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ڨëDѯ޲z, ӥBɥiHbѯWi,
ƦܨpUqCɪGѹ什̦ۦiCɧΦIb², 
ګĳ, NɥiHWdoMC

Basically it is a 4-round (5 player) round-robin handicap tournament made
up of sections arranged primarily by time-zone, and secondarily by rank.
This will give everyone nearly a month to play, making making
game-scheduling easier than 1-week rounds.  Note that popular time zones
will have multiple sections, with more closely matched ranks.

Details:

-Objective-
To offer a tournament environment for players to play their best while
minimizing schedule difficulties of world wide play.

-Schedule-
Registration: 1 Jan 13 Jan 97
Sections posted:  18 Jan 97
Game begin: 18 Jan 97
Goal dates for each person 
to complete 1,2,3,4 games: 25 Jan, 1, 15, 22 Feb 97
All games complete: 28 Feb 97
Results posted to r.g.g. as I can. Each weekend for sure. Final results
posted by 5 Mar 97

note that the goal is for each player to at least be done with a game a
week, but the only hard date is completing all games by 28 Feb.  Notice this
gives a 'bonus' week for difficulties. Ideally, all results would be in
sooner, which will yield an earlier completion date.

-Registration-
Send a message with 'registration' in the subject line to 
<malasley@mail.uccs.edu>
and include the following information:

Name
e-mail address
rank 
time zone (with reference to GMT, eg MST=GMT-7)

Rank is based on AGA rank.  I will convert ranks that have been submitted
using the conversions below.  If more than one rank is submitted, I'll use
the one that changes the least.  For example, my ranks are IGS 5k*, NNGS
4k*. So, AGA equivalents are 1k & 3k a difference of 4 stones and 1 stone
respectively. So, the NNGS conversion is used, for a rank of 3kyu.  

To get AGA from these ranks, perform the adjustment listed

Europe +2
China  +3
NNGS   -1
Japan  -1 up to 4d  +0 for stronger than 4d
IGS    +3 for dan ranks.  For kyu ranks,+(kyu/5 + 3). 
For example, IGS 10k*-> 10/5 +3 = 5 stones. so IGS 10k* = 5k AGA
Korea 1gup = 6d AGA, and it is stone for stone after that. 7gup = 1kyu AGA

Don't sweat this too much. I'll make the adjustmensts if you simply send in
the ranks you have. I'll allow stronger claims, if you choose, but I'll not
allow sandbagging against the above adjustments.

Any missing information can prevent registration.  I think this is the bare
minimum to get by on. I'll post tertiary information with the section
listing, so if you want to add information, feel free to include it with
your desires to have it posted. One suggested addition is all of your
account names on the various servers.

Your time zone is flexible. If you consider 6-12pm as prime-time for
playing, and you work odd hours, so this isn't true, then choose a different
time zone that will put you in the prime playing zone. For example, if I
worked 12am-8am, and my personal 'prime time' is 10am-4pm, then I might list
my time zone as GMT+1, instead of GMT-7 (MST)


-Game Setup-
After registration, sections will be divided up by time zone.  If there
aren't enough players in certain time zones, they will be combined with
neighbor time-zones. If there are no 'clean' way to combine time-zones, then
ranks will be used to construct sections within time-zone groups. I will
gladly make sections spanning 2 time zones to match ranks, but will be very
hesitant to have any section span more than 2. This all depends upon how
many register, of course. 

Once sections are constructed, players may arrange games with any of the
other players at any time.  I recommend arranging your appointments as
quickly as possible.  Any server, any means may be used to match the games.
All that I offer is a default option, if other arrangements cannot be agreed
to.  Some servers do not offer timers. If a timed game is required by a
player, then one of the timed servers must be used.

Default: 20 minutes free time. 20 minutes for 25 stones byo-yomi. handicap
equal to the difference in ranks. Difference of one stone means no komi.
Even game color will be determined by TD when section is formed, and 5.5
points komit will be given white.
(remember, these are only the defaults. If you want to determine winner by
who can hold their breathe the longest, that's fine by me. As long as both
players agree. The default is for when you cannot agree. I'm only recording
reults as reported by the players.)

Players may submit their game times to the TD in advance. This is not
required, but if you get a no-show, it becomes a point of data in the
dispute process.  Players should try to meet their appointments, respecting
their opponants' time.  Any such notifications should have 'game time' in
the subject line of those e-mails, so I can file without opening unless
their is a dispute. 

-Results-
Results should be reported by both players as soon as possible after the
game. Please include 'result' in the subject line of these reports.  Results
will be reported as 'tenative' if received from only one player, until the
second player confirms. However, at the end of the tournament, if there is
only one game result submitted, it will become final.

Sample section 

Section aa (GMT-3, -2)
   Player        Rank    1 2 3 4 5 W/G 
:1 Tom Jones     3k      x - . - . 0/2 tenative wins:3
:2 Barry Manilow 1d      + x . + - 2/3
:3 Sting         5k      . . x - . 0/1
:4 John Lennon   2d      + - + x - 2/4
:5 Stevie Wonder 2d      . + . + x 2/2

'x':no game,'.':yet to play, '-':loss, '+':win

So, 
John is the only one who has finished all his games.  The others still have
games to play. Tom has reported a win against Sting, but Sting has not yet
confirmed this.  

The winner of a section is whoever has the most wins. If a tie, the result
of the tied players' game will decide the section.

Please play all of your games. This is a courtesy to the other players.
However, is someone does 'dissappear' when they have no chance of winning,
they will forfeit the unplayed games.

-Disputes-
If anyone wants to help me with this tournament, please let me know.
Include 'volunteer' in the subject line.  I will not play unless I get 2
helpers, and then only if I'm not in their section.  More volunteers and I
may play.  The more volunteers I get, the more I can seek a 'panel' decision
on disputes. I will NOT determine any dispute regarding my own games. 

Disputes may entail game times, missed game appointments, escape
accusations and so on.  The appeal should be made to a referee if one
happens to be handy on your server.  If not, they should be e-mailed to the
TD (me).  Any complaint should include the background messages showing your
own effort to resolve the situation.  The TD will contact the other party in
the dispute and seek a solution.  If it cannot be settled, then the TD will
confer with un-involved referees for a 'ruling' which will be final. If the
refs cannot agree, I'll make the decision, or (if it involved me) flip a
coin for which ref gets to rule. If one person in the dispute is
'non-responsive' meaning they do not reply to any referee e-mails in attempt
to resolve the situation, will lose the dispute.  

If a game-time was submitted in advance as described in the 'Game Setup'
section, this will become background evidence in a dispute regarding a
missed appointment.  If the game can be made up, there will be no penalty.
However, please keep your appointments or send notice if you are unable.

(please folks, let's not test this sytem. I'd just assume not have any
disputes).

>
-Future-
This tournament is designed to be a first of a series. Some possible
alternate rules have been discussed, and I would like your input, even (and
perhaps especially) if you don't enter this one.

- all even games
- even games with handicapping by points instead of stones (pls suggest
methods)
- stricter appointment enforcement
- different section sizes
- play-off ideas (presently, single ellimination is the idea I have, but
this is not part of the initial tournament)
- sponsorship and with it prizes or recognition (info lines on server for
example)

My personal emphasis is to make tournaments that are not such a pain as
they have been in the past by minimizing scheduling difficulity.

>
-Disclaimer-
I will do my best to make this a fun tournament. However, I reserve the
right to be arbitrary. This tournament has no sponsor. I'm just doing this
myself. I appeal to all to submit suggestions for the future, but to limit
complaints.  Section construction is final.  Disputes falling outside the
parameters in the Disputes section will be determined arbitratily.  There
are no prizes, no fees, no promises, no nothing.  Only HOPE for a tournament
format that can be repeated in only a month for go players of the world.


Matt Lasley
W>lasleyma@afmcfafb.fafb.af.mil
H>malasley@mail.uccs.edu
GO: AGA 3k (-3.5) cricket- IGS 5k*  NNGS 4k*  GameZone:alexeth
