nabla: Should be tried somehow. But, if the game's strategy is changed fundamentally, why not make it a new game? Long games CAN also be charming sometimes.

I also wanted to try an eight checkers variant for countering the opening strategy of blocking the player's home full with checkers. But then the are other questions come up:
- Where to put those eight?
- Is the strategy changed?

Or, try cloning BG rules in Hyper Backgammon, where capturing can save lives. Should be intersting enough to give a try.