Backgammon Chouettes

Chouettes

Variable stakes

From:   Christopher Yep
Address:   yep.2@osu.edu
Date:   1 April 2000
Subject:   Re: Chouette Consulting Question
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   38E59015.CFD930D6@osu.edu

My chouette allows people to play for different stakes. That is, some of us play for a designated stake of x, some for 2x, and some for 4x. For a given game, the actual stake between a crew member and the box is the minimum of their designated stakes. For example, if a "2x" player is the box, then he plays for x against "x" players and 2x against "2x" and "4x" players. Starting the cubes in the center at 1, 2, or 4 solves the accounting problem (the cube would only start at 4 in the case of a "4x" box against a "4x" crew member). I'm not sure how "consulting only after your cube has been turned" would work with variable stakes. Does anyone else play with variable stakes? Does "consulting only after your cube has been turned" work well with variable stakes, or can "undesirable" things happen? Also my chouette plays that a player keeps the box only if he has defeated ALL crew members. Does anyone else play this way? (I haven't heard of anyone else using this rule.) I believe a more common rule is that one keeps the box if he defeats the captain. An alternative is that he keeps the box if he shows profit [or perhaps breaks even?] against the crew. What about order of taking cubes? That is if the box doubles some or all of the crew members, is there any order followed as to when a crew member must make his take/drop decision? My chouette, long-established before I joined, uses a rule where the captain must make his take/drop decision first, then the next player in line makes his decision, then the 3rd player in line, etc. Does anyone else do this? I would imagine it to be an uncommon rule. I think chouette rules would make a good backgammon poll question. I'm cc'ing this message to Art Grater, who I believe sets up the poll. It might be hard to cover all possible topics or to give all possible answers (there are so many variations!), but at least broad categories could be used. Some things that might be worth asking: 1. Group cube or individual cube [virtually every chouette now uses individual cubes]? 2. If individual cubes: if some crew members double the box, must the box treat all cubes the same (drop all or take all)? (Yes; No; He must take at least half; other) 2. Consulting: always, never, only after one's cube has been turned, other? 3. Can one pass the box? 4. Can a crew member take alone? (Yes, without restrictions; no for initial cubes, but yes on recubes; yes, but he must accept extras from other crew members; yes, but he must beaver [ridiculous, but some chouettes play this way!]; other) Chris

Gregg Cattanach writes:

We play with variable stakes this way at some times, and the consulting rules don't change. I certainly haven't noticed any new problems concerning consulting because of the variable cube sizes. Our standard rule is the Box MUST defeat the captain, and also must at least break even on the score sheet for this game in order to keep the box. I would find needing to beat ALL the members far to stringent, especially with individual cubes. I wouldn't like that at all. > What about order of taking cubes? We do use this rule, that the captain makes the first decision, and then in the order of the team. In practice, if someone wants to decide ahead of his turn, there is no penalty, but people lower on the list can properly wait until the captain and members above them have decided first. > If individual cubes: if some crew members double the box, must the > box treat all cubes the same (drop all or take all)? ONLY when ALL cubes are turned from the middle by the team, the box must take at least half of them. Any redoubles, or if ALL initial cubes are not turned together, the box can handle them any way he pleases. > Can one pass the box? Yes. > Can a crew member take alone? For INITIAL cube turns, if all team members drop, but a single team member wants to take, he must take Extras from any of the droppers, if the droppers offer them. We used to use the beaver rule, but only use the Extra system now. The beaver rule still created a long game with only the two seated players involved, which is boring and what we want to avoid. There are no restrictions on any recubes, they can be handled in any way by the players, regardless of the other player's decisions. These are the rules we use in Atlanta, and everyone seem pretty happy with the entire system. We meet and play every Monday (chouettes only, usually 2 or 3 tables going), and Thursday (Tournament with chouettes squeezed in around the tournament matches, 10-16 players, usually). We also have a once a month Sunday tournament. GL in your next!

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