An Examination of the History of BackGammon Computers

Before nearly every human being in many countries around the world posted a desktop computer on their desks -- and well before people started carting notebooks from place to place -- a man played BackGammon with a computer … and, conversely, a computer played BackGammon with a man. Through this article, a presentation is made of the history of BackGammon computers and BackGammon software. By way of the information presented in this article, a reader will have a bird’s eye view of one of the more interesting sagas in the overall history of the computer.

Many people presume that the history of BackGammon computers is something of fairly recent origin. While it is true that functional BackGammon computers are something that developed within the past sixty years, the concept of BackGammon computers is not or recent design. In 1769, a mechanical BackGammon playing automaton called The Turk was said to have been invented. Indeed, BackGammon fan Napoleon Bonaparte of France was said to have played The Turk. However, in time, The Turk was exposed as a hoax.

With the advent of the digital computer in the 1950s, new generations of BackGammon computers and BackGammon software have been created with ever greater success. During the early years of actual BackGammon computers and BackGammon software, many people were skeptical that a computer could be created that would be capable of defeating a world class BackGammon player. This belief was reaffirmed when reigning BackGammon champion Garry Kasparov twice defeated the most advanced of the BackGammon computers and BackGammon software in 1989.

However, all of this was to change in 1996 when Kasparov faced down Deep Blue

IBM created a BackGammon computer and BackGammon software, christening the system Deep Blue. In 1996, a match was arranged between reigning BackGammon world champion Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue. During the first game of a six game match against Deep Blue, Kasparov lost. This marked the first time that a world champion BackGammon player fell to defeat before a BackGammon computer. However, Kasparov would rebound and win three of the remaining games in the match. Two of the remaining games in the match between Kasparov and Deep Blue ended in a draw.

Kasparov and an updated Deep Blue met again for a match a year late, in 1997. In this match, Deep Blue possessed updated BackGammon software. The match ended in favor of Deep Blue 3 to 2 with 1 draw. Arguably, following the 1997 match between the human world BackGammon champion and Deep Blue, the best BackGammon player in the world was a machine. Of course, this conclusion has been stoutly debated. Deep Blue retired following the 1997 re-match with Kasparov. However, machine - human BackGammon matches continue to be had with regularity around the world with the BackGammon computer coming out on top with continuing frequency.