tonyh: You're not the only one. And I may even pay for a membership when it happens!!!

pgt: How about that, fencer!!??

tonyh:  Earlier today (on another site) I doubled my opponent.  But I have a man on the bar, and my opponent has a closed board.  Meanwhile, on my side of the board, my opponent has one man back, behind--but not immediately up against the edge of--my 5-point prime.  I double him now--I do not wait, which would give him the chance to roll a 62 that would jump my 5-prime and probably win--perhaps even win a gammon.

I double, thinking that it is more likely that he will have to break his board (allowing me to enter) on the next move or two.

But if I were auto-sleeping, and could not double until I actually had a chance of re-entering...I think it would be too late.  My opportunity would have been lost.

I can hardly wait to conduct a long rollout of the position, to see whether my cube decision was correct.  Maybe I'll post a link to the position, once that match is complete.  I think it's interesting.  Even if I'm wrong, I'll learn from it.

wetware: I imagine that if you are trapped, but your opponent also has checkers back, that would be a case where you would not go to auto-pass.

More common is the situation where you are the only one back and would never double.

wetware: There is an easy enough solution.

Don't just have an blind auto-pass for all situations - but still allow you to roll a dice, and if you are STUCK, you THEN have the option to choose "Auto-pass UNTIL I can move". (Maybe a check box above the submit box)

So if you think there may be a situation you do not want to use the auto-pass, you clearly don't choose that option.

coan.net: You just made me think of something that I have been puzzled about since I first started playing at BK. Why do both players have to permit auto-pass? If my opponent doesn't want to use auto-pass and I do, why can't he simply opt out while letting me use it?

By the way, I also like the idea of being able to change my auto-pass setting in the middle of the game, in much the same way that I can change the setting to "stay here" when my opponent is stuck on the bar and I own the cube.

happyjuggler0: Yea, I never did understand that either. If I want to use auto-pass - then let me - Don't let my opponent FORCE me to play a certain way. If they don't want to use it and click "pass" every time - fine, let them - but let me play the way I want and not let my opponent FORCE me to play a certain way - let me play the way I want to.

Anyway, here is how I would setup auto-pass (for all gammon games, and others like Ludo)

1. An option is settings that says something like: For games with a PASS, go ahead and auto-pass for me. (Applies to all gammon games where the CUBE is not in play) - if's its a gammon game and you have a chance to double, check below for those situations. Also applies to Ludo & other similar games.

2. An option in setting that says something like: For games where there is a AUTO-Move (only 1 move available) - go ahead and auto-move for me.

3. Then in a game, like mentioned below - (This would come up for people who do not have #1 above checked, and gammon games with cube) - If a situation comes up in game where you "Pass" - let there be a check-box that says "Auto-pass until I can move a piece" - Once you move a piece, if the "Pass" situation comes back up, you will need to check that again.

---- Then also, WHENEVER there is an auto-pass or auto-move, just have a small default message says something like "coan.net auto-passed" - that way the opponent knows they did not see any message or anything like that. (Since that was one of the "reasons" some had for not wanting to have auto-pass)

coan.net: coan; agree with everthing you've written! Especially about me using auto-pass, even if my opponent doesn't want to.

coan.net: That's exactly what I said!!! I should have patented it.