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ABT Clock rules, revised

Posted By: Daniel Murphy
Date: Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 7:11 p.m.

In Response To: ABT Clock rules, revised (Rich Munitz)

I don't agree that "require" is "just better." I don't see that either word is superior to the other in this context. If you're obligated to use a clock, you're required to use a clock. If you're required to use a clock, you're obligated to use a clock.

You write: "You are Obligated to make legal moves in backgammon. But if you play Legal Moves you are Required to make legal moves." And I'll write: "You are required to make legal moves in backgammon. And if you play Legal Moves you are obligated to make legal moves." If anything, if by Legal Moves you mean an extra-legal agreement between players, I surely don't see why "Required" is the better word.

If some tournament player were to insist "I'm not required to make legal moves in backgammon" and another "I'm not obligated to make legal moves in backgammon," I'd think they're both asking for banning. Either way. What's the difference?

Random dictionary check:

obligate: to require or constrain, as by law, command, conscience, or force of necessity; to bind morally or legally; to bind compel or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie.

require: to order or enjoin to do something; to call for or exact as obligatory; to place under an obligation or necessity; to demand; impose obligation: to do as the law requires.

obligation: something by which a person is bound or obliged to do certain things, and which arises out of a sense of duty or results from custom, law, etc.; a binding promise, contract, sense of duty, etc.; an agreement enforceable by law;

A rule imposing clocks obliges a player to use one. Because it's required by the rule.

requirement: that which is required; a thing demanded or obligatory

A rule imposing clocks requires a player to use one. Because the rule makes it obligatory.

It seems to me that you're wanting to distinguish between "obligation" as something imposed by something other than a rule, and "requirement" as something imposed by a rule. Either that, or "obligation" as something self-imposed by the player, as opposed to a "requirement" imposed by the director. Or something else, I don't know. But I'm not persuaded that either word is worse in context. And if you look at the wording of the relevant WBA section, I don't see that it would be improved one iota by substituting "requirement" for "obligation."

'nuf! Before I change it again to "mandatory." ;-

Messages In This Thread

• Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
  Daniel Murphy -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 7:03 p.m.
  • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
    Sam Pottle -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 9:34 p.m.
    • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
      Stick -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 9:36 p.m.
  • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
    John Stryker -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 9:48 p.m.
  • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
    Rich Munitz -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 10:28 p.m.
    • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
      Daniel Murphy -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 10:47 p.m.
  • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
    Jason Lee -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 11:04 p.m.
    • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
      Daniel Murphy -- Friday, 1 October 2010, at 11:51 p.m.
      • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
        Jason Lee -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 12:50 a.m.
        • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
          Stick -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 1:01 a.m.
          • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
            Matt Cohn-Geier -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 2:06 a.m.
          • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
            Barry Silliman -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 2:06 a.m.
          • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
            Sam Pottle -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 1:20 p.m.
        • ABT Clock rules, revised
          Daniel Murphy -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 5:21 a.m.
          • ABT Clock rules, revised
            Rich Munitz -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 4:40 p.m.
            • ABT Clock rules, revised
              Stick -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 4:41 p.m.
            • ABT Clock rules, revised
              Daniel Murphy -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 5:06 p.m.
              • ABT Clock rules, revised
                Rich Munitz -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 5:58 p.m.
                • ABT Clock rules, revised
                  Daniel Murphy -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 7:11 p.m.
                  • ABT Clock rules, revised
                    Stick -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 7:27 p.m.
                    • ABT Clock rules, revised
                      Daniel Murphy -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 8:38 p.m.
  • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
    Robert Maier -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 5:18 a.m.
    • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
      Daniel Murphy -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 5:28 a.m.
      • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
        adambulldog -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 12:58 p.m.
      • Clock rules at scheduled ABT tournaments
        Robert Maier -- Sunday, 3 October 2010, at 3:33 a.m.
  • Where's Rory?
    Chuck Bower -- Saturday, 2 October 2010, at 6:05 p.m.
    • Where's Rory?
      rory -- Monday, 4 October 2010, at 7:05 a.m.
      • Where's Rory?
        Daniel Murphy -- Monday, 4 October 2010, at 8:04 a.m.
      • Updated clock preferences for 2011 Chicago Open
        rory -- Tuesday, 16 November 2010, at 8:32 p.m.
        • Updated clock preferences for 2011 Chicago Open
          neilkaz -- Tuesday, 16 November 2010, at 9:12 p.m.