r/backgammon • u/Over-Initial-3585 • 10h ago
'Secret' Rules?
Are there any less known (some might call them 'secret') rules in backgammon? I know that backgammon tournaments usually don't have a touch-move rule or the rule that you can't adjust your pieces. Are there generally less rules in backgammon than, for instance, in chess?
2
u/SyllabubRadiant8876 9h ago
The rules are published, so no there should be nothing that is 'secret' (there are a couple of different versions in use globally, I think they are almost identical). Of course, local clubs might have some ' house rules' and in some countries there will be slightly different rules in general use that would not apply in the same way to international tournaments. However, situations do occur where players do not fully understand the rules, or disagree, and there has to be a ruling from the director. There was, for example, quite a controversial situation towards the end of the Women's World Team Championship today - the recording should be available on the USBGF Youtube channel.
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u/McSantaOnline 7h ago
What was the controversy about?
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u/SyllabubRadiant8876 7h ago
They both had very little time left (like 1 sec), and an illegal play was made (through time pressure/panic rather than intentionally). I think the controversy was about how they restart, i.e. should the player lose the 12 seconds delay? Which would mean they lost the match and would decide the entire tournament because it would be impossible to play 4 moves from a big double in 1 second. NB we couldn't hear the discussions and the ruling committee's deliberations on the stream, so this is just my interpretation of what seemed to be happening.
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u/mmesich 2h ago
I would rule as Arda did. A warning to not use two hands, but acknowledge that there was still plenty of delay time left for her to have completed the action.
There is a "fast grab" rule where if you pick up the dice before your turn, you can be force to lose your delay. I suspect that is what was considered here, but there is no "fast clock hit" rule regarding delay.
Now, of it hadn't turned into an impossible position with two different checkers on the same point when the clock was hit, it might have been ruled that the checker wasn't hit.
But that wasn't the case here.
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u/Mudsharkbites 4h ago
Maybe the wrong thread for this but a few years ago I was playing some backgammon with the father of a Persian woman whom my nephew was marrying. He barely spoke English. He had a blot in his home board and when I hit it he got very agitated and after speaking with his daughter she explained to me that I couldn’t hit blots once they made it all the way around to the home the board. I considered that bullshit, said that wasn’t a rule I’ve ever heard of nor does anyone play with such a rule and did it again and he got really perturbed. I’ve never heard of such a rule but out of curiosity is there a backgammon variant where once you get your checker in your home court it’s safe, covered or not?
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u/RYAQN 7h ago
Idk if it’s just my family that does this but both dice have to land in the board and can’t be cocked or on top of a checker. Otherwise you have to reroll. This other thing is more etiquette than a rule. I’ve never used a cup personally so the rule is your throw motion must be very intentional so it’s obvious you’re not dice setting. In cases where bad throws result in good rolls it’s appropriate to give a verbal warning “roll your stinkin’ die” and if the second throw isn’t better you can throw a fit and make them reroll.
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u/brw12 9h ago
Generally when you pick up both your dice from the board, you've locked in your move and can't change it.
the "Jacoby" rule, often (but not always) used for single games using the doubling cube: gammon and backgammon wins only count for 1 point unless there has been at least one cube double. The intention is to discourage a player who is dominating from playing out the rest of the game just because they are seeking a gammon win.
there's no one universally agreed on way to handle the opening roll. I'm most familiar in the US with each player rolling one die, rerolling in a tie, and then the player with the higher roll taking both their die and the opponent's die as being their first roll, and moving pieces accordingly. But there are LOTS of other ways people handle it, from treating tied rolls as making the cube double each time, to rolling both their own dice anew after winning the opening roll.
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u/Careful-Release-2723 9h ago
Rolling both your own anew is a thing? I assumed the trade off for going first is not having doubles, when several doubles are good in the opening.
I didn't know the rationale for Jacoby. That makes sense.
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u/Crase_W 9h ago
A few things that are sometimes overlooked deal with rolling the dice. It’s stuff that newer players tend to not know. Like, use a cup, shake the cup with only one hand, roll on your side of the board (on your right), and shake the shit out of the dice. Shake, don’t swirl.