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WBGT - new tournament rules set for 2010

Posted By: Daniel Murphy
Date: Wednesday, 2 June 2010, at 6:46 p.m.

WBGT (World Backgammon Tour) rules, v. 1.1, February 2010

The WBGT -- I read on its website -- sanctions a number of tournaments (six in 2010, is a creation of Chiva Tafazzoli (World Backgammon Association - WBA) and Steen Gronbech (Danish Backgammon Federation - DBgF), and operates in cooperation with the Japanese Backgammon League (JBL), the Swedish Backgammon Federation (SBGF) and Backgammon in London (Mike Main).

Overall, I think this is an excellent rules set. ABT directors might consider adopting it as is. USBGT rules committee members might do the same, instead of reinventing the wheel.

Some points worth noting:

(1) Source. Based on the DBgF rules (in Danish), v.3, August 2007.

An excellent start.

(2) Time control. Bronstein 2 minutes + 12 seconds.

Same as DBgF rule.

(3) Match recording. "Notation and filming. The tournament director can, on his or her own initiative, or at the request of a player, appoint a third party to record the match."

Same as DBgF rule. The heading is "notation and filming" but the language doesn't quite address filming. The right (if any) of a player to record (or have recorded) his own match, or the right (if any) of a player to object to his opponent desire to record (or have recorded) the match are not addressed specifically. Apparently it's left up to the director.

(4) Premature rolls. "In general. If a player rolls the dice before the opponent has finished his or her turn, the roll may only be rerolled if the opponent demands so."

I believe all the major rules sets are now in agreement on this point.

(5) Illegal moves. "If an illegal move is noticed before the opponent has rolled his dice it must be corrected. Only the two players and tournament officials are allowed to point out an illegal move."

This is a change from the DBgF rule, which gives opponent the option of allowing an illegal play to stand or requiring that it be replayed. Both players are obligated to correct an illegal move before the next player rolls.

If no correction is made before the next player roll, the illegal play apparently stands.

I would like to see language added explictly mentioning the case where a player mistakenly puts his own checker on the bar. This can occur either when the player is bearing off, or when he hits an opposing checker. In both cases the ruling I would like to see applied uniformly is that the checkers are deemed to be where they were supposed to be placed -- no "put your own checkers on the bar? So sorry I didn't notice, but I've already rolled," etc. -- and corrections not limited by the "next player has rolled" boundary.

About this case, some people feel strongly one way or the other -- that the play should (be allowed to) stand (if illegal moves are allowed), or the play should not be permitted. A third opinion, which I really have no sympathy for, is that "the rules allow a player to do A, but a gentleman does B." If that's the case, there's something wrong with the rule. In any event, what is to be done in this particular case is vague in all rules sets, and since people (including TD's) feel strongly about it, I think it should be specifically addressed in the rules, and not avoided, or left up to a TD's pre-tournament announcement, or to an ad hoc tournament committee that might reasonably overrule the TD.

(6) Errors in the starting position. "If an error in the starting position is noticed after the player starting the game has commenced his second turn, the starting position is valid in spite of the error. Therefore a player starting with less than 15 checkers can still lose a gammon or backgammon. An error noticed before the player starting the game has commenced his second turn must be corrected in accordance with the correct starting position, if possible."

Same as DBgF rule. I'd interpret "commenced" as meaning "roll or double" and therefore if no more than two turns have been completed, the error must be corrected "if possible," otherwise the error stands.

(7) Moving checkers clearly. "Players may not, in an uncontrolled manner, move their checkers back and forth across the board in order to test new positions. Players are recommended to place the checkers at least 2 centimetres above the checker/checkers that are already in the intended point or on the edge of the board if the intended point is empty."

This verbiage is new with the WBGT rules.

(8) Rolling on the right. "If the opponent has given his or her permission, the dice may be rolled to the roller’s left of the bar. A player who has obtained permission to throw to the left of the bar may only throw to the right of the bar after notifying the opponent of this. Permission to throw to the left of the bar expires when such notice is made or when the game is played to the end."

Same as DBgF rule. Personally I don't care much, but if the usual requirement is going to be "roll on the right," I'd prefer a "roll on right, period, no exceptions, no permissions" rule.

(9) Illegal Crawford game doubles. "In the first game in which one of the players is exactly one point away from winning the match, neither of the players can use the doubling cube. If a player doubles in the Crawford game, the double is annulled in the following situations. 1) If the game is in progress. When a double is annulled in a game in progress, the game is continued without the use of the doubling cube. 2) If the game has ended, but the next game has not yet started. When a double is annulled between games the scorecards of the players are corrected so that the point totals equal the number of points that would have been correct without the use of the doubling cube. 3) If the game in which the double was made was the last game of the match. When a double is annulled after the end of the match the scorecards of the players are corrected so that the point totals equals the number of points that would have been correct without the use of the doubling cube and the match is resumed. The tournament director is obligated to intervene if he is informed that a Crawford game has been doubled so that the double can be annulled."

Same as DBgF rule.

(10) Gin positions in clocked games. "if the player whose time has run out is certain to win the match, no matter what is rolled in the remainder of the game, including an already rolled legal throw, the player is still declared the winner of the match."

Same as DBgF rule.