WOC2000 – Official WOC Rules
I. GENERAL RULES AND PLAYING CONDITIONS
1. Contestants: The World Othello Championship shall be held annually to
determine the World Othello Champion and the World Othello Team Champions.
Every nation may present up to three contestants, with the exception of the
hosting country (see II.2). Before the tournament, the tournament organisers
may, in case of serious doubt, request a player to present his credentials as a
representative of his country.
2. The Officials: The host country shall arrange for the services of a
chief referee and other tournament officials. There shall be sufficient
officials to provide a scorer for each tournament game. The chief referee shall
be responsible for the running of the tournament, including the pairings
process and adherence of players and spectators to the rules described herein,
and shall be the arbiter of any disputes arising during the tournament. A
decision of the chief referee may, in exceptional circumstances, be appealed to
the Council of Federations: see V.
The chief referee shall appoint table officials (see IV.2), who will transcribe
the games. If possible, the tournament officials should arrange for the four
semi-finalists to receive transcripts of their prospective opponents' games in
time to prepare for the third day of competition.
3. Playing Conditions
3.1 The Tournament Room: The host country shall endeavour to provide the
contestants with good playing conditions. The tournament room shall be quiet
and well lit. (Indirect lighting is preferred because direct light reflects off
the shiny surfaces of the playing discs, making it difficult to distinguish
their colour).
3.2 Consultation: During the course of the game, a player may not
consult any notes or exchange information of any kind with another person, with
the exception of a tournament official.
3.3 Smoking: It is strictly forbidden to smoke in the tournament room.
3.4 Mobile phones: Mobile phones brought into the tournament room must
be switched off. If someone forgets to do so and their phone happens to ring in
the tournament room, they must not answer the call but must immediately switch
the phone off.
4. Spectators: Spectators are permitted in the tournament room at the
discretion of the chief referee. Spectators and other contestants are permitted
to observe a game in progress, but must not interfere in any way with conduct
of the game. In particular, observers must refrain from making any comments on
the game, or in any way distracting the players or the table referee. However,
if another player detects any irregularities in the game, he may mention them
to the chief referee or one of his assistants.
II. TOURNAMENT FORMAT
1. Overview: There will be three days of tournament play. The aims of
the first two days of competition are:
a) To select four players who will compete on the third day for the individual
title.
b) To decide the World Othello Team Championship.
The third day of competition will be organised as follows:
a) There will be two semi-finals, one played between the first and
fourth-ranked players from the first two days of competition, and the other
between the second and third-ranked. These are to be the best of three-games
matches
b) There will be a final, organised as a best of three-game match between the
winners of the two semi-finals, and a one game play-off for third place between
the two losing semi-finalists.
2. Playing System: During the first two days of the tournament, the
system used will depend upon the number of contestants in the tournament as set
out below:
a) Up to 8 players: A double Round Robin.
b) 9-14 players: A single Round Robin.
c) 15-24 players: A modified Swiss system.
d) More than 24 players: An unmodified Swiss system.
See II.5 for further details. If a Swiss system is to be used, seven rounds
will be played on the first day and six on the second.
If there would otherwise be an odd number of players, the host country may
enter an additional player in the tournament to prevent the introduction of a
bye. This player shall be designated as the country's fourth player before the
beginning of the tournament.
If the host country has already entered three players, the points gained by the
designated fourth player shall not count for the team championship.
However, the fourth player shall have the same status as the other players as
regards the individual championship, and, in particular, shall have a full
right of access to the semi-finals and final.
3. Individual Final Ranking List (IFRL): At the end of the first two
days of competition, the officials will draft the Individual Final List Ranking
(IFLR) following the procedure set out below:
3.1 Provisional List: A provisional list is first drawn up, players
being arranged in order of number of points scored in the tournament - one
point will be awarded for each win and half a point for each draw; in case of
ties, the Mixed Brightwell System (MBS) will be used to separate the
contestants (see appendix A).
If the fourth and fifth-ranked players in the provisional list have the same
number of points, they will play a play-off game. In this game, the
fourth-ranked player shall have the choice of colour and shall be declared the
winner if the game is drawn.
3.2 Final List: The IFRL is the same as the provisional list with two
modifications:
a) If a play-off game was necessary as in II.3.1, the winner of that game is
placed fourth in the IFRL and the loser fifth.
b) Any players not ranked among the top four and having the same number of
points are declared equal.
4.Team Final Ranking List (TFRL) The final ranking list used to
determine the World Othello Team Champion will be drafted as follows: The
officials will calculate for each team the sum of the points scored by its
members, and the ranking list will be drawn up according to this sum. (If the
host country has provided four players, the points scored by the designated
fourth player will not be taken into account.) In case of a tie for first
place, the country with the greatest number of games between members of its
team shall be declared the champion. If two or more teams are still tied for
first place, the team having the top player in the IFRL will take preference.
In case of a further tie, the team whose second-ranked player is higher in the
IFRL will take preference. In case of a further tie, the tied teams will be
declared equal.
5. Pairings when a Swiss system is used
5.1. First round
The pairings for the first round shall be determined as follows:
- The players are divided into Group A, those who have played in at least one
semifinal of the previous ten World Othello Championships, and Group B, all
other players.
- Two players are chosen at random, one from Group A and the other from Group
B. They are paired against each other, with the player from Group A assigned
black.
- This is repeated, with the player from Group A assigned alternately black and
white, until one of the two groups is empty.
- The remaining players are paired by random draw.
5.2. Second and subsequent rounds
In determining the pairings for the second and subsequent rounds in a Swiss
system, the following rules should be followed, in decreasing order of
priority:
i) Two players from the same team cannot play against each other in the last
two rounds.
ii) If an unmodified Swiss system is used, two players who have already played
against each other cannot be paired together again. If a modified Swiss system
is used, two players who have played against each other twice cannot be paired
together.
iii) The two players paired together should have the same number of points. If
this is not possible, the difference should be minimal.
iv) In a modified Swiss system, if possible, players who have already played
against each other should not be paired together again.
v) Players should tend to play black and white the same number of times during
the tournament. If this is not possible, the difference should be minimal.
vi) A player who has already "floated up" should "float
down", and a player who has already "floated down" should
"float up".
vii) Players should alternate colours from round to round.
6. Withdrawals: If a player withdraws from the tournament, he may not
re-enter. In particular, he may not qualify for the semi-finals or final.
However, his score at the time of his withdrawal will be entered in the IFRL
and be taken into account in the TFRL. A player who has withdrawn will not be
considered for the purposes of pairing rounds after his withdrawal, and instead
a dummy player called "BYE" will be introduced into the pairing
process. See also Appendix A for the effect of a withdrawn player on the
calculation of the MBS.
III. SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL
1. Best of Three-Game Matches: The higher-ranked player in the IFRL
shall have choice of colour for the first game of the match.
Each player shall be awarded one point for each win and a half point for each
draw in the match.
Colours shall be reversed for the second game. If a player wins both the first
and second game of a match, then that player shall be declared the winner and a
third game shall not be played.
Choice of colour for the third game, if necessary, shall be awarded to the
player having the greater number of discs in the first two games. In the case
of a tie, the higher ranked player shall have choice of colour.
At the end of three games the player having more points in the match shall be
declared the winner. If after three games the two players have the same number
of points, the total number of discs in the three games shall be used to
determine the winner. In case of a further tie the higher ranked player in the
IFRL shall be declared the winner.
2. Semi-Finals: At the beginning of the third day of competition, the
four top players in the IFRL will compete in the semi-finals. Each semi-final
match will be a best of three-games match.
The two winners of the semi-finals will advance to the final.
The top-ranked player in the IFRL will play against the fourth-ranked player,
and the second-ranked player will play against the third-ranked player.
3. Play-Off For Third Place: The two losers in the semi-final will play
a single play-off game for third place. The higher ranked player in the IRFL
will have the choice of colour and will be awarded third place if he wins or if
the game is a draw. The two winners of the semi-finals will advance to the
final.
4. Final: The final will be a best of three-games match. The winner will
be awarded the title of World Othello Champion.
IV. CONDUCT AND SCORING OF INDIVIDUAL GAMES
1. Time Limits: Clocks will be used to time all tournament games. During
the first two days each player shall have 30 minutes to complete all his moves
in each game. During the semi-finals, each player shall have 35 minutes per
game. In the final, each player shall have 40 minutes per game. In the play-off
for third place, each player shall have 35 minutes. If for any reason these
time limits cannot be applied, games should never be played with less than 25
minutes for each player per game.
2. The Table Official: For each tournament game, the chief referee shall
assign one of the tournament officials to be the table official, who shall be
responsible for making a transcript of the game, observing the rules of Othello
and ensuring the smooth running of a game.
Before the beginning of the game, the table official shall make sure that both
players have enough discs to complete the game. It is the official's duty to
regulate the clock and place it on the right of the player with the black discs
(unless both players agree to do otherwise).
During the game, the table official should attempt to make a transcript of the
game without requiring the contestants to announce their moves. The record
keeping process must never be allowed to interfere with the player's
concentration.
If, during the game, a player is left without discs, the table official shall
arrange for a sufficient number of discs to be transferred from the player's
opponent. To do that he is allowed to stop the clocks for the time required.
3. Objects on the Board: No objects of any kind may be placed on the
board with the exception of those Othello discs forming the position and the
one Othello disc used by the player to carry out his move.
4. The Move: A player commits himself to a move if he touches the board
with his hand or with a disc, with the apparent intention of moving to a given
square. In this case, provided the player has a legal move to that square, he
must move to the first square he touches, and may not change his mind and move
instead to a different square, even if his opponent authorises him to take back
his move. The purpose of this rule is to prevent an indecisive player from
distracting his opponent or obstructing his opponent's view of the board. A
player shall not be bound by this rule, if in the opinion of the table official,
he touched the given square unintentionally.
Once a player has committed himself to a move, he is bound to turn over all of
the captured discs. He must do this using one hand only, and then use the same
hand to press his clock. If, having played a move, a player forgets to press
his clock, the table official should tell him to do so.
5. Illegal Moves:
5.1 Procedure: The scorer is present to enforce the Rules of Othello. An
error in the play of a move which has just been played but not yet answered may
be brought to the attention of the table official by either player, by the
chief referee or by one of his assistants. Once the table official notices, or
is informed of such an error, he shall adopt the following procedure:
a) Restart the clock of the player who committed the error.
b) Correct the error himself, and
c) Restart the clock of the player whose turn it is to move.
5.2 Accepting the Position: Only the most recent move is subject to
hallenge. When a player commits himself to a new move, he tacitly accepts the
board position as it is, and neither he nor the official can later seek to
correct a previous error.
5.3 Unreadable Position: The players must play their moves and centre
the discs so that the position is clearly readable.
If, in the opinion of the table official, the position becomes unreadable, he
should take any action to correct it (including stopping the clocks and playing
through the transcript). He may also invite the chief referee to impose some
penalty on the offending player.
6. Time Defaults: A player forfeits the game unless he can make his
final move, flip all the appropriate discs, and stop his clock before the flag
on his clock falls. If a player's flag falls, he loses the game and his
opponent is awarded a win regardless of the position of the board.
The defaulting player is given two extra minutes. The game is then continued
with the true final score standing, save that the non-defaulting player is
guaranteed at least a 33-31 win. If the defaulting player's flag falls a second
time, the game is scored 64-0. If the flag of the non-defaulting player falls,
he too is given an extra two minutes, and the true score stands, unless his
flag falls a second time. In this last case, the game is scored as a 33-31 win
for the non-defaulting player.
7. Defective Clock: If, in the course of the game, the clock in use is
found to be defective, the table official shall summon the chief referee, who
will take whatever action he deems appropriate.
8. Scoring: At the end of the game, if both players have completed their
moves in the allowed time, the winner is the player with the greater number of
discs of his colour on the board at the end. The official score of the game
will be determined by counting up the discs of each colour on the board, counting
empty squares for the winner.
In the event of a draw, the score will always be 32-32. If one player defaults,
the scoring is carried out as in IV.6 above.
A player should not resign a game before it is finished, if he does, the
official score shall be 64-0 in favour of his opponent.
V. THE COUNCIL OF FEDERATION
1. Composition: Each National Othello Federation (or National Association
of Othello Players) may mandate one person to represent it in the Council of
Federations.
2. Meeting: The Council of Federations may be called at any time (including
in the course of the World Othello Championship) at the request of one third of
its members, or during the World Championships, at the request of the chief
referee.
3. Quorum: The quorum for the Council of Federations shall be six. The
Council may not legislate if fewer than six members are present.
4. Postal Votes: The Council may take by mail any decision it has the
power to make in the course of a meeting.
5. Powers of the Council:
5.1 Overview: The Council may legislate on any subject of its choice
pertaining to the game of Othello. On any matters except those covered by 5.2
and 5.3 below, normal voting procedures apply and a motion is carried if it has
the support of more than half of the members present.
5.2 Removal of the Referee: The Council has the power, in extreme
circumstances, to remove the chief referee at the World Championships and
replace him with another person. To secure the removal of the referee requires
the support of two-thirds of the members present.
5.3 Modification of Rules: The Council has the power to modify the
present Rules for the World Othello Championship. To secure such a modification
requires the support of two-thirds of the members present.
5.4 Others Powers: The Council has the power to overturn a decision of
the chief referee, it may mandate a person to speak in the name of the Council.
It may also appoint committees and transfer to them part of its powers.
VI. ENFORCEMENT OF THE RULES
1. Overview: In order to enforce both the rules of Othello and the World
Championship Rules, the chief referee (and only he) may impose penalties on a
player or on a spectator.
In imposing penalties, the chief referee should adjust the severity of the
penalty to the severity of the offence and never penalize a non-offending
player.
2. Penalties: The chief referee may impose the following penalties on a
player or on a spectator:
a) Removing time from an offending player's clock and/or giving additional time
to his opponent's clock.
b) Changing the final score of a game to the benefit of the offending player's
opponent.
c) Declaring the game to be a draw or awarding the game to the offending
player's opponent.
d) Expelling temporarily or definitively from the tournament room a player or a
spectator.
e) Expelling a player from the tournament.
APPENDIX A
The Mixed Brightwell System (MBS)
1. Overview: The Mixed Brightwell System (MBS) is a method of breaking ties
in Othello tournaments run with the Swiss system. It is also applicable to
Round Robin tournaments, where it is equivalent to disc-count. Essentially this
system is a combination of Strength-of-Opposition and disc-count.
2. The Constant C: MBS depends on a constant C, which is a weighting for
the relative importance of Strength-of-Opposition and disc-count. For the World
Championships, assuming that they are run either as a Round Robin or as a 13
rounds Swiss system, C will be set equal to 6.
3. The Brightwell Quotient (BQ): After the end of the tournament, the
tournament officials will evaluate, for each player involved in a tie, the BQ.
This is calculated as follows:
a) If any of the player's opponents have withdrawn in the course of the
tournament, ignore any such games for the moment. Also, if a player has been
paired against "Bye", leave out such a game.
b) Calculate the total number of discs scored by the player in all games not
covered by a) and add C times the sum of points scored in the tournament by all
of the players opponents, except those who have withdrawn.
c) For each game against an opponent who has withdrawn, and each bye received,
add 32 plus (C times the player's own tournament score) to the result
calculated in b). The number resulting is the player's BQ.
4. Resolving Ties: If two players have the same number of points in the
tournament, the tie shall be resolved in favour of the player with the higher
BQ. If two players have the same number of points and the same BQ, the tie
shall be resolved favour of the player with the better disc count. In case of
further tie, it shall be resolved by the flip of an Othello disc.
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World Othello Championship 2000 is sponsored by |
WOC 2000 | Anjar’s Othello Bulletin #334 10
Oct 2000 | Danish Othello Association
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