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Backgammon Grab Bag

by Jake Jacobs
10 November 2007

Jake Jacobs

If life imitates art, why can't art imitate backgammon? Or rather, why not art about backgammon?

I have seen paintings by Phil Clark and especially John Demian with backgammon motifs, and backgammon boards turn up in movies occasionally, the actors generally manipulating the equipment in ways unconnected with backgammon as it is played on this planet.

But the world needs more art about backgammon: books and movies and plays and paintings and poetry:

There once was a player from Nantucket
Whose dice cup was made from a bucket.
Said he with a grin
As he dropped the dice in
If my grip is not firm you best duck it!

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Subject: Re: Backgammon Grab Bag

From: PhilSimborg Member has a photo available

Date: 12 Nov 2007 13:50 EST

Relative to the splitting at DMP, I was on one of those teams in the finals...I was on the team that lost. My wonderful partner and I (my wife, Randee) were trailing by 3 points, and when offered a 2-cube we took it and rewhipped. This made the game DMP. I honestly wasn't thinking about the hedge, and even when we lost, didn't even think to apply it until one of my opponents (Rory Pascar) who is usually so quiet and shy, mentioned that we got to DMP.

I really didn't think the intent of our hedge was to split in this kind of situation, but at the same time, a bet is a bet, and maybe it would have been correct to split. How would I know what my opponent's would have done had the situation been reversed?

After some discussion, I asked Rory, and his opponent Stick Rice, if they could promise me that had the situation been reversed that they would not want a split. Both swore to it. Knowing them to be gentlemen of their words, I took them at their word and we did not split. (I also wanted to be sure my wife would talk to me again at some point in the near future, and not in front of a judge.)

Your solution is the proper one. It could easily be stated that we would split if we got to DMP at the beginning of a game, or, if at post-Crawford, the score was 1-away; 2-away, as that, in my mind, is also a point where we are essentially equal to win the match.

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