Chouettes

Forum Archive : Chouettes

 
Mandatory beaver

From:   David Montgomery
Address:   monty@cs.umd.edu
Date:   15 January 1999
Subject:   Re: Chouette Questions
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   77o5bn$pok@krackle.cs.umd.edu

DD Wright writes:
> Chouette Questions
> in a chouette where everyone has their own cube, if the box
> doubles everyone (let say it is the first time a cube has been thrown),
> we have a rule that if all but one drops, the take must beaver

This is a bad rule.  The intent of this rule is to prevent a lone
taker from keeping a game going with all the other crew members out
of the action.  It has this effect, but it also has the effect of
punishing players who would make correct taking decisions even when
they are in the minority.

A good rule is this:
  On an initial cube turn, when the box doubles everyone simultaneously,
  if fewer than half of the crew members take the cube, these takers must
  be willing to accept extras from the droppers.

When a dropper gives a taker an extra, the dropper pays the taker 1 point
and gives the taker a 2-cube.  This amounts to a side bet between these
two players one whether the position is a drop or a take.

The dropper willingly gave up 1 point, so he must believe that the taker
will lose more than 1 point on average.  The taker, on the other hand,
accepted the box's cube rather than give up one point, so she must believe
that she will lose less than 1 point on average.  The extra allows the
two players to make a bet where each has implicitly indicated that the
bet favors them.

This rule has the same desired effect.  First, players will be less
likely to take in the minority, since to do so they will have be willing
to put more money at risk.  Second, no one ever needs to be out of the
action, since if there are minority takers, the droppers can get back
into the game by giving an extra cube, and they can make a profit in
doing so if they are right.

This rule avoids the undesired effect of punishing players who make the
correct decision to take.

> Can the dropper who was taken up on the side action consult with the
> box?

Rules on this may vary from chouette to chouette, but I firmly believe
that the droppers should not be allowed to consult with box on any
checker plays.  When a player takes against the box, she may be taking
because of the way she expects the box to play.  Positions that are
correct takes against the box may become drops when others are allowed
to consult.

Regarding recubes, my preference is that the cubes stay independent -- the
box and each dropper who gave an extra decide independently whether to take
or drop recubes (and should it arise, whether to re-recube). There are good
arguments for both ways of doing it however.

David Montgomery
monty@cs.umd.edu
monty on FIBS
 
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Chouettes

Automatic doubles with carryover  (Alexander Zamanian, Jan 1999) 
California rule  (Peter Anderson+, Nov 2001) 
Captain drops and others take  (Grafix8888+, Sept 2000) 
Chouette cube strategy  (Stanley E. Richards+, Mar 2011) 
Cube proxy  (Ilia Guzei+, June 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
Dream chouette  (Phil Simborg+, Sept 2009) 
Extras  (Daniel Murphy, Feb 1997) 
Extras  (Albert Steg, July 1996) 
Extras  (Anthony R Wuersch, Mar 1995) 
Fish-hunt rules  (Chuck Bower+, Feb 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Interlocking chouette  (wintom+, Jan 2008) 
Jacoby rule  (Doug Doub+, Aug 2005)  [GammOnLine forum]
Legal plays only  (Gregg Cattanach+, Aug 2001) 
Los Angeles Rules  (Joe Russell, Apr 2013) 
Los Angeles Rules  (Justin N.+, Aug 2011) 
Lure of the chouette  (Bob Koca+, July 2004) 
Mandatory beaver  (Roland Scheicher+, Mar 2002) 
Mandatory beaver  (David Montgomery, Jan 1999) 
Money management  (Albert Steg, Sept 1998) 
Online chouette rules  (John Graas, July 2003)  [Long message]
Order of succession  (leobueno+, Aug 2011) 
Order of succession  (Albert Steg, June 1995) 
Procedure when captain doubles  (Bill Riles+, Feb 2010) 
Split cube actions  (Neil Kazaross, June 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
Strategy  (Michael J. Zehr, Sept 1998) 
Variable stakes  (Christopher Yep+, Apr 2000) 
Waiting for teammate to double  (Øystein Johansen+, July 2001) 
When box takes a partner  (Dan Pelton+, Mar 2009) 
When does player retain the box?  (Daniel Murphy, Jan 1997) 
When is consulting allowed?  (Dave+, Mar 2000) 

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