backgammon Hyperbot FAQ

HyperBot

What is HyperBot?

HyperBot is a perfect hypergammon player. Its evaluation engine uses a database that contains the computed best plays for every possible Hypergammon position. HyperBot was developed and is owned by Hugh Sconyers (hugh on GamesGrid).

Who can play HyperBot?

GamesGrid members may play HyperBot. Guests may watch the games, of course, HyperBot plays only public matches.

Why do the HyperBots' ratings fluctuate so much?

Even though HyperBot plays completely consistently from match to match and day today, you will see wide variations in their ratings over time. For example, MrHyperBot has held ratings from 1797 to 2109, a 312-point swing. Although unfinished matches and the particular opponents played also have a role, these fluctuations are due almost entirely to the luck inherent in backgammon. Like all of us, HyperBot experiences good and bad streaks, and when they do their ratings change accordingly.

Because HyperBot plays so many matches (between 600 and 700 1-point matches per day), its rating fluctuates more than those of human players. On the other hand, HyperBot never gets tired or steamed or overconfident. Over an equal number of matches playing against the same player mix, its rating tends to vary less than would those of a human player against the same mix of opponents.

Does HyperBot get better dice?

No. HyperBot receives dice in the same way as every other player. The HyperBot programs run on different machines than the game servers. They are connected to the server using the same client program that human players use, modified to communicate with the HyperBot evaluation engine and to send the selected plays automatically. As far as the game server is concerned, the HyperBots are the same as every other player on the GamesGrid.

Like the best human players, HyperBot arranges the checkers so that more rolls are good for them, and fewer rolls good for their opponents. Because the higher-level robots play better than the great majority of players, it appears luckier to the uncritical eye.

A GG robot is not accepting invitations. What's wrong?

The robots are playing multiple-simultaneous matches. When they are available for an invitation, their green available indicator will light up. When they are playing as many matches as they can simultaneously, the available indicator will be off.

Can I get robots to play slower (or faster)?

Yes. A robot begins each match at its "medium" speed. Although you cannot affect its calculation speed, a robot's opponent may ask it to change the speed at which it makes its moves, by typing in the chat entry box

/tell MrHyperBot slower
or
/tell MrHyperBot faster

The robot will announce that it is adjusting its playing speed.

At its fastest speed, a robot moves the checkers as soon as the best play is selected. At its slowest speed, it will pause approximately two seconds before it makes each move. This can be useful if you want to visually follow the action in bearoff situations since the moves can be played very fast indeed.

Only a robot's backgammon opponent may request speed adjustments.

last modified: 2005-04-27