eXtreme Gammon: The AI That Revolutionized Backgammon Faces an Uncertain Future

For five millennia, humans have been engaged in the timeless pursuit of backgammon, a game that has left its historical mark across the Middle East. Archaeological discoveries, including silver boards and ivory dice found in ancient tombs, have evidenced the game's enduring popularity. Yet, for approximately 4,950 years, our mastery of backgammon relied on intuition and untested wisdom. However, as time progressed, astute gamblers began recording positions, delving into mathematical intricacies, and unraveling the complexities of the game, thus elevating it to new heights. Then, the age of artificial neural networks arrived, and computer scientists introduced the game to these flawless and fearless calculators, renowned for their pattern recognition prowess. The result was a metamorphosis in the backgammon landscape, propelling it into a swashbuckling era of computational excellence, forever altering its course within the pyramids of gaming history.

Enter the star of the present, the best backgammon player in the world—eXtreme Gammon (XG), an artificial intelligence program created by Xavier Dufaure de Citres, a passionate player of chess and bridge.

Released in 2009, XG has become the sine qua non of the game, a judge, jury, and executioner in assessing players' performances. It has earned the unwavering loyalty of serious players worldwide, who rely on it exclusively for analysis, study, and competition. At prestigious tournaments, victory is not enough; one must also earn the accolades of XG as a testament to exceptional play.

However, after 35 years of dedicated service to backgammon, Dufaure de Citres contemplates parting ways with his groundbreaking creation, offering to sell XG and its intellectual property for a sum between $1 million and $2 million. This staggering price tag reflects the transformation XG has brought to the game, leaving an indelible mark on the world of backgammon. Games have intertwined with Dufaure de Citres's personal and professional life, shaping his journey from a young age, and even facilitating the fateful meeting with his wife in the world of gaming.

XG's essence lies in its ability to starkly quantify human fallibility. Following a match, it delivers a performance rating, a numerical measure of mistakes made during play. Perfect play earns a score of zero, while increasing values categorize players as "world class," "advanced," "intermediate," "beginner," and beyond. This judgmental aspect of the AI is both compelling and addictive, drawing players to strive for single-digit fallibility and focus on playing well rather than obsessing over wins and losses. As a result, human backgammon play has significantly improved over the past decade.

However, the question remains—does this newfound emphasis on process over outcome justify a price tag of $1 million? Beyond its role as a powerful analytical tool, XG generates revenue from software sales and commercial licensing to websites utilizing its application programming interface. A potential aesthetic refresh could attract new players, fostering further growth in the backgammon community.

Yet, XG's significance extends beyond financial considerations. It represents an influential force in the ancient game, penetrating every corner of the backgammon world, even influencing scrappy clubs like the one meeting at a Brooklyn bar. For some, XG serves as a virtual mentor, coach, and disciplinarian, guiding players to refine their skills and strategies. The AI's impact has spurred discussions among club members of pooling resources to purchase XG, gaining a semblance of control over their beloved game.

However, while XG's omnipresence in the backgammon world is undeniable, skeptics question its lofty valuation. Backgammon's complexity, characterized by inscrutable triangles, combinatorial mathematics, and the doubling cube, has limited its mainstream appeal compared to poker or chess. Thus, its niche market status raises doubts about the million-dollar price tag.

Nonetheless, Dufaure de Citres remains cautious in advertising the sale, seeking a buyer who respects the program, the game, and the community. As he contemplates relinquishing ownership of XG, he harbors a sense of sadness over the prospect of its demise.

Indeed, the future of eXtreme Gammon lies in the hands of the next guardian, whether it be a dedicated backgammon enthusiast or an emerging young coder with a vision for a new era of computational brilliance in the game that has withstood the test of time. Regardless of its fate, XG's legacy will forever reverberate through the annals of backgammon history.