Hello all,

I have created a free and open source backgammon service which is available at https://bgammon.org

There are no advertisements and there never will be. This service is completely free and open source software, it is possible to download and modify the server and client source code. Contributions are welcome.

- Server code: https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/bgammon
- Client code: https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/boxcars

In addition to standard backgammon games, acey-deucey games and tabula games are also supported. I couldn't find anywhere you can play tabula online before this, is this the first time tabula is playable on the internet?

- Tabula wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_(game)

All feedback is welcome. Feel free to reply directly to this email or join the community via IRC/Matrix/Discord at https://bgammon.org/community

I wrote a blog post going into detail about how I created bgammon.org, you can read it at https://bgammon.org/blog/20240101-hello-world/

I am also working towards standardizing communicating with backgammon engines. The protocol is named Backgammon Engine Interface and you can find the draft specification at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D5xm7A1SbfuZo4vFWjqkIdpnGiJtOmKo-YCaoJmSsog

I created a tool for benchmarking backgammon engines (playing hundreds/thousands of games very quickly and analyzing the results) named bgammon-benchmark, and I think it opens up some exciting possibilities as far as rating and comparing the performance of backgammon engines more quickly and easily, and in assisting with finding bugs during the development of backgammon engines and related software. This tool is available at https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/bgammon-benchmark

All comments and suggestions are welcome. I hope to see you there.

On Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:14:16 PM UTC-5, Trevor Slocum wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I have created a free and open source backgammon service which is available at https://bgammon.org
>
> There are no advertisements and there never will be. This service is completely free and open source software, it is possible to download and modify the server and client source code. Contributions are welcome.
>
> - Server code: https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/bgammon
> - Client code: https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/boxcars
>
> In addition to standard backgammon games, acey-deucey games and tabula games are also supported. I couldn't find anywhere you can play tabula online before this, is this the first time tabula is playable on the internet?
>
> - Tabula wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_(game)
>
> All feedback is welcome. Feel free to reply directly to this email or join the community via IRC/Matrix/Discord at https://bgammon.org/community
>
> I wrote a blog post going into detail about how I created bgammon.org, you can read it at https://bgammon.org/blog/20240101-hello-world/
>
> I am also working towards standardizing communicating with backgammon engines. The protocol is named Backgammon Engine Interface and you can find the draft specification at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D5xm7A1SbfuZo4vFWjqkIdpnGiJtOmKo-YCaoJmSsog
>
> I created a tool for benchmarking backgammon engines (playing hundreds/thousands of games very quickly and analyzing the results) named bgammon-benchmark, and I think it opens up some exciting possibilities as far as rating and comparing the performance of backgammon engines more quickly and easily, and in assisting with finding bugs during the development of backgammon engines and related software. This tool is available at https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/bgammon-benchmark
>
> All comments and suggestions are welcome. I hope to see you there.

If I were you I would post this elsewhere to reach more people. Elsewhere such as https://bgonline.org/forums/ for eg, not that I'm biased or anything.

As quick feedback having the checkers not move as they do in the bots is frustrating. (double clicking to make a point or clicking on the checker and it playing the high die) The opp's checker moving/sliding is also extremely slow.

Stick

On Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at 2:48:38 PM UTC-5, Stick Rice wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 11:14:16 PM UTC-5, Trevor Slocum wrote:
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I have created a free and open source backgammon service which is available at https://bgammon.org
> >
> > There are no advertisements and there never will be. This service is completely free and open source software, it is possible to download and modify the server and client source code. Contributions are welcome.
> >
> > - Server code: https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/bgammon
> > - Client code: https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/boxcars
> >
> > In addition to standard backgammon games, acey-deucey games and tabula games are also supported. I couldn't find anywhere you can play tabula online before this, is this the first time tabula is playable on the internet?
> >
> > - Tabula wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_(game)
> >
> > All feedback is welcome. Feel free to reply directly to this email or join the community via IRC/Matrix/Discord at https://bgammon.org/community
> >
> > I wrote a blog post going into detail about how I created bgammon.org, you can read it at https://bgammon.org/blog/20240101-hello-world/
> >
> > I am also working towards standardizing communicating with backgammon engines. The protocol is named Backgammon Engine Interface and you can find the draft specification at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D5xm7A1SbfuZo4vFWjqkIdpnGiJtOmKo-YCaoJmSsog
> >
> > I created a tool for benchmarking backgammon engines (playing hundreds/thousands of games very quickly and analyzing the results) named bgammon-benchmark, and I think it opens up some exciting possibilities as far as rating and comparing the performance of backgammon engines more quickly and easily, and in assisting with finding bugs during the development of backgammon engines and related software. This tool is available at https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/bgammon-benchmark
> >
> > All comments and suggestions are welcome. I hope to see you there.
> If I were you I would post this elsewhere to reach more people. Elsewhere such as https://bgonline.org/forums/ for eg, not that I'm biased or anything.
>
> As quick feedback having the checkers not move as they do in the bots is frustrating. (double clicking to make a point or clicking on the checker and it playing the high die) The opp's checker moving/sliding is also extremely slow.
>
> Stick

It also should play forced moves automatically, or at least have the option.. (esp. in the bearoff) Also having to drag the checkers to the tray during the bearoff is .... a real drag.

Stick

Hey Stick,

I am glad to say that I have just released v1.2.4 featuring the following changes:

- Add checker animation speed setting
- Support advanced checker movement
- Play forced moves automatically

You can now enable the advanced checker movement and faster checker animation speed in settings.

Thanks for sharing your feedback. Please l me know what you think of these changes when you get a chance.

On 12/31/1969 5:00 PM, wrote:

> I created a tool for benchmarking backgammon engines
> (playing hundreds/thousands of games very quickly.....

Can your tool be adapted to make GnuBG play against
itself? Can you help with this proposed experiment?

Another Murat mutant cube skill experiment based on game stages

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.backgammon/c/uCmiIHgDfac/m/v0Ffw0tYAAAJ

MK

Hey MK,

If gnubg is updated to support the BEI protocol I have drafted, it would be
possible to use the bgammon-benchmark tool to have gnubg play againt itself. I
have drafted the protocol and created the benchmark tool, it is now up to the
gnubg developers to implement the protocol (if they so choose).

For context I am including links again to BEI and bgammon-benchmark:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D5xm7A1SbfuZo4vFWjqkIdpnGiJtOmKo-YCaoJmSsog
https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/bgammon-benchmark

On 1/16/2024 12:39 PM, Trevor Slocum wrote:

> If gnubg is updated to support the BEI
> protocol I have drafted, it would be

I don't know if and when GnuBG may support
it but any other bots of a decent strength
that can play cubeful money games would be
okay for my purpose. Does your tool work
with any such existing bots?

MK

Hey MK,

The only engine I am aware of that supports this protocol is tabula, which does
not have anywhere near the features of gnubg. Tabula does not understand
cubeful play. I hope engine support increases in the near future, I tried
contacting various backgammon software authors asking for their feedback, but
have not heard anything back yet. So, if anyone would like to help, please ask
the developers of any backgammon software you like to use to please consider
supporting the BEI protocol.

Tabula: https://code.rocket9labs.com/tslocum/tabula