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USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule

Posted By: Marty Storer
Date: Monday, 10 October 2016, at 8:36 p.m.

In Response To: USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (Ken Larsen)

I know a very, very well-respected player who once stated in my presence that he prefers to play moving clockwise (e.g. as X in Magriel's book) because he gets extra equity from opponents' steaming when rolling cocked on top of checkers during bearoffs. The home boards are on the opponent's right, so the opponent will roll dice on top of checkers in bearoffs with greater frequency.

There's something to that. Certain players will steam a bit because of "Oh dang, those cocked boxcars don't count." Especially if steaming already. Also the bearing-off-on-the-right player will lose some seconds on the clock compared to the first player.

The new rule, that a roll on top of checkers is valid, eliminates such edges. I would call them cheap edges.

You may say in the long run everyone will play in a given direction with 50% frequency, so it all comes out in the wash. But the short run is important, too. How would you like to lose thinking time in the finals of a big tournament? To the objection that "Nobody should ever be in time trouble," pish, tush, and twaddle. People get into time trouble occasionally, even me. I know an experienced player who lost on time in a late round of a big tournament.

Also, many players won't realize that they have a slight disadvantage in playing counterclockwise, even if they don't steam about dice on top of checkers. So they may not get their long-run projected 50% clockwise and 50% CCW.

I believe the new rule is commendably in the spirit of backgammon as a mind-sport.

Messages In This Thread

• USBGF Rules
  Bill Riles -- Thursday, 6 October 2016, at 9:53 p.m.
  • USBGF Rules
    Art Grater -- Thursday, 6 October 2016, at 11:45 p.m.
  • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
    Ken Larsen -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 9:02 a.m.
    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
      Stick -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 9:36 a.m.
      • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
        Mike Clapsadle -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 12:39 p.m.
        • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
          Casper Van der Tak -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 1:55 p.m.
          • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
            neilkaz -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:25 a.m.
      • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
        Bill Riles -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 1:44 p.m.
        • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
          Bob Koca -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 5:38 p.m.
          • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
            Bill Riles -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 8:57 p.m.
    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
      Bill Riles -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 1:17 p.m.
      • Commenting on the rules
        Bob Koca -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 1:37 p.m.
        • Commenting on the rules
          Taper_Mike -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 4:02 p.m.
        • Commenting on the rules
          Art Grater -- Friday, 7 October 2016, at 7:22 p.m.
          • Commenting on the rules
            Marcel Jochem -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 9:25 a.m.
            • Commenting on the rules
              Art Grater -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 6:54 p.m.
      • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
        Ken Larsen -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 2:03 p.m.
        • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
          Seth -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 4:21 p.m.
          • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
            neilkaz -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:24 a.m.
    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
      Ken Larsen -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 4:29 p.m.
      • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
        Dorn Bishop -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 10:03 p.m.
        • One Clarification
          Dorn Bishop -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 10:13 p.m.
        • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
          Ken Larsen -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 11:23 p.m.
          • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
            Stick -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 12:24 a.m.
      • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
        neilkaz -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:21 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
          Ken Larsen -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 3:05 a.m.
          • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
            neilkaz -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 3:21 a.m.
          • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
            Bill Riles -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 4:25 a.m.
            • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
              Ken Larsen -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 11:48 a.m.
              • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
                Bill Riles -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:54 p.m.
                • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
                  Ken Larsen -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 5:08 p.m.
                  • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
                    Tom Keith -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 6:46 p.m.
                    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
                      Ken Larsen -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 7:03 p.m.
                  • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
                    neilkaz -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 7:46 p.m.
                    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule (pictures)
                      Colin Owen -- Tuesday, 11 October 2016, at 12:53 p.m.
    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a great step forward
      neilkaz -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:35 a.m.
    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
      Joe Russell -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:52 a.m.
    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
      Marty Storer -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 8:36 p.m.
    • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
      willballard -- Tuesday, 11 October 2016, at 3:28 a.m.
      • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
        Marty Storer -- Tuesday, 11 October 2016, at 6:02 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules - permitting dice to land on checkers is a bad rule
          willballard -- Tuesday, 11 October 2016, at 12:34 p.m.
  • USBGF Rules--My take
    Phil Simborg -- Saturday, 8 October 2016, at 4:45 a.m.
    • USBGF Rules--My take
      Art Grater -- Wednesday, 19 October 2016, at 3:54 a.m.
      • USBGF Rules--My take (Why rules should be standardized worldwide)
        Ken Larsen -- Wednesday, 19 October 2016, at 6:59 a.m.
      • USBGF Rules--My take--answering Art's question
        Phil Simborg -- Wednesday, 19 October 2016, at 7:30 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules--My take--answering Art's question
          Timothy Chow -- Wednesday, 19 October 2016, at 2:21 p.m.
          • About "changing" the rules of the game--clarification and recommendation
            Phil Simborg -- Wednesday, 19 October 2016, at 3:17 p.m.
  • USBGF Rules
    Albert Steg -- Saturday, 8 October 2016, at 10:34 a.m.
    • USBGF Rules
      Art Grater -- Saturday, 8 October 2016, at 6:49 p.m.
  • USBGF Rules - Here is a link to them
    Kevin Finch -- Saturday, 8 October 2016, at 4:15 p.m.
    • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
      Ken Larsen -- Saturday, 8 October 2016, at 6:29 p.m.
      • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
        Albert Steg -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 12:33 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
          Marty Storer -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 8:43 p.m.
      • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
        Bill Riles -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 1:23 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
          Bob Koca -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 3:13 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
          Art Grater -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 4:57 a.m.
          • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
            Dorn Bishop -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 5:21 a.m.
            • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
              Art Grater -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 8:10 a.m.
            • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
              Art Grater -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 8:59 a.m.
              • Elected officials
                Bob Koca -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 2:33 p.m.
                • Elected officials
                  mfic -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 6:54 p.m.
                  • Elected officials
                    Bob Koca -- Wednesday, 12 October 2016, at 12:41 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules - We need worldwide consistency
          Ken Larsen -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 7:26 a.m.
          • USBGF Rules - We need worldwide consistency
            Casper Van der Tak -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 9:07 a.m.
          • USBGF Rules - We need worldwide consistency
            neilkaz -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:28 a.m.
        • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
          Chris Haviland -- Tuesday, 18 October 2016, at 6:19 p.m.
      • USBGF Rules - Valid roll issue
        Joe Russell -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:48 a.m.
      • Ignore below, wrong section of thread! *NM*
        Joe Russell -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 2:54 a.m.
  • USBGF Rules
    Michael Mesich -- Saturday, 8 October 2016, at 9:57 p.m.
  • USBGF Rules-End of turn
    Kevin McDonough -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 7:06 p.m.
    • USBGF Rules-End of turn
      Dorn Bishop -- Sunday, 9 October 2016, at 9:23 p.m.
      • USBGF Rules-End of turn
        MishyPoo -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 1:44 a.m.
      • USBGF Rules-End of turn
        Michael Mesich -- Monday, 10 October 2016, at 3:02 a.m.
  • USBGF Rules
    Barry Silliman -- Wednesday, 12 October 2016, at 9:42 p.m.