RWBC Rules

16.01.2007

    


  1. The Regensburg Winboard Circuit (RWBC) started with 3 Classes; 'Class A', 'Class B' and the
'Open Class' based on the rankings of the huge WinterRapid tourney 2001/2002.
Since the begin of the 3rd Edition it contained one more class called 'Class C'.
With the start of Edition 4 there was also a new Class D!
    2. 


  2. The number of participating programs in Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D
was restricted to 42 after the 3rd edition.
Since edition 6, Class C, D and the Open Class will contain 48 programs again.
    3. 


    RWBC classes:
    
      Class A = 42
      Class B = 42
      Class C = 48
      Class D = 48
      Open Class = 48-64(max)* maximal number 64 from edition 6 on
      Qualification = Swiss tourney(11 rounds) with 5 adjusting programs of the Open Class


  3. The Qualification includes the last 5 programs from last editions Open Class as calibrating
opponents. New programs are only allowed to qualify if they are at least better than two of them.
If a program fails in the Qualification or demotes from the Open Class it will be tested again only,
if a newer version is avaliable.

    4. 


  4. [old: All participants are seeded according to the rank of their previous results, with the exception
of the new programs starting in the Open Class. Those will be seeded to their supposed strength.
The programs which demote to the OpenClass will be also seeded now!(as one block)]
The second exception concerns the wildcards, which will be seeded also according to their
supposed strength. *wildcards also can change the numbers of demotions and promotions!
Extremely strong new programs might get possible wildcards, which are limited now to two for
Classes A + B only.
New since 01/2007: All programs will be seeded from now on according to their
ratings in the RWBC rapid rating list. If a specific version doesn't exist yet in the rating list,
the rating of the latest available entry is chosen
    5. 




Some game rules:


    

  1. illegal moves, wrong result claims and crashes lose!(except no mating material for the other
side and no mate is already on board)- I dont consider help mates!
    2. 


  2. If both engines dont support the draw rule 3 time repetition I will adjourn the game as a draw only,
when a consecutive 6 time repetition happens.(= repetition loop rule)
    3. 


  3. The 50 moves draw rule will always be applied, if both opponents don't support it.
    4. 




General rules:


    

  1. Allowed are max.2 different (at least named) programs from the same author: i.e. Zchess/Pharaon etc.
like in WinterRapid 2001/02. New: At least one of them must be younger than 6 months, else only
one is allowed to start.
Counting date will be each start of a new edition from edition 5 on!(= start of the Qualifying)
Once a program was removed for above reason, it will _not_ return.
    2. 


  2. Programs, which appear to be clones or become commonly suspected of being clones
(and author does not react towards the accusation) will be taken out of RWBC!
    3. 


  3. Any newer version which I will get before starting deadlines is welcome! Any better/newer book by
an author will be used when a round is finished if it will be announced in the WB-Forum or if I get
a mail about it.
    4. 


  4. 
a)New since edition 6: All WB programs without books will be
supplied with a small default Thinkerbook =>20 plies from 06/09/2006 on!),
as long as the program is still under development, except it was already tested bookless in the past!
Of course an author can decline this book option(mail/message at WB forum).
Bookless UCI programs will be always supplied with a default Polyglot book,
since 29.12.2006 this is the 'medium.bin' by Dann Corbit.
(before it was small.bin originally delivered with Fruit 2.1 and before this it
was a 14 plies ThinkerBook until 06/09/2006).
b)Engines which are not supported anymore by their author can be only updated with a
better/newer book, if this book will be published to the community.
    5. 


  5. New: Updates are generally allowed for the first 3 rounds now, no reason needed!
You may send me a mail in this case, or it must be published at Leos 'News' site.
http://f11.parsimony.net/forum16635/messages/52941.htm
    6. 


  6. Only engines with a 'really ugly bug' may be replaced by a new bugfixed version,
when the bug occurs in the first 6 rounds!(Except in the Qualification games!)
The bugfix should arrive at least two weeks after the bug was found here!
If such a bug is found by other testers and is also fixed during the first 6 rounds,
it will be used too!
The description of a 'serious' bug is more precise now, see below.

It must cause one of this things:

- crashing during a game
- illegal move(s)
- time losses
- _serious_ time management problem (not using at least 75% of avalaible time until move 40)
- throwing away _whole_ pieces (not pawns) without reason
- stop playing
- disabling/malfunction of a normal feature of the program, like hashsize, EGTBS or book
- repetition/stalemate in a won position
- being unable to win a _simple_ endgame mate position
- not detecting 50 moves rule/repetition
- wrong mate/draw claims/resigning

Programs which have a previous stable version without this bug can be replaced by this one
along the whole tourney.
    7. 


  7. No updates are allowed when a tourney is running! Except rules '5.' and '6.' above.
    8. 


  8. If two or more programs at the end of a class have the same number of points
and the same Median Buchholz they will play a match/tournament under the same
conditions as the tourney had. (6 games match for two and 4 subrounds roundrobin
for more players) This rule will be applied only if it meets a place important
for promoting or demoting.
    9. 


  9. Programs which crash, lose on time or make illegal moves/result claims more than
two times in a class tournament will be removed after the tourney. They can return
into the same class where the had played last, if a bug fix is available.
    10.