Backgammon: Playing With Stakes
Many board game players find it unusual for backgammon to be considered a gambling game. After all, chess players have not been known to collect and harvest chips as counters after making a check-mate. With backgammon, however, playing with stakes is surprisingly the norm.
An important objective of a backgammon player is to acquire the most number of stakes. To many players, the gambling element does not appeal at all times, if at all. But to those who consider it, backgammon has the facilities for taking care of the stakes. Establishing stakes does not necessarily mean monetary bets. Counters can be used in money's stead. Some merely match scores with pen and paper.
From the time when each player rolls a single die to begin the game, a rule states that when a double results from this, the stake becomes doubled. The players naturally roll again.
After bearing off, a "gammoned" non-winner - that is, he is unable to bear off a single stone of his - pays the worth of a doubled current stake; a backgammoned one - meaning, he has at least one stone outside his inner table - loses a triple stake. If an opponent, on the other hand, has been able to bear off at least a single stone, the wager is forfeited.
The Doubling Cube; Doubling and Redoubling
In the 1930's, after a period of complacent enthusiasm for the game, backgammon emerged into the American mainstream. Here, a new rule regarding doubling and redoubling stakes was adopted with the innovation of the "doubling cube." Printed on its six faces are the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32. This die is used to note the amount of the current value.
At any time in the game, a player can offer to raise the stake by doubling it. It is imperative that a player gives this offer before casting the dice. Should the opponent decline the offer, he forfeits the game and its current stake. In accepting, the game continues and he gains the right to redouble the offer in the same way it was doubled earlier.
The invention of the doubling feature has been effective in accelerating the pace of backgammon in that many matches loaded with double and redoubled stakes have been begged off and stopped, paving the chance for newer games and opportunities to start more quickly. With this addition to the codified rules of backgammon, the spirit that inspires the American "give-it-to-me-right-here-right-now-and-fast" attitude has undoubtedly revolutionized the way people play the game..
Furthermore, the element of the bluff had been added through the doubling-redoubling rule. The excitement of the dare that usually grips poker matches has now almost become a staple to the backgammon frenzy.
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