# What's the best free or inexpensive PC backgammon game? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 22, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542 "2011-01-22T05:26:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/1 "2011-01-22T05:26:53Z")
My mom is a beginner-level computer user who loves backgammon. I’ve tried finding websites where she can play, even Facebook apps, but they’re almost all too scammy for my tastes. Basically, I’m afraid of her clicking something that will download spyware or encourage her to pay for something she oughtn’t. I did find [FIBS](http://www.fibs.com/guide.html), but I think that might be too complicated for her. I think the safest and easiest thing for her would be a stand-alone app. But then, searching online for “backgammon download” takes me to nothing but skeevy gambling sites. Can anyone recommend a backgammon game I can buy or (legally) download free for Mom? She’s running Windows Vista on a pretty good laptop. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/2 "2011-01-22T05:36:11Z")
Hoyle Board Games is what I play backgammon on. It has quite a few other games, as well. I Googled it and there is a 2005 version available (the one I have) for $6.00. That work? ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/3 "2011-01-22T05:56:49Z")
That looks great, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![ushimitsudoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@ushimitsudoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ushimitsudoki)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/4 "2011-01-22T07:45:55Z")
[GNU Backgammon](http://www.gnubg.org/) Free and Open Source. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/5 "2011-01-22T15:56:57Z")
Excellent! I just downloaded it to try, it’s great. I’ll install it for my mom next time I visit. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/6 "2011-01-22T17:02:02Z")
Update: I sent mom a link to GNU Backgammon by e-mail. She called me right back and insisted I walk her through installing it right away. Twenty minutes later, she’d rolled double sixes and was well into her first game. Thank you very much! ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/7 "2011-01-22T20:59:28Z")
It’s beating me regularly. Damned game will let me get six points in a match then wipe me out in a single game. It’s great, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/8 "2011-01-22T22:17:00Z")
> [@ushimitsudoki](#): > > [GNU Backgammon](http://www.gnubg.org/) > > Free and Open Source. Yeah, it doesn’t really get much better or more challenging than this, except maybe for Snowie, which is freaking expensive (almost $400 for the professional edition.) GNU Backgammon should provide a challenge for all but the best of the best of backgammon players. Absolutely incredible program. Also, there’s Backgammon NJ for the iPhone, which plays a game to a very similar level as GNU Backgammon (and I suspect may even be based on it.) ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/10 "2011-04-03T21:30:24Z")
Still playing it compulsively and still getting beaten far more often than not, but it’s ranked me as an expert so I’ve got ridiculous amounts of warm fuzzies for the prog. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-free-or-inexpensive-pc-backgammon-game/568542/11 "2011-04-04T00:50:34Z")
My mom plays backgammon too! On [games.yahoo.com](http://games.yahoo.com). Literally EVERY day she gets a few games in on there. A lot of her regular opponents on there are retirees, so if she finds a regular room, there’s a good turn-out and social element. And they’re not very good. At least I don’t think so, but I’ve been playing that game forever.