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BGonline.org Forums
USBGF Rules
Posted By: Bill Riles
Date: Thursday, 6 October 2016, at 9:53 p.m.
U.S. Backgammon Federation USBGF Tournament Rules for Live and Online Play Immediate Implementation Recommended USBGF Tournament Rules
Bill Riles, USBGF President and Executive Director:
It has long been my personal objective, and has become an objective of the USBGF, to establish a common set of rules for play throughout the United States. We have achieved that goal. We think it requisite that players experience consistent rules at all tournaments. We trust that all players and tournament directors share this goal and will join us in this step forward for organized backgammon in the United States.
I think it critically important for the growth and promotion of the game that everyone plays by a single set of rules. No single set of rules will ever completely satisfy anyone or everyone -- each of us will have to make some compromises to satisfy our own preferences. I have. I fully endorse the decision of the USBGF Board of Directors.
We will listen to constructive input, however, players and directors should first use and experience the new rules before forming opinions and reaching conclusions. We don't assume the rules are perfect or comprehensive in every potentiality, however, they represent, in our opinion, best practice in all areas of play and direction. We will assess member and director feedback; and will periodically review, and potentially amend, the rules as appropriate.
Dorn Bishop, Member USBGF Board of Directors and Chairman USBGF Rules and Ethics Committee:
On September 22, 2016, the USBGF Board of Directors unanimously adopted its first set of comprehensive Tournament Rules for live and online play in all USBGF events. A complete copy of the Rules can be found here: USBGF Tournament Rules.
The Rules represent a significant milestone for our organization and we encourage their prompt implementation at all levels of play. The Rules strive to strike a balance between the importance of tradition and generally-accepted practices, and the value of moving the game forward to reflect the advent of game clocks and other features of the modern era.
Several features of the new Rules are worthy of note, including the following:
USBGF endorsement for game clocks and the use of two dice instead of four for all tournament matches;
Allowing dice landing on checkers to constitute a valid roll, a development that will both accelerate the completion of matches and will protect the player rolling in his or her home board from otherwise lost game clock time;
Approval of a “legal moves” rule for all tournament play, in a slightly modified format from the “legal moves” rule first adopted by the Board in 2014;
Separate rules to address distinct aspects of online tournament play; Specific provisions to address errors in game clock management, scoring, and the shuffling of checkers.
We hope you will agree that these Rules constitute a very comprehensive, clear, and equitable set of tournament rules. They draw upon the best features of previous rule sets, including those of other countries’ backgammon federations, and address additional factual situations. At the same time, no set of rules can account for every possible situation, nor should they. Ultimate responsibility for handling specific factual situations must rest in the sound discretion of tournament directors, and these Rules repeatedly emphasize that important principle. The Board of Directors will periodically review these Tournament Rules, and welcomes feedback from its members and tournament directors based on your experience with these Rules at future events.
USBGF Board of Directors:
Finally, the Board wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation to Rules & Ethics Committee Chairman Dorn Bishop and the other members of his committee -- Patrick Gibson, Neil Kazaross, Kit Woolsey, and Chuck Bower – for their hard work during the past two years in helping to bring this significant project to fruition.
Cordially,
Bill Riles President and Executive Director U.S. Backgammon Federation
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