GOMOKU EUROLEAGUE RULES (EL Rules)

 

1. Euroleague

 

1.1. Euroleague (EL) is a team competition in gomoku. EL is open for everyone.

 

1.2. EL is based on fair play and good behaviour of players.

 

 

 

2. EL teams

 

2.1. EL team consists of minimum 3 players and maximum 7 players at the beginning of every season of EL. EL team can be international. If there is only one player in a team at any moment after beginning of EL season, such team is automatically disqualified for the rest of the current EL season.

 

2.2. Each team has a captain. The captain is in charge of the team (behaviour, fair play, match date proposals, etc.).

 

2.3. The captain chooses a name for the team.

 

2.4. To participate in EL, it is necessary to register the team and players at the website www.euroleague.cz. All players must provide real name, e-mail and playing site nickname (to be used in the matches of EL). A player is allowed to play under a pseudonym, if all team captains and the EL Committee are informed about his/her real name before the round where he/she starts playing, either by EL forum message or by e-mail. If the EL Committe asks a player to prove that the name he/she provided is real, and the player fails to do it, the Committee shall consider the games he/she played under the unproven name technical losses.

 

2.5. The playing site nickname of a player cannot be changed if the player is a member of any team. The player has to play all EL matches during one season with the same playing site nickname, even if he/she changes the team.

 

 

 

3. System of EL

 

3.1. EL is played in one group.

 

3.2. Pairing system used for playing in EL is the Swiss pairing system, except during the playoffs (if applicable).

 

3.3. The winner of EL is the team that wins the playoffs. In case of a draw in the final of the playoffs, the base season standings will decide and if it is still a tie, a decisive match needs to be played. Base season standings are primarily decided by the number of points. In case two or more teams have equal sum of tournament points, the final order will be determined by the secondary criteria as follows: the Median-Buchholz System, the Buchholz System, the Sonneborn-Berger System and progress.

 

 

4. System of playing

 

4.1. EL season consists of 9 rounds: 7 rounds of base season and 2 rounds of playoffs.

4.1.1. In the first round of playoff, teams will play in groups of 4 (according to standings after the 7th round), 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 of each group and in the second round, the winning teams and the defeated teams of each group pairing face each other in order to determine the final standings of the season.

 

4.2. EL season usually begins in October-November. The ELC decide the starting date depending on circumstances and will inform about it on EL site as soon as possible.

 

4.3. One round lasts 21 days. Every round starts on Monday and finishes on Sunday at 24:00 Prague time. There can be some exceptions according to the Committee’s decision.

 

4.4. The place of playing (playing site) is www.playfive.net.

 

 

 

5. System of a match

 

5.1. All teams play one match in every round. If total number of teams is odd, in each round one of the teams gets free point (BYE).

 

5.2. A team match between two teams is played with two or three players of each team.

 

5.3. A team match consists of individual matches. In every individual match 2 players meet each other and they play 2 games where they start one game each.

 

5.4. All games are played using the swap2 rule. Swap2 rule means that the first player puts the first 3 stones (two black ones and one white) anywhere on the board, after that the second player can choose a color or s/he can put the 4th and 5th stones on the board (one white and one black). In this case the first player has the right to choose the color. Only exactly 5 stones in a row wins (diagonally, horizontally, vertically), more than 5 (it is called overline) doesn’t win nor lose, game continues. If neither player has succeeded in making a row of five stones when the board is full or the players agree on a draw then the game is called a draw. Players can lose a game by letting their time run out.

 

5.5. The time control limit for a game is: i) 7 minutes per player with 3 seconds increment per move, Fisher clock in the base season and ii) 10 minutes per player with 3 seconds increment per move, Fisher clock in the playoffs phase. Game settings: 15*15 board, no undo, rated game, public table, otherwise such game is not valid.

 

5.6. It is possible to change players during a match. The substitutions must be made by the captain and can not be made during an individual match. It is allowed to make maximum two substitutions during one team match. An alternate player has to follow the pairing of a changed player definitely. For putting the same player back into play only a reverse substitution is allowed, in such case the previously substituted player has to substitute his own alternate player. Such substitution is still counted as a new one. The captains of teams are responsible for the correctness of substitutions. Each game played by incorrectly substituted player will be counted as walkover.

 

5.7. A player gains 1 game point for each won game (also by walkover), 0,5 game points for each drawn game and 0 points for each lost game.

 

5.8. A team wins the match if its players gain at least 9,5 game points, then it is awarded with 1 tournament point. A team which players gain exactly 9 game points, gets 0,5 tournament points. A team which players gain less than 9 game points, gets 0 tournament points. If both teams get less than 9 game points (e.g. in case of playing 2 vs 2 players and in other cases), both teams get 0 tournament points.

 

 

 

6. The date of match – “3 days rule“

 

6.1. The date of a team match is decided by both captains. They must agree a date to play their match during the 3 week period available for each round, or other period, as stipulated in point 4.3.

 

6.2. The teams create an offer about date and time to play:

 

6.2.1. The teams create an offer about date and time to play in first seven days (until first Sunday at 24:00 Prague time) of the round. It does not matter which team offers as the first.

6.2.2. If no team creates an offer in first seven days of the round, then the first offer created from 8th day (from Monday at 00:01 Prague time) is automatically accepted.

6.2.3. If no team creates any offer in first 14 days of the round (until second Sunday of the round at 24:00 Prague time), then the teams have to play in ADMIN date.

 

6.3. All offers must be written in Prague timezone format.

 

6.4. The offered date can not be earlier than 72 hours from the date when the offer is created.

 

6.5. The 2nd team has to accept or decline. If the 2nd team does not respond in 3 days (72 hours) the offer is considered accepted.

 

6.6. If the 2nd team declines in 3 days, it has to propose another offer, without such offer the declination is not valid and the offer is considered accepted, unless the 2nd team submits another declination that would be valid.

 

6.7. It is not possible to propose any offer after last Thursday of the round (72 hours before of the end of the round). It is possible to accept the offer which has been proposed, but just during last Friday. It is not possible to accept or decline any offer during last Saturday and Sunday. If such offer is not accepted during last Friday of the round at the latest, then the teams have to play in ADMIN date.

 

6.8. If one team needs to withdraw for some reason, a withdrawal offer can be made. For a withdrawal offer to be valid, the end of the round and the previously accepted date must not be closer than 3 days (72 hours) and a new match date offer must be created. The 2nd team can accept or decline the withdrawal using the same rules as stipulated in the points above.

 

6.9. In case the teams do not agree about match date within 14 days from the start of the round, the default match date (ADMIN date) will be appointed for the last week by the ELC. The ELC will treat each case uniquely. If the ELC needs to interfere, it will separately ask the captains about abilities of their team and wishes concerning the match and then make a decision. Factors that are likely to influence our decision in favour of a team include (but are not strictly limited to):

• good will to find a mutually convenient date and time,

• openness (e.g., readiness to explain the reasons for the limitations and wishes),

• sincerity (absence of self-contradictions, tricks, manipulations, etc.),

• being quick to reply,

• being polite, accurate, and clear,

• record of behaviour in the spirit of good sportsmanship, especially in this and previous

• tournaments organized by us,

• having date and time preferences compatible with the common ones.

6.9.1. All such decisions will be posted on the „Euroleague - dates” forum by one of the ELC members.

 

6.10. The place for the agreement of the match date is the application “Match date” on the website of EL, where the captains have to submit their offers.

 

6.11. Both captains have the right to agree match date in a different way than stipulated in the points 6.4., 6.7. and 6.8., however such an agreement will be considered valid only in case that both captains will confirm it on EL forum in an “Euroleague - dates” section.

 

 

 

7. Beginning and course of team match

 

7.1. The team match must start no later than 15 minutes after the agreed time (20 minutes in case of ADMIN date), unless both captains agree to start later.

 

7.2. The captain of the first team (listed on the left in the ”Current round” section) shall prepare the pairings during the whole match. It is allowed to delegate this duty to the captain of the 2nd team or to the 3rd person, if both captains accept this. All necessary communication shall be done between team captains in every available way (eg. private message or using table chat).

 

7.3. The maximum time of waiting for a missing player(s) in the 1st round is 15 minutes. After that time the match should start and the team with a missing player will lose game points in games that the missing player was supposed to play.

 

7.4. If a team has only 2 players at the beginning of the match, it is allowed to play and to add the third player during the whole match, but not during an individual match. If a team has less than 2 players at the beginning of the match, this team is not allowed to play and loses the match by walkover.

 

7.5. All games of missing player are counted as walkovers.

 

7.6. If both teams do not appear at the agreed time (agreed time includes also ADMIN date), the result will be -/- (walkover) and both will get 0 points in the tournament table.

 

7.7. If the playing site does not work at the time of agreed match beginning, the teams have to wait 30 minutes and (if the playing site is still not working):

7.7.1. If 9 or more days of the round remain, both teams have to find another date for their match using “3 days rule“.

7.7.2. If less than 9 days to the end round remain, both teams can play their match during the current round or committee will prolong the round by one week. If the teams don’t agree on a new date in the new week, ELC will interfere as stipulated in 6.9.

 

7.8. If the playing site does not work and some games of the match have been played and some players can not continue their match, the following solutions are valid:

7.8.1. If both teams gained less than 9,5 points and 9 or more days of the round remain, both teams have to find another date for their match using “3 days rule“.

7.8.2. If any team gained less than 9,5 points and less than 9 days of the round remain, both teams can play their match during the current round or committee will prolong the round by one week. If teams don’t find new date in the new week, they have to play on the Admin date of the new week.

7.8.3. If a team gained more than 9,5 points and i) any of the teams do not wish to complete the match or ii) they wish to complete the match but cannot find suitable date within the remaining time of the round, the result of the match is considered a victory for the leading team.

 

 

8. Move of players

 

8.1. A player can join chosen team anytime. A captain can accept new player during every round, however only after his team's match is finished in the current round. A new player has right to play in the next round if a captain confirms him/her till the last Sunday at 24:00 Prague time in the current round.

 

8.2. Every player can change a team only once during the first 6 rounds of the base season. After the 6th round of base season, no changes allowed.

 

8.3. The captain can release a player anytime.

 

 

 

9. The duties of captains

 

9.1. The captain is in charge of the team.

 

9.2. If a captain fails to do his/her duties he/she has to transfer them to another player of the team.

 

9.3. The captain proposes match dates and has to confirm proposals on the site of EL.

 

9.4. The captain is responsible for all matters related to the match date agreement, including being available for the ELC or ELC appointed person in case 6.9 needs to be applied.

 

9.5. The captain of the 1st team (listed on the left in the ”Current round” section) has to fill in the results of the match in the “Match result” section of the EL website. The captain of the 2nd team is obliged to approve or to correct the results. It is allowed to fulfill this duty in the reverse order.

 

 

 

10. Fair play – general

 

10.1. For all fair play matters, the EL Committee has been established. The Committee has 5 members.

 

10.2. The Committee is main authority of EL and can decide in serious cases, not only fair play problems, but especially also EL Rules modifications and interpretations.

 

10.3. The Committee decides if at least 3 members of the Committee vote. The decision is valid if more than 50% of voting members vote in the same way. If 4 members vote and result is 2:2, the vote of Organizer is decisive. If he does not vote, the vote of his substitute is decisive. There is special way of voting in case of fair play decisions and punishments, as stipulated in point 14.1.

 

10.4. Players shall behave politely: NO rude words, NO swearing, NO making fun of the opponents and the teams anywhere.

 

 

 

11. Fair play – during match

 

11.1. It is forbidden to speak in rooms during EL games at the table, except players playing their game at the moment, captains of playing teams, members of the Committee. They should only speak in reasonable cases.

 

11.2. No comments about the games are allowed until the game is over. Especially comments regarding moves and time are forbidden.

 

11.3. As far as possible, players must avoid any actions causing their nickname color change to gray.

 

11.4. Players are not allowed to use any renju or gomoku books, databases, magazines, articles or any other passive or active forms of renju or gomoku material, including programs, during games. For avoidance of doubt, using any external source as to what moves to make is a serious violation of the rules which will result in significant consequences.

 

11.5. During games players are not allowed to ask anyone for help or analyze their games together with other people.

 

11.6. It is the concern and responsibility of the team captain to manage team members and lead them to fair behaviour.

 

11.7. A player from the third team, who is observer only, and breaks the rules, may be punished as well.

 

 

 

12. Fair play – accusation

 

12.1. If anyone suspects that a player uses a program, this accusing person must send a *.lib library (from the program RENLIB) with the game together with the name of the program that is supposed to be used to the Committee. Only games from EL should be submitted.

 

12.2. The accusing person must present at least 4 games, in which the player is supposed to use the program.

 

12.3. The accusing person must write which moves were changed (if there were any changes) and must show until which move the player could play with a program.

 

12.4. The Committee will check given *.lib library and make a decision.

 

12.5. The Committee can analyze other games too.

 

12.6. The Committee may request the accused player to comply with the monitoring procedure as stipulated in section 13. The Committee may also decide to initiate the monitoring procedure based on its own initiative.

 

12.7. If points 12.1.-12.3. are not followed, the Committee has the right to refuse the accusation.

 

 

 

13. Fair play - monitoring

 

13.1. If the Committee decides on monitoring, a formal decision will be posted in the respective forum, containing the name of the accused player and, once known, the details of the match in which the monitoring takes place as well as the name of the inspector.

 

13.2. An official inspector appointed by the Committee establishes a live video connection with the accused player and checks the surroundings.

 

13.3. The accused player has to restart the device and follow the instructions of the inspector up until the full-screen broadcast begins.

 

13.4. The accused player may use any pre-agreed platform for the live broadcast.

 

13.5. The inspector has the right to check-up in between the rounds on them as well as to monitor them live, during the entire match.

 

13.6. In case the accused player would like to change something from the standard procedure stipulated in points 13.2.-13.5., they must submit a request to the Committee for approval.

 

13.7. If the procedure is not possible for the indicated games or match due to unforeseen, objectively reasonable circumstances, the monitoring will be rescheduled by the Commmittee in an official decision.

 

13.8. Non-cooperative behaviour is going to result in the Committee setting the respective games to walkovers.

 

 

 

14. Fair play – decisions and punishments

 

14.1. If the Committee decides that a player / the team has broken fair play rules, the player / the team will gain some penalty points according to the Attachment no 1 to this EL Rules - “Penalty system”. The Committee reserves the right to change the “Penalty system” even during the EL season, however updated “Penalty system” becomes valid from the following round after the round it was published.

 

14.2. The Committee has to decide about the punishment not later than 7 days after the end of the particular round. If the Committee does not decide, the Organizer of EL has the right to decide.

 

 

 

15. Disqualification from EL

 

15.1. A team is automatically disqualified from the competition after 3 walkovers.

 

15.2. The Committee can also disqualify a team according to the rules in section 14.

 

 

 

16. General

 

16.1. The Organizers of EL are allowed to change the EL Rules or make exceptions to the rules, if a situation requires this. This should only be used in exceptional circumstances.

 

 

 

Attachment No. 1 to the EL Rules

 

Penalty system

 

 

 

1. The penalty system is created for clear punishment in the cases of breaking the EL Rules.

 

2. Each team and each player can receive the penalty points (PP).

 

3. It is defined how many points are needed for receiving of the punishments.

 

4. If a players/team is punished, the PP needed for the punishments are deleted.

 

5. If a player/team has more PP than are needed for the punishment, these residual PP are not deleted.

 

6. The PP of players and the PP of teams are counted separately.

 

7. The PP are deleted in the end of the particular season.

 

8. The sum of PP can be changed according to the decision of the Committee.

 

9. If a team collects 30 (or more) PP, this team is not allowed to play in the coming round and receives one walkover.

 

10. If a player collects 15 (or more) PP, the player is not allowed to play in the coming round.

 

11. If a player collects 15 (or more) PP for second time, the player is not allowed to play in the two coming rounds.

 

12. If players of one team collect 30 (or more) PP together, this team is not allowed to play in the coming round and receives one walkover.

 

 

PP FOR THE TEAMS
Point of the rules	Breaking the rules	Penalty points
5.2	playing with 2 players the whole match	5
5.6	wrong substitution	1  for every wrong played game
7.5	games lost by walkovers (-/+)	1  for every game
9.3	captain doesn't propose match date or doesn't confirm it	5
9.4	captain doesn't follow the rules	5
9.5	captain doesn't fill in the result or doesn't approve it	10
PP FOR THE PLAYERS
Point of the rules	Breaking the rules	Penalty points
2.4	fake name	-/+ in each game played
2.5	wrong nickname	5
10.4	bad behaviour	5 - 10
11.1	talking at the table	3
11.2	talk about moves and times	10
11.3	gray nick	1 - 15  and/or -/+
11.4,11.5	using forbidden help	*
12	using a program	*

*due to the seriousness of the rules violation described in points 11.4.-11.5. and section 12, the punishment in every such case will be decided by the Committee individually and may contain from -+ and minimum 10PP up to a ban from playing in the competition

If a team and all its players don't get any pp in the next 3 real rounds (not walkover or 'bye'), their penalty points will be reduced by 2 penalty points for every next round.

(Example:

2nd round: 15 PP

3rd, 4th, 5th round: 0 PP --> 13 PP

6th round : 0 pp --> 11 PP)