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Etymology of "root number"

Posted By: Ray Kershaw
Date: Friday, 22 July 2011, at 6:02 a.m.

In Response To: Etymology of "root number" (Timothy Chow)

I think a root number is a number on either or both dice which plays particularly badly. There is a neat definition on Backgammon Galore !:

Root Number [Because you "root" for your opponent to roll one.] A dice roll that forces a position to collapse.

I think I first saw the term in Kent Goulding's Backgammon With The Champions.

Messages In This Thread

• Etymology of "root number"
  Timothy Chow -- Friday, 22 July 2011, at 3:49 a.m.
  • Etymology of "root number"
    Ray Kershaw -- Friday, 22 July 2011, at 6:02 a.m.
  • Etymology of "root number"
    Nack Ballard -- Friday, 22 July 2011, at 8:03 a.m.
    • Etymology of "root number"
      Timothy Chow -- Friday, 22 July 2011, at 5:42 p.m.
      • Etymology of "root number"
        Nack Ballard -- Friday, 22 July 2011, at 7:09 p.m.
    • Etymology of "root number"
      Steve Mellen -- Friday, 22 July 2011, at 7:17 p.m.
      • Etymology of "root number"
        Nack Ballard -- Saturday, 23 July 2011, at 12:12 a.m.