Since there are no visible or tangible interactions between players in online backgammon, etiquette would seem trivial in any given game. But there are many things that both players can do to make the experience pleasant.
An online backgammon server is like any private organization. Each server will have its own policy and set of laws, be sure to read all the servers’ rules before you start playing on an online backgammon server.
Here is a list of etiquette guidelines to remember when playing online backgammon:
• Before playing online backgammon, have everything prepared to avoid any distractions. In online backgammon, you will be playing with a timer and you will be penalized once the time has run out. Do what you have to do before you start playing.
• When the game begins, a “Hello” or “Hi” will suffice as greeting. When the game ends, “Thank you” is also enough, win or lose. If you’re a chatty person, when your opponent says “Hello” back, you could say “How are you?” to test the waters. If your opponent doesn’t reply, then kindly keep the comments to yourself to avoid giving offense.
• Online backgammon servers do not tolerate foul language in chat. There is never a good reason to use four-lettered words or profanities. Even when your opponent rolls well or you roll a bad one, refrain from commenting since the dice rolls come from a random number generator in the server.
• Avoid whining or laughing (typing LOL) when playing with someone who gets good roll and never ever use foul language because the server will likely take some action
• A few players become frustrated with how things are going and leave the table or disconnect from the online backgammon server. This is called “dropping”, it is not only ill-mannered but it is not fair to your opponent if you drop from a match. It also happens when a player does not want to lose rating points for the loss. So if you really are frustrated with a game or see you cannot win it, be righteous and simply resign the game.
• In a real emergency and need to log out or leave, type a quick message to your opponent and say so. This way, your opponent knows you are not dropping him. Once you return try to find the player, and if he is not online, leave a message.
• If your opponent is not moving after 30 seconds or so, rather than say something unpleasant like “come on dude, play” or “go faster, play faster”, the correct thing to say are “It’s your move.” or “Are we still connected?”
• If your opponent is playing slowly, don’t write “go” or “zzzzzz” – players are allowed to consume the time on their timers. If they do not play in their allotted time their clock will run out and you win anyway. However, you might want to keep a record of the names of slow players, and the rude ones, or player that you have issues with, so as to avoid them in the future.
• A final advice, about sportsmanship and fair play – never use backgammon bots to assist you when playing online backgammon because it is cheating and can get you banned from the server and your account confiscated. Using programs gives you an unfair advantage over your opponent.
This article was written by Alexis.