Master Backgammon: Turn Your Mistakes Into Anki Flashcards
Drag match files or paste position IDs. Filter blunders, export in one click.
Backgammon Study Features
Turn your backgammon mistakes into lasting skills with Anki. Full control over your study cards while the app handles the boring stuff automatically.
Drag & Drop Any Backgammon File
Import match or position files. Pre-analyzed files are used directly; others are analyzed automatically by GnuBG. Filter by error threshold and player.
Automatic Format Detection
Paste any format: XGID, OGID, GNUID position IDs, or full XG analysis text. AnkiGammon automatically detects the format and tells you if you need to install GnuBG.
Score Matrix Generation
For cube decisions, optionally generate detailed score matrices showing equity at different match scores. Helps you understand cube decisions in match play.
Customize Board Appearance
Choose from 6 color schemes (Classic, Forest, Ocean, Desert, Sunset, Midnight) and toggle board orientation (clockwise/counter-clockwise). All settings save automatically.
Automatic GnuBG Analysis
Drag raw match files or enter position IDs without analysis and AnkiGammon automatically runs GnuBG to generate complete move and cube analysis. Pick how deep to analyze (0-4 ply). Deeper is more accurate but slower.
Add Custom Notes to Positions
Add your own explanations, insights, and reminders to any position. Your notes appear on the flashcard back, making it easy to capture key lessons and strategic patterns while building your deck.
Interactive Move Visualization
Click moves on the card back to see animated checker movements with smooth arc paths. Optional feature you can enable/disable to match your learning preference.
Two Ways to Export
Choose AnkiConnect for instant one-click export to running Anki, or APKG files for offline/portable decks. Shows progress as it exports.
Full Move Analysis
Every card includes equity values, win/gammon/backgammon percentages, and error calculations for all candidate moves. Show options on the front or hide them.
From Backgammon Analysis to Anki Cards in Seconds
From import to Anki export in seconds. AnkiGammon handles the boring stuff while you control how your cards look.
Launch the App
No installation necessary. Just download and run.
Import Positions
Drag files or paste position IDs. Filter by error threshold and player.
Customize & Add Notes
Add notes, pick colors, toggle options visibility. Settings auto-save.
Export to Anki
One-click export via AnkiConnect or APKG files.
See It In Action
Download AnkiGammon - Free Backgammon Anki Training Software
Windows
Download ZIP- Extract the ZIP file and double-click
ankigammon.exe - Windows SmartScreen Warning: Click "More info" → "Run anyway"
- This warning appears because the app is not code-signed
- The application is safe and open-source
Windows Requirements
- Anki 2.1.x installed
- AnkiConnect addon (code: 2055492159, optional for direct export)
- Windows 10 or later
- GnuBG (optional, for automatic analysis of position IDs)
No installation needed - just download and run.
macOS
pip install ankigammon
DMG Installation:
- Open the DMG file and drag AnkiGammon to Applications
- First time only: Right-click → Open
- If blocked: System Settings → Privacy & Security → "Open Anyway"
- After first run, open normally from Applications
macOS Requirements
- Anki 2.1.x
- AnkiConnect addon (2055492159, optional for direct export)
- GnuBG (optional, for automatic analysis)
PyPI installation requires Python 3.8+ - DMG is a standalone app with no Python needed.
Linux
pip install ankigammon
AppImage Installation:
- Make it executable:
chmod +x AnkiGammon-x86_64.AppImage- Or: Right-click → Properties → Permissions → "Allow executing as program"
- Double-click to run!
- Ubuntu 22.04+: If AppImage doesn't run, install FUSE 2:
- Ubuntu 22.04:
sudo apt install libfuse2 - Ubuntu 24.04:
sudo apt install libfuse2t64
- Ubuntu 22.04:
Linux Requirements
- Anki 2.1.x
- AnkiConnect addon (2055492159, optional for direct export)
- Ubuntu 20.04+ or equivalent
- GnuBG (optional, for automatic analysis)
Requires Python 3.8+ for pip install - AppImage is a standalone package with no Python needed.
Installing AnkiConnect: Open Anki → Tools → Add-ons → Get Add-ons → Enter code: 2055492159 → Restart Anki
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this mess up my existing Anki decks?
No. AnkiGammon creates a separate deck (default name: "My AnkiGammon Deck") with no interference to existing cards. You can customize the deck name in settings or by clicking the edit button next to the deck name.
Note: If you export to a deck that already exists with the same name, AnkiGammon will append new cards to it rather than deleting or overwriting existing cards.
Why use Anki for backgammon training?
Spaced repetition actually works. Anki schedules reviews at the right intervals to build long-term retention. AnkiGammon converts your analysis into Anki flashcards automatically, so you can use spaced repetition for mistakes and reference positions instead of making cards by hand.
Do I need XG analysis or can I just paste position IDs?
You can paste just position IDs (XGID, OGID, or GNUID format) without any analysis. AnkiGammon automatically runs GnuBG in the background to generate complete move and cube analysis. GnuBG needs to be installed separately and configured in AnkiGammon settings. You can configure the analysis depth (0-4 ply) in settings. For cube decisions, it can even generate full score matrices showing equity at different match scores.
What's the difference between AnkiConnect and APKG export?
AnkiConnect (recommended): Cards appear instantly in Anki while it's running. No import step needed. Install via: Tools → Add-ons → Get Add-ons → Enter code: 2055492159 → Restart Anki.
APKG export: Creates a portable .apkg file you manually import into Anki. Useful when Anki isn't running or for sharing decks with others. Your export method preference is saved.
Can I filter which positions get imported?
Yes! When importing files, you can filter by:
- Error threshold: Set a minimum error threshold (default 0.080) to automatically import only significant blunders. Skip trivial decisions and focus on positions where you made meaningful mistakes.
- Player selection: Choose which player's mistakes to import. Perfect for studying only your own mistakes from a game record.
These settings are remembered between sessions, so you don't need to reconfigure them each time.
Can I customize the board appearance?
Yes. AnkiGammon offers 6 color schemes to match your preference: Classic (traditional brown/beige), Forest (green/brown), Ocean (blue/teal), Desert (tan/orange), Sunset (purple/orange), and Midnight (dark blue/purple). You can also toggle board orientation between bearing off on the right and bearing off on the left. All preferences are saved automatically and applied to all generated cards.
We would love hearing theme ideas from the community! You can submit a theme request on GitHub with your color preferences or visual inspiration, or share mockups and brainstorm ideas in our Discord community. The theme system is easy to extend, so well-described requests can be implemented quickly!
What other customization options are available?
AnkiGammon offers extensive customization options for how cards are generated and displayed, all automatically saved:
- Show options toggle: Display multiple-choice options on card front or hide them. Number of choices is customizable.
- Interactive moves: Enable/disable animated checker movements when clicking moves on the card back
- Score matrix generation: Optionally generate detailed cube equity matrices for match play
- GnuBG analysis depth: Choose 0-4 ply to balance speed vs. accuracy
- Export method: AnkiConnect (instant) or APKG (portable files)
What file formats are supported?
AnkiGammon supports all common backgammon file formats:
- .xg - eXtreme Gammon match files
- .xgp - eXtreme Gammon position files
- .sgf - Smart Game Format
- .mat - Match files
- .txt - Text-based match files
- DailyGammon - DailyGammon match files (no file extension)
Files with existing analysis (.xg and .xgp can include this) are used directly. Files without analysis are automatically analyzed by GnuBG if installed and configured.
What information is in the score matrix?
The score matrix shows optimal cube actions across all score combinations in a match. For example, in a 7-point match, it displays the best cube decision for every score from 2-away/2-away through 7-away/7-away.
Each cell contains:
- Best action: D/T (Double/Take), D/P (Double/Pass), N/T (No Double/Take), TG/T (Too Good/Take), or TG/P (Too Good/Pass)
- Error values: Shows equity loss (scaled by 1000) for the two alternative actions. For example, if the best action is D/T and it shows "15/412", then N/T costs 0.015 equity and D/P costs 0.412 equity
Special indicators:
- Yellow border: Highlights the current match score
- Low error cells: Darker highlighting when error < 20 (0.020 equity), indicating a close decision worth studying
The matrix is generated by GnuBG at your configured ply level and only includes scores where the cube is still live (can be legally doubled).
What is GNU Backgammon (GnuBG) and how do I install it?
What is GnuBG?
GNU Backgammon is a free, world-class backgammon engine that plays and analyzes at expert level. AnkiGammon uses it to automatically analyze positions when you paste just position IDs without analysis. It's completely optional but enables the automatic analysis feature.
Installation:
- Windows: Download and install from gnu.org
- macOS: Install via MacPorts:
sudo port install gnubg - Linux: Install from your package manager:
sudo apt install gnubg(Ubuntu/Debian) orsudo dnf install gnubg(Fedora)
After installing GnuBG, configure the CLI path in AnkiGammon settings to enable automatic position analysis. You can also configure the analysis depth (0-4 ply) in the settings.