rules
JP White
> Help!!!! Need help on rules. Was in a big money game and need a sutle
> interpetation of the rules.
>
> My opponent finished her move then rested her finger on one die as she reviewed
> the move that she made. In the process she knocked over one die to a
> differnet number. Is her move over or not.
>
> Help!!!!
>
> Vgr...@arm2000.com
I'll try to help as I can. I am not an expert by any means, but I'll let you know
how I interpret the rules.
At Tom Keith's Backgammon Galore he does talk about the issue of when a move is
deemed over. http://www.bkgm.com/rules.html
He states
"A turn is completed when the player picks up his dice. If the play is incomplete
or otherwise illegal, the opponent has the option of accepting the play as made or
of requiring the player to make a legal play. A play is deemed to have been
accepted as made when the opponent rolls his dice or offers a double to start his
own turn. "
Since your opponent didn't pick up the dice (she just toyed with them) I'd say the
move was not over. (The dice were not picked up).
However since she did alter the dice values, and if there was a dispute as to the
correct value of the dice, the above rule does give an opening to get the roll
re-rolled on the basis of being 'otherwise illegal'. If there is no way to agree on
what the dice were before being tampered with, I believe that makes the play
illegal. Of course if the checkers are already moved and you cannot agree on what
the dice were, it may be difficult to return to the original position. I'm not sure
that was the nature of your dispute though.
If she was clearly trying to pick up the dice, but fumbled them, then one could
argue the move over since she had committed to end the move. However if the dice
were nudged accidentally while moving checkers, or thinking like a chess player by
holding a finger on the piece before letting go, that's quite different. The move
isn't over IMHO (the intention was not to pick up the dice, yet). Even so, it's
disturbing to have your opponent touch the dice in this manner.
It's unlikely, but possible, to push a chess piece over when resting a finger and
thinking about your move. By comparison, the likelihood of changing dice values
when they are rested upon is greater since they are designed to be rolled (less
stable than a chess piece).
I would strongly discourage an opponent from doing this as it is unnecessary, just
leaving the dice alone is a better way of retaining your move till you're done, and
less likely to cause a dispute. Touching the dice is not customary in Backgammon as
is touching pieces in Chess.
I believe it would be reasonable to declare a move over once the checkers are moved
and the dice are touched, thus preventing such disputes and complications. But I
don't see that in the rules.
Someone else with more knowledge of tournament rules may be able to shed light more
light on this.
I hope you didn't fall out with your BG opponent over this.
--
JP White
jp.w...@nashville.com