|
 |
Chouette Rules
|
 |
|
|
1.0 BASICS AND TERMS
1.1 The Chouette rules assume
knowledge of the game of backgammon, how it is scored, the role of the doubling
cube, and procedures for handling dice and doubling cubes.
1.2 In a
chouette, one person, called Box, plays a game of backgammon for
points against a Team of other players, headed by
Captain, who rolls the dice and plays the checkers for the Team.
Optionally, Box may take a Partner, customary when the Team is
large (often restricted to chouettes with 6 or more by mutual agreement). At the
end of each game, the Team rotates, with the next in line becoming the new
Captain. The new position of Box, Partner, and Captain is according to the
rotation rules below.
1.3 The initial determination of Box, Partner, and
Team with Captain is customarily done by each player rolling 2 dice, (doubles
not counting extra), and the highest number becomes Box, the next is Captain,
then the next determines the order of the Team. The last person on the team
would be the first selection as Partner, if any.
1.4 Each member of the
Team has a doubling cube.
1.5 A cube is said to be in the
game if and only if it has been turned and accepted, regardless of the
value of the centered cube.
2.0 STAKES IN CHOUETTE
2.1 The basic
stake (number of dollars per point) is determined by mutual agreement
and should be written at the top of the score sheet.
2.2 When joining the
chouette, a player arranges to play for the basic stake, or for multiples of the
basic stake. For the basic stake, the centered cube begins with "1" or "64"
facing upward. If the player wishes to play for double stakes, the cube begins
showing "2" provided that Box is also willing to play for that stake. For
quadruple stakes the cube begins at "4", and so on, always subject to Box’s
preference.
2.3 A player wishing to change the stake arrangement between
games may do so only if all participants agree.
3.0
CONSULTATION
3.1 The Team may not consult on cube decisions, nor
should they announce their reasons for doubling, taking or dropping. Cube
decisions should be made in order, first by the Captain, then by each member of
the team in the order of the established rotation.
3.2 For checker play,
Captain may seek advice from any player whose cube is in the game regardless of
the Captain's cube status. Those without a cube in the game must not consult or
comment. The Captain may only offer advice if his cube is in the
game.
3.3 Box may consult with Partner regarding cube decisions at any
point.
3.4 Box may consult with Partner regarding checker play only if
two cubes have been turned, regardless if they were taken or passed.
3.5
The only players who can handle the dice or checkers are Box and Captain, but
the Team members may handle their own cube, if desired. The Captain makes the
final decision on all checker plays.
4.0 SCORING AND
SETTLEMENTS
4.1 Jacoby Rule: Gammons and backgammons count only if
the cube in question is in the game.
4.2 Scoring is kept to whole point
accuracy. If Box and Partner win an odd number of points, Box receives the extra
point. When Box and Partner lose an odd number of points, Box loses the extra
point.
4.3 If games are settled for a fractional point amount, the
fraction is ‘rolled off’ by both players throwing two dice. The higher total
(doubles not counting extra), wins the extra fractional point. Other
dispositions of fractional points may be made by mutual agreement between
players, provided that only whole points are recorded on the score
sheet.
4.4 Box may preempt a settlement between players in the Team. For
example, ‘A’ has elected to double, but ‘B’ has not. ‘A’ offers ‘B’ ½ the cube
value for 'B's interest in the game in order to double. If ‘B’ accepts the
offer, Box may preempt the offer, paying ‘B’ in order to reduce the Team. Box
may also preempt offers from spectators or players out of the game.
4.5
Box may offer settlements to any player or number of players, and is not
obligated to offer the same settlement to the entire Team. Box may also sell his
game to any player or spectator.
5.0 DOUBLING
5.1 By
default automatic doubles are not used. When matching starting dice are rolled,
an automatic double (cube turned to next higher value with the cube remaining in
the center) can be made by mutual agreement between Box and any number of the
other players.
5.2 A player doubles by placing the cube on the backgammon
board with the doubled value showing. If requested by a Team member the Captain
may turn that player's cube.
5.3 When a double is offered to a player,
the player acts with a drop, take, or beaver (turn the cube to the next value
and hold it).
5.4 If a player beavers, the player who offered the double
may accept the beaver, raccoon (turning the cube once more without changing
possession) or drop the beaver, immediately losing the value of the cube before
the beaver. Raccoons and other further immediate redoubles are allowed only with
consent of both players involved.
5.5 Misunderstandings about doubling,
drops, and takes should be avoided by announcing the decision and making sure
all involved have heard. However, if there is confusion, the cube position
resolves any dispute. When dropping, the cube is restored to its initial value
and, should be put in a different location than cubes that still remain in play
in the middle. When accepted, a cube shows the new value and is positioned so
that it is easily visible and all know that it is in the game.
5.6 In a Chouette, Box
may offer initial doubles selectively, and may also redouble
selectively.
5.7 When Box doubles all cubes from the middle and a lone
player takes, he is obligated to accept any offered extras. The lone player is
paid the value of the undoubled cube, and now will hold the cube of the
player(s) who offered the extra at double the value. Beavers and raccoons are
allowed. The player(s) who offered the extras are now on the side of Box with no
consulting permitted, and will have independent cube action between them and the
lone player from that point on. The taking player has the option to drop instead
of take if he does not wish to accept the offered extras.
Alternate
rule 5.7a: The lone taking player must continue the game taking the Box's
cube, but has the option to immediately drop any of the offered extras (to
reduce the gammon risk), losing a net of one point to each of those
players.
5.8 Players in the Team may act on a cube offer by Box in any
order, but have the right to wait until all those preceding them in the rotation
have acted. Optionally, Box can insist that the team makes cube decisions in
order of the rotation.
5.9 At Captain’s turn, a player in the Team may
offer Box a double, at which time the Box is required to verbally solicit the
Team for other players that also may wish to double. This applies to initial
doubles and redoubles. When a Team member may wish to double on the next
sequence, he must tell the Captain to ‘hold your roll’ or words to that effect
to give that Team member the option to double before the dice are rolled.
Optionally, Box can insist that the cubes be offered in order of the
rotation.
5.10 When all cubes are turned from the center, Box may drop or
accept all cubes, or may accept at least one half of the cubes and drop the
rest. Box may not accept less than one half the number of offered cubes,
regardless of their value. Box may beaver any cubes but still must accept at
least half of the cubes.
5.10a (for 3-handed chouette only) When both
cubes are turned from the center, Box must take both or drop both cubes. Extras
are handled as in rule 5.7.
5.11 For cubes that are redoubles, Box may
accept or pass any number of cubes. The Box may also accept or pass any number
of initial cubes if the entire Team does not double together.
6.0
ROTATION
6.1 Box for the next game is the winner of Box vs. the
initial Captain. However, Box must always at least break even for the last game
to remain Box. If Captain loses and Box also loses points in that game or if
Captain and Box settle their cube for zero points, then Box goes to the end of
the Team behind Captain, and the player behind the original Captain becomes Box,
and the next player becomes Captain. A person scheduled to be Box has the option
to relinquish that role and go to the bottom of the rotation.
6.2 If Box
defeats Captain with the cube and other players in the Team remain in the game,
the game continues with the next player in line becoming Acting
Captain. The losing Captain goes to the end of the current Team for the
next game. This first Acting Captain is also scheduled to be Captain for the
following game regardless of this game’s outcome. If an Acting Captain also
loses while others are still playing, the next player in rotation becomes Acting
Captain. A player that becomes Acting Captain has no effect on the rotation of
players.
6.3 If the initial Captain defeats Box with a double, he sits
out, but will be Box for the following game. If other players are still in the
game, the next player in line becomes Acting Captain and is also scheduled to be
Captain in the following game. For the following game, Partner retains the
position he would have had if he did not become Partner, and losing Box becomes
Partner (or goes to the end of the Team if new Box plays solo).
6.4 When
scheduled to become Captain in the next game, Partner may 1) remain Partner and
drop to the bottom of the rotation and the next player in the rotation becomes
Captain, or 2) relinquish being Partner and become Captain for that game. If
Partner chooses to become Captain, the player at the bottom of the order can be
invited to be the new Partner.
6.5 A player wishing to join the chouette
does so at the discretion of Box or any of the players, subject to the maximum
number of participants allowed. The new player joins the end of the Team. The
player at the bottom of the Team is the first choice for Partner (if any), not
any new player joining. When 2 or more players join at the same game they roll 2
dice, (doubles not counting extra), to determine their order at the end of the
Team. Generally, it is recommended not to arbitrarily exclude new players from
the chouette, unless it has become large (6 or more players).
7.0
PROXIES
7.1 A player in the Team who leaves the scene temporarily may
appoint a proxy to handle that player's cube. The proxy can be any other
participant in the chouette, whether still in the game or not. The proxy may
also appoint yet another proxy, and so on. If no proxy is appointed, Captain
acts as the proxy for the missing player(s).
8.0 LEGAL
PLAYS
8.1 Any player including spectators and players not in the
current game can bring attention to any illegal play involving rolling, checkers
or the doubling cube. Once an illegal play has been identified, it must be
corrected if at all possible, regardless of timeliness; the goal being the
realization of the normal game position in absence of the illegal
play.
8.2 If possible, the illegal play should be identified and
corrected as it is being made or after the dice are lifted and before the
opponent rolls. If the illegal play is identified after the opponent has rolled
then either rule 8.3 or 8.4 is applied as appropriate:
8.3
If the equity achieved by the choice of legal plays is substantially the same
regardless of the opponent's roll, the illegal play is corrected and the
opponent's roll stands.
8.4 If the equity achieved by the choice of
legal plays would change with prior knowledge of the opponent's roll, the
illegal play is corrected and the opponent has the option to re-roll or use the
number already rolled.
8.5 Illegal plays may also be corrected after the
initial illegal player starts to move after the next roll, but only if it can be
adjusted without affecting the previous plays or rolls.
9.0 PIP
COUNT
9.1 The pip count should be considered common knowledge, so
when one player (or the box) does a pip count, it is acceptable and recommended
to announce the count to the entire group. This speeds the game by avoiding
having every Team member do a separate pip count.
10.0
SCOREKEEPING
10.1 The score sheet should be available to any player
to review at any time. It is best practice for the scorekeeper to announce the
number of points that are have been won or lost by each player as the score is
recorded. Recording points from dropped cubes as they happen is also
recommended. After each game is scored, the scorekeeper should verify that the
total of all scores adds to zero. To facilitate tracking the rotation, the loser
of each game is circled. As each player becomes Box, their circled score is
crossed through. If both Box and Captain lose, they are both circled, with a 'b’
by Box's circle to indicate that Box will follow Captain in the rotation. The
highest circle on the score sheet is the player that is due to be the next
Captain.
11.0 MODIFICATIONS TO THE RULES
11.1 By mutual
consent of all players in the chouette, these rules may be modified to suit the
preferences of the chouette. All players must agree to any change, and any new
player entering the game must be informed of the
change.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Get $2 free bonus
for verifying your email, hourly and daily tournaments. 3D graphics engine,play for money or for free, Sit&Go or Event tournaments with cash prizes! Get ready
October 1st - Monday 20:00 (GMT)- $50,000, 128 players will win prizes!
15,000+ players are playing now online!
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Play Backgammon
Online Now! |
|
|
The more you play, the more stars you accumulate and can win free prizes |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
