Should we ask for the doubling cube?

[Hamoor]

I'd like to jump into this discussion, if I may and bring some of my experience as a player and developer.

I have played a lot of backgammon online and IRL. Backgammon waned in popularity until the doubling cube was introduced in the 1920s. Not only was it used in gambling, but also in tournament play.

I see two major ways the cube impacts the game. Firstly, it actually speeds the game up. Even if the receiver takes a while to evaluate the offer, on the whole the game goes faster. Secondly, it adds more weight to strategy. Knowing when to double is a very strategic decision as well as knowing when to accept or concede. On the flipside, it keeps blind luck from spoiling solid play.

The addition of the cube can be implemented by adding the following options which would still allow players to create 1-point matches without the cube as before.

• number of points: from 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 9 (maybe at first?)
  doubling cube: yes or no? (yes by default if points > 1)
  crawford rule: yes or no? (yes by default if points > 1 and doubling cube on)
  jacoby rule: yes or no? (no by default)

And one mustn't forget to count multipliers for gammons and backgammons.

As for the impact on ELO, you must take two new factors into account: margin of victory and length of match. In a 1 or 3-point match there is much more uncertainty in the expected result. A 5-point match is a good balance between speed of the game and promotion of skill. In matches from 9-points or higher, there is little room for luck, and thus the result is a true reflection of the difference in skill.

As for development, I'd be happy to pitch in if someone could show me the ropes.

Love this post. Backgammon is not much of a game without the cube - crawford rule, etc. FIBS and other related sites remain the better option until BGA's version gets upgraded. Fingers crossed....

[Morganfitzp]

I was surprised to see no Doubling Cube on BGA's backgammon. I learned the game as a kid without it, but my how the Doubling Cube improves backgammon.

One way to implement the Doubling Cube on BGA is to have options for number of points played to in a single game. Shorter games go to 3, 5, or 9 points, longer games to 17 or 33, and epic games can stretch out to 65, 129, or 257 points. Match is always set at a n²+1.

There's precedent for this on BGA: Lost Cites is played over 3 matches, and Jaipur is played to 2 wins out of a possible 3. Seems like an easy adaptation to code in one of backgammon's most essential functions.

[BaconPotatoSalad]

Dear Concerned.

I vote for no cube play online. In person yes. We players get approx. 10 or more rating points each win. And no cube limits abusive bahaviour from bad actors.

[UtahPhillips]

I would love doubling cube and ability to play series.
They would certainly have to change how the next roll appears immediately and without prompting.