BGonline.org Forums

Fair Online and Computer Gameclock Settings

Posted By: Rick Janowski
Date: Saturday, 2 January 2016, at 2:55 p.m.

I would be very interested to know readers’ views on appropriate settings for ONLINE or COMPUTER clock settings.

Let us assume that we are trying to compare with the normal LIVE settings of 2 mins per game bank time plus 12 secs delay per move. As the internet player does not need to pick up the dice and then roll (with the possibility of cocked dice), it seems to me that the 12 second value should be reduced significantly, perhaps to 8 seconds.

Moreover, in ONLINE or COMPUTER backgammon shuffling checkers is made far quicker and easier than in LIVE backgammon because of the convenient “move undo” button without thought or discussion about the legality of the final move. I think this needs to be factored in, ideally by reducing the bank time by some incremental time, for each shuffle made, say by 4 seconds. If the programs do not allow this feature (which they probably don’t) then there would need to be some further notional deduction in the delay time or bank time for both players, which unfortunately wouldn’t discriminate against which player shuffled the most.

I hasten to add that this does not relate in any way to the BMAB policy that all rated matches must be live, clocked and videoed.

Messages In This Thread

• Fair Online and Computer Gameclock Settings
  Rick Janowski -- Saturday, 2 January 2016, at 2:55 p.m.
  • Fair Online and Computer Gameclock Settings
    Bob Koca -- Saturday, 2 January 2016, at 7:31 p.m.