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Compare FIBS, GridGammon and other free live play sites
Posted By: W Womack In Response To: Compare FIBS, GridGammon and other free live play sites (leobueno)
Date: Sunday, 28 August 2011, at 7:04 p.m.
Some of this depends on preferences. GridGammon certainly has the most top ranked players and you can see a lot of good matches there. GridGammon also seems to be a good place to pick up matches with players of similar rating, usually there is someone around to play with and you can figure that GridGammon players are likely pretty serious about the game even if they have a long way to go skill wise. Most people seem to think the GG interface is great, I have fixed feelings about it. I have had issues with saving games, and if an opponent drops you have to splice together two files to get the whole match when they return.
Safe Harbor Games: This is where I play the most because I like the tournament formats that primarily use this server. (LOC, Warp, GammonZone, etc.) Most of these have stratification based on successes in previous months so you are often paired with players of similar skill. With the tournament format you have a supply of opponents, although sometimes scheduling can be a pain. You also will end up paired with people you are not too thrilled playing with at times -- not that there are that many of them -- but you have the same issue with any tournament format. Stay away from the red dice rooms if you want to play real backgammon, see the previous threads on this. I don't really like to play pick up games in the Cove on SHG as I same to get more "not so nice" people, droppers, etc.
As far as the interface I think it is fine and like the "chat room" and "table" motif. You will find some OT chat at time which can be nice or you can just ignore it. I have no problems with the playing interface, it is perhaps a little less polished that GGs, but I never have a save issue and resumed matches end up in the same file -- although occasionally with an error. One nice thing about SHG is if you start kibitzing a match after it started and stay for the end you get the whole match file --unlike GG where you only get what you were there for. The one thing I don't like about SHG's interface is that it is not smart enough to move the lower die automatically for a checker when that is the only legal play for the checker. You can play the lower die by right clicking or by clicking the die to invert them. I prefer this to GG where you have to drag a checker to play the lower roll first if both numbers a legal for that checker, but that is probably because I am use to it. One issue with SHG is no Mac interface, so if you are on a mac it is out. You will see some top players at SHG at times, but not nearly as much as GG.
FIBS: Since there are a number of clients it is hard to discuss the interface on FIBS, they all have there quirks I am sure. You have some good players on FIBS but you have a lot of less serious players, chatters, etc. Droppers also seem to be a big issue on FIBS. There is some tournament action on FIBS, but it is mostly pick up games. You will find some OT chat in the lobby at times, which again can be nice for community or can be something you just want to ignore.
Yahoo: Don't go there much, tried it again the other night but in the advanced rooms most of the people were playing 101 point matches and turning the cube on every roll. This is an attempt to manipulate the rating number and not real backgammon. I know there are a few organized tourney groups that play at yahoo, but I don't know a lot about them.
World Gaming Center: Very little action, poor interface.
Ren Games: Never been there,but M Petch's data shows they have the same dice as the SHG red dice rooms.
There are tons of others, I tried Game Colony and Pogo but did not find much serious play there. I am sure others will have more to say on this topic.
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