Murat-gammon
Albert Silver
> > according to the score.
>
> So it does in cubeless matches (to the extent that
> cube skill is *everything* and cube doesn't add all
> that much to it)...!
A skill that is everything and that doesn't add much. Interesting.
> > A double at 0 to 0 in a 5-point match, may easily
> > be a huge blunder at a different score, and a
> > checker-play that leads to a huge increase in
> > gammons if the score were 1 to 3 could easily be
> > a colossal blunder at a different score where
> > gammons are relatively unimportant.
>
> The notion of "N-away" is by no means unique to the
> "cube skill"... It exists in cubeless matches also
> (and even more so in cubeless matches with 3-point
> backgammons, which is again another modern western
> contribution to bg)...!
I didn't know this. I know from Alexandre's posts that the cube is not
a popular addition to the game in the East, but had no idea that we of
the West were responsible for the idea of playing 3-point matches.
BTW, you're obviously correct in stating that N-away characteristics
are not unique to the cube, but they are exacerbated with it.
> > Mind you, I am absolutely not characterizing the
> > variaitions you described as worse, boring, or
> > whatever, I'm just saying that while the cube may
> > indeed have some gambling aspects involved, I think
> > the strategic challenges it brings are far greater.
>
> Cube shortens games... Shorter games favor inferior
> player...!!
>
> Cube magnifies luck... Sick gambler favor luck over
> skill...!!
So all the top players who favor the use of the cube are in fact just
the weakest and luckiest players according to the above. Or the
stupidest, if they deliberately choose game conditions that would
favor the weaker player.
An interesting theory.
Albert Silver
>
> This has all been debated but let's start over if
> you would like... Just start by making a case for
> "the greater strategic challenges that cube brings"
> into bg...
>
> If you have the beer, we have the time and patience
> to shove the cube up your dumb ass... :)
>
> MK
Charito
> I didn't know this. I know from Alexandre's posts that the cube is not
> a popular addition to the game in the East, but had no idea that we of
> the West were responsible for the idea of playing 3-point matches.
We play 3 point matches when we are in a hurry. Most games are played
5-point, more rarely 7. But a 3-point match with the backgammon rule is
nonsense (as one can win in 1 game). The interest in playing at least 3
points is that one cannot win in one single game. But luck is too much
present in 3-point games.
> So all the top players who favor the use of the cube are in fact just
> the weakest and luckiest players according to the above. Or the
> stupidest, if they deliberately choose game conditions that would
> favor the weaker player.
hehe ... interesting proof
--
Alexandre Charitopoulos
mailto:a.ch...@wanadoo.fr
Em6 / Eb7(5b) / Dm7 / Db7(5b, 9b) / Cmaj7
Charito
> Albert Silver a dit :
>
>
>> I didn't know this. I know from Alexandre's posts that the cube is
>> not a popular addition to the game in the East, but had no idea that
>> we of the West were responsible for the idea of playing 3-point
>> matches.
>
> We play 3 point matches when we are in a hurry. Most games are played
> 5-point, more rarely 7. But a 3-point match with the backgammon rule
> is nonsense (as one can win in 1 game). The interest in playing at
> least 3 points is that one cannot win in one single game. But luck is
> too much present in 3-point games.
sorry i didn't understand well what you said.
Obviously, backgammon (ie. 3-point games) has no sense in greece. I
don't know where it comes from, but it's somehow silly (and with no
interest at all, as losing gammon or backgammon is almost the same)
I thought you were dealing with "complete matches up to 3 points"