XG Mobile Backgammon 4+

You can learn how to play world class backgammon just by playing against this app.

When I started playing this app my average score was over 20, which is rated as beginner level.

Now I play at expert level. My average is approaching world class level. I already play a lot of world class level matches now. I even play a surprising number of games that are rated at world champion level. I still have some error-filled games that lower my average, but I don't make many bad moves that are considered blunders.

I still lose most of the time when I play games at world class level. It’s not me claiming that skill level. It’s the app rating my games at that level.

It can get to be maddening, which is likely part of the reason why people insist that the app cheats. Another reason for the claims of cheating is that certain things seem suspicious.

In end-game situations when I have an 11 out of 36 chance to hit what I need to win, I can miss on 20 of those situations in a row. I’ve kept track. The computer never seems to go on those long stretches of missing, but I haven’t tracked that stat.

My actual belief, when calm, is that the app probably doesn’t cheat, but it definitely seems to. My strategy at this point is to keep improving until I play almost every game at a world class or world champ rating. The best thing about this app is that it can actually be used to accomplish that goal.

2/24: The developers have continuously failed a paying customer like me who was such a big fan of this game. Thought a major os update may come with an app fix but once again I was wrong. It’s been nearly a year since I’ve been unable to use a software that I paid $10 for. It’s too bad but the people begging this great game don’t seem too concerned about fixing anything or helping their customers. Shame on them.

11/23 Update: I’m unable to use this app, period. No amount of uninstall and reinstall works. It freezes immediately. And I’m a paid customer too! I’ve written to the developer and have gotten no response! That’s why I must downgrade y rating to zero stars. This is the one and only favorite game that I play on my iPhone. But ever since upgrading my phone the app has become worthless. For one thing, the tutor no longer works, so you’re not going to learn anything regardless of any mistake. And the other annoying thing is that you can’t see the dice that you roll on your turn! I’ve tried reinstall as well as installing on other phones and got the same results. What the heck is going on with the development of this thing? I’m amongst the customers who is using the paid version. Though currently I can’t exactly use this thing. Let’s get to work people! Waiting here. Tick tick…

I am an avid backgammon player and have been a regular & happy daily user of XG Mobile for many years. It has simply been top of its class of all backgammon apps and I have routinely recommended it to others…until recently. I thought the app might just need a software update, but the problems have persisted. The problem simply stated is that at random times the visual representation of the dice just rolled don’t appear on the board (at all!) but the checkers move automatically. Sometimes the move is the only possible move but not always. There is also a lag in the actual play that causes me to wonder if the touch screen has recognized my finger prompt. These issues never happened in earlier versions. I have a brand new iPhone and it’s software is up to date; I keep my apps up to date as well.
I am hopeful the developers of this once great app can make some fixes soon. The current lag and “invisible dice” issues discourage me from using XG Mobile.