1.     General

1.1. These are the official and binding regulations for the Mind Olympics tournaments of the Mind Lab Group.

1.2. The rules of the games appearing in the Games section are official and binding for all the tournament levels of the Mind Olympics competition.

 

2.     Tournament Management

2.1. Each tournament will be managed by a Tournament Director.

2.2. The Tournament Director acts as the match arbiter and has unequivocal authority to make game adjudications.

2.3. The Tournament Director is responsible for the:

2.3.1.  Official, orderly, and fair organization of the games.

2.3.2.  Player pairings for each round.

2.3.3.  Recording of the game outcomes on the scorecards and tallying  

          the accumulative scores for each round on the tournament    

          scoreboard.

2.3.4.  Determining, by way of

          adjudication and evaluation of game

          positions, the outcomes of

          incomplete games at the end of a

          round’s allotted time period.

2.3.5.   Declaring the winners at the end of

           a tournament.

2.3.6.   Settling differences of opinion and

           counterclaims by the players.

2.4. The tournament will be conducted in accordance with the Mind Lab rules of conduct and fair play, as described below.

 

3.     Tournament Structure and Scoring System

3.1. Prior to each tournament, the Tournament Director will publicize the following details:

3.1.1.   The eligibility and criteria for qualifying and promotion to the

                       next tournament level in the Olympics competition.

3.1.2.   The number of rounds in a tournament.

3.1.3.   The length of time allotted for each round in the tournament,

           and the scheduled timetable of rounds.

 

3.2. Individual Events

 

3.2.1.   Tournaments in which there are more than six competitors will   

           be conducted according to a five-round Swiss pairing

           system.

3.2.2.   Tournaments with six or fewer players will be conducted   

           according to a league system.

3.2.3.   In individual events, a win scores one point, a draw half a   

           point, and a loss scores no points.

 

3.2.4.   Swiss pairing in tournaments with an uneven number of players:

3.2.4.1.        The player with the fewest accumulated points at the

                   start of each round of play receives a bye. (In the    

                   first round, the player receiving the bye is selected

                   randomly by draw).

3.2.4.2.        The player receiving a bye scores one point.

3.2.4.3.        No single player can receive more than one bye in a  

                    tournament.

3.2.5.   League system play in tournaments with an uneven number of  

            players:

3.2.5.1.        In each round of play, one player receives a bye.

3.2.5.2.        The player receiving the bye in the league system does

                   not score a point.

3.2.5.3.        No single player can receive more than one bye in a   

                   tournament.

  

3.3. Team tournaments

3.3.1.   Tournaments in which there are

           more than six teams will be  

           conducted according to a five-round

           Swiss pairing system

3.3.2.  Tournaments in which there are six

           or fewer teams will be   

           conducted by a league system of

           play.

3.3.3.   Each team is composed of four

           players, one each for the

           following games in descending

           board order: Abalone,  

                       Checkers, Quoridor, and Octi. The

                       Abalone player serves as team captain.

3.3.4.   At the start of each round, there will be a draw to determine  

           each player's colors on the game board.

3.3.5.  The teams accumulate points by a tally of the total points  

           scored by the individual team members in their respective   

           games.

3.3.6.   Swiss pairing in tournaments with an uneven number of

           competing players:

3.3.6.1.    The team with the fewest accumulated points at the end  

               of each round receives a bye for the next round. (In

               the first round, the team receiving the bye is selected    

               randomly by draw).

3.3.6.2.    The team receiving the bye is awarded three points.

3.3.6.3.    A team cannot receive more than one bye in a

               tournament.

 

3.3.7.   League system with an uneven number of players competing:

3.3.7.1.    At each round, a different team receives a bye.

3.3.7.2.    The team receiving the bye in the league system does

               not score any points.

3.3.7.3.    No team can receive more than one bye in a tournament.

 

 

4.   The Swiss Pairing System (Note: this relates primarily to team tournaments, though

      may be applicable to individual events):

4.1. The aim of the Swiss pairing system is to create evenly contested matches between teams of equal strength.

4.2. At each round, teams with the same number of points or thereabouts, are paired together.

4.3. The order of the pairing of the teams is performed from top to bottom in the score table, according to group standings and scorings.

4.4. The Tournament Director takes the scorecards of the highest scoring group of teams and divides them into two sets. He/she pairs the first team in the first half against the first team in the second half, continuing in this manner until all teams have been paired.

4.5. In the event that there is an uneven number of teams with the same group scores, the Tournament Director "floats" one of the teams into the lower scoring group.

4.6. No two teams can be assigned to play against each other more than once in any tournament. This rule affects the overall tournament pairing system and may result in teams being "floated" to play against other teams in a non-matching score group.

4.7. In the event of an uneven number of teams, the team with the lowest score will receive the bye as defined in clause 3.2.5

 

5.   The League System (Note: this relates primarily to team tournaments though it may be applicable to individual events): 

5.1. In the league system, each team plays against every other team.

5.2. At the start of the tournament, the Tournament Director lists all competing teams in the following table:

6	5	4	3	2	1	Team/Round	Number
					X	Team 1	1
				X		Team 2	2
			X			Team 3	3
		X				Team 4	4
	X					Team 5	5
X						Team 6	6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The order of the matches should proceed as follows:

 

Round 5 4:2 5:1 3:6

Round 4 1:4 2:3 6:5

Round 3 2:6 4:5 3:1

Round 2 1:2 5:3 6:4

Round 1 1:6 2:5 3:4

 

Example with an uneven number of teams: If there are only five teams participating, the team paired with a fictive sixth team (in this table: team no. 6) for any round, has a bye for that round and does not score any points (see 3.3.7.2, above).

 

6.   Tie Breaks: When the Leading Teams have Equal Points:

6.1. In the event of equal points having been scored by the leading teams at the end of the tournament, the tie break will operate as follows:

    

a)   According to the outcome of the match played between the tied teams: The team that won that match wins the tie break.

b)    If these teams did not play each other (in Swiss pairing): According to the total number of wins accrued.

c)    If they have an equal number of wins: According to the Buchholz system: the cumulative total of all the points scored by the opposing teams against which these tied finalists played.

d)   In the league system, #2 and 3 are irrelevant, and a rematch between the tied teams is played.

       6.2  Once a winner has been designated for first place, and if there is a tie for second place

               repeat the steps outlined in 6.1, above, to break the second-place tie.

 

7.   Rules of Conduct and Role of the Arbiter

7.1. At the start and at the end of each game, the players are obliged to shake hands.

7.2. The games can only begin upon the command of the Tournament Director and following the mandatory handshake.

7.3. In all tournaments, the "touch piece" move rule applies: A player who touches a piece must move that same piece.

7.4. An illegal move must be corrected immediately to a legal move.

7.5. Games not completed within the time allotted for that round will be adjudicated by the arbiter.

7.6. Team captains: The Abalone player serves as team captain. The captain is responsible for all discourse and communication with the Tournament Director and for keeping his teammates together and under control. All directives are conveyed to the teams via the captains.

7.7.  Spectators and fans: Guests and fans are permitted to sit in the area designated for spectators. Spectators are not allowed to enter the tournament playing areas and are forbidden to talk to the competitors while a game is in progress. Any spectator intervention or interference may result in a technical loss being imposed on their team.

7.8. Team instructors or teachers are not allowed to move between the tables during the tournament, unless they have been appointed as tournament supervisors.