Regulations

of the XII Team World Championship in Renju

St. Petersburg, Russia; April 29 – May 5, 2018

1. General Points. The Team World Championship (TWC) is carried out according to the rules of the Renju International Federation (RIF) to determine the World Champion team. The tournament place is Copy-Center, Vosstaniya str. 1, St. Petersburg, Russia.

2. Tournament System. TWC consists of 2 stages. One the first (qualification) stage 8 teams play by Round-Robin System (7 rounds). On the second (final) stage 4 best teams form final group, where they play for the 1-4 places also by Round-Robin System (3 rounds), and that those matches are to be played with opposite colors as they were in the qualification stage. Finally, total results on both stages are taken into account. The rest 4 teams play for the 5-8 places by the same system.

3. Tournament Rules. Opening regulation: Soosorv-8. Time control: 2 hours to each participant for the whole game + 30 seconds for each made move (Fischer rule). If player time is finished and it is determined that his opponent has no theoretical possibility to make win combination ("five" for Black and "five" or "overline" for White), the game result is draw.

4. Representation of Countries. Each RIF-member country has the right to be represented by 1 team. Each country, which has become the Team World Champion, has the right to be represented by 1 extra team. Country-organizer (Russia) has the right to be represented by 1 more extra team. Each sportsman must have the nationality of the country he (she) represents.

5. Team Body. Each team consists of 4 main and from 0 to 2 reserve players. It is possible for a team to apply with 3 main players only. A team, which has less than 3 players in its body, cannot play in the tournament. Allocation of players at the tables is to be made once in time of the team registration. If a team has less than 4 players in its body, they have to play at first tables.

6. Match Formula. A match between "Team A" and "Team B" consists of 4 games: 1A-1B, 2B-2A, 3A-3B, 4B-4A, where nN is a participant, who plays for team N at the n-th table in this round. Participant, mentioned in a pair as first, plays preliminary Black.

7. Team Captain. Each team has to select its captain in time of the registration. Team captain is the only person, who has the right to represent the team in time of the tournament. Team captain also has the right to:

Select team players at the tables in time of the team registration;
Substitute any of the main players of the team with any reserve one before the next round.

Players may talk to their team captain about strategy regarding offering or accepting draw in their ongoing game. However, this conversation must be done in English or in any language which is known to all the participants of both teams and to the referee. In cases when a player cannot use English, the referee can make an exception.

8. Substitution of Players. For making a substitution team captain has to apply the note to a referee with allocation of all the team players not later than 15 minutes before the next round. In absence of such a note the team plays in its main body.

9. Tie-break Rules. Determining places taken by teams in a group, following results are taken into account:

a. Number of game points;
b. Team match points;
c. Buchgolz coefficient (calculated on game points);
d. Berger coefficient (calculated on game points);
e. Personal match between teams;
f. Result at the 1st table;
g. Result at the 2nd table;
h. Result at the 3rd table.

If all criteria are the same, the teams share the places, except when precise determination of places is required - in that case an extra game with 20 minutes per player is played between the 1st table players (in case of 2 involved teams). If the extra matches are to be played between 3 or more involved teams with same tie break criteria, the referee will decide the time limit of the games between the 1st table players. If the tie was not broken, there will be additional matches played between the 1st table players until the tie is broken. The referee decides the time limit for those matches.

10. Rights of Winners. The team which wins the tournament is declared the Team World Champion. Participants of the teams which take places 1-3 are rewarded with medals and diplomas of the Organizing Committee.

11. Chief Referee. The Chief Referee of the tournament is Roman Berezin (St. Petersburg, Russia).