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BGonline.org Forums
30 second penalty for fast grabbing
Posted By: Henrik Bukkjaer In Response To: 30 second penalty for fast grabbing (Daniel Murphy)
Date: Monday, 7 November 2011, at 1:19 a.m.
Hi, interesting discussion :-)
Let me explain how the rule came about, and why it is as it is.
DBgF introduced clock preference in the elite division and several tournaments (top flight) back in the nineties. Back then, clock play was conducted using analog clocks, with 5 minutes/point + 10 minutes, and a 2 point penalty given the first time you reached 0:00. Both players were then granted 5 minutes of additional time, and subsequent times you ran out, the penalty was 1 point.
With those rules in play, it quickly turned out, that your playing speed was not that important, as long as you had more time left than your opponent. Without a delay any second saved was an additional second in the bank. If you simply played your forced and obvious moves within say 5-7 seconds consistently, you could gain some time on most of your opponents, virtually guaranteeing that you yourself, would never run into time trouble.
The advantage of "fast grabbing" was obvious.
And without a penalty in the initial rule appendix for clock play, it turned out to be something that was seen on several occasions (with the purpose of gaining time).
So, when (in 2000) we re-wrote the entire DBgF rulebook from scratch, integrating rules for clock-play, we wanted to put in a penalty that would effectively end the "fast grabbing" problem. It should be harsh enough to refrain people from trying to get an advantage this way, but not so harsh that it would affect the game in any other way (eg. changing the dice rolls, etc.). It should be simple and easy to implement (remember, it was analog clocks).
Therefore, we decided on a 30 second penalty.
Once introduced, the problem of deliberate fast grabbing was solved. [And as you note Daniel, the penalty was very rarely given, it's existence alone killed the urge to cheat].
Now, many years later, we get Bronstein clocks (or in some cases clocks with a "per move" delay).
What happens then? 1) Fast grabbing no longer gives as big an advantage to the player (due to the 12 second delay). 2) 30 seconds of your bank time is about 2.7 - 3.5 times as harsh a penalty (since you are now at only 2 minutes/point). 3) The penalty can end the game, not just give your opponent 2 points. ..so all in all: less incentive to cheat, and more harsh punishment.
I pushed for a rule update to align, but it took a decisive ruling at the Nordic Open 2009 to get the ball rolling: A player with only 11 seconds left on his clock was penalized 30 seconds for fast grabbing and lost his match accordingly. He was in agreement regarding his infringement of the rules, and the penalty given, thus he did not contest the tournament director's ruling, asking for a committee.
However, we did adjust the rules following this incident, adding that: 1) The first time you fast grab, you cannot be penalized, but will received a warning. 2) On following occasions you are dealt a 30 second penalty, but you can not loose the match as a consequence of this penalty, thus if your bank-time before the penalty was between 1 and 30 seconds, it is set to 1 second. 3) If you bank-time has been set to 1 second and you fast grab, you will loose the match.
Eg. it will take at least 3 fast grabs before you loose the match (due to fast grab penalty).
This update rule was in effect at the Nordic Open 2010.
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Someone suggested that the rule also applied in the situation where a player pick up the dice.
The DBgF rules have always stated that if you pick up the dice AND hit the plunger to start your opponents time, the opponent is allowed to stop the clock and play his next turn (considering a double and/or shake, roll and move).
The reasoning for this difference follows:
A) Fast grabbing gives the player a time advantage, thus he gains from it. The penalty is to remove some time from the player. B) Picking up the dice and starting the other player's time, takes away some time from the opponent. Thus the "penalty" is to allow the opponent more time.
The "type" of the penalty given, matches the "type" of the advantage gained.
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