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BGonline.org Forums
Legal Moves (Re: Non-gin positions)
Posted By: Phil Simborg In Response To: Legal Moves (Re: Non-gin positions) (Chris Knapp)
Date: Saturday, 10 September 2011, at 7:13 a.m.
I believe it's clear from the comments in this thread that even intelligent, experienced, well-intended people interpret the current rules differently, and that, to me, proves that the rules are not adequately written. Having said that, I don't believe anyone has adequately stated what the rules "should be" relative to resigning games, gammons, or matches, whether the resignation is appropriate or not.
In my opinion, if a player says that he resigns a game, gammon, or match, it's a done-deal. Even if he can still win. If he's made a mistake, too bad...we don't allow players to take back other mistakes he might make. In any game or sport, if you do something stupid, you suffer the consequences. In my opinion, in a gentleman's game, your word and your comments should be binding. If you say you are going to double on the next turn, you must. If you say you resign, you lose, and it's not the other player's responsibility to stop you or correct you if you have made a mistake...in fact, he has a responsibility to take advantage of that mistake and accept the win, otherwise he is not living up to the dictum of doing his best to win.
The argument that the person who resigned a gammon when he could still save it was also not living up to his responsibility is a false argument if the player did it unintentionally. And if it can be proven that he intentionally threw the match, then that is something for the tournament director to address, not his opponent across the table.
Can a player on the basketball court call "Time out" and then say, "nevermind, I didn't mean it?" Can a player in bridge say "I bid two spades," and then say, "Wait, I mean 3 No trump." Can you say, "I double" and then not double? Can you say "I drop" and then look down at the score and realize you should take and then change your mind? What you say in competition that affects the competition should be binding. Even in chouettes if someone makes an offer, or says he will beaver, or says he will take or drop, it is considered to be a binding statement.
That, in my opinion, is what the rule should be, and it should be clearly stated so we don't have all this disagreement when situations like this arise.
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