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BGonline.org Forums
agree except for one thing
Posted By: phil simborg In Response To: Imagine something like this.... (DanielP)
Date: Tuesday, 4 March 2014, at 1:49 p.m.
Wonderfully put, and scenarios like this have happened more than we know...that bitter feeling is not just something that a newcomer feels, but also people who have been the victim of scenarios like this. I could add may things like this to the list that have happened, like accidentally picking up your dice to move them a little to make room for a checker play and losing your turn as a result--how nasty is that!
My only disagreement is your last statement. I have a profound respect for the rules, as do many others, and if you sit down at a tournament, whether you like the rules or not you have agreed to play by those rules. I expect to be penalized if I make an infraction, even if it is a rule I don't like. I play by the rules and expect nor ask any mercy from my opponent. And I expect my opponent to follow the rules as well. When NLM are the rule, as they have been in the ABT for many years, the rules say that I am supposed to play to win, and part of that, with those rules, means that I get to choose when my opponent makes an illegal move and picks up his dice; I get to choose if he fast-rolls me (a rule I like); I get a penalty point if he is late (which I like); I win the match if his clock runs out (Rory and I recently lost a doubles match when that happened and when it did, instantly shook our opponents hands). You play by the rules, and if you don't like them, you either don't come or you do what I have been doing for 25 years--you try to convince people to change rules that are not good for the game.
I do not blame anyone or consider anyone to be a bad sport for playing by and imposing the rules.
Now, having said that, in side events when I am playing other than experienced, Open level players, I have NEVER imposed any of these horrible rules on a less-than-open level player, and when they make a mistake, I make it a point to let them know about the terrible rules the tournament is using and warn them that others might impose the rules if they make that mistake in the future.
But when I sit down with an Open level player, with years of experience, I expect him to know and play by the rules. I respect people like Neil and you who disagree and believe it is poor sportsmanship to hurt someone by taking advantage of the rules, but I believe it is not respectful to the rules and the game not to play by the rules. I don't think players should be able to pick and choose what rules they decide to follow. If you "cut someone slack" on the illegal moves, where do you draw the line?
Now, having said that, for some strange reason, which I have been thankful for, most of the current U.S. TD's believe it is fine if both players agree to play Legal moves in an ABT event. So I ask every opponent if he will do this, and that solves my problem WITH THAT OPPONENT when he agrees. It also solves any feelings of ethical issue when he does not agree--I gave him the chance to have a friendlier, nicer, "un-draconian" game, and if he turns that down, fine. I will be extra careful, watch my and his moves closely, and play strictly by the rules. I don't enjoy the match as much, but I respect his right to choose.
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