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Rule changes

Posted By: Tom Keith
Date: Monday, 27 July 2015, at 1:35 p.m.

In Response To: Rule changes (Steven E. Carey)

Hi Steven,

These are all relatively minor changes to the "commonly accepted rules of play" (CARP). These rules have been standard (at least in the U.S.) for 85 years. Having a standard set of rules for backgammon is a huge benefit.

If we were to change the CARP rules, it would mean that all of the rule sets published around the world would have to be revised. All the software (players, analyzers, reviewers -- there must be thousands of programs out there) would have to be updated. And, of course, everyone would have to learn the new rules (and forget the old). This would take years (probably decades) to work through the system.

That's not to say the CARP rules can't be improved -- I think they can be -- but simply to say that you don't want to go around messing with them unless you can demonstrate a clear and overwhelming benefit to the game.

Take, for example, your first suggestion. I agree that your rule ("when you can't play both numbers, play either") is better than the existing rule ("play the larger"). But how often does this even come up? And how often does it affect strategy? (Never.) Whatever rule you use, the important thing is to lay out exactly what to do when the situation arises. The rules do that now, so there really is no compelling need to make a change.

Messages In This Thread

• Rule changes
  Steven E. Carey -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 5:10 a.m.
  • Rule changes
    Trunky -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 9:21 a.m.
    • Rule changes
      RobertFontaine -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 10:55 a.m.
  • Rule changes
    TarHeelFan -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 10:54 a.m.
    • Rule changes
      Steven E. Carey -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 1:48 p.m.
      • Rule changes
        David Rennie -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 2:08 p.m.
  • Rule changes
    Tom Keith -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 1:35 p.m.
    • Rule changes
      niuniuch -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 3:14 p.m.
      • Challenge
        Tom Keith -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 3:54 p.m.
        • Challenge
          David Rennie -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 4:14 p.m.
          • Challenge
            Ray Kershaw -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 8:18 p.m.
            • Challenge
              David Rennie -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 8:32 p.m.
        • Here you are (guess where I found it :))
          niuniuch -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 4:54 p.m.
          • Here you are (guess where I found it :))
            Colin Owen -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 6:33 p.m.
        • Challenge
          Bob Koca -- Tuesday, 28 July 2015, at 4:32 p.m.
          • Challenge
            Tom Keith -- Tuesday, 28 July 2015, at 6:28 p.m.
            • Challenge
              Bob Koca -- Tuesday, 28 July 2015, at 9:13 p.m.
        • Challenge
          Marv Porten -- Thursday, 30 July 2015, at 5:17 p.m.
          • Challenge
            Bob Koca -- Saturday, 1 August 2015, at 1:27 p.m.
  • Rule changes
    Phil simborg -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 2:48 p.m.
  • Rule changes
    Casper Van der Tak -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 3:04 p.m.
  • Variations
    Timothy Chow -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 3:42 p.m.
  • Rule changes
    Keene -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 3:45 p.m.
  • Rule changes
    Colin Owen -- Monday, 27 July 2015, at 8:26 p.m.
    • Playing doublets once each instead of twice
      Tom Keith -- Tuesday, 28 July 2015, at 12:39 p.m.
      • Playing doublets once each instead of twice
        Colin Owen -- Tuesday, 28 July 2015, at 1:07 p.m.
  • Rule changes
    grant Hoffman -- Tuesday, 28 July 2015, at 9:20 p.m.