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Creative ideas wanted for Beginner's Tournament--offer help

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Monday, 20 March 2017, at 3:04 a.m.

In Response To: Creative ideas wanted for Beginner's Tournament (Chuck Bower)

I like Chuck's approach very much.

Now, if you start out with the premise that Novice players have entered the tournament to learn and have some fun, and most are afraid of a "real competition" because they know they don't know a lot about the game, then the idea is twofold:

1) To make it fun and not intimidating so they will enjoy the experience and continue playing backgammon, and

2) To help them learn something about the game along the way so that they will get more confidence to go to local clubs and play on line and play with friends and go to more tournaments.

So make the goal fun and educational...not about winning. Instead of prize money, give them all a good book for beginners (there are several and you can use the entry fee for that instead of prize money).

Also, invite some volunteers to help out. Pick a half dozen people who you know are decent at teaching and ask them, whenever they are not playing, to stop by the novice section and offer some help or suggestions or answer question, EVEN while people are playing (after the plays or if they players ask what they should have done).

Also, remember, beginners are not dedicated to the game the way seasoned tournament players are. I have heard many novices complain about having to play too long. Give them later starts, earlier finished, and lots of breaks. And again, before each session, invite them to a short lesson or lecture from me or anyone you like who volunteers to give them some coaching.

Fun, and learning. Not winning.

As for just playing regular backgammon and no special or extra side events, I see Koca's point...they wouldn't get bored with regular backgammon. But some of the variations I recommend will help them learn and understand the game if they are true novices....it depends on their level.

And that's something else you can do. Ask how many of them know how to use the doubling cube and have played enough to understand the basics of the game. If a few raise their hand, let them compete in Group A and play 3 point matches with the cube, round robin, and give a little nicer prize to the winner. And the rest, start them out slower in Group B.

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