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My Three Stories - Rule 5.6

Posted By: Daniel Murphy
Date: Friday, 14 March 2014, at 3:55 p.m.

In Response To: My Three Stories (Casper Van der Tak)

ABT Rule 5.6 DEAD CUBE is one of two dead cube rules. The other is 5.5 CRAWFORD RULE which says that the cube shall be removed in the Crawford game. The ABT version of 5.5 does not, as some other rules sets do, specify that cube actions in the Crawford game are null, but that's how it's interpreted by all ABT directors, as far as I know.

5.6 DEAD CUBE. When the cube level is high enough to ensure that the match will end with the current game, that game shall be played to conclusion at the present cube level.

As written this rule does not prevent leader from making a double from which he cannot benefit, for example redoubling to 4 leading 2-away 8-away.

Nor, I might add, does it give the trailing opponent an option whether to allow the leader's foolish double to stand; The double, however foolish, is legal. Personally, I'm completely unpersuaded by arguments claiming that the trailer who allows the leader to retract such foolish doubles is a "good sport" while the trailer who takes the foolish double (and redoubles) is not. And vice versa.

The rules might be rewritten, perhaps as follows:

5.2 CUBE SETUP. Both players shall take care that each game (except the Crawford game) begins with the cube centered at 1 (or "64"), except the "Crawford Game" (the game after the game in which one player reaches one point from victory), for which the cube shall be removed from the board. Should If a dispute arises, the current position and level of the cube will may influence the Director's ruling.

5.5 CRAWFORD RULE. When either player reaches one point from victory, the next game (the “Crawford game”) shall be played to conclusion with a cube value of 1. The cube shall be removed from the board during the Crawford game. DEAD CUBE. The cube is dead (a) when the player on roll will win the match by winning a single game (gammon and backgammon bonuses not counting) at the current cube value; (b) in the Crawford Game.

A double or redouble of a dead cube is illegal and null. Both players and the Tournament Director or a monitor appointed by the Tournament Director shall correct a double or redouble of a dead cube as soon as any of them notices the error, as follows:

(a) If the game is in progress, the game shall continue with the cube value prior to the illegal double or redouble. (b) If the game has been completed, but the next game has not been completed, the scorecards of the players shall be corrected so that the point totals equal the number of points that would have been correct without the illegal double or redouble. (c) If the game in which the double was made was the last game of the match, the scorecards of the players shall be corrected so that the point totals equals the number of points that would have been correct without the illegal double and the match is resumed.

5.6 DEAD CUBE. When the cube level is high enough to ensure that the match will end with the current game, that game shall be played to conclusion at the present cube level.