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Backgammon Books - Promoting Backgammon

Posted By: Michael Petch
Date: Tuesday, 25 January 2011, at 7:24 a.m.

In Response To: Backgammon Books - Promoting Backgammon (David Rockwell)

David said" "It is odd that Backgammon players insist on getting things for free. "

Why? Not all backgammon players can afford to spend money on a game. GnuBG - whether people like it or not will not die as long as it is the free alternative. To this day, I still support a large number of players who refuse to spend even $50 to analyze or learn from mistakes in their matches. I also support XG users (I use both). Rec.game.bakgammon was also a valuable free information source if you were willing to filter the noise.

David said: "Their weakness is costing them money in chouettes and tournaments"

And how about those who will never enter a Chouette or tournament because they can't afford to pay people for information to improve their game? Maybe if more QUALITY information were free then more of the casual players would become proficient enough to want to play Chouettes or tournaments for money, or show up an ABT event?

Maybe the concern is that the more information that is freely available, the smaller the gap between sharks and the fish will be, costing the sharks future earnings?

David Said: "In the end, players don't have to spend if they don't want to spend."

That is very true! And they make that choice every day.

"And authors don't have to publish if it isn't worth their time."

This is true to! I can't argue. But there are different types of authors. Authors who truly believe in the advancement and knowledge in a given field to the point that money and personal gain is not the driving factor. Authors who are in it for personal gain only, and then the authors who fall in between those extremes.

Which brings up my view on the USBGF. Their mandate is the promotion of Backgammon but they require people to pay for the information. This in itself excludes those people who would rather put a roof over their head and food on the table than to spend 10 bucks (example) on every possible BG site on the net looking for memberships.

I personally believe that the USBGF should become a free site (Accept donations), so they can promote backgammon to a much wider audience/player base. This may not be doable unless some wealthy benefactors who truly believe that "promoting and growth of backgammon" is truly the noble goal that they are professing.

I think fundamentally the "elitists" among the BG community who claim "They truly want to advance and promote BG" should be willing to put money where there mouth is.

Yes, I am saying the "Haves" who believe they want to promote this game, make what they know about BG freely available so the "Have Nots" have equal opportunity. Maybe what I am also saying is that we need more libertarians among Backgammons elite ;-) .

I can afford to join the sites, and buy the books if I want to. I'm not personally trying to get something for nothing, I am speaking on behalf of the large base of players who have better things to do with their money. If you don't care about these people (Once referred to as "the little people" by an elite player who frequents this forum) then please ignore my ramblings.

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