Backgammon with 2 Hands

PipCount · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 16

I have a friend that I play backgammon with a lot. He’s a great player, but he does one thing that gets me a little ticked off. Sometimes, when he is really getting into the game, he will make two moves at the same time—using both hands! It isn’t that I don’t trust him to make legal moves, but it can be difficult to follow what he is doing when he does this. I have told him that it bothers me when he plays two-handed backgammon, but he continues to do it. He says that he can’t help it—he does it out of habit. He also says that there are no rules that state that a player can’t use both hands. I would like to prove him wrong so that I can force him to break this annoying habit. Can anybody help me?

Jade · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 27

There is a backgammon tournament rule that states that players are required to move each checker clearly, using only one hand, so that their opponent can see everything. Unfortunately, I think that this rule only applies to tournaments and not to more casual play.

I have never come up against a two-handed backgammon opponent, but I’m sure I can see how it can be annoying. I think that the best you can do is tell your friend how serious you are about wanting him to stop playing this way and pointing it out to him every time he reaches for the board with two hands so that he will do his best to stop. If he still refuses to play with one hand then maybe he isn’t a good opponent for you.