Winning and Losing Streaks

Like in any game, winning and losing streaks are normal, natural and expected in backgammon. Streaks happen to everyone who plays a lot of backgammon on any internet server or against flesh-and-blood opponents. Streaks affect bad players, average players, and good players. Any player who plays with any frequency is bound to experience them.

On FIBS even the best players can see their ratings go up and down by swings of 100 or more points. Even bots such as Yabe, a computer program that always plays the same above average (but not great) game, are subject to streaks. For example, Yabe was rated 1900 two days ago, then was down to 1740 yesterday, now is heading back up. Bots play a lot, so they can win or lose a lot of points quickly, but that's still a swing of 160 points in just two days' worth of 1-point matches.

Many backgammon players agree that there is something about playing against a computer or on an internet server that's different from playing in real life, and that's that the unlucky rolls and losing streaks are more noticeable.

This might be because players see the result in their rating after every match. Maybe because the dice aren't tangible objects in the player's control but RNGs. Maybe it's because the pace is faster, and the player isn't sitting across from a flesh-and-blood opponent whose every movement they can observe. Or maybe it's because people tend to blame their losing streaks on bad dice, and credit their skill for their winning streaks.

There are two ways players typically handle a losing streak. The first is keep you cool and maintain your confidence and not allow the unlucky streak to bother you.

The second, and more common, reaction to a losing streak is that you allow it to bother you. You blame the dice. You don't wonder if perhaps you're not playing as well as you could. You start questioning your own judgment and become fearful of making the best plays and cube decisions. You play worsens when you're losing. As a result, you lose more, which continues the losing streak.

During winning streaks players tend to become more confident. They don't play like you're afraid to lose. They make the right plays and the right cube decisions. As a result they win more and the winning streak lasts longer. However, one shouldn't succumb to hubris and start playing sloppy simply because they're "on fire".