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BGonline.org Forums
Dice and Boards
Posted By: Bill Riles In Response To: Ten Things I Hate About the BG Experience (Chuck Bower)
Date: Tuesday, 28 October 2008, at 3:55 p.m.
People and their thoughts/preferences/superstitions on dice amuse me.
I will generally play with any precison dice. I typically offer my opponent the option of size and color -- I carry a wide assortment.
I can understand some preferring larger and/or opaque dice for vision considerations.
That withstanding, I think the smaller dice get considerably more action in the cups, on the board, and are less likely to be cocked. Thus, in my opinion, the smaller dice are better. I think some would like to use one inch dice if they were made. Amuses me.
I'm also amused by behavior in the selection of dice -- in the initial selection of those to be used, in the later selection among the four chosen (in unclocked matches), and in the re-mixing of dice or changing of dice during a match. I will admit I'm not a rules expert; however, some seem to think the game cannot be played without two matched pair of dice. Now, I will agree they should all be the same size. Multiple colors don't bother me, but I can live with two matched pair. What really gets amusing is those who freak out when they don't end up with one die of each color. Let's say I choose first and take a blue die, the opponent takes a red, and I take the other blue -- I'll do this just for fun oftentimes when somebody doesn't take the same color I did. Ballistic city with some. You can't do that !!! Well, you could have prevented it. Now, play. Also, occasionally I'll run into someone who wants to change a die or a pair of dice between games in the match -- I mean go back to the dice bag for other dice. Again, particularly if its my dice bag or I otherwise (somehow) know all the dice are legit, I don't care. But is it kosher?
I also enjoy people's superstition with mixing the dice after a bad run of dice or a losing game. It never enters my mind to do so and, of course, they have the right to do it. But it is amusing. I love Malcolm's habit of always remixing dice after a losing game (but not after winning games). Sometimes when I'm feeling particularly mischevious while playing Malcolm I'll insist on mixing them after my losses too !!
While we are on equipment -- and, again, I should probably read the rules -- I'm curious about player options with regard to boards and checkers. I seriously dislike boards with very hard surfaces (wooden surfaces are the worst) -- oftentimes it is hard to keep the dice on the board and the dice are more prone to slide than tumble. I also find the color combinations of some board surfaces and the checkers to lack contrast and lead, in my mind, to oversights, etc. Further, some board constructions with wide middle bars of similar color to points can be confusing in the visualization of moves and the actual movement of checkers. Then, of course, there are undersized boards. Anyone else have like concerns? What should one do? If I agree to roll for boards then I'm potentially stuck with equipment I don't like or have trouble with. I presume I should object before agreeing to roll for it if I find the equipment not acceptable, and let the director resolve it. I might note this is a very rare occurrence for me -- I don't mind playing with others boards; however, there are a few out there that I just don't like. What are the rules and what is protocol?
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