IBA Extreme Tournament Rules

[Extreme_IBA]

IBA EXTREME TOURNAMENT RULES

International Backgammon Alliance

April, 2006

IBA EXTREME TOURNAMENT: The IBA Extreme Tournament is an organized competition separate from IBA’s regularly scheduled tournaments and other special events. It is known and respected for its high standard of sportsmanship. It is your responsibility to be familiar with these rules and to comply.

All communication for the IBA Extreme Tournament will be done by email with the Extreme Tournament Manager (extreme@iba-backgammon.com).


LOCATION: All International Backgammon Alliance (IBA) Extreme matches are played at the NetGammon game site. The program download is located at http://www.netgammon.com. Register using your IBA Member Name.


IBA EXTREME TOURNAMENT CODE OF CONDUCT: Within a family-style atmosphere, you will be playing all ages, all levels of skill and will have opponents with slow connections to the internet. Patience is a virtue.

Assistance in the play of the match in any way is not allowed. This would include both backgammon trainer programs and use of a third party advisor.

Any arguments/negative comments between players will be expressed privately and not in the public lobby chat. Disruptive or abusive behavior, as well as uninvited discussion in the match chats of sex, racism, alcohol or drugs will not be tolerated.

Any player (regardless of member status) not complying with the IBA Extreme Tournament Code of Conduct (COC) and IBA Extreme Tournament Rules may become unwelcome at all IBA events. Additionally, your IBA Extreme Tournament Manager is not required to include any member known to intentionally abuse or disrupt IBA events. Any COC violations will be documented and action will be taken.


MEMBER BEHAVIOR COMPLAINTS: If you experience behavior not in compliance with the IBA Extreme Tournament Code of Conduct, please complete the Abuse Complaint Form here. Documentation is required.


ELIGIBLE PLAYERS: All Paid, Preium and Advisory Council IBA Members are eligible to play in IBA’s Extreme Tournament. To register, simply click here and follow the instructions carefully. Extreme participants are required to use their registered IBA member name during Extreme play. No IBA Member shall have more than one member name.


JOINING THE IBA EXTREME TOURNAMENT: To join the IBA Extreme Tournament, send an email to: extreme@iba-backgammon.com, include your IBA Member Name. You will be notified prior to the tournament start with your round one opponent’s Member name.


CONTACT and PERSONAL INFORMATION: To play in the IBA Extreme Tournament you must agree to accept sole responsibility for personal information you share with others and to indemnify IBA against any damages that may result from information you choose to disclose (i.e., personal email addresses).


EXTREME TOURNAMENT MATCH FORMAT: Matches are unrated and set for twenty-one (21) Points. The Crawford rule will be used. This is a single elimination tournament. Matches may be played as soon as they are posted. Each round must be completed by its deadline date and time.

This tournament is limited to 128 players and the duration of the tournament will be depended on the number of entries. (6 to 7 weeks)

*NOTE: Rated matches are acceptable only IF agreed to by both opponents. Decisions will not be debated.


BYES: A bye is a free pass to the next round which allows for the tournament itself to be evenly balanced regardless of the number of players registered. All necessary byes are awarded in Round 1.


How Byes Are Determined: The progress of the tournament is recorded on a multiple bracket sheet. A single bracket consists of eight tables. Depending on the number of players, the number of needed brackets multiplies based on 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, etc.

For example, let’s pretend there are 72 players. The next closest bracket number is 128. That means that there will be 56 byes needed in Round 1 to evenly balance the tournament (128 - 72 = 56).

The individual names of each registered player will be placed into “a hat”. A random drawing will fill the first seat at 64 tables in Round 1. Once each of the first 64 tables have one player seated, the remaining players plus 56 slips of paper with the word "bye" will be placed in “the hat”. The random drawing will continue until all tables are filled. Those players receiving a bye for their Round 1 table will automatically advance to Round 2.

This process will result in 16 players in Round 1 and 64 players in Round 2 with the final match being played in Round 7.


SCHEDULING EXTREME TOURNAMENT MATCHES:IBA will post the most recent standings of the current tournament in the form of a Bracket Sheet. Standings may be checked at any time here. In addition, participants will be notified by email of each new assignment.

Keep in mind when you are scheduling your match that IBA members live in different time zones all around the world.

Be certain you both agree in advance that it is an Extreme Tournament match. It is not reasonable to expect a player to halt another match in progress or withdraw from a tournament in order to accommodate a request to play an Extreme Tournament match. Interrupting a match in progress is often perceived as rude by the player who is trying to concentrate on the game being played. Most misunderstandings can be completely avoided by scheduling all Extreme Tournament matches ahead of time through NgMail.


EXTREME TOURNAMENT PARTICIPANT COMMUNICATION: NetGammon provides IBA participants with confidential communication through NgMail located on the NetGammon game site. A message can be left to schedule a match whether or not the recipient is online. Please check your NgMail whenever you log into NetGammon.

All matches should be arranged with opponents through NgMail to set a time and date convenient to both players. Players should be as flexible as possible and suggest various days at different times. Keep copies of all correspondence for the duration of the Extreme Tournament in case there is a dispute or problem. (see Match Forfeits)


BOOTS/DISCONNECTS/MISSING OPPONENTS: If an opponent disconnects during a match, wait a full ten (10) minutes for the opponent to return and resume the match. If the opponent does not return in ten minutes for whatever reason (power failure, loss of internet connection, etc.), you are free to go on your way. It becomes the responsibility of the missing opponent to contact you by NgMail immediately to arrange for a day and time to complete the match. You must accommodate the re-schedule request at your earliest convenience. Failure to contact you no later than the 6th day of the assigned week will result in a forfeit. You will notify the Extreme Tournament Manager by email (extreme@iba-backgammon.com) with an explanation of what has occurred and request for your win credit.


WATCHING: Anyone may watch any of the Extreme Tournament matches in progress SILENTLY unless invited to chat by BOTH opponents. Should a watcher be distractive or offensive, you may set the match to a private match.


REPORTING MATCH RESULTS: At the conclusion of the Extreme Tournament match, both players of the match will report the match results, by emailing extreme@iba-backgammon.com.

Example: JohnSmith wins over MaryJones, Round 3 Final Score 25/18.


MATCH FORFEITS: When an IBA Extreme Tournament player makes concerted efforts in writing to arrange a match with another player and all those efforts have failed, a request for a match forfeit will be considered. Forfeits will not be granted automatically, but based on the individual merit of the request and the accompanying documentation/proof (see Forfeit Documentation) that must be submitted with the request. If the documentation is not included, the request will be denied. Forfeit requests will be submitted no earlier than one day prior to the current round deadline and no later than 18:00 CET of the round deadline date.

A forfeit request is considered a privilege and is not to be used lightly or intentionally used to manipulate the standings of the IBA Extreme Tournament. Requesting a forfeit when reasonable, documented attempts have not been made to complete the match in the allowable time frame is considered poor sportsmanship and may result in cancellation of your participation in the IBA Extreme Tournament.


IBA WINNER POINTS: IBA Extreme Tournament participants will receive IBA Winner Points as follows:

Each loss or forfeit: 0 IBA Winner Points
Each win: 2 IBA Winner Points


IBA’s MONTHLY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS INVITATIONAL: The winner of the tournament will be invited to participate in the next scheduled IBA Tournament of Champions Invitational event.