Rules

TOURNAMENT RULES & PROCEDURES

Interpretation

The tournament rules and procedures cannot, and should not, regulate all possible situations that may arise during a game or a match. No set rules should deprive the Tournament Director(s) of his freedom of judgment or prevent him from finding the solution dictated by fairness and compatible with the circumstances of a particular case.

Committee

The Tournament Director shall be assisted by a ruling committee set at the beginning of the tournament with 3 to 5 players acknowledged for their expertise of tournament. The  names of players in the ruling committee shall be displayed in the playing rooms. If one player of the committee is involved in a dispute he shall be substituted.

Inscriptions

Inscriptions are approved by the Tournament organization that doesn’t necessarily have to give any explications about its decisions.

Languages

The official tournament languages are English and Italian. No speech in other language is permitted between players and spectators when a match is in progress.

Dressing

It is required to dress properly at all time, otherwise the access to the Tournament will be denied.

Matches

All matches shall be played in official tournament rooms except by agreement or decision of the tournament director.
Players must observe their seat assignment on the draw sheet.
Matches of the Championship and Intermediate take precedence.
The board of the Main will be drawn randomly.
Byes of the Progressive Consolation will be drawn if possible first among players without a bye in the Main.
On the tournament board, late arrivals will be assigned in numerical order: the tournament director will decide how many late arrivals to keep available and how long.
In all 13 point matches or more, each player is allowed to take two breaks of 10mn duration each. For shorter matches each player has one break of 10mn duration. The authorized breaks must be taken between games. If the duration of the pauses are not respected penalties shall be awarded.

Punctuality.
It is the responsibility of each player to be on time: you must check that the program have not been modified. Ignorance is no defense against penalty points incurred through late arrival. For any unjustified late arrival penalty points will be awarded as follows: 1 point added to opponent’s score for every 5mn being late, starting from the moment chosen by the Tournament Director, considering circumstances, generally 20mn after of the scheduled starting time. As soon as penalty points amount to more than half of the needed number of points to win the match, the missing player will be disqualified.
In case of necessity, an hour delay could be granted by the tournament director’s decision; after the hour,  penalty points will start.
If clock is in use, instead of giving penalty points, the director will start the player’s clock.
In any case, to prevent penalties, a player should secure the tournament director’s consent when leaving the playing rooms.

Spectators

It is permitted to watch a match, but spectators must observe complete silence and avoid to disturb in any way the players, otherwise they will be sent away.
The tournament director can request at any time, on his own initiative or on a player demand,  that a spectator leaves the table, for a justified reason or for a need of the tournament.
To draw attention to any misplays or make general comments on plays is forbidden. In case of intervention of a spectator the offended player can request the tournament director to sanction.
Except flagrant cheating, a spectator may testify only on tournament director request.
If a spectator wants to address a player, he must ask the permission of the opponent. In case of agreement, he must use a language understood by both players.
Any indubitable signals between player and spectator will result in penalties that could reach the player’s immediate disqualification and forfeiture of any prize. The spectator will suffer the same penalty if he takes part at the tournament.
Preliminaries
Direction of play, choice of checkers’ colors and seats shall be decided at the start of the match and, once decided, will remain the same for the whole match. If the players disagree on the choice, they roll the dice and the highest result decide direction, color and seat.

Equipment

You must play with the tournament equipment or with equipments approved by the tournament director.
If you accept to play with non authorized equipments, you do it at your own responsibility.
You must have at least 2 standard precision dice.
A player may ask the tournament director to change, from the next game, the equipment he is using (or part of it) if he realizes that it is not regular or for another justified reason.
The tournament director can also replace, on his own initiative and at any time, defective or not regular equipment.
Disturbing and unnecessary objects have to be removed from the table surface.
Cellular phone must be turned off (or used shortly with the permission of the opponent and avoiding any disturb); headsets and recording equipments are also prohibited if not with the permission of the opponent.
Any help is prohibited. It is forbidden to write anything but the score.

Score

All matches will be played to the stated number of points: in case of different agreement, the  involved players will be penalized.
If, by mistake of both players, a match has been played at a different number of points than the stated one and the result posted in the tournament board, the loser cannot ask to play the match again or to carry it on or that the result were changed (if the stated number of points was smaller and the winner different); the director will give a warning to both players and will penalize them if they do it again.
If the players realize that they are playing to a wrong number of points (but the match is not finished yet), they have to change the number on the score sheet and carry on the match to the correct number of points; if vice versa with the correct number the match were already finished, the players have to keep playing till the wrong number of points they were suppose to go to.
Each player shall keep a running score of the match, with the match length marked at the top of the score sheet. Both players shall check their score with the opponent’s score at the start of each game. It’s the leading player’s duty to check if the score sheets match together: in case of a failure the score sheet of the trailing player will be valid.
Match cards of  the tournaments must be used.
Failure to keep score creates presumption in favor of an opponent in case of dispute.
If both players have a missing match length, the match will be played by default to the stated match length.
If both players realize that they do not play to the number of  points stated, the score sheet shall be rectified and they shall play to the stated match length. The result of a match shall be reported to the tournament director by the loser or by the winner with the score sheet.
If a player inadvertently concedes a match, even though his opponent has not reached the requisite number of points, such concession shall be deemed valid once the name of the winner is entered in the official draw sheet by the tournament director.
The use of flip over scoreboards is allowed and cheered; if you use both the flip over and a normal score (to keep also track of the game “history”), in case of discordance the flip over prevails.

Irregularities

Any settlement or convention between players is prohibited: no game may be replayed, canceled or settled.
Noise, act or attitude which hinder opponent’s thought and concentration are prohibited.
The player should never cover the complete view of the board to his opponent: he should for example avoid to put the cup inside the board or to keep the hand over it for too long. The not in turn player schould never touch the dies nor the pieces, not even his own.
The player should move the checkers clearly, using only one hand. Particularly, he should avoid exceeding in tentative back and forth moves. All the moves have to be performed regularly, in particular a checker from the bar should be played before moving any other checker.
If legally possible both numbers on dice must be played. If only one dice or the other can be played legally, but not both, then the highest dice must be played.
A hit checker must be placed on the bar. It is insufficient simply to tap the checker or indicate by movement of the hand that a hit is intended. If a checker (or checkers) must be hit legally, but is not placed on the bar the move may be considered as illegal.
Checkers born off must be out of the board and must always be kept in full view of both players. Any checker should not be held in player’s hands.
Any moves not performed properly may result in an adverse ruling in case of dispute.
The director, if informed, will warn and eventually penalize a player who makes repetitely illegal moves.
Player concludes his turn by lifting both dice. He may reposition the dice on the right board to facilitate thought and moving the checkers, but only flowing the dice on the playing surface. After lifting dice, a player can’t keep moving his pieces (unless the opponent demand to replay an illegal move).
If a player notices a wrong starting position, he may correct it before the fourth roll of the game. A player with a number of checkers different from 15 can lose gammon and backgammon.
Players must play at a reasonable pace. A player may lodge a protestation with the tournament director, if his opponent plays too slowly. The tournament director may on his own initiative, introduce a clock to finish a game or a match.

Cube

Automatic double and beavers are not legal.
When it is the player’s turn to throw dice, he may double against a close board with a man or more on the bar. The Jacoby rule does not apply. (gammon and backgammon will count at all times. So, a cube turn is not necessary to win gammon or backgammon)
The Crawford rule (no cube) applies: when a player reaches match point, the doubling cube will be out of play for one game and in any subsequent games the cube may be normally turned from the first legal opportunity.
A centered cube shall be considered with the value of 1 point.
The cube must always be kept in full view of both players.
A player can double only when the opponent concludes his turn by lifting both his dice.
A premature double stands and the opponent can move accordingly.
A player who doubles must place the cube with appropriate value uppermost on opponent’s right board. He must wait his opponent’s acceptation before rolling the dice.
A player who accepts a double must  place the cube with appropriate value uppermost on his side.
Once a player is doubled and accepts this double will be deemed valid.
A player who refuses a double must place the cube in the center of the board.
Only legal procedures shall be valid to double and to accept a double, any other shall be deemed null and void.
During the Crawford game the doubling cube should be removed from the board; but if, by mistake, the doubling cube has been used during the Crawford game, the player has in any case the right to invalidate all the doubles performed during that game, if he realizes the violation until the end of the game.

Dice

Only dice approved by the tournament director must be in use.
At the beginning of the match players choose a set of four dice, generally with 2 different colors.
Once a match is in progress dice may not be changed except at tournament director’s decision.
The tournament director has the right to introduce new dice at any time.
At the beginning of the match each player choose a die alternately. A random draw shall be made for the one who choose first. A player must have two dice.
Cups and dice must be kept in full view of both players. Dice must be rolled on the right side of a player’s board.
Cocked dice must be re-rolled. Dice are deemed cocked if they do not come to rest flat on the right board. If you think your dice are cocked, you must wait your opponent’s consent before rolling again. In case of a dispute, players must leave unchanged all the equipment: any modification by a player create presumpion in opponent’s favor.
At any starting game a player may request a dice mixage, with the same procedure of the beginning of the match: he will mix the dice and his opponent will choose first.
None or nothing must interfere the movement of dice in order to stop or control them.
Before rolling both dice must be in the cup. The cup must be shaken vigorously just before rolling. Both dice must come out simultaneously from a discernible height, without touching hands, in order that dice roll and bounce freely on the right board.

A player concludes his move by lifting both dice. Premature roll stands. A player may complete or act with foreknowledge of the premature roll.

A premature roller cannot use the cube and must play the premature dice when the opponent concludes his turn.
All violations of aforesaid rules shall be sanctioned.

Disputes

Any infringement by a player of the accepted standard of tournament behavior can result in immediate disqualification and exclusion from the tournament.

When a dispute arises the tournament director must be summoned and the players must leave unchanged dice, cube (the position in which it lies will be deemed valid), checkers and score. Any modification by a player create presumption in opponent’s favor.

The tournament director on his own initiative or at request of a player may appoint a neutral referee to observe a match: the referee shall have full powers to protect each player against opponent’s irregularities, illegal moves included.

The tournament director has the right to gather together the committee to adjudicate a dispute, a claim or a protestation.

A player may appeal a director tournament’s ruling, but he must appeal just after the ruling. To resolve an appeal at least 2 members of the committee shall be convene with the tournament director.  The committee shall hear relevant testimony and arguments of both players involved. A ruling will be taken by majority decision.

A match may be videotaped on tournament director’s decision. A player cannot refuse it, if he does he will be forfeited. If a camera is in use, it may be use in case of dispute.

CLOCK RULES

Generalities

On his own initiative or at the justified request of any participant of the tournament, the tournament director may require  two players to use a clock, to play or finish a match.
The clock can be introduced at the beginning of a game or during a game in progress at the discretion of the tournament director.
A player can request any time the checking of  the working of clock. In case of  an observed flaw the clock should be changed and reparation to the injured player might be arranged.

Time

You may play with the Bronstein system. At the beginning of a match the director will give to each player a given amount of time per point (for example 3 minutes), plus some seconds (for example 12) of delay per move: so a 7 points match could be played with 21 minutes per player +12 sec delay per move.
The effective time will in any case be indicated by the director accordingly with the event.
If a player completely ends his time (his clock reaches 0), he loses the match.
If the clock is issued in the middle of a game the average needed points will be calculated.
If the tournament director notices that two players play without a clock when one is required or they play with the wrong setting of time, penalties can be awarded to both of them.

Procedures

Players share one pair of dice coming from a set of four. At the start of a match players choose one die each. A random draw can be made for the first player choosing the die.
Either player may demand a mixing of dice prior to the start of any game, according the same procedure of the beginning of the match.
A random draw can be done for the sense of play. The clock shall be placed on the side of the bear-off. For a match in three sets, players may alternate the sense of play and make a draw in case they have to play 3 matches.
At the start of each game the clock is centered and each player roll at the same time a die. The player rolling the lower starts the opponent’s time and the other player makes the move.
A player signals the end of his turn by pushing the clock: dice should be left on the board. Then the turn passes to the opponent.
If a player presses the clock without rolling the dice or playing his checkers, the move will be considered as illegal.
Dice cannot be touched before the opponent’s move is complete.
If a player is against a closed board with at least one checker on the bar

– the opponent can hit the clock at each move (to always get the delay seconds);

– the player is not required to roll the dice but he still must continue to hit the clock to signify the end of the turn; if he can use the cube he can always double.

Doubling

A player who wants to double should clearly present to the opponent the cube in the middle of the board and then push the clock.
A player who wants to accept a double should clearly take the cube on his side and then push the clock.
A player who wants to refuse a double should clearly put the cube on the center of the board; then he centers the clock.

Conceding a game

A player may offer to concede a plain game, gammon or backgammon only after completing his turn and then centering the clock. To accept a concession ‘ opponent says “accept”, to reject says “reject”. No player may refuse an opponent’s concession for the maximum possible number of points.

Claiming a game

After completing his turn, a player may claim the game when the outcome is certain. The player claiming the game centers both buttons and says «I win the game» (or «a gammon» or «a backgammon»).
The opponent has to verify this statement.

Stopping the clock

A player can stop the clock for the following reasons :

– make a proposal of concession of the game;

– to retrieve a fallen die or checker;

– to contest an opponent’s action: or example, after an illegal move of the opponent, the player has the right to demand the rectification without losing time;

– to summon the tournament director;

– to announce the intention to take a break (when taking a break, it is counseled to both players to write down on their score sheets their time until expiration of the match).

SWING TOURNAMENT RULES

Swing is a contest in which all players start with an equal amount of Victory Points (VP) and continue to play until one player remains who accumulated all the VP.

• as long as a player has chips, he must continue playing in the tournament;
• players will be randomly matched against one another for a ‘Single’ game;
• each game will start with an initial stake as set in the current tournament CPP (Chips Per Point): it’s the number of VP that each point of the game is worth. This value doesn’t change in the middle of a game. For example, if you won a gammon and the CPP was equal to 300 and the doubling cube was at 4, you will win 2x4x300=2.400 VP;
• when a game starts, if one of the players has less VP than the set CPP, the initial stake would be his VP: the player would be “All-in”;
• the CPP will be raised at he end of every game.

DAVIS CUP RULES

The players register already in couples, indicating  who is player 1 and who is player 2.
Each encounter between couples takes place in three phases:
1. Player 1 of couple A plays against player 2 of couple B; at the same time player 2 of couple A plays against player 1 of couple B;
2. Couple A plays against couple B exactly as in a “double consultation”;
3. Player 1 of couple A plays against  player 1 of couple B and at the same time player 2 of couple A plays against player 2 of couple B.