Equipment

Forum Archive : Equipment

 
Dice

From:   Gregg Cattanach
Address:   gcattanach@prodigy.net
Date:   9 July 2004
Subject:   Re: Dice question
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   dpCHc.2196$lA7.950@newssvr16.news.prodigy.com

Matt Senecal wrote:
> I finished coating my cork board this past week. It looks good, the
> checkers slide really smoothly, but now the dice are giving me a
> problem.
>
> The set (an older one) came with two sets of standard dice: perfectly
> square, straight-edged. Before I coated the board they wouldn't roll
> much, and would just basically plop out of the cup (a rather small,
> snap together affair) onto the board. Now they slide -- quite well, in
> fact. Imagine a pair of ice skating dice, if you will....
>
> The lack of rolling gives me cause for concern, as this board is used
> for face-to-face play. I don't want there to be any accusation of
> cheating by any party. Before I shell out $30 for a set of 4 precision
> dice, does anyone think that they will solve this problem? I know they
> are made to roll, but on this surface I would expect them to roll, and
> roll, and roll.... Or is the lack of rolling with the standard dice
> even a problem, assuming that well shaken dice are going to come out
> random anyway?

You don't want to use straight-edged dice on your backgammon board for two
reasons, the 'skating' and sliding they will naturally do (instead of
rolling) and the sharp edged will quickly cut up the playing surface over
time.  Those are for the craps tables.

You really must get precision dice with the rounded corners and inlaid pips;
there really isn't any other way to go.  Many player will immedately refuse
to play if you don't have precision dice.  The smaller ones (1/2") roll more
times per throw, so many prefer them feeling them to be the most 'random'.
Also, the smaller ones cock less because they can land and not be cocked
between the checkers. Many people also like the medium size (7/16") because
they're easier to pick up. The biggest ones (5/8") are not popular at all
and seldom seen.

Get 4 dice in two colors and enjoy.  Carol Joy Cole has several choices, the
'Ultra-Precision' dice ($7 each) are really nice as the rounded corners are
made with a diamond lathe and come out with a highly polished surface on
those corners, instead of a matte finish. Under a bright light the
transparant ones can show highlights like jewels.  The other ones she offers
($5 and $6) are also perfectly acceptable.

http://www.flintbg.com/boutique.html

Gregg C.
 
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Equipment

Bakelite checkers  (Albert Steg, Nov 1998)  [Recommended reading]
Board design  (Chuck Bower, Feb 2004)  [GammOnLine forum]
Board design  (Adam Stocks, July 2002) 
Board design  (Gregg Cattanach, Dec 2000) 
Board design  (Michael Poche+, Dec 1998) 
Board design  (Albert Steg, Jan 1998) 
Boards  (Bert Van Kerckhove+, Aug 2002) 
Boards--Custom-made  (N Merrigan, Mar 2003) 
Boards--Dal Negro  (Erin+, Jan 2004) 
Boards--Features to look for  (Matthew Mueller+, Dec 2000) 
Boards--Hardwood Creations  (Ben Fairbank, May 1998) 
Boards--Tak Morioka  (Gregg Cattanach, Feb 2002) 
Boards--Tak Morioka  (Ed Zell, Jan 1999) 
Boards--Zavoral  (Robert Zavoral, Oct 1999) 
Buying a tournament board  (Chuck Bower, June 2011) 
Care of backgammon boards  (Ken Bame+, Mar 2009) 
Checkers  (Mike O.+, Feb 2003) 
Checkers  (Chuck Bower, Nov 1997) 
Dice  (Gregg Cattanach, July 2004) 
Dice cups  (David Montgomery, Nov 1999) 
Dice cups  (Leo Bueno, Feb 1998) 
How much to spend on a board?  (Ian Shaw, Apr 2004)  [GammOnLine forum]
Leather boards  (HGM+, Dec 1999) 
Luxury boards  (Paul Vianna+, Feb 2010) 
Meyer Dice Tube issues  (Stick+, July 2010) 
Meyer Dice Tube usage  (Justin Nunez+, Feb 2011) 
Meyer Dice Tube--Why I hate it  (Bob Glass+, Dec 2010) 
Moderately priced boards  (William Womack+, Feb 2010) 
Precision dice  (Patti Beadles+, Jan 2001) 
Precision dice  (Larry Strommen, Feb 1998) 
Precision dice  (Chuck Bower+, Feb 1998) 
Replacing cork on backgammon boards  (JP White, Apr 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
Suppliers--BG Shop  (Michael Nelson, Jan 2002) 
Suppliers--Backgammon boards  (CKT, July 2004) 
Suppliers--Backgammon boards  (Ian Shaw+, June 2002) 
Suppliers--Where to buy dice  (Andrew B.+, Jan 2008) 
Suppliers--Yenigun  (yenigun, Sept 2005) 
What finish to use on a cork board?  (JP White+, Apr 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
What is "standard size"?  (Daniel Murphy, Mar 2001) 
What is "tournament size"?  (Rodrigo Andrade+, July 1999) 
Woodworking--Finishing a board  (M Moore+, Jan 2008) 

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