Backgammon Online

25-Jul-2013
21:59 PST

i was 4-0 up and after crawford game uahskr came up with his special trick and i lost the game 5-4  
and i also predicted at that time.he will b 1st to complete his game

i suggest mentioning the name of player on site who completes his tourney games very fast  


@doubling cube issue
yah its very good and i m still learning,when to offer/accept/decline
but i must say in all my completed games "doubling cube" was fun  

25-Jul-2013
22:02 PST

job well done for Tourney 3...great tourney so far  
i was thinking in start to help KK by collecting all result posts and write them in 1 post bw his updation of chart,it would hv saved some time for him
But i could not manage to do it due to few tests, i m sorry for that
i m hopeful i will b helpful in Tourney 4 in this regard

26-Jul-2013
08:51 PST

....KK finished before me.

26-Jul-2013
09:21 PST

....not sure it is my special trick as it has been used by my savvy opponents many times. It is really just remembering that the Crawford Rule as written is only in effect for one game. After the Crawford game is over it is about applying some basic mathematics and probabilities to the rest of the Match. I have noticed that a couple of my opponents could have won matches that they lost if they had immediately doubled me when trailing the Match in a non-Crawford game. Some doubled me after a game was clearly in their hands which gave me the opportunity to decline the cube and play another game when the odds were more in my favor. If there is a 'trick' I guess it would be to double your opponent early in the game before the outcome is certain whenever you trail your opponent who is on the point next to Match point (4 points in our case) in a non-Crawford Game. I think most players are aware of this but there are a few who are not. To quote Abriscoe...this is another teachable moment that I hope helps a few players....which should be one of the purposes of this forum...to help each other become better players.  

26-Jul-2013
09:39 PST

Kumara, I know we spoke about this already, but wanted to get a general consensus, it's not that I disagree with what you said  

If it's a 4-4 tie and you've already played the crawford game, is it worth having the cube in play?

If I thought I had a good chance of winning by offering the cube and hence bringing the game to an end, would that be ok, or does it break the dead cube rule?

26-Jul-2013
10:11 PST

To me, both players can win with the cube on 1, therefore it is dead to both players, so why have it on the board at all in a 4-4 game since it can't be used?

26-Jul-2013
10:33 PST

Dead Cube Rule states "If a player can win the match with a regular win with the current cube setting in the current game this player may not use the cube." When both players already have 4 points, neither needs the cube to win the match. I try to remember to not check the box for the cube when challenging an opponent with the score tied 4-4. If I do forget, the cube (as Achilles has said) is for decoration only  

26-Jul-2013
15:49 PST

The dead Cube rule is a rule that if it wasn't there it would have little effect on the outcome of any match, since the challenged would have no reason to not accept the double unless it was so obvious that they were going to lose. It has the potential to speed up the conclusion of that match, EXCEPT in the case of this tournament, eighth place is decided on points differential, so if 2 players at 4 all went crazy, doubling every move, one could win 68-4 which would warp their for and against record in a potentially unfair way. Abriscoe may correct me (but we seem to think on very similar lines going by previous chats), but by having the Dead Cube rule in this tournament it will make it easier and fairer to compare points diff, providing everyone posts their point scores in their results post. I do hope Abriscoe has been keeping track of that cause I certainly haven't. That's my take on it, anyway. Resorting to playing Ladder games now until someone steps up and creates T4. Ladders have lost their appeal a little, or is that just me?

27-Jul-2013
01:11 PST

Great Minds think alike! (that is a joke people, hey you are only omnipotent once, at least on ZE when you get to be the host of a TC Tournament).

But seriously, I do agree with the Kid on this, as remember, the 2nd tie-breaker after head to head is the point differential. Don't know the history behind the dead cube rule, but 68-4 seems to maybe give some credence to the point differential standpoint, or maybe it had something to do with gambling, who knows?

I have noticed that not everyone has reported their scores on the results forum (despite a mssg from me to that effect). If you can, please go back and let us know on the forum the final game scores for already reported results (ONLY if it wasn't done in the first place), and please make sure we all do it from this point forward. Should only be a handful of matches.

The ladder is lame compared to these Tournaments! If you have had a good time with this format let some people know. I think I already have 2-3 new people for the next one, including someone that teaches BG in Iran. That means trouble for Zulu and the Kid, although I still have my money on the Cat for the next one. She had it rough, going on a 4-5 week Holiday in the middle of this one, she will be rested and refreshed for the next one.

27-Jul-2013
03:23 PST

I always report the result when I win. But maybe I should also when I lose? Is there a rule about it? Maybe not to flood the result forum we can establish that the winner reports the result?