Czuch: BTW.... this one was started almost 71/2 years ago as well!

Assuming it ends as a tie between myself and Furbster, who will be crowned number 1?

http://brainking.com/en/ReadEvent?evid=3042806

Hrqls: Thanks! Anyone else got some helpful opinion?

The score was 6-3 yes... now it is 6-4 and he did make me double on the first move.... I might be regretting not accepting the double last game now :(

Czuch: I really dont mind my position in this game... he has a few open pieces and I can easily turn it around in a move or two.... but I dont need two wins, and I think it is more advantages for him to win a double than for me to lose one.... I might have even sent a double request the first move of the game if I were in his position.... why not right? So anyway... I think I will give him this one and hope he doesnt go on a dice run on me.

likewowman2cool: I was wondering if it was wise for him to send the offer.... ;)

likewowman2cool: *2*

Pedro Martínez: 5 1/2.... my bad! Now it just doesnt seem so long anymore ;)

Finally round 2 begins!

The first doubling cube tournament

Just over 5 year now for this match....

Backgammon (cardinal vs. Baked Alaskan)

Just noticed this one.....

The first doubling cube tournament

Started in 2005, and still not out of the first round???????

Baked alaska and cardinal.... 5 years for a 7 point doubling cube match???? Really???? Come on guys, that is just plain wrong

fakar10: Thanks for the link, that was interesting to view!

when using it, you know when your opponent has a legal move or it would be your turn again, but when you look at the game the dice for that turn are not shown, even though they had to be already rolled?

So... from what i read of the discussion on the BK board, it seems like the dice might be contingent upon the exact timing of when it is rolled, or am I misunderstanding still?

playBunny: Yeah, I know... it was just a recent 3 day period where I logged on and my first three games each day all had the same dice roll ( not the same roll all 9 games, but the same one for 3 games each day)


We do not know when the dice rolls are generated, is that it?

For awhile, I thought it was when the player actually clicked to see the game for the first time after it was their turn again. But then it seemed like it was generated right after the opponent made their move, but was only revealed when the next player came to see it?

You are right, there is no way to know for sure, except ask Fencer?

playBunny: What about dice rolls in relationship to the time? For example, if 10 different people were to make a roll in different games all at the exact same time, would there be any type of correlation, IE would they all have the same dice rolled, or a higher rate of this?


I know it seems like sometimes I will log on and play a few quick moves, and it seems more often than random that I make the same roll in all the games....


Also, I think I remember being told that in casinos, the video and or slot machines give any specific result on one play, based on the exact time that you pull the lever or hit the play button? Something like all the potential outcomes are spinning around in the machine, and which outcome you get is based purely on the timing of when you hit play?

Not bad, just got going on round 2..... ahahahahahah

aaru: Wrong link?

Thad: Fencer might not consider it a bug, but it should work the way you described, I would report it as a bug!

grenv: isnt that a bit too much advice for an ongoing game?

dresali: I am also having problems with that game not loading correctly....

Fencer: Will there be a stand alone game with the same rules IE opening doubles possible, as Portes?

coan.net: The double/tripple choice games seem like they would be good workable games.... I agree that it would employ different strategy, but not necessarily more?

Just thinking out loud here... It seems that in regular backgammon you have to plan for the possibility that your opponent can make any roll, and then work from the statistics of each one.... in your game, you have only two or three possible rolls, and they are all equally likely, since they have already been rolled.

So in that sense, there would be less strategy, since there would be fewer options to worry about.

But I am sure there would be other strategies that would come into play that dont in regular backgammon. I would give a game like this a try!

Hrqls: That is a tough call... but to me, i think you should have skipped over it. Putting him on the bar takes away his double 1 roll, and his 2 1 roll from hitting you, but any other 2 roll hits you anyway, and then you still have that one checker left around to get you later.... I think though it doesnt really matter, since it is only a matter of some time before you win this one no matter what!

what is the accepted real "king" of backgammon websites?

alanback: Between players of equal strength, the longer the match, the greater the point adjustment.


I would think just the opposite, since the longer the match, the more likely the better player would win, and a likely win should correlate a lesser point adjustment?

nabla: It seems to me that the longer a match the more likely that the better player will win, so doesnt that mean that you should get less of an increase in your BKR for those types of matches versus a single game match?

Then again, in a single game match a win for a lesser ranked player should be considered more luck than skill, therefore they too should get less of an increase than if they won a longer match?

How about if it was a game like chess, where draws are more common, would it be okay for a team captain to send out a message to all team players as to remind them what the score in the match is and that it will only take one more draw to move on to the next round?

I know that some like BBW, play only for fun etc, and some would want to risk their play trying to win, even when a draw is all that was needed, but the true goal of a team tournament is for the team to do well, even at the expense of the individuals, so where do we draw the line on what is considered helping the team, and what is considered breaking the rules?

coan.net: I think you are probably right... I would like to hear from others on this....


when it comes to sports, I know it is acceptable for team members to take and give advice about strategy etc, but in a sport, you still have to make all the physical moves etc all on your own, its really only strategy that can be given.

I am thinking something like the Ryder cup in Golf for example. They can make strategies and give advice about a type of shot that should be attempted etc, but the individual player still has to possess the skill required, and it still comes down to how they perform
on an individual level that counts.

So I was thinking, at first, that it could be up to the team members who could help decide if it was a good time to offer a double, as long as none of them are getting their opinion from anything more than their own selves?

Or how about something as simple as pointing out that as a team we are in a position where a draw in your game will not help us at all, and that you should maybe play less conservatively or take more chances for a win than you might otherwise?

Is giving or accepting advice in a team tournament acceptable?

I know that the help shouldnt come from some program or the like, but it seems to me, on first thought, that getting help from other team members should be okay?

Then I get to wondering.... couldnt that end up like playing against the best player from each team, if they were to be giving advice on moves and doubling etc?

But then again, who is to say that the advice from another player is always going to be good advice?

I think it is a team tournament, so let the team decide, the ultimate choice of what to do still always comes down to the person playing the game.

Profile: pgt (send message | show this user messages)

pgt (Phil) - [pgt, New Zealand, Brain Pawn, Male] Brain Pawn, 150 Brains (buy a membership for this user)
Total score: 2038 wins, 9 draws, 1853 losses, 19 won tournaments


Well, here is one casualty of the poor auto pass feature compromise that Fencer implemented

If we had more like him, enough to hurt the wallet a bit more, maybe something would be corrected?


Way to go Phil, and good luck to you!

Hrqls: This thread has opened my eyes, thanks!

I always just assumed that getting yourself into position to bear off the fastest way possible was the way to go

But I had a recent example where I was ahead in the pip count in a race, and you would think that back to back double 4s could only help my cause. But since my 4 hole was empty, I didint get even one checker born off, and I ended up losing the game!


I will now consider other plays than simply piling my checkers in as fast as possible


I would assume, however, that if you are behind significantly in a game, it would be wise to get them in as soon a s possible, then hope for "good" rolls?

What are the thoughts about using an opening move guide in games here? Is that cheating?

nabla: Forms of cheating are probably more widespread than we realize too!

I think you would hear more of an outcry over what you have uncovered if other people were not doing the same thing themselves, even if maybe to a lessor degree.

For example, I was recently involved in a couple of games with a certain player, and we were both making moves consistently one evening, and in one game I offered them a double. I was able to see that they were viewing this game, but they never made a move, and then they were off the site, with their last action of "viewing this game".

Now, coupled with this recent claim of cheating fresh in my mind, I wonder if this person has taken this game to a program to determine if accepting a double is the right move or not? It seems quite obvious to me that is what has happened.

So, I am sure in my mind that even if people are not cheating by playing every move by the aid of a program, that many people are surly using these aids to assist in certain tough move situations or like the one I just described

nabla: who is he?????

coan.net: then you all of a sudden turn around 1/2 the game for the computer to play for you....

That doesnt say much for the games popularity

coan.net: This needs to be explained a bit more thoroughly please?

nabla: Thanks guys... thats the type of stuff that helps me more than the dry statistical book stuff!

wetware: Yeah, too much, I was hoping to stimulate some conversation and some off the cuff opinions, since off the cuff is my style anyway

AlliumCepa: Okay, another stupid question...

I have had double 3s a lot it seems lately on my opening roll, there are so many choices, I just get confused, assume all my 3 moves are open?

When you are ahead in a run situation, you will win more times than not. So, should you always double when you need to, and conversely how often should you accept a double when slightly behind in a run?

Come on Alan, I know you are looking, pull the trigger and this tournament gets started!

One more needed to make 32!!!

wetware: Okay, I am in....

I sent out 125 invitatons to mine, so i know even if someone doesnt read the boards or check the tournament page, they have an invite, maybe some people were gone for awhile, but i would like to have more of the very best players play

Andersp: Acuna Mattata and wetware
were shamed into playing, thanks!

I am sure playbunny could give us a 10 page dissertation as to why he wont play?

Just need 2 more now to start this bugger!

2200 plus 5 point cube

Okay, not 1 person in the top 25 ratings signed up for this one?????

Whats up with that anyway???

I need 4 more people to get it started!

Okay, I set up the last time wrong somehow, try this one here...

2200 plus 5 point cube

Does auto pass work in cube games during the crowford rounds?

Snoopy: ...and over 500 moves no less!