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BGonline.org Forums
Regarding tournament rules: I have a dream!
Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Wednesday, 17 August 2016, at 8:59 p.m.
My dream is that some day tournament will have all or most of the following rules and policies:
One set of dice and clocks required (in lower division just allow greater clock time)
Baffle box option (if either player wants one, and it is available, it must be used)
Non-legal moves (surprised?) but provided we change many of the old rules that accompanied non-legal moves which made the game so unpleasant for so many of us;
Requirement that if you move a checker and it touches the other checkers on the point or is against the rail, you cannot move it back;
Recordings and streaming mandatory…if either party wants to record a match, or if the tournament director wants a particular match streamed, it must be allowed. (You are in a public place and you know these rules when you walk in the door, and streaming and recording are good for the game and many people enjoy it, so you must simply agree.)
Strict enforcement of all rules by the TD…no leniency for being late or breaking any of the rules.
Less money for the top 4 places and pay more places so that more people walk away with at least their entry fee back and something to show for their trouble and to encourage them to come back.
More points for more people…in fact, get points for every win so that again, more people walk away feeling they have accomplished something which again will encourage more people to come back.
Instead of begging people to donate to the streaming people and tournament staff, simply charge a high enough registration fee and take a little more out of the prize money to see that people are fairly compensated.
Lower the entry fees for all divisions so tournaments are more affordable for all, and offer more graduated side pools for those who can afford to and want to gamble more. Especially in the novice and intermediate divisions, the entry fees should be very low. (To ensure the TD gets enough fees to cover expenses, have an adequate registration fee instead of having to rake money from the prize pool.)
Except for special events and First place only, don't waste money on trophies. Instead, award useful prizes like backgammon books and software or gift certificates to buy backgammon supplies from Carol Cole or GV or P40 or whoever.
All tournaments would be approved and regulated by the Federation (either regional or international), and the tournament committee of the federation will give each tournament a rating based on how well the tournament is run, based on quality of the venue, hospitality, adherence to the rules and standards, giving the players a fair return on their cost, and making sure there are not too many overlapping events that hold up the tournament and require people to play at ungodly hours.
Obviously, not everyone agrees with me on all of these ideas, but many agree about many of these, and I hope to live long enough to see the day when most of these become the norm for tournament play.
How do rule changes and policies come about? First, by people like us talking about it; second, by talking about it with your Federation leaders and tournament directors.
Remember, every change, no matter how good, will have great opposition and resentment from those who were advocates of the status quo and those who feel "attacked" because you are saying, in effect, that you are not entirely happy with the way they are doing things now. I have been personally attacked and berated by these kinds of people for years, and I'm used to it, so don't waste your time telling me I don't love the game or I am trying to ruin the game advocating what I, and many other people, think would help improve and grow the game. If you want to attack the ideas, be my guest.
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