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BGonline.org Forums
Rule 4.8
Posted By: Henrik Bukkjaer In Response To: Rule 4.8 (Gregg Cattanach)
Date: Tuesday, 22 February 2011, at 8:34 a.m.
I haven't been a big fan of legal moves myself because of the advantage you give to people who want to "cheat". You move an illegal move that are negative ME ,and your "cheater" opponent simply rolls before you notice it. "Ohh was that illegal? Oh yes of course, I can see that now, I didn't even notice!". And you can do zilch, nada, nothing...
Today with the current rules, you can still allow your opponent the same relaxation as with "legal moves". I do that for 99% of my opponents errors - there can be a move or two where my (skilled) opponent misplays something "on purpose" where he should have done better (maybe resulting in loosing a pip in a non contact position, etc. If it's clearly misread dice or some obvious brain short-circuit (like moving backwards, moving 3 or 5 times on a double placing wrong checker on the bar not replacing checkers correctly after changing his mind, etc.), then I apply "legal moves" 100% of the time.
However, if I meet an opponent, that is set out to play the rules as far as he can I have the option of leveling the playing field (within the rules) under the current circumstances. With "legal moves", the same angle-shooter are free to "cheat" under the "I didn't notice" excuse and I cannot level things out without turning to cheat myself.
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That said, I think there are scenarios where the current US rules are far out, or at least the interpretation of those rules are unsportsmanlike.
Putting your own checkers on the bar?! Really?
But even more so this one: You hit your opponent, with a legal move, place his checker on the bar (on the game case hinge). The checker slides down from the bar, onto the opponents home board (his 6-point) while you finish your move. You hit the clock / pick up the dice. Should your opponent be allowed to insist that you just made an illegal move and let it stand? No way! Your sleeve can move a checker that you didn't intend to, causing a blot in your homeboard, while reaching out for a checker on the other side, etc. etc. So many non-sense illegal moves, that should never be allowed to stand.
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It's a balance between the two rules we're looking for, I suppose. Removing those really extreme situations, but still allowing people to play the game, without feeling they are responsible for their opponents moves and yet not giving cheaters an advantage.
Not that easy.
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Regarding the discussion on illegal moves vs. illegal positions: An illegal position can be defined in two ways I guess. 1) The position can never be obtained through legal play (such as both players on the bar, closed boeards). or 2) No roll could legally bring the last position to the current position. That would exclude a position such as the one Timothy mentions (moving two of a kind, in the starting position). The latter allows mis-read dice but bars other illegal non-sense moves that could not have happened, no matter what the dice.
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