dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (04/23/84)
When I visited Israel in 1976, I wandered into a chess club in Tel Aviv
one evening (the Lasker Club). I was invited to play speed-chess (5 minute)
with an old-timer at 5 lirot per game (about 60 cents at the time). In the
middle of the game, while I was at a disadvantage, my opponent said,
"Contra!". My Hebrew is passable but not fluent, and I just assumed
he was commenting on the board position. Lo and behold, I won the game
and he handed me 10 lirot. He and the onlookers then explained that saying
"Contra" doubled the stakes unless I resigned immediately. Once one player
called Contra, the other could do so at any later time, and so on.
This additional element threw off my concentration, and I lost most of
the rest of my games. Anyway, it seems to be the same as the doubling
cube in backgammon. The players in the club assumed it was part of the
game and were surprised I didn't know it.
Dave Sherman
Toronto
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{allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsrgv!dave