Giga Games 1/Giga Games.iso/net/go/info/lightn.ing

Internet Message Format | 1993-06-20 | 11.9 KB

From: [e-mail] (Niek van Diepen)

What follows is a translation of the Dutch Go Association rules for
lightning go. It is also applied to rapidgo (anything without byoyomi,
but usually up to 45 minutes).

Disclaimer: I am one of the people originally responsible for these
rules, but not in my current position as Secretary of the European Go
Federation, so these are not EGF rules.

Hope it helps,

            Niek van Diepen, Secretary EGF



RULES CONCERNING LIGHTNING GO TOURNAMENTS.

1  : LIGHTNING GO
     A lightning go tournament is a tournament that has been
     announced as such and consists of games with no more than
     15 minutes thinking time for each player without byo-yomi.

2  : GENERAL RULES
     The gamerules and the tournament regulations are the same as
     for a normal game of go, unless stated differently here.

3  : TIMEKEEPING
     The thinkingtime is measured with a so called chess clock.
     Before the beginning of a game it is set to the time that
     holds for the tournament. It is then checked by both players
     and/or by the tournament director. Next 'the white-player'
     -from now on called white- may determine whether the clock
     will be at the left or the right side of the board. If
     white is not present at the beginning of the game black
     may choose. The game starts when both players have indicated
     to be ready or when the tournament director orders them
     to start. In games with at most one stone handicap white
     may start with pushing the clock (this is not mandatory).
     In games with two or more stones handicap black places the
     handicap stones outside the official time, and then he
     may push the clock (not mandatory). Pushing the clock is
     a right. It is never mandatory and it is lost after the
     opponent has made his move.

4  : MOVES
     A move is fixed once a stone has been placed on the
     board and has been released. Its position must be clear
     (cf. point 9). A move has been completed only when killed
     stones have been remove from the board.
     After this the player who has made the move may push the
     clock with the same hand with which he touched the stone
     last. He loses this right once his opponent has answered
     the move.
     It is always allowed to pass. The pass has to be announced
     clearly. After this the player who has passed may push the
     clock with either hand if his opponent hasn't answered yet.
     A pass counts as a move. When a player has passed before his
     oppponent has pushed the clock the latter is not allowed to
     push the clock anymore before he makes another move.
     Dropping a stone doesn't count as a move. A droppped stone
     must be removed as soon as possible by the player who dropped
     it. During this he should hinder his opponent as little as
     possible. Even if the player who dropped the stone wants to
     move where the stone lies he will have to touch it in this
     position, before the move has been completed and he may push
     the clock.

5  : REMOVAL OF STONES
     Removal of more than two killed stones may happen in
     neutralized time. One or two killed stones must be removed
     in the time of the player killing them.

6  : REPAIRING ILLEGAL POSITIONS
     If a player notes that he made an illegal move before he
     has pushed the clock, and before his opponent has answered
     this illegal move, he must take it back immediately. After
     this he is allowed to make another move. (Apologies should
     be made in the time of the offender).
     When the clock has been pushed already and the opponent notes
     that the move is illegal before he has answered it section 7
     applies.
     If an illegal move has been answered it counts as legal.
     This also applies to suicide moves. Stones that are found
     dead on the board should be removed in neutralized time.
     After this the game continues normally.
     The tournament director must be called when it isn't clear
     whether a white or a black group should be removed.
     The director will try to determine which stones are dead.
     For this he may use witnesses. When no final conclusion can
     be reached this way he decides either to remove the most
     obvious group, to remove both groups, or to replay the game.
     The clock may be neutralized for this arbitration.

7  : ILLEGAL MOVE WITH PUSHING THE CLOCK
     If a move is illegal and the player who made this move has
     pushed the clock and his opponent has not yet answered it
     the opponent may take the following action.
     a) Stating "illegal move", "not allowed" or some such formula
        he restarts the clock of his opponent.
     b) The player who made the illegal move has to remove this
        stone in his own time. Next he must pass after which he
        may push the clock again.
     c) After this the game proceeds as usual.
     It could be that the player who made the "illegal" move
     doesn't agree with the claim of illegality (this can happen
     when the players disagree who may take a ko). In that case
     he neutralizes the clock and asks the director for arbitration.
     If it is possible for the director to decide who is wrong
     he fines this person with the loss of one minute thinking
     time for improper conduct. On top of this he gives this
     person an official warning. Subsequent warnings may result
     in expulsion from the tournament.
     If the director cannot decide who is wrong - even after
     consulting with possible witnesses - he will ask each player
     if he wants to continue the game after a decision against him
     (now without time penalty and warning). If both players are
     prepared to accept such a decision the director makes an
     ad hoc decision, after which the game continues. If only
     one player is willing to accept a decision against him the
     director may take this decision (without time penalty and
     warning). If neither player is willing to accept a decision
     against him the director may either arbitrate the game, have
     it arbitrated, or have it replayed.

8  : PERTURBING THE BOARD
     If one of the players brings the position on the board in
     disarray he has to put the stones back in order in his own
     time. When the players disagree about the thus created
     position they can ask the director for a settlement in
     neutralized time.

9  : UNCLEAR MOVES
     If the position of a stone just placed on the board is
     unclear the oppponent may restart the clock of the player
     who made this move, asking him to clarify the position of this
     stone in his own time. Abuse of this rule can lead to
     intervention of the director and an official warning.

10 : HINDERING
     It is not allowed to intentionally hinder one's opponent.
     Intentional hindering can lead to a warning by the director
     and a time penalty.

11 : ENDING THE GAME
     A game has been finished after one of the following
     conditions has been met.
     a) One of the players resigns.
     b) Four consecutive passes have occured (two per player).
        This we call a natural ending. After this the clock may be
        neutralized.
     c) One of the players has used up all his time (indicated by
        the falling of the "flag") and his opponent announces this.
        If both flags have fallen the player who first claims
        that his opponent exceeded his time limit is the victor.
        In case of doubt the result is a jigo unless the
        tournament doesn't allow for jigo. In that case the game
        has to be replayed. If this is impossible (due to time)
        the game has to be arbitrated.
     d) The director declares one of the players victorious.

     The players must agree about the outcome of the game. If this
     is not the case they must ask the director to intervene.
     In case of disagreement with a decision of the director
     a player may bring his case to the appeals committee (if the
     tournament has one), or the rules committee of the
     organization under whose auspices the tournament was
     organized. In the latter case the tournament continues as if
     the decision of the director is final.

12 : COUNTING
     When the game has a natural ending counting is according to
     the normal rules. When the dame points are filled and one
     of the players "finds a point" it is for the finder.
     He will make the corresponding move and push the clock to
     allow his opponent to answer it. The game continues now
     until one of the four conditions concerning the ending of
     the game has been met again. This rule does not apply to the
     killing of stones that are put in atari during the filling
     of the dame points, unless the filling of the dame happens
     with the clock running and the game has not ended yet.

13 : UNCOUNTABLE POSITIONS
     If the result of a game cannot be counted because it has not
     been finished properly the following rules apply:
     1) If both players have more than one minute thinking time
        left they continue play as if the 4 passes have not
        occured. The player who passed first may move and his
        clock is restarted. If it isn't clear who should move
        (the players may have forgotten it) the director should
        try to determine this. If this proves to be impossible
        he may either decide in favour of one of the players,
        have the game arbitrated, or have the game replayed.
     2) If at least one of the players is in time trouble (less
        than one minute thinking time left) the director should
        be called. He should decide for one of the following
        actions:
        a) Continue play as in point 13.1 above (only if there are
           very few moves left to be played).
        b) Add one or two minutes to the remaining time of each
           player. Continue now as under point 13.1.
        c) Arbitrate the game or have it arbitrated. This should
           only be done if the result is rather obvious and the
           time left for each player is about equal.
        d) Have the game replayed.
        e) Declare both players losers. If the tournament allows
           for it he may declare a jigo.

14 : THE PUBLIC
     Under no condition are bystanders allowed to influence the
     outcome of a game. The only exception occurs when the
     director asks for witness accounts in case of a dispute.
     It is rigorously FORBIDDEN to let one of the players know
     that he may push the clock or that his opponent has run out
     of time. If one of the bystanders violates this rule the
     director should have him removed from the playing room at once.
     If this concerns a participant of the tournament he will be
     confined to his own table for the rest of the tournament
     and be issued an official warning.
     The director will determine whether the game that was
     interfered with can still be finished, if necessary with a
     time correction or other actions. If this is not the case
     the game has to replayed or arbitrated.

15 : THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR
     Also the director is not allowed to influence the outcome of
     a game, unless one of the players asks for his intervention.
     If on the other hand the director notices a systematic
     deviation from the rules of go in a game he may decide that
     this game shouldn't count for a go tournament. E.g. a game of
     five in a row cannot count for a go tournament.

16 : REMARKS
     It is neither illegal nor unethical to try to use the time
     trouble of one's opponent to one's advantage. A player who
     experiences time trouble is wise to protect his groups and
     his territory in such a way that they are tinker proof.

     The director and the tournament organization will make their
     tasks much lighter when they insist that everybody in the
     playing room has read the above rules.

17 : CONCLUDING REMARK
     The director decides what action to take when these rules
     don't apply.