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BGonline.org Forums
Controversy in the Chou
Posted By: Frank_N_Stein In Response To: Controversy in the Chou (Rich Munitz)
Date: Tuesday, 29 September 2009, at 7:47 p.m.
Rich,
Phil's post made me think of my situation and the argument that followed over my play.
After reading your post to me I sat back and thought about it more. This is what happened way to many years ago. After rolling the dice I had a pick n pass play. I picked up my checker in my outfield to hit the loose checker in my home and pass to safety the checker. With my checker in my hand counting the points, I used my index finger to move my opps checker into the middle of the board just to the right of my dice. This signified I hit that checker. In a continuing motion I placed the checker from my hand on the point I was passing too. Again in the same motion without hesitation, (my opps checker to the right of my dice) I picked up the checker first and instantly picked up the dice before placing the checker on the bar.
There was no doubt in anyone's mind what my intention was. Even the team said it was clear I hit the checker to put it on the bar, but based on the rules I picked up my dice before I completed putting the checker on the bar. The moment I picked up the dice my play was over. The checker does not go on the bar and it was replaced on the point of origin.
From the team's point of view, they were getting gammoned and about to lose 8pts each. They were able to escape on a technicality. Right or wrong this is how the rule was interpretted that day. And based on that arguement the play was over. My partner and I argued the same arguement you said in your post about what is or isnt a valid play. We did not win.
Yes Rich, I do agree my situation is different from Phil and Matt's situation, but the bottom line is still the same. We play by a set of rules and the rules must be followed. If we bend the rules for one we must bend the rules for others. At what point are the rules the rules or not the rules? How often will we find ourselves making up rules as we go along promoting more chaos?
What set of rules do we go by for a friend or a stranger? I saw posts in this thread that stated they would apply a free pass (my words) to a friend in a tour, but not to a stranger. That makes no sense to me at all. Can you see this in a tour situation, a player calls the director for a ruling. The director thinks, ok this is a friend so its ok to rule in the friends favor. I DONT THINK SO!!!!
In my situation I was called on a technicality and accepted it. According to the way it was explained I did violate the rules.
In Phil and Matt's situation they could have sat on their rights as well and made the team follow the rules. It was Phil's generousity that allowed the team a free pass with added bonuses on top of it. Talk about giving the farm away to have your cake and eat it too!! I have to commend Phil, he said he offered or did pay Matt's points as well. At $25pt that could be a lot of money.
When we bend the rules in a tour, no matter how sportsmanlike we may be, we are effecting the potential outcome of the rest of the field? Integrity is lost and it could make one feel they are no longer playing on an even playing field.
At the end of the day whether one wants to call it friendly or not, there is a reason we have rules in place. When we play and abide by the rules the peace will always prevail after the arguement, lol!
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