Shesh Besh (Beta)

The Look and Feel of Shesh Besh's Board

Shesh Besh (Beta) brings the ancient game of backgammon to your phone with a clean, oriental-themed interface. The wooden-look board, the soft click of counters moving, and the dice that tumble with a satisfying shake – it feels like a real tabletop session, not just a digital imitation. I’ve played digital backgammon before, but this one gets the tactile feedback right: you drag pieces, the app highlights legal moves, and the subtle animations don’t slow things down. The color palette is warm, not flashy, which helps during longer matches. No glaring ads interrupt the flow, which is rare for a free beta.

Facing the AI and Playing with Friends

The app offers three AI difficulty levels, but the jump from “Easy” to “Medium” is steeper than expected. On Easy, the AI often misses obvious hits – great for learning. On Hard, it blocks your home board aggressively, forcing you to think several moves ahead. That’s where the real challenge lies. You can also play locally with a friend on the same device, passing the phone back and forth. It works well, though the app doesn’t have an online matchmaking system yet – you’ll need to share a code or be in the same room. For a beta, the turn-based flow is smooth; I never experienced lag during local play.

Beta Limitations You Should Know

No app is perfect, and Shesh Besh (Beta) has its rough edges. There’s no undo button – if you misplace a checker, you’re stuck with the mistake. The sound effects are limited to a single dice roll and piece slide; I would have liked more ambient background sounds. On my three-year-old Android tablet, the board occasionally flickers when switching between portrait and landscape. The developer hasn’t added a rules tutorial either, so absolute beginners might need to look up backgammon basics elsewhere. These are honest shortcomings, but they don’t ruin the core experience – it’s still one of the most faithful backgammon adaptations I’ve tried on mobile.