Name/Title
The Backgammon TournamentDescription
With the official 'Laws of Backgammon' in place, Grosvenor Nicholas provides a guide to tournament protocols. Note that these guidelines are intended for hostesses holding tournaments as after-dinner social activity in private homes, but the format is remarkably similar to that followed by modern clubs today. Prize pools and payouts, calcutta auctions, drawsheet construction (including handling byes), match lengths and scoring options, and even the likely pace of play are all addressed.
Nicholas makes a provocative statement about the inappropriateness of awarding trophies or medals for backgammon winners, citing the overwhelming role of chance in determining the outcome of any single event. While this stance may strike us as too dismissive, it should be kept in mind that backgammon in this drawing room setting was primarily a social activity. Many would have participated in a spirit of gamely joining in rather than seriously “competing.” In such a setting, awarding a trophy to a less experienced, purely lucky participant could seem a mockery.Publication Details
Periodical
Vanity FairPeriodical Type
MagazineVolume/Number/Issue
June, 1931Date Published
1931Time Period
Modern BackgammonOther Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
SequenceOther Number
1931_06
