COMPLIMENTS THREAD

[garp_02]

Since there is a whole section on droppers, I thought I'd start a wee topic where we can compliment those with whom we have played, who have shown great manners/sportsmanship etc etc.

I played a League Match this evening with Amarganth and things were going pretty evenly for the first three or four games.  After that, I started to get some good rolls at very convenient times - I apologised several times for my good fortune.  Amarganth did not complain once, even though they lost several games, and ultimately the match, due to rolls which would have sent others into a torrent of abuse and accusations.

I applaud you Amerganth - you are an example to us all and I wish you well in the future.

Garp

[diane]

What a lovely idea  

Armaganth falls into my personal category of a 'proper backgammon player', there are others too - and I aspire to be amongst them.

I see it with those who play professionally in particular, where their livelihood depends on not focussing on the rolls, but  the plays.  This is what will win you the tournaments too.

Good rolls come and go, so do bad, but only by continually playing well will you win the matches where the luck is good - but also some fraction of those where it isnt, and you maximised your chance of success by good play.

If you get wound up, by bad rolls, or by comments during play - well then you leave yourself exposed to losing because you lost your mental control - and you deserve to have that weakness exploited, as with any other - this game is all about mental discipline, after all.

Those who whine about dice are either new to the game, stupid, or playing the wrong game  

[dorbel]

If you get wound up, by bad rolls, or by comments during play - well then you leave yourself exposed to losing because you lost your mental control - and you deserve to have that weakness exploited, as with any other

I agree that getting wound up by "bad" rolls is one's own fault, but I can't agree that if one is distracted by the opponent's comments, one deserves to have that weakness exploited. Making comments during play designed to destabilise one's opponent is against the spirit and the rules of the game. It is wrong, plain and simple.

[stog]

I agree that getting wound up by "bad" rolls is one's own fault, but I can't agree that if one is distracted by the opponent's comments, one deserves to have that weakness exploited. Making comments during play designed to destabilise one's opponent is against the spirit and the rules of the game. It is wrong, plain and simple.

but opponents Do talk in Live tourneys, some actually trying to destabilize/distract/ or interrupt concentration, some consciously and many more subconsciously. i have always considered that a large part of the money game.

also the close proximity of our play in live situations ensures that there is, and always will be a strong psychological element to the game, allied with the pressure of the particular match, or indeed the particular play. (clocks of course can further this..)

watchers in tourneys however are expected to keep their gobs shut. (not always the case in a hustle situation  

i like the infinite variety of all this, and manage or not the situations, depending more on my particular state of mind at the time of play..

it is a 2 way tango!

(ive seen chess grandmasters melting each other's heads b4 now!!)

[diane]

I agree that getting wound up by "bad" rolls is one's own fault, but I can't agree that if one is distracted by the opponent's comments, one deserves to have that weakness exploited. Making comments during play designed to destabilise one's opponent is against the spirit and the rules of the game. It is wrong, plain and simple.

I dont do it, and didn't mean that it should be used against people who play nicely.  But, if you have a proper steamer, who is behaving very badly and making your game experience less pleasant by whining about rolls etc - well then..it seems reasonable to me 

One of the Las vegas tourneys saw Donz playing a total ass, he was punching the air, bemoaning every roll that didn't go his way, huffing, tutting and so on. He would also get up and stomp about for a bit after any roll that he considered unfortunate, Donz had to wait for him to return to the table to carry on playing, all kinds of stupid stuff.  Donz was patient and restrained, and kept calm and quiet through all his outbursts...but I bet others wind him up to destabilise his play even further - and I wouldn't judge them on that.

Like stog says, it does happen - and even in the gentlemanly world of chess!!

But, I think we digress 

[socksey]

One of the Las vegas tourneys saw Donz playing a total ass, he was punching the air, bemoaning every roll that didn't go his way, huffing, tutting and so on. He would also get up and stomp about for a bit after any roll that he considered unfortunate,

  Until I got past this part of your diatribe, I thought you meant Donz was doing all this!   

socksey



The tallest blade of grass is the first to be cut by the lawnmower. - Lithograph from Despair.com