If you are playing in a backgammon tournament there we be 'NO TIME OUT". If you do, you will be disqualified!
rule change
Disqualifying someone entirely just for timing out doesn’t seem fair. The current system allows players up to 3 minutes total of timeout, which is a reasonable balance. It gives players a chance to step away briefly if needed, while still protecting the pace and integrity of the tournament. If they go over the limit, their score is finalised, and they can’t continue, that’s already a firm enough consequence without needing to mark it as a full disqualification. Thanks for sharing your thoughts though, it’s always good to discuss!
1
Thank you for your timely response. But my complaint is what is the "PENALTY"... as you said, 'they cannot continue'. BIG DEAL..if I'm already in 1st place and "can't continue"...'I'm laughing' 'cause unless someone that is playing 'every game' loses to a higher score...that individual could play 5 games and win vs a player that plays 11 games...I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS FAIR. I WOULD APPRECIATE A SURVEY DONE TO SEE WHO AGREES WITH ME AND WHO DOESN'T. Thank you for reading my thoughts. Ray Tripp
The challenge is that tournament scoring needs to balance fairness with flexibility. The current system does apply a clear consequence: once timeout limits are exceeded, the player’s score becomes final and they can’t play any further rounds. That in itself affects their ranking potential, especially if others continue competing. A disqualification label might sound harsher, but functionally it’s very similar, they’re out of the tourney either way. The current method just avoids punishing players who had a genuine brief issue but still competed fairly in earlier rounds. That said, discussion like this helps shape future improvements, so thank you again for taking the time to post your suggestion.