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BGonline.org Forums
GridGammon Online Tournament of One-Point Nackgammon Matches
Posted By: Paul Weaver
Date: Sunday, 18 April 2010, at 5:26 p.m.
Stick mentioned that he plans to have a USA vs World team event in Vegas in November. He said he will invite Nack and Neil (among others) to play on the team. I suggested to Stick that one event should be a series of one-point nackgammon matches. Stick seemed receptive to the idea.
For those of you who have never played nackgammon, I will mention that you start with four checkers back: two on the 24pt, two on the 23pt, four on the midpoint, three on the 8pt and four and the 6pt.
Nackgammon is more a game of skill than backgammon. The games are longer, more complicated and more interesting. Roughly ten years ago, Walter Trice, Doug Roberts and I began playing nackgammon on GamesGrid. I did Snowie-3 truncated rollouts of the first and second roll positions. My backgammon checker play improved by leaps and bounds as a result of playing a lot of nackgammon and analyzing my matches. Walter, Dougie and I had a lot of fun playing and learning nackgammon together.
In an effort to stimulate interest in nackgammon, I am planning to conduct a tournament on GridGammon.
Several years ago, Othello Itikawa of Japan ran a tournament of something like the best 8 of 15 one-point nackgammon matches on GamesGrid. I welcome your feedback about whether it should be best 8 of 15, best 11 of 21, best 13 of 25 or best 16 of 31 one-point nackgammon matches.
No more than ten of the one-point matches will be played in one sitting, unless both players agree.
Unfortunately, Othello's tournament was won by the infamous online cheater Hank Youngerman. To read Dr. Douglas Zare's expose of Hank and Doug's analysis comparing Hank's game to Jellyfish's, click here: Doug Zare's analysis of Hank Youngerman's matches. I remember how proud Hank was to show me his trophy and tell me it was the only backgammon trophy he had ever won.
I would like to make the tournament open to everyone (except Hank) regardless of rating. However, one problem with online tournaments is that some entrants play at an excruciatingly slow pace. This turns off some strong players and prevents them from participating.
Years ago, I played in an online backgammon tournament (run by Hank) and hated the experience because my opponent was so unreasonably slow. An online tournament, like a live tournament, can be turned into a nightmare when you have a slow opponent. I am determined to address and solve this problem.
I have some ideas about eliminating slow play and slow players. I welcome your feedback. Here are my ideas: The tournament will have two sections, one for fast players and one for slow players. The tournament for fast players will be held first. If slow players enter the fast players' section, they will be politely withdrawn and moved to the slow players' section.
Players in the fast section will be expected to make the vast majority of their moves within seven seconds and never take more than twenty seconds. If you feel your opponent is playing too slowly, give her or him a polite warning. If the player still plays too slowly, ask me to monitor the match. If I am not available, stop play immediately (even in the middle of a game) and resume when I am available.
I will not tolerate a slow player spoiling the tournament for the rest of us.
In order to enter the fast section, you must have played at least 25 games of one-point nackgammon and affirm (1) that you understand the time constraints and (2) that agree to abide by them.
The format and rules of this tournament (including how much time should be allowed per move) are open to discussion. I welcome your suggestions and feedback.
Please let me know if you would be interested in playing in this event. I plan to call it the "Othello Cup," in honor of Othello, who conducted the first online nackgammon event.
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