# Absolute Backgammon

> Full-featured backgammon and acey deucey game with AI and multiplayer options. (iPhone/iPad app by David Byrum.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absolute-backgammon/id714235674 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [David Byrum](https://appshunter.io/developer/491547178)
- Category: Games, Education, Board
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 2.30/5 from 28 App Store ratings · 42 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 9.0 · 17 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2013-10-05
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absolute-backgammon/id714235674/reviews.md

## What is Absolute Backgammon?

No ads, no up-selling, no gimmicks, just great backgammon and acey deucey. If you liked Absolute Backgammon and Acey Deucey for the desktop, you will like this version too - same great backgammon.

Works with iOS 8.0 and later

Designed for the iPad, but now works on the iPhone 5 and later. Absolute Backgammon is a full featured backgammon game that contains both backgammon and acey deucey. You can play against a computer opponent (5 skill levels) or against another person on the same device or another person on a different device using bluetooth.

Board Design: Marco Olivares - STUDIOMARCOLI

You can download a manual from the website - bestbackgammon.com

Features:

• Works on the iPad and iPhone 5 to the latest iPhone
• Play Backgammon or Acey Deucey
• Play against the Computer
• Play against another person on the same device
• Play against another person on a different device using Bluetooth
• Play against a friend over the internet (beta feature)
• Match Play when playing against the computer backgammon opponent
• 5 skill levels
• Keeps game and sessions statistics as well as running/cumulative statistics.
• 3 different methods for moving the piece
• Gives suggestions for moves
• Gives Doubling Cube Advice
• Save your game to finish later
• Switch board direction and colors
• Helpful messages during play
• Can choose to have messages spoken
• Change the speed of piece movement
• Beaver option supported
• Jacoby rule optional
• Option to not allow backgammons
• Choice of shorter dice sound for faster play
• Can adjust the sound level of for the game
• Shows the last moves for the computer using arrows
• Option to show possible moves when a piece is touched
• Plus more...
• Plus more to be added later.

## Key features

- Backgammon and Acey Deucey
- Play against AI (5 skill levels)
- Local multiplayer
- Bluetooth multiplayer
- Internet multiplayer (beta)
- Game statistics tracking
- Move suggestions and advice

## Recent user reviews (10 of 42)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absolute-backgammon/id714235674/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Acey -Deucy MIA

*2022-11-01, version 8.20*

Not sure what happened to my favorite game, acey-deucy, but it seems to be kicked to the curb. Highly disappointing

### 1/5 — iPhone problems

*2022-10-14, version 8.19*

Does not work with current iOS.

### 1/5 — Bad Random Number Generator

*2021-09-15, version 8.15*

I can only assume the programmers used a poor random number generator to get the dice rolls. Like other comments, the computer seems to roll a lot of acey-deuceys and doubles. I recently played a game where the computer rolled three aces-deuceys in a roll. Not statistically impossible but damned unlikely. Bad game

### 5/5 — Great game and learning tool

*2021-03-21, version 8.11*

I have been playing Absolute Backgammon on an iPad, a laptop and remotely with a friend for well over a year. Contrary to claims that it is rigged, the game is completely random and fair. I have played hundreds of games; sometimes the dice break your way and sometimes they do not, just like in real life. For one thing it is a fabulous learning tool for a novice or experienced player given that you can play at various levels and ask for suggested moves. This feature also allows you to learn to avoid blunders. Any claim that the game cheats is childish and absurd. There is no incentive whatsoever for David to create a game that is not fair and random. To the contrary he is a very skilled and talented programmer and constantly accepts input and works to improve the game and a players experience. This is a terrific value, the best Backgammon game I have come across. In short, it is a beautiful implementation of a valuable learning tool. Ignore the shallow childish negative reviews.

### 5/5 — Outstanding

*2021-03-19, version 8.11*

Been playing twice a week remotely for a year. Occasional glitches when weather takes out the server but it's otherwise seamless. Of course, when playing the computer it beats me often, but I win my share. Some days I get the rolls and some days the computer does. Seems pretty fair to me.
It's the only backgammon game in the app store I have found that is not full of nagging and extra cr?p. If you just want to learn/play backgammon, this is the one.

### 1/5 — I had hoped he had learned

*2021-03-15, version 8.10*

An update. I do play this occasionally. The new update took away my purchase. Buyer beware!

——————-

Back when I first played this on my Mac, it always rolled to put you off, 17 times out of 20 or so. 9 times out of 10 it played first.

The lite version seemed to be better, so I was trusting and bought this.. That was a mistake.

I purposely left a piece alone, just to see what happened. The game rolled what it needed to put me off 16 times in a row. I have played first twice in the last 20 games.

The game cheats. That is the only sensible answer.

### 1/5 — Lost my purchase

*2021-03-15, version 8.10*

I bought the paid version sometime last year and today the game is telling me that I’m playing the lite version!! Why?

### 1/5 — Broken after latest update (March 12 2021)

*2021-03-15, version 8.10*

Enjoyed playing backgammon/acey duecy in the app for years (and not the lite version).  Now app tells me the options are only available in the full version, but the App Store shows that I have the full version and doesn’t give me an option to pay for it even if I was willing to pay.  I can’t restore a previous purchase either since it won’t show any settings/options inside the app. This app needs to be fixed.

### 3/5 — Pick White

*2020-10-02, version 8.8*

I never play against the computer so I don’t have to deal with the issues I’m reading about the computer cheating. I purchased this game to play against friends remotely and it works fairly well remotely. My only issue and it sounds like I’m the only one that has this issue. More times than not the player who picks white statistically over multiple games gets the better rolls. At first I thought okay the person I’m playing for lucky a few times and got the perfect rolls right when they needed them. But it was happening too often. Not every time but more times than not. Finally I started keeping track of the doubles and acey deucy rolls and it’s about 30-70 and I played different friends about 100 times. I didn’t get this to play the computer only to play friends remotely. I know there can be a certain amount of luck to a game I just want to feel it’s more of a random roll and that isn’t the case. I still give it 3 stars.

### 1/5 — I wish i hadn’t paid for this game

*2020-06-01, version 8.7*

It is “absolute” alright. Absolute cheating ripoff. Unless your masochistic and love getting beat, choose a different game. This is not my 1st rodeo and based on my win/loose record, i am very good in both acey ducey and Backgammon and went through training in the Navy with our squadron spending 6 months in Adak, Alaska with nothing to do in our off time except these two games and players always had an audience of critics. You learn fast ... plus I’ve been playing and teaching others for over 50 years. 
In this”game” the computer ALWAYS get the numbers it needs and you never will. There are FAR fairer Backgammon games out there with random rolls. There are reviews on this that state the opposite but I’m sure friends of the builder or paid. DON’T WAIST YOUR MONEY ON THIS ONE (unless the builder can make it fair)

## Frequently asked questions about Absolute Backgammon

### What is Absolute Backgammon?

Absolute Backgammon is a digital version of the classic board game backgammon and its variant, acey deucey. It offers a full-featured gaming experience with various play options and settings.

### How can I play Absolute Backgammon?

You can play against a computer opponent with five different skill levels, against another person on the same device, or against someone on a different device using Bluetooth. There is also a beta feature for playing against friends over the internet.

### Is Absolute Backgammon free to play?

Yes, the application is available for free. There are no advertisements or in-app purchases mentioned, indicating a completely free gaming experience.

### What devices is Absolute Backgammon compatible with?

The app works on iPads and iPhones starting from the iPhone 5 up to the latest iPhone models. It requires iOS 8.0 or later.

### What are some of the key features of Absolute Backgammon?

Key features include playing both backgammon and acey deucey, multiple opponent options, 5 AI skill levels, game statistics, move suggestions, doubling cube advice, and the ability to save games to finish later.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 8.23 — 2023-02-24

• made several changes to the game server code

### 8.22 — 2022-11-15

• selecting Remote/Nearby would cause the app to lockup. Fixed.

### 8.21 — 2022-11-07

• with iOS 16, settings were not preserved if the app was quit. Fixed.
• default sound volume was too high on newer phones. Default is now lower.

### 8.20 — 2022-10-21

• made changes for compatibility with iOS 16.
• sound and speech might not work on some models of iPhone with iOS 16 installed
• many changes to improve appearance on more iPhone models
• starting a new Match could cause the app to crash on some iPhone models. Fixed.

### 8.19 — 2022-06-18

• fixed several user interface problems for newer model devices (mostly iPhones)
• 1-2 rolls were added twice in Acey Deucey - fixed
• several other minor improvements and fixes

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## More apps by David Byrum

- [Absolute Backgammon Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absolute-backgammon-lite/id957916077)

All apps by David Byrum: https://appshunter.io/developer/491547178

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*