BEACHCOMBER 108 YEARS OLD AND STILL TROUBLED BY DOUBLES...

POLITICIANS could learn a great deal from backgammon players.

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That game features a doubling cube whereby a player may offer to double the initial stake. If accepted, the opponent then takes control of the cube and will have the right to redouble to four times the initial stake at any later stage, when the cube will again change hands.

Linguistically, it should be obvious that whether one is talking about backgammon or anything else, one may start with a double, then proceed with redoubles, but politicians don’t seem to understand that.