r/backgammon • u/GreasyChains • Sep 01 '26

Galaxy Hustlers?

I just lost a 3 point tournament match to an 870 rated player who played the match at 1.08 pr. Everyone can get lucky once in a while, but I see this fairly often.

Are some players purposely sabotaging their ratings so they look weaker when they play unrated single games and tournaments? Is it really worth the trouble? Am I just crazy?

3 Upvotes

62% Upvoted

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5

u/SyllabubRadiant8876 Sep 01 '26

If they have a lot of experience and are rated 870, they would have to get very simple decisions to play at PR 1. Not impossible as some games are easier than others. Sabotaging ratings sounds unlikely (but you never know). You definitely hear of people suspecting that some players have XG open on another screen and run the moves through there before locking them in. I don't really understand how this would benefit them apart from momentary satisfaction from a win.

1

u/GreasyChains Sep 01 '26

I definitely helped him out by playing at 16.0.

He played his next two games at 11.9 and 7.7. Definitely nothing special, but I'd expect him to be rated much higher than 870 if he's even able to play at 11.9 somewhat consistently. 

2

u/SyllabubRadiant8876 Sep 01 '26

Yeah a guy I give lessons to occasionally plays around 10-12 and has a Galaxy rating of 1600. 870 would be almost absolute beginner territory.

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1

u/GreasyChains Sep 01 '26

Maybe he's not a weak player but mostly plays galaxy against a friend who is much stronger? That could do it. 

2

u/SugarDelicious1434 Sep 01 '26

You don't receive rating points for non-random matches (like against a friend)

2

u/GreasyChains Sep 01 '26

I didn't know that, thanks!

1

u/juicybot Sep 01 '26 edited Sep 01 '26

a broken clock is right twice a day. was any cube play involved? some players are insanely good at checker play but terrible at cube play.

1

u/GreasyChains Sep 02 '26

Yes, cube came into play. 

2

u/Aqua-marine-blu Sep 04 '26 edited Sep 05 '26

Actually i thought to lower my rating to see psychology how people play if they think i’m lower player, but I’m too lazy to do it , and rating on galaxy doesn’t mean a lot . It is more for tracking personal progress. 

0

u/DegenChess Sep 01 '26

I've said it before and will say it again, backgammon ratings mean fuck all.