As nightfall peaks into darkness, the winds from the west turn to a gale announcing the changing seasons. The echoing songs of deeds in a distant land rush across the barren sand. From this gray darkness, a tattered, ghostly figure emerges, stumbling as if each step was his last. To this sleepy hamlet of backgammon comes an ominous tale of woe.

“They have arrived,” he sighs. “An evil horde of marauding dice mechanics have come to pillage the unsuspecting players in the west. They have struck with astonishing speed, slashing and crushing each victim, leaving a trail of havoc and despair. Some of our finest have fallen as the juggernaut of destruction laid waste to our land.

“One dazed and battered defender gave me a tearful account of the fighting. It was a brutal attack. They’re good, very good. Armed with the latest in loaded dice and electronics, they ripped right through our lines. When the panic subsided, we regrouped to do battle for the freedom of our pride. We grabbed our trusty baffle boxes and rushed to bridge the gap. When the smoke cleared, we could see those who had fallen, scattered like dead leaves in the wind.

“So I was sent to warn you. Beware! Be prepared! Look out for strange rolls and even stranger rollers. They may come in many guises to practice their wicked trade. You could be fleeced by the best of the worst, only to be left with transfixed, bewildered eyes.”

Alas! Backgammon’s mighty bastion of honor and glory has eroded like the temples of Greece. The brave and noble players fought to stem the polluted tides. But it’s sad that when I meet a player from the west, I want to ask: “Are you one of the Good, or are you one of the Bad cloaked in a clever disguise?”

Author’s Editorial: In this activity where money changes hands, there are people who would go to extreme lengths to acquire that money. Cheating, like most misbehaviors, grows from lesser infractions. The penalty for this offense is very harsh, for TRUST IS OUR CURRENCY AND WITHOUT IT, WE ARE BANKRUPT.

Fortune Cookie
You cannot see the match for the games.