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Why am I left with an empty feeling?

Posted By: Chuck Bower
Date: Tuesday, 25 January 2011, at 1:09 a.m.

In Response To: The two-hand rule (Jason Lee)

I like Justin's response best, and Jason's implication.

Why is it so difficult to follow the rules? If rules are superfluous, why is so difficult to get them changed?

Backgammon is a rather exacting science. Most of us believe/think/know that there is a right or wrong play 99.999% of the time. Then why do players (including top players) feel they can be so imprecise when it comes to following and/or expecting opp to follow the rules?

It's easy (and lazy) to say "A is OK" and even tag on "B is not". But where is the cutoff point? If you follow the rules strictly, the answer to that is a done deal.

A person can display his individualism without making it difficult for his opponent (and secondarily, the kibitzers) to follow along easily. This game is about making the right play, or the best play within a player's ability. The cute play (as in "cute handling of the pieces") or just as bad, the lazy/sloppy action is simply selfish.

Messages In This Thread

• The two-hand rule
  Jason Lee -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 6:52 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Casper van der Tak -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 6:56 p.m.
    • The two-hand rule
      adrianov -- Sunday, 23 January 2011, at 1:31 a.m.
      • The two-finger rule vs shuffling rule
        svilo -- Sunday, 23 January 2011, at 2:03 a.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Stick -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 7:25 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Bill Riles -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 7:25 p.m.
    • +1,000,000,000,000,000,000............. *NM*
      Justin N. -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 7:39 p.m.
    • The two-hand rule
      Casper van der Tak -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 7:39 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Christian Plenz -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 7:37 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Justin N. -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 8:05 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Timothy Chow -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 9:02 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Leonardo Jerkovic -- Saturday, 22 January 2011, at 10:37 p.m.
  • I picked a bad example position
    Jason Lee -- Sunday, 23 January 2011, at 2:03 a.m.
    • Why not post a more appropriate one, then? *NM*
      Chuck Bower -- Sunday, 23 January 2011, at 5:54 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    neilkaz -- Sunday, 23 January 2011, at 5:14 a.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Julia Hayward -- Monday, 24 January 2011, at 9:51 a.m.
    • The two-hand rule
      Bill Riles -- Monday, 24 January 2011, at 2:50 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Rich Munitz -- Monday, 24 January 2011, at 1:26 p.m.
    • The two-hand rule
      Rich Munitz -- Monday, 24 January 2011, at 4:36 p.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Matt Cohn-Geier -- Monday, 24 January 2011, at 2:20 p.m.
  • Why am I left with an empty feeling?
    Chuck Bower -- Tuesday, 25 January 2011, at 1:09 a.m.
  • The two-hand rule
    Daniel Murphy -- Friday, 28 January 2011, at 11:12 p.m.