Forum Archive : Etiquette

Doubling to end a game early From:   Douglas Zare Address:   zare@math.columbia.edu Date:   1 August 2001 Subject:   Re: Is it wrong to double to end a game early? Forum:   rec.games.backgammon Google:   3B68822D.B0DEF971@math.columbia.edu > You're ahead and are pretty much assured of winning the game (unless fate > really has it out for you). You don't think you'll make a gammon, so you > offer a double (knowing your opponent will refuse) just to end the game > early. Is this considered bad play style? It's not bad. It's what you are supposed to do. The doubling cube is a powerful weapon and this is an appropriate use for it. Now for the refinements: 1) If you are a roll away from winning a normal game, just play it out rather than double. Doubling makes it look like you think your opponent will make an idiotic mistake or will click on the wrong button. 2) If you really don't have any chance to lose the game, and you have a tiny chance of winning a gammon, you may double, but that is a gift to your opponent. The technically correct move is to play on for the gammon. Keep in mind that if you don't double now you could double next turn, and if your opponent would still have to pass, then you haven't risked anything by rolling. 3) This is backgammon. The dice might be angry with you. If there is no chance of a gammon, double rather than tempting fate. I've turned around a ton of games where my opponents could have correctly doubled me out but didn't. 4) If the chance that you lose is miniscule, some opponents will be annoyed that you don't double. Douglas Zare   Did you find the information in this article useful?           Do you have any comments you'd like to add?

 

Etiquette

Am I too slow?  (sevenout+, Apr 2004) 

Am I too slow?  (Stephen Turner, Jan 2002) 

Am I too slow?  (Daniel Murphy, June 1997) 

Commenting on dice  (Ron Barry+, Mar 2001) 

Dealing with droppers  (Bill Hill, Dec 1998) 

Dealing with droppers  (Patti Beadles, Mar 1996) 

Dice cup  (Walt Swan, June 2000) 

Direction of play  (Ric Gerace+, Aug 2001) 

Doubling opponent out  (bustedchucks+, June 2005) 

Doubling to end a game early  (Douglas Zare, Aug 2001) 

Etiquette for online play  (Dean Ayer+, June 1997) 

Going for backgammon in a one-point match  (Douglas Zare, Nov 2000) 

How long to wait?  (Marsha Wisniski+, Dec 1997) 

Listening to music while playing  (Max Urban+, Oct 2009) 

Moving hit checker first  (Timothy Chow+, Oct 2009) 

Premature shaking  (Paul Epstein+, July 2005) 

Rolling the dice  (Julius Selbach+, July 2005) 

Rude conduct  (Igor Schein+, Mar 2003) 

Under resigning  (Bob Newell+, Aug 2004) 

Under resigning  (Ilya Vinogradsky+, May 1994) 

When to quit  (Albert Steg, Nov 1998) 

Why I never complain about the dice  (Phil Simborg, Mar 2004) 

From GammOnLine         Long message         Recommended reading         Recent addition

 

Book Suggestions Books Cheating Chouettes Computer Dice Cube Handling Cube Handling in Races Equipment Etiquette Extreme Gammon Fun and frustration GNU Backgammon History Jellyfish Learning Luck versus Skill Magazines & E-zines Match Archives Match Equities Match Play Match Play at 2-away/2-away Miscellaneous Opening Rolls Pip Counting Play Sites Probability and Statistics Programming Propositions Puzzles Ratings Rollouts Rules Rulings Snowie Software Source Code Strategy--Backgames Strategy--Bearing Off Strategy--Checker play Terminology Theory Tournaments Uncategorized Variations