Forum Archive : Rulings

Crawford game double From:   Raccoon Address:   racgammon@yacannedmeathoo.com Date:   30 September 2003 Subject:   Crawford Rule news Forum:   GammOnLine The Danish Backgammon Federation's Tournament Committee has published an interpretation of the federation's Crawford Rule. Paragraph: 4.4.4 4 The Crawford rule applies in all matches. In the first game in which one player needs point to win the match, neither player may double. If a player nevertheless doubles, the doubling is annulled. In following games, if any, the doubling cube may again be used. Interpretation: Doubling in the Crawford game is illegal, no matter whether the leading or trailing player doubles. Any doubling is annulled so long as the next game has not begun or, when the game in which the doubling occurred ended the match, so long as the result has not been recorded by the tournament leader. The tournament leader is obligated to intervene, if he becomes aware of a doubling in the Crawford game, and annul the doubling. When the doubling is annulled in an ongoing game, the players shall continue the game without using the doubling cube. When the doubling is annulled (1) between two games, or (2) after the game in which the illegal doubling occurred ended the match, but before the result has been recorded by the tournament leader, the players' scorecards shall be corrected, such that the number of points gained is that number which would have been gained if there had been no doubling. http://www.dbgf.dk/Debat/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=nytfrahtu&Number= 36788&page=0&view=expanded&sb=5&o= Th translation here is mine. Steve Mellen  writes: This situation comes up more often than some might think. I like the Danish interpretation and think it makes the most sense. If the players don't realize it was the Crawford game until afterwards when they try to score the game - which is the most common time for this error to be discovered - just score the game as if the cube had not been turned, and move on. If someone wants to say they would have played differently had they known the cube was on 1, tough rocks. Albert Silver  writes: What if the game cannot continue after an improper double/pass as the pieces were reset? Is the wrong win erased, and a new Crawford game started? Chuck Bower  writes: In other words: "do two wrongs make a right?" A director could use his/her discretion here. If match leader should know better and is possibly trying to pull one over on a novice opponent, I would expect the ruling to be "restart the game; cube is dead." If between two novices, neither knowing better, still probably the correct ruling. Raccoon  writes: > What if the game cannot continue after an improper double/pass as > the pieces were reset? Is the wrong win erased, and a new Crawford > game started I asked one of the Committee members, and his offhand opinion was that the point should count. Which is reasonable, if not consistent. There's a limit, generally, to how much ought to be undone to correct an illegality -- an error in setup stands if not corrected before the Nth roll; an illegal play stands if not corrected before the next roll. Replaying an entire, completed game is quite different from a simple adjustment to the score. I think I'd tend to agree with Chuck, though (if this is what he thinks), that (1) having the game be replayed might often be fairer, that (2) the decision might best be left to the director.   Did you find the information in this article useful?           Do you have any comments you'd like to add?

 

Rulings

Checker knocked off bar  (Chuck Bower+, Sept 2003) 

Clock rules and gin positions  (Chris Yep+, Dec 2007) 

Clock rules end of turn  (Jason Lee+, Dec 2007) 

Cocked dice  (Rodney Lighton+, July 2012) 

Cocked dice  (Ed Rosenblum+, Dec 2009) 

Cocked dice  (Chuck Bower+, July 2003) 

Cocked die on first roll  (Cloyd Laporte+, Nov 2006) 

Crawford game double  (Øystein Johansen+, June 2004) 

Crawford game double  (Joe+, May 2004) 

Crawford game double  (Raccoon+, Sept 2003) 

Crawford game double  (Claes Thornberg+, Apr 1998) 

Dice sliding  (Chris Yep+, Dec 2007) 

Disagreement on final cube  (Chuck Bower+, May 2004) 

Disagreement over cocked dice  (DeaconBlue+, May 2005) 

Disputed roll  (Roland Scheicher+, Mar 2004) 

Disputed roll  (Chuck Bower+, Mar 2000) 

Doubling to wrong value  (Stein Kulseth+, Nov 1998) 

Equipment changes  (Jason Lee+, Feb 2004) 

Error in setup  (Stick+, Dec 2007) 

Incorrect setup  (Ken+, Mar 2004) 

Kibitzing  (Ilia Guzei+, Feb 2006) 

Misplaced cube  (Ned Cross+, Mar 2004) 

Misplacing a checker off the board  (Sam Pottle+, Apr 2006) 

Misplacing a checker on the bar  (Jeb Horton, Dec 2002) 

Moving checkers before you roll  (Gregg Cattanach+, Mar 2006) 

Moving with two hands  (Jason Lee+, Jan 2011) 

Opening roll loser picks up his die  (Chuck Bower+, Oct 2007) 

Playing to wrong match length  (Klaus Evers+, Jan 2006) 

Playing to wrong match length  (Marty Storer+, Mar 2005) 

Playing to wrong match length  (Steve Mellen, Feb 1998) 

Playing wrong opponent  (Hank Youngerman+, Oct 2005) 

Premature actions  (Raccoon+, Feb 2008) 

Premature roll  (Chris Yep+, Dec 2007) 

Repositioning dice without notice  (Chuck Bower+, Oct 2007) 

Rerolling cocked dice too quickly  (Raccoon+, Nov 2006) 

Rolling 2 dice instead of 1 to start  (Bob Koca+, Oct 2007) 

Rolling when opponent is closed out  (Raccoon+, Nov 2006) 

Rolling wrong dice  (TarHeelFan+, Sept 2005) 

Taking photos of positions  (Stick+, Dec 2007) 

Touching the doubling cube  (Ken Bame+, Nov 2006) 

Touching the doubling cube  (Chuck Bower+, Apr 1998) 

Two cubes on the board  (Jason Lee+, July 2005) 

Video dispute resolution  (Jason Lee+, Feb 2006) 

When are the dice "up"?  (Ilia Guzei+, Feb 2006) 

Writing down positions  (Klaus Evers+, Jan 2006) 

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