|
BGonline.org Forums
Backgammon Dice are NEVER precision dice--cheaters will cheat
Posted By: Phil Simborg In Response To: Backgammon Dice are NEVER precision dice (David Rennie)
Date: Thursday, 25 August 2016, at 4:43 a.m.
No matter what game you play, or what equipment you use, cheaters will find a way to cheat. That should not stop you from using the best equipment and rules for those who don't cheat, and at the same time, no matter what, learn the ways that cheaters can cheat and do what you can to stop them and catch them.
We all know there are many ways to cheat with dice, and it would be silly to say that a dice generator program cannot be rigged. There are ways to watch for and protect for both problems.
Fortunately, and I believe most will agree on this, in the world of tournament backgammon today there are very few cheaters, and the few bad actors that we are aware of are either banned or watched closely.
So yes, there is a cheating concern, and ways to watch for it. But what if the players are not cheaters? Then look at the options and consider what is better. Personally, I like playing with the dice and a baffle box, not to prevent cheating, but for all the other reasons. As for a dice generator, I am not sure at all...the jury is still out. I have to try it and I have to be convinced it is fair and improves the game. If it helps a seeing impaired person; if I am on an airplane or in a car and don't want to worry about tossing the dice; if the verbal calling of the dice helps people watching a streamed or recorded match, I might well prefer the dice generator.
No one is saying we should change the rules of the game and make everyone use a dice generator. We are saying that a good, free one will be available soon that will offer some advantages to some people and we might just like it if we try it.
In the meantime, we're still selling P40 boards with "precision" dice, even though we know they're not perfect, because we don't believe the imperfections are so bad they hurt the game, particularly in the short run, and particularly if the players have not tested their dice to see which numbers come up more. Yes, the cat is out of the bag, and you either have to start trusting your opponents in that regard or you need to do some of the other things to safeguard against cheaters....have someone else provide the dice, or each provide half the dice, or change the dice around a few times, or maybe, just maybe, you might like using the TD's electronic dice generator some day.
|
BGonline.org Forums is maintained by Stick with WebBBS 5.12.