Parcheesi doublets are smaller than other board game's doubles, hence the "lets" suffix indicating their diminutive stature. /BS :p
If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with BS.:cool:
Ok, seriously now...I think that the reason that they are called doublets instead of doubles has to do with a subtle distinction between the two words.
I believe that "doubles" (in the context of a game) would mean a combined result of twice as much or two times the same number for a combined value that is double the individual value.
Whereas, "doublets" implies that the number on each die, although having the same number as the other die, is treated as an individual result and can be split.
For example:
Double :d6-6: :d6-6: would mean that you advance 1 piece 12 spaces
vs.
Doublet :d6-6: :bd6-6: would that you could advance 1 piece 6 spaces and another piece 6 spaces OR you could advance 1 piece 6 spaces and advance the same piece 6 more spaces.
This is an important distinction in Parcheesi, because you could move a piece 6 spaces and land on top of an opponent (sending him home and getting a 20 space bonus movement) and then moving another 6 spaces and landing on another opponent. Each die result is treated as it's own movement. So, rolling two of die and getting the same face value on each does not mean that a single piece moves double; rather it means that you have a choice to move a single piece the combined value of the two dice, or two pieces the value of one die each.
I could be wrong about that, but that's what I think about the difference of doubles and doublets in Parcheesi.:meeple:
BTW: I can think of two other games that use a "doublets" method of game piece movement - Conflict and Dogfight
If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with BS.:cool:
Ok, seriously now...I think that the reason that they are called doublets instead of doubles has to do with a subtle distinction between the two words.
I believe that "doubles" (in the context of a game) would mean a combined result of twice as much or two times the same number for a combined value that is double the individual value.
Whereas, "doublets" implies that the number on each die, although having the same number as the other die, is treated as an individual result and can be split.
For example:
Double :d6-6: :d6-6: would mean that you advance 1 piece 12 spaces
vs.
Doublet :d6-6: :bd6-6: would that you could advance 1 piece 6 spaces and another piece 6 spaces OR you could advance 1 piece 6 spaces and advance the same piece 6 more spaces.
This is an important distinction in Parcheesi, because you could move a piece 6 spaces and land on top of an opponent (sending him home and getting a 20 space bonus movement) and then moving another 6 spaces and landing on another opponent. Each die result is treated as it's own movement. So, rolling two of die and getting the same face value on each does not mean that a single piece moves double; rather it means that you have a choice to move a single piece the combined value of the two dice, or two pieces the value of one die each.
I could be wrong about that, but that's what I think about the difference of doubles and doublets in Parcheesi.:meeple:
BTW: I can think of two other games that use a "doublets" method of game piece movement - Conflict and Dogfight