Clocks in backgammon tournaments
gandydancer
clock is used-- What is a typical time allotment for each player? Is
the time re-set after each game or is it just so much time for the
match?
Certain games are over in a few moves while others turn into back
games and go on and on. How can a chess clock be "fair" in these
longer games?
It seems a better system would be like that used by DailyGammon. A
grace period of "x" seconds per move before your time pool for the
match is penalized.
Does anyone have experience to share about how clocks are being used
in tournament?
Gregg Cattanach
can read the basic US clock rules here:
http://www.chicagopoint.com/bgclockrules.html . You are correct that a
complete backgammon match can take a very different amount of time depending
on the types of positions that can result. However, the 6 minutes per match
point allotment seems to give both players much more than adequate time to
complete the match without any time pressure in 95% of matches (or more).
Also, the double-match-point rule (5.1) prevents almost all of the time
forfeits that might results, while still achieving the goal of having all
matches completed in a timely manner.
There are other proposed rules that require the use of a time delay or
'Fischer' clock, but with just a basic chess clock, these published rules
are working quite well. There is a small risk of odd strategies near the
end of a match when one player is short on time but the other is not, (like
passing the 2 cube at 2-away, 2-away to avoid going to DMP), but these are
extremely rare.
Mostly, our experience is that you get to play 'regular' backgammon at a
reasonable pace 99% of the time, and only the player who plays extremely
slowly ever gets into any time pressure. There is always enough time for
pip counts, match equity calculations, etc. with these rules.
Gregg C.
"gandydancer" <dann...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:912e0e61.02101...@posting.google.com...
Peace
In Danish Backgammon Federation the clock rules are quite simple, and I
really like them:
Each player gets 5 minutes per point + 10 minutes. eg. for a 9 point match
each player get 55 minutes (9*5 + 10). If the clock is issued in the middle
of a match the formula to calculate the time for each player is:
(((RA+RB)/2)*5)+10, where RA is remaining points for player A, and RB is
remaining points for player B. If the score is 5-3 in a 9 point match to
player A, 35 minutes ((((4+6)/2)*5)+10) should be placed on each clock.
I think it's quite simple, but of course the 6 minutes per point rule used
in the US is pretty simple too.... ;-)
/Peace
"Gregg Cattanach" <gcattana...@prodigy.net> skrev i en meddelelse
news:fE3s9.463$vs4...@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...
gandydancer
Thanks, Gregg. I can see where in 5 pt match, 30 minutes for each
player should be plenty of time.
I would like to see a clock option on FIBS and GG. Online players
seem to want to play "speed" backgammon and can get quite insulting if
you want to think a bit about a move or make a match equity
calculation. It would be nice to have a clock option where the
players could decide on "x" minutes per match point. Maybe lag issues
make this impossible to implement.
Dan W
Adam Stocks
"Gregg Cattanach" <gcattana...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
There is a small risk of odd strategies near the
> end of a match when one player is short on time but the other is not,
(like
> passing the 2 cube at 2-away, 2-away to avoid going to DMP), but these are
> extremely rare.
Tell me about it Lol :-) At the Mind Sports Olympiad event last year, it
was 2away, 2away, and I had 35 minutes left, whilst my opponent had 2
minutes left. He doubled.......
Cost me a darn bronze medal. Gutting.
Adam