No doubling for other than gammon games please. Doubling when in a clear lead position will "force" the opponent to resign even if he has a little chance to win the game. Who would risk losing "two" games if there was only a small chance to win.

resignation isn't the only reason to double... i see no reason for a doubling cube unless you're going to have multiple point matches... that is all part of the game of backgammon... you have so many variations of other games.. its too bad we don't have the element to play this one properly...

Lovely Sharon - I agree that resignation isn't the only reason but it's a good one!
Kitti - please describe a 'little chance to win'? What would your guy be waiting for? A blunder?

If you were going to implement the doubling cube, you would also need to award two wins for a gammon and 3 for a backgammon. Personally I think if you're going to implement that, let's just have 5 point matches.

I started the thread by suggesting that once the game is mathematically over then the game server should award the game instead of forcing the game to continue pointlessly. Of course resignations would help (I always resign if the game is mathematically beyond reach, why prolong the agony).

tonyh: If there is a chance to win resigning should not be "forced" with doubling. I agree that sometimes the games drag on pointlessly when other side has no chance whatsoever. But determining when a game is decided is not that easy on many games. If doubling was there many endgame turnarounds wouldn't happen. For example in a game of reversi 10x10 my situation looked really hopeless after move 36 (and even before that). I was thinking about resigning and surely my opponent would have doubled at that point if the option would have been there. Then resigning would have been the only sensible option for me to do. However i continued to play and managed to clinch victory with a few points margin! It was a great match and it would never have happened if doubling was there. Many such games where other side has definite advantage would end prematurely if we could double. Here's link to the game.

But gammons are a different thing. The doubling cube belongs there and should be implemented as soon as possible.