5.1.1 Getting checker play hints while playing

If you want to get a hint of the best move or the best cube action press the Hint button in the tool bar or the menu option Analyze->Hint. This will open a hint window.

The hint window

[[hintwindow.png]]

This Hint window shows a list of all possible moves for the position and dice roll. The different moves are sorted by how GNU Backgammon ranks each move; there is one move on each line in the list. The rest of the numbers may look a bit complicated and cryptic but, once you learn what each number means, it isn't really that bad.

1. Rank is the number that shows GNU Backgammon's rank of the move. All moves evaluated at a given ply are ranked above those evaluated at a lesser ply. If you use the 0, 1, 2, etc, buttons below the hint list to re-evaluate one or more moves, the moves will be moved accordingly. Therefore, for accurate results when re-evaluating a move that you are interested in, it is usually best to re-evaluate all moves above it in the list. (And slipping with the mouse and re-evaluating, e.g., a 3-ply move at 2-ply may make the move disappear down to the bottom of the list!)
2. Type is a description of the evaluation that was used to calculate the results. Cubeful means that it is taking into account the possibility that someone may double. Occasionally you may see several moves with the equity of -1.000, (See Equity below), despite significantly different winning percentiles. This is because it thinks that if any of these moves are played then the opponent will double and you should pass. The n-ply is the depth to which GNU Backgammon analyzed the move.
3. Win is the fractions of games that GNU Backgammon thinks will be won by a single game, gammon or backgammon.
4. Wg is the fractions of games that GNU Backgammon thinks will be won by a gammon or backgammon.
5. Wbg is the fractions of games that GNU Backgammon thinks will be won by a backgammon.
6. Loose is the fractions of games that GNU Backgammon thinks will be lost by a single game, gammon or backgammon. (Notice that this number is equal to 1 - Win)
7. Lg is the fractions of games that GNU Backgammon thinks will be lost by a gammon or backgammon.
8. Lbg is the fractions of games that GNU Backgammon thinks will be lost by a backgammon.
9. Equity is the overall evaluation of the position by the program, after considering the different win/loss percentiles, the cube position, and the match score. A 1.000 would mean that you are expected to win a point, a 0.000 would mean that it is roughly equal, and a -1.000 that you are expected to lose a point. When the evaluation is cubeful this number is not computable by the win/loss brake down of the previous columns.
10. Diff. is the difference in equity, perceived in comparison to the top ranked move.
11. Move is the move being evaluated. In the case of a red line, it is the move that was played.