Is there a stop to Internet Backgammon cheaters?

Unfortunately there are pieces of software which can be used to do these things. One of these called 'Cheat Engine' has already been known to be used with Windows XP 'Pinball'.

I wish I was able to help, but Microsoft are the only one who can do this. I wish you the best of luck with your future games and that Microsoft speedily fix this problem.

@flagoff, please refrain from posting offensive posts in future.

That's nice, Azam, but Microsoft isn't accepting feedback for MS Backgammon, nor will it.

As a frequent player, I've often suspected cheating, but have concluded that it doesn't occur.

I've read that even the best masters lose about 20% of matches, due to bad luck. My winning percentage is 81-82% at Expert mode, and I know I'm not cheating. That includes some "waiting out" rude players who refuse to move, though. (If s/he makes me wait 2 minutes/move, I do the same.) I've lost as many as 5 in a row, and won 29 in a row -- and I've NEVER cheated. When I'm losing lots of games, it's my strategy at fault. I correct it, and the winning returns.

Players get lucky. They get lucky rolls, and even very lucky sequences. I've seen many doubles in a row, many "perfect" rolls in a row, and even a game where opponents kept getting doubles for 7-9 rolls in all. I only can know that I'm not cheating.

Could a 3rd person -- someone running the server -- be playing with the rolls, for kicks? It's possible, but who would bother?

Players can suspect cheating (or incredible luck) since they don't know the true odds. If your opponent needs a 6-4 to hit your blot, then 1 out of 18 times (2/36) they're going to get a 6-4, not 1/36. Psychologically, you make think yourself invulnerable if they're on the bar and need double 4s to hit, but you're not invulnerable if you leave a blot open that a 4-4 will hit. If your opp. needs to roll a 6 to hit, then 30.56% of rolls (11/36) will hit that blot -- assuming you're not on the bar and there aren't blocked points to stop it.

Lucky opponents sometimes lose, in the end. Sometimes they quit, after you get good rolls. Why would they do that, if they were cheating?

The stats guy who recorded rolls forgot to consider that the winner of the first roll is likely to have a higher roll than the loser. So the likelihood of getting a 6 for the winner is greater than 16.7%. Other possibilities: the sample is too small, or that the guy is lying.

It occasionally seems like my opponent is cheating, but I suspect it really isn't. It almost always seems like my opponent is luckier than I am, even when I'm trouncing them. It's a psychological thing.

Because of the way the human mind works, we often think we have all the bad luck. I agree with Mr Shackle - it is a psychological thing.

A lot of society would say: The cup is half empty! instead of: The cup is half full!

So much of society looks at things in a non-optimistic manner, that we all think we're losing.

No offence, but if you repeatedly fail, it might be your strategy at fault. Yes, there are cheaters, I don't deny it at all.

However, there are a lot of cases of suspected cheating which are lacking one thing - the cheating.

No doubt there is the psychological aspect. I have had players quit on me after I have had a couple of amazing rolls and I suspected that they thought I was cheating. I guess the solution to avoiding cheats and quitters is to see who we are playing and their stats by means of handles. I don't quit unless something unexpected comes up. if I know a game is lost I resign but I actually enjoy a desperate back game or to come back from 4-0. Players who don't accept a resignation also annoy me a bit although I guess that is their right.

I do like the the game interface though, that is why the problems should be addressed.