Regulations of the 9th Renju World Championship via e-mail

1. Rules and System. The tournament is played according to the official rules of the Renju International Federation (RIF).

a.       Leagues and Groups. The tournament is played in 3 leagues: High League (HL), First League (FL) and Second League (SL). HL consists of 1 group (Group A) with 10 players in it. FL consists of 2 groups (Groups B and C) with 12 players in each. All other players play in SL in groups of not more than 14 players each.

b.       Exchange Between HL and FL. Participants from Group A, who take places from 1 to 6, keep their places in HL. Participants from Group A, who take places from 7 to 10, leave HL. Participants from Groups B and C, who take places from 1 to 2, are qualified to HL next year. So, next HL will consist of 10 persons.

c.       Exchange Between FL and SL. If SL consists of 6 Groups then participants from Groups B and C, who take places from 7 to 12, leave FL and participants from SL, who take places from 1 to 2 in the Groups, are qualified to FL next year. If SL consists of 8 (10) groups then participants from Groups B and C, who take places from 9 (8) to 12, leave FL and participants from SL, who take first places in the Groups, are qualified to FL next year. Participants from FL, who are not mentioned above, keep their places in FL. So, next FL will still consist of 2 Groups with 12 persons each.

d.       SL and Qualification Tournaments (QT). Next SL tournament will consist of 4 Groups with 12 players each. Players will get places in SL according to the correspondence rating-list written by Mr. Stepanov. Players, who send an application but haven't got rating high enough, take part in QT with the same regulations as in all Leagues. In QT they can increase their rating preparing to the next season and besides that winners from Groups of QT get the right to play in next SL independent on their rating.

2.        Tournament Computer. The tournament is played using Richard W. Rognlie's PBeM server. You can find information about that server at the URL-address: http://www.gamerz.net/pbmserv/.

3.        Time Regulations. All moves must be sent to the server. The server sends a confirmation including illustrated board to both players. The time when this confirmation is sent from the server is counted as an official time for making this move. The time limits are specified in minutes but not in days. Each player has got 135 days for each game (i.e. 135x24x60=194 400 minutes. If both opponents are from the same country, they have got 115 days for the games between them. If that total time is over, the player loses the game. If a player thinks of a move 21 days or more, he also loses the game. However if there are certain circumstances, it is possible to apply for more than 20 days rest. Those days still will be included in the total time. It is not possible to get extra time i.e. more than 135 days for any reason. After 120 moves (60 black and 60 white) a game is draw (Exception - 5 in a line). No exceptions are possible. The game by a rule 21 days is not fixed by the judge of tournament, this internal rule of a server and if for technical reasons the game by this rule does not come to an end then the game is necessary for continuing. Warning: at not informing of the judge on a break in game to be restored the games lost by a rule of 21 days will not be!

4.        Game Points. Each player plays two games (on as tentative black and one as tentative white) against each other player from the same group. A win gives 1 point, a draw gives 0.5 point, a loss gives 0 points.

5.        Tie-Breaking Rules. When determining the places, which are taken by the participants, the following items are taken into account.

1. Total number of game points (2-0 > 1,5-0,5)
2. Total number of match points (2-0 = 1,5-0,5)
3. Berger Coefficient: Each player receives all game points that those players have got which he has won against, half of the game points that those players have got which he has played draw against (and none of the game points that those players have got which he has lost against)
4. Results in games between the participants involved (with the same total number of points)
5. Number of game wins
6. In case of equality in all items mentioned above, the places are divided. If getting some of the places involved will give the right to play in another group or tournament then this right will be determined by drawing of lots
5. Vacant Places.
1. If some participant refuses to play in a group where he (she) has a right to play because of keeping that place according to previous year tournament or because of winning a lower group, the vacant place should be superseded by a player who has got a place lower him (her) in the same group
2. If some participant refuses to play in a group where he (she) has a right to play because of losing a higher group, the vacant place should be replaced by a player according to the rating-list
6. Player Identification. A participant of the tournament should apply with information about his real name and country and should promise not to use other userids for playing in the RIF tournaments and not to allow using his own userid by other players (one player - one userid, one userid - one player).
7. Preventing of Identical Moves. If there are following conditions:
1. The same positions in the games A - B and B - A
2. It's turn to move for different players in those games
3. A (or B) doesn't make a move during 1 week
4. At least 15 moves have been made in both games

Then player B (A) has got the right to appellate to a referee for player A (B) to make a move in the game, where it's his turn to move, during next 1 week. But when player A (B) makes the move, player B (A) must make another move in the second game.

Notice!! Play server's and usual numbering of moves are different.

9. Referees. Chief Referee of the tournament is Alexei Potapov, Russia, e-mail a-potapov@yandex.ru. He can ask one person from each Group to be a referee in other Group.