Forum Archive : Rules

Bearing off question From:   Colin Wiel Address:   colin@milo.com Date:   12 July 2000 Subject:   Rules Question: Bearing Off Forum:   rec.games.backgammon Google:   smq8251vnd668@corp.supernews.com I am x, and I am almost done bearing off, with the following board: |o o o o o o| |. . . . . o| |o o o o o o| | | | o| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | x | | | |o x . x . .| |. . . . . .| I roll a 4-1. In order not to leave a piece open, I want to move the piece on the 4-spot to the 3-spot (using up my 1), then move that piece off (using up my 4). My opponent claims that that is illegal, and that I need to move the maximum number of points possible, moving the man on the 4-spot off, then moving a 1 from the 2-spot to the 1 spot, bumping his piece (and thus giving him the chance to bump me back). Who is right? Thanks, - Colin Pollax  writes: You most definitely are Colin - you can play either number first as long as you eventually play both. If only one can be played then it must be the higher of the two. Dave Slayton  writes: yes, totally legal....it LOOKS illegal cuz it "wastes" pips...but there's nothing in the rules that says you must squeeze every pip possible out of each roll, only that you move men for each die if you possibly can...but there is no restriction on which of them you move first...   Did you find the information in this article useful?           Do you have any comments you'd like to add?

 

Rules

Bearing off question  (Colin Wiel+, July 2000) 

Can a beaver be dropped?  (Robert-Jan Veldhuizen+, Mar 2006) 

Can a beaver be dropped?  (Stein Kulseth, May 2000) 

Changing dice  (Julian Hayward, Feb 1998) 

Checker shuffling  (James Johnson+, June 2000) 

Gentleman's previlege  (Daniel+, Sept 2005) 

Hit and run  (Rich+, Jan 2000) 

"Illegal moves" rule  (Chuck Bower+, May 2004) 

Illegal plays  (Bob+, Aug 2002) 

Illegal plays  (Marc Gray, Nov 1995) 

Illegal plays that can't be condoned  (Matt Cohn-Geier+, Feb 2011) 

Is stalemate possible?  (Jan Andrew Bloxham+, July 1995) 

Jacoby rule  (Daniel Murphy, Dec 1997) 

Jacoby rule ambiguity?  (Chuck Bower+, Mar 2011) 

Jacoby rule--Good or bad?  (neilkaz+, May 2006) 

Legal roll  (Sture Lifh+, July 2004) 

Legal roll  (Gregg Cattanach, Oct 2001) 

Moving checkers unambiguously  (Timothy Chow+, Oct 2009) 

Moving checkers with two hands  (Michael Strato+, June 2000) 

Must a hit checker be placed on the bar?  (Dani+, May 2006) 

Pick and pass and bearing off  (SimonW+, Jan 2005) 

Play cubeless at 2away/2away?  (Raccoon+, Oct 2005) 

Repairing an illegal play  (Michael J. Zehr, Apr 1995) 

Resigning  (Bob Lang+, Aug 2002) 

Rolling on wrong side of board  (Ian Shaw+, Aug 2004) 

Rolling on wrong side of board  (Kit Woolsey, Jan 1999) 

Rolling on wrong side of board  (Kit Woolsey, Sept 1998) 

Rolling on wrong side of board  (Bob Hoey, Apr 1998) 

Rolling too soon  (TonyM+, Feb 2007) 

Rolling too soon  (Stephen Turner, Feb 1998) 

Rolling too soon  (James Grenier+, Sept 1996) 

Talking during play  (EdmondT+, Dec 2000) 

Touch-move rule in backgammon?  (Ken Bame+, Nov 2006) 

Touch-move rule in backgammon?  (Austefjord+, May 2002) 

U.S. backgammon tournament rules  (Butch Meese, Nov 1997) 

When do you give up your chance to double?  (Paul Epstein+, July 2005) 

When is a move over?  (JP White, May 2000) 

Overview  (Daniel Murphy, Apr 2001) 

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