39 Backgammon Position Analyzer (Commercial backgammon support software)
Description
This article is from the Backgammon FAQ, by Mark Damish damish@ll.mit.edu with numerous contributions by others.
39 Backgammon Position Analyzer (Commercial backgammon support software)
[9507]
BPA is a program which has three basic features: The CPW of a
position, the correct way to play either one or two numbers of a roll,
and the number of rolls that bear-off all checkers in N turns.
The data base is uniquely compressed to fit within 20 megabytes and
covers all home board positions, many bear-in positions where you are
setting up to bear-off, and a single checker race. In the single
checker race, any number of checkers can be off and the single checker
can be on any point from the 7 to the 19 point. Contact is allowed and
a cpw will be calculated if the opponents position is in the data
base, but contact is ignored in the calculation. Thus there are over
25 BILLION positions covered, not counting all the single checker
positions. That's a very efficient use of data in memory. This
concentration is possible because the answer for the cpw is an
approximation, not an exact figure. However, the approximation is very
good. Using an extended calculation from where others had left off,
the expected error in the range of 20 to 80 % is 0.04%. This is good
enough to make all checker plays accurately. ( Ok, you'll be able to
find a few positions where the play made is off by a very small
fraction of 1%.)
When you have either one or two numbers you want to play, BPA will
give an answer very quickly by looking into the data base and checking
all possible ways to play the number(s).
The number of rolls to bear-off in N turns is very helpful in
understanding what is going on in certain positions, but is not for
everyone.
BPA is supplied with all the data calculated, and is distributed on 14
diskettes. It is currently not copy protected but because of the
extent of illegal distribution that has gone on, it will be protected
in the future. Each program is individualized by showing a subsciber's
name on the screen. btw, if anyone has an illegal copy and wants to
get registered at no cost to them, they should contact me at
diceman@indy.net for the procedure. This is a limited time offer and
will end when and if BPA is integrated into any of the commercial game
playing programs. Registered users will receive an upgraded EXE file
to be able to use BPA with such a program.
Larry Strommen diceman@indy.net
Available from Larry Strommen and Carol Joy Cole
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