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New Rules in LA--What is the verdict?

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Tuesday, 11 June 2013, at 3:57 p.m.

In Response To: New Rules in LA--What is the verdict? (Bill Riles)

Bill, like Ken, I have a major problem with this discussion, because I have to agree with you on most of your points. I hate arguing with someone I agree with, but I do have to admit that any argument with you is fun because even when you are completely full of you-know-what you always remain a gentleman and a truly nice guy.

Unlike you, I have had, and have seen many problems because of the rules, where even two very honest and knowledgeable people have problems simply because the rules are ambiguous and we even have TD's who rule differently and interpret the rules differently. So let's start with agreeing that we need good, fair, clear rules EVEN IF there are no jerks or cheaters.

Now, we can have an honest debate about what the best rules are. And let's say we can't completely agree on the baffle box rule or wording. Well, let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. That doesn't mean it's wrong to have better rules. It then becomes a question of what is "better." I can promise you that even I don't like several of the rules the way they are written, and NO ONE IN THE WORLD WILL EVER WRITE A SET OF RULES THAT EVERYONE WILL LIKE COMPLETELY.

So please, feel free to express your feelings against this rule or that rule, but let's not generalize and throw out the entire concept of the need to have less ambiguous and fairer rules. That is the only part where I think you and I have a disconnect.

As for the baffle box rule, I have already stated that as much as I love baffle boxes, so long as the other player rolls fairly and honestly, I would never dream of forcing him to use the box even if the rule allowed me to do that...I don't think that is a good rule. But again, I don't make the rules...I just help write them.

Who does "make" the rules? Right now, anyone who runs a tournament anywhere can make up any damn rules he likes. I think that is very bad for the game, and confusing, and dangerous.

Who should make the rules? They should be made the same way the rules are made in every other established game or sport...by a ruling body established and preferably approved democratically by the players of the game or sport.

Backgammon does not have such a ruling body, but I hope some day it will, and I hope it will be an international federation of federations. In the meantime, I believe they are working together to try to come to some agreement on the basic rules of the game. I am hoping they will consider at least some of the "improvements" and some of the concepts that Jeb and Chuck and I, with input from many others over many years, believe are beneficial.

When I wrote the rules of Handball (1965) and Racquetball (1981) and the standards for Ethics for the National Assn. or Realtors ( 1985) the rules were instantly "official" rules for those games and organizations because there was a ruling body. I had a committee and board of directors to approve the rules before they were adopted, and after they were presented we listened to many objections and people saying "If it ain't broke" and how much they hated to see some of the new rules and interpretations, and it took a while for them to be accepted by many. We also found that my rules were not perfect and we made several additions and revisions. This is how "good" rules and regulations evolve. You start with what you have, you try to improve it, you get lots of resistance, you listen and revise and improve, and you still will never get everyone to agree with you.

In backgammon, this process is much harder because of the lack of an official ruling body and because so many of the "leaders" in this game are so unbelievably resistant to change of any kind, particularly if the change is not made by them, personally.

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