All the tournament games are to be played according to International Renju rules. However, the official rules are perhaps too detailed and complicated, therefore I explain them here briefly:
- The size of the renju board is the 15x15 grid. There are two players playing on it using black and white stones.
- The first move of the game is to be played in the center of the board. It is played by player with black stones.
- Whoever gets 5 stones in a row is the winner of the game.
- There are some limitations for black according to renju rules: Black cannot make double-three (3x3), double-four (4x4), overline (6 or more stones in a row). If black player creates any of those mentioned patterns, black loses the game automatically.
Any disputable situations can be sent to referee for judgement.
White has no limitations. All forks and lines are allowed.
Every game has to begin according to the Opening Rules.
- Every player will know from the tournament system (it will be published after the end of signup period) who is tentative black and who is white in each particular game.
- The tentative black player has to open the game. He has to set the opening position of three stones (2 black and 1 white) as follows: The first stone is black and has to be placed in the center of the board.
The next stone is white and has to be placed nearby the first stone (in 3x3 central area). The next stone is black and has to be placed inside the 5x5 central area. There are 26 different ways to open the game. You can see it on the following two diagrams.
According to the diagrams above, tentative black player has to set the opening of 3 stones, having 1 choice for first stone, 2 choices for the 2nd stone and 26 choices for the 3rd stone.
- After seeing the first 3 stones on the board, the tentative white player has to choose whether he wants to change the color or not. If tenative white player thinks that the position is too good for black, he has a right to swap in that moment. If he swaps, then the tentative black player will continue as white and plays the next white move (the 4th move in the game). If the tentative white did not swap then the tentative white plays the 4th move by himself.
- Now, it has become clear who is finally black and who is white in the game. There are 4 stones are on the board now. Here comes the last opening rule:
The black player has to offer two choices of the 5th move (black's 3rd move). The 5th moves cannot be symmetrical. The white player will select one and continue with his 6th move. - There are no further opening rules and the game continues until someone wins the game or the game ends with draw.
- The purpose of opening rules is to make the game as balanced as possible so that both sides could have a chance to win.
All the games are to be played in Tournament Games Server. The interface of the server meets all the necessary requirements of the tournament.
Players submit moves or press buttons using a mouse there. There is no need for additional software or email. The players are recommended to have the broswer version 4.0 or higher (either Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer).
More information about how to use the game server is available in Game Server User Guide.
Caution! Please be aware that the games are NOT to be played in regular Play Games server of renjuclass, but in special Tournament Games Server under then Tournament link. All games that are opened in wrong server are invalid.
All the games are to be opened with the time limit 40 days. That means, both players have 40 days to finish their game. When the time runs out, the player loses the game.
The Server will count the remining time for both players, and automatically ends the game when the player runs out of time.
The players are not allowed to change the game to 'untimed' mode.
There is no 'vacation mode' for players. The clocks keep running throughout all the tournament.
Every game ends with either black win, white win, or draw. The game is won when the player puts 5 in a row or when the opponent resigns the game.
The game is draw when...
- The board is full enough of stones (I hope this will not be necessary) so that there is no theoretical way to get 5 in a row.
- The players agree to make a draw - one player offers the draw together with submitting his next move and the opponent accepts it. If the opponent does not want to accept the draw offer then he can just refuse it by playing his next move.
- The referee can decide the game to be draw when the game is delaying the tournament and the position is very likely to be draw.
Reporting the result: The players have to write the game board number, both players names, result, to the report email to Tournament Table Manager.
Every player is expected to have good manners and attitude towards the opponents and referee.
The player has a right to use any renju books, databases, magazine, articles or any other passive forms of renju material.
The player must not ask any other players help or analyse his games together with other people. The player must not use any renju programs to analyse his games.
The players should try to reach an agreement in any argument without interference of referee. If they are unable to reach an agreement then the issue should be sent to referees' team and the referees will judge it.
All tournament related questions can also be sent to referees. For example, if the player does not understand some of the game or tournament rules, or if the player is not sure if some particular fork is forbidden for black or not.
The Tournament Table Manager will input the game results to the tournament table and keeps it updated.
The three best in the tournament will get creditpoints. The amount of creditpoints depends on number of participants.
The referees' team will use these rules as a basis in their judgements. The referees have the full right to make decisions about the situations that are not describled here in rules page.