’m actually a very good player now and challenge your app to a game with no doubles for either the computer or for me, and I believe I would win most times.
I would just like to add, when I eventually get doubles it when I really don’t want them and if you know the game you will understand.
PLEASE STOP STOP TELLING PEOPLE ITS NOT FIXED, IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop.
Developer Response ,
The app is honest & has random rolls. Proofs here: http://www.njsoftware.com/note.html
The number of doubles that each player receives is tracked in the app under Menu > Statistics > Dice. If you have a large enough sample size, the numbers will approach expected values.
Okay, but cheats
The game cheats, and is aware of upcoming dice, using this to its advantage. I have calculated, across a sample of games large enough for p<0.05 that for 1/6 probability outcomes, the computer gets such an outcome 1/2 of the time. Conversely the human player gets the same 1/6 probability 1/6 of the time. You can easily this for yourself by playing first with automatic rolls, and then using manual rolls from your own dice or an external RNG, or by resetting the "next roll number" in Settings. You will then find that the computer fails to get those incredibly lucky rolls that land so often on your blots. It's a shame as whilst the game improves your play to a point, it encourages a very conservative risk-averse style of play, utterly unsuited to real world opponents who, of course, don't have the benefit of knowing upcoming rolls. The developer's various claims about "fixing" do not address the fact that the game can see future dice rolls. None of the developer's supposed proofs address the possibility that the computer is aware of the upcoming rolls of its opponent, and uses this to predict play and thus win. The irony is that if you play unpredictably by making mistakes, you're more likely to win. Don't waste your money. And don't pay too much heed to the supposed expert players leaving positive reviews.
Backgammon
The dice throws are seldom random at hard level and have a bias towards the computer. The percentage throws where the computer has exactly the right numbers is over 80% as against the player where it can be as low as 20%. When one number is needed, statistically, the average number of throws would be 3, however, for the computer, this is below 2, but for the individual it is over 5. The dice throws do not have any level of randomness, they just seem loaded to the computer as the level gets "harder". Not very satisfactory. As such the game does not develop skills in playing. The computer often takes risks whereas an individual tends to be careful because the computer will normally get the right combination of numbers to take you out whereas you will usually have the wrong numbers! Has anyone added up the scores from the dice rolls for the two players? Similarly, have you noticed the number of times the computer gets doubles in a tight end game as against the number you receive?
Developer Response ,
The app is honest & has random rolls. Proofs here: https://www.njsoftware.com/note.html
App Privacy
The developer, Jimmy Hu, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More
Information
- Provider
- Jimmy Hu
- Size
- 20.6 MB
- Category
- Games
- Compatibility
-
- iPhone
- Requires iOS 15.4 or later.
- iPod touch
- Requires iOS 15.4 or later.
- Apple Vision
- Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- Languages
-
English
- Age Rating
- 4+
- Copyright
- © 2024 NJ
- Price
- £4.99
- In-App Purchases
-
- Power User £4.99
- Analysis Package £2.99
- Online VIP £2.99
Supports
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Game Center
Challenge friends and check leaderboards and achievements.