Tournament Play for Beginners
Steve Mellen
board OK (I do pretty well on FIBS), but have never played at a club or in
a tournament. I'd like to try playing in a real tournament, however, and
I wonder if some seasoned veterans could give me some advice about what to
expect, or point me to a resource with such information.
I used to play tournament chess, and I've seen lots of players show up at
their first tournament with no idea what a chess clock is, without knowing
that if you touch a piece you must move it, etc. I don't want that to be
me! :)
Any help for the newbie?
//SEM
Mel Leifer
>
>I'm a new player to the backgammon scene who knows his way around the
>board OK (I do pretty well on FIBS), but have never played at a club or
in
>a tournament. I'd like to try playing in a real tournament, however,
and
>I wonder if some seasoned veterans could give me some advice about what
to
>expect, or point me to a resource with such information.
See for yourself by checking out the friendly Thursday night
tournaments of the Flint Area Backgammon Club. Every
Thursday starting at 7:00 pm at the Flint Ramada Inn,
G-4300 W. Pierson Rd. at I-75, exit 122.
New players are always welcome.
For further info contact Carol Joy Cole
carl...@sils.umich.edu
HOTLINE: 810/232-9731
Stephen Turner
>
> >here is a question for people who know more than I. If my opponent
> >rolls prematurely, is it my option as to whether or not they must
> >reroll or keep what they have thrown?
>
> Only the first time. :-)
>
> Whichever choice you make will set the precedent for the entire
> match. Theoretically, any roll made before the opponent picks up
> both dice is premature, and invalid. Of course, being the schmuck
> that I am, if my opponent's premature roll was a horror roll, I'd
> "forget" to notice that my dice weren't picked up yet, and I might
> not say anything (big grin).
>
It may depend on the tournament rules, but in BIBA tournaments the premature
roll stands -- neither player can take it back -- but the player who has not
yet finished moving can choose a different move, now knowing what the next
roll will be.
--
Stephen R. E. Turner
Stochastic Networks Group, Statistical Laboratory, University of Cambridge
e-mail: sr...@cam.ac.uk WWW: http://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~sret1/home.html
"I always keep one big file in case I run out of space." A colleague of mine
Marc Gray
<pstr...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> >here is a question for people who know more than I. If my opponent
> >rolls prematurely, is it my option as to whether or not they must
> >reroll or keep what they have thrown?
>
> Only the first time. :-)
>
>
> Philip Stromer (pstr...@ix.netcom.com)
In cash play the smart thing to do is to discuss all rules, scoring,
stakes, etc. beforehand being certain to resolve this issue. Most of the
time my opponents and I opt for playing a la "Legal Moves" This is a
shorthand way of saying that a move played legally (whether wise or
unwise) stands as is while a move made NOT in accordance with the dice
rolled, etc. MUST be corrected and ALL players (and onlookers) have a
moral responsibility to immediately point out the error irrespective of
its effect on the game at hand.
In tournament match play, such an option does NOT exist. When your
opponent errs, it is completely your option to permit the error to stand
"as is" or have it re-played. You are not expected to be a "nice-guy" Your
interests are self-serving or they are self-destructive. These errors in
play often leads to catastrophic results. Last week, while finishing as a
finalist in a doubles event (playing solo) my opponent hit my blot and put
HIMSELF on the bar, effectively turning a hopeless position into one that
I would win with a cube turn on the next roll. The Team Capt. was very
experienced and knew propriety dictated that he ought do no more than
softly acknowledge his error. Indeed, I saw this happen in the semi-finals
of the World Cup in 1992, where a player, (having already cashed for
$10,000 and playing for a $25,000 payday as a finalist or $50,000 as
winner,) did the precise same thing. A costly error. This is but one
example of course.
As to your actual question regarding "fast rolling", here too you are free
to exercise your right to have the dice re-rolled whenever it serves your
interests, and conversely permitting the roll to stand when it is to your
benefit. This is also a good practice to slow down the play of experienced
players who try to intimidate you and speed up your game, (consequently
increasing your error rate), by rolling before your dice are actually
lifted.
As a postscript it ought to be mentioned that in tournament match play,
all disputes are settled by a tournament official, (and when justice is
not clear, a committee of three appointees,) Bystanders must remain silent
unless both players OR a tournament official asks them to testify. Usually
on what was the correct original position before the checkers were moved
or whether or not one or both dice were lifted from the table.]
FlashGammon on FIBS
--
no a me alienum puto