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BGonline.org Forums
New Rules in LA--What is the verdict?
Posted By: Daniel Murphy In Response To: New Rules in LA--What is the verdict? (Phil Simborg)
Date: Tuesday, 11 June 2013, at 12:16 a.m.
About this:
Twice during this tournament my opponent hit the clock when he thought I had a closed board and didn't have a turn to roll. I LOVED that I was obligated to tell him to take his turn. With non-legal moves, I would have had the old ethical dilemma of whether or not to "be a nice guy" and let him roll, or be true to my responsibilities to do my best within the rules to win and take advantage of my opponent's mistakes.
I don't think that's a good example of an improved rules set.
The question that arose in those two situations was: what happens when one player, on roll, with legal moves possible in accordance with one or more dice rolls, hits the clock instead of rolling?
And actually, your "Tournament Backgammon Rules and Standards Guide" as of June 2013 don't address that situation (neither do the ABT or WBA rules sets). With any of these rules sets, the governing guideline is not an explicit rule but one of the "commonly accepted rules of backgammon," namely:
that when it is your turn you must roll (or double) if you have the possibility of a legal play, and may not pass your turn.Everyone know you cannot pass your turn, but none of the rules sets specifically address the question of what happens when a player does, either intentionally or (with a clock in use) inadvertently.
Seems to me there are three possible rulings: (1) that the player's action is a procedural error tantamount to an illegal play that the opponent can condone. Or (2) that the player's action is a procedural error that violates the standard that a player may not pass his turn, and cannot be permitted to stand. Or (3) that the player's action is a procedural error tantamount to an illegal play that opponent cannot condone and must correct.
The outcomes of rulings (2) and (3) are identical and, I think, preferable to (1). But it doesn't seem to me that the outcome has anything to do with "legal moves" as such (since one can make ruling (2) with just as much authority as ruling (3)), or with the "Tournament Backgammon Rules and Standards Guide," since those rules do not say anything about the situation.
(ABT Clock Rules, but not the TBRSG, do specify (3.4) that a player "with no legal moves is not required to roll the dice," but that doesn't address the question of a player who has legal moves but does not roll before hitting the clock.)
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