I’ve enjoyed playing this, although I’d love to have the option of a human opponent. I am a very experienced backgammon player (60+ years and took courses in game theory at university level), so I like being challenged. There is no doubt the higher levels of computer opponents know most of the “tricks”, and I find it difficult to win every tournament. The daily challenge is fun but usually easy to win, since the computer’s strategy is at a low level.However, this brings me to my only complaint. While the dice should be completely randomised, I have noticed a pattern that periodically favours the computer. Every so often the number of “perfect” rolls benefiting the computer, and adverse rolls disadvantaging the player (i.e. me), are too significant to ignore. Yes, occasionally, I’ll get some unbelievably favourable rolls myself, as opposed to poor rolls for the computer. Nevertheless, it is frustrating to see the game clearly put a “thumb on the scale”. I don’t mind being outplayed; I just dislike those moments where I am disadvantaged in a way that doesn’t accord with true random chance.

I see I’m not the only person that things the game is a bit rigged. I win most every game, which is fine, but I notice that you can predict with near 100% accuracy what the machine is going to roll when you have an uncovered piece. Hint, it’s going to get your piece. I don’t think you ever play another human - which is the okay. The problem is that the machine plays a really poor game. When you double, the machine almost always declines. When you hit the auto play, the game moves at a speed that no once plays at and no one ever drops out mid game. So if you are looking for something that just passes the time, this game is fine. If you are looking to become a better player, this game isn’t for you.Update- after posting my review I received a snarky reply that the dice rolls are completely random. I completely disagree. At least three times a game I get the same roll three times in a row. While the computer/opposing player will get the exact roll needed to capture an uncovered piece in excess of 96% of the time. Yes, curiosity got the best of me and I kept track over the course of 20 games. I also found that when I would gammon my opponent, I stopped getting the multiplier - curious, it started after I wrote the first review. Now I’m just cranky. Avoid this game, it’s rigged.

So while this seems a little more realistic than other backgammon games available in the App Store it still suffers from the not so random dice roll generator. I understand losing games. I’m fine with that. It’s the constant losing I take issue with. The player you play against continually gets great rolls. If it was random the human player would also randomly great rolls. But that’s not the case. While the vs opponent gets a run that they need to put you in a no win situation it doesn’t come around to the player having the same run. The developers say it’s random but if it was random the player would randomly have a game that they stomp their opponent. That doesn’t happen with this game. It’s the constant stomping by the vs player that ruins it. After a bit it’s just no fun. Seeing your opponent roll high doubles 4 times in a game and you either get double 1s or no doubles at all. If you do roll double 6s it’s often when you’re on the rail or in a spot where you can’t move 6 pipes cause they aren’t available. I understand if it’s like this sometimes, but this is more often than sometimes. Still a smidge better than LotB, but not much. I’m not sure what the answer is. I just wish it was really random because you would randomly have a good game.

I like a lot of games from this developer so I wanted to give their backgammon a try. I’ve always wanted to learn and I liked the tutorial feature. However, once I completed the tutorial I was immediately thrown into gameplay against a computer opponent with no option to select a skill level (“novice” or “beginner” for example). From reading other reviews, it looks like that used to be a feature, so why did that go away? Now I find myself losing round after round as I’m still trying to figure out strategy against an opponent who is infinitely more “skilled” and always seems to have luckier dice rolls. (Also seeing a lot of negative reviews about the suspiciously lucky dice rolls by the opponent.) I’m not saying that I always have to win, but the dynamics don’t feel balanced. The dissatisfaction of feeling like I’m never going to get the hang of it makes me want to quit before I’ve really even gotten started. If only you could pick the skill level like you can with sudoku, I would rate it higher and stick with it instead of immediately deleting it.