A. General Conditions, Overall Tournament Organization and Structure
I. Variant Rules
II. Discretion, Rulebook
III. Status of Orders
IV. General Adjudication Rules
V. Specification of Unit Type, Unit Nationality and Coast in Orders
VI. Adjustment Orders
VII. Convoy Orders:
VIII. Deadlines, Length of Turns, NMRs
IX. Adjudication Correction, Review
X. Voting Procedures, Game Endings and House Rule Changes
XI. Press and Other Communications, Integrity of Identity and Email Systems
A. General Conditions, Overall Tournament Organization and Structure
1. The Maharajiad is an individual tournament.
2. The tournament governing body will consist of one Tournament Director (the “TD”), up to two Assistant Tournament Directors (each, an “ATD”), and a Tournament Review Committee (the “TRC”) of between 3 and 6 people.
3. The duties of the TD will include, but shall not be limited to:
(a) Setting dates for the start and finish of each round in the tournament;
(b) Coordination of and/or placement of players in boards;
(c) Breaking ties on any TRC votes;
(d) General oversight and ruling on non game specific issues that may arise;
and
(e) Being the point of contact for appeals to the TRC and initial mediator in
such disputes in order to avoid the necessity of a ruling by the TRC.
4. The TD shall not play in the tournament.
5. The TRC is a committee that exists solely to arbitrate game specific issues that cannot be resolved by the players, GM and/or TD.
6. A TRC decision will require that at least two thirds of the TRC members not recused vote on an issue for the decision be binding (each ATD shall be included as a member of the TRC unless such ATD is acting as the TD at the time of the vote, which case they are temporarily not considered part of the TRC). The TD does not normally vote in TRC votes but is empowered to cast a tie breaking vote, if necessary.
7. The TRC may issue changes or revisions to these Tournament Rules (each a “TR”). The TD must approve any TRC change to a TR. If the TD vetoes the change, the TRC can override the TD with a 2/3 majority. In order for an override to be valid, at least 3/4 of the TRC sitting body must vote.
8. TRC members shall not play in the tournament, unless they recuse themselves from all decisions made during the time they are playing.
9. There will be two rounds in the tournament.
10. The six first round games will be played until Fall 1910 (with retreats, if necessary) unless concluded earlier in accordance with these rules, and the second round game will be played until a player has met the victory criterion for the variant, unless concluded earlier in accordance with these rules.
11. Players may, but are not required to submit a country preference list prior
to the assignment of positions in each round, but placement in or avoidance
of any Power or Powers is not guaranteed, except that to the extent possible,
no player shall be assigned the same Power both the first and second rounds
of the tournament.
12. Any player may be replaced either at their own request, or by others in
the case of an NMR, at any time. The replacement may be temporary, if the player
or replacement declares the period of the replacement to all players and the
GM before or concurrently with the time of the replacement. Where the original
player and replacement player contradict each other over the prospective replacement
period, the original player's decision will be final. If a replacement period
exceeds the original specification, the replacement will become permanent.
13. No person shall be permitted to be a replacement player in more than one game in the first round, nor shall a person be permitted to play as a starting player and either a permanent replacement or a temporary replacement player simultaneously.
14. The TD may reject a proposed substitution or replacement if, the sole opinion of the TD, there is a "conflict of interest" caused by the substitution or replacement.
15. If a player does not provide a temporary or permanent replacement, the TD shall attempt to obtain a replacement. If a replacement is found, the replacement shall have a minimum of four days in which to submit orders for the next turn to be adjudicated. If the TD determines that a replacement cannot be found in what is, in the sole opinion of the TD a “reasonable time”, the position will go into civil disorder until such time as a replacement can be found, if ever.
16. The player having the most Supply Centers at the conclusion of each first round game (subject to proration of Supply Center count pursuant to these rules, their “score” for the first round) shall advance to the second round. A solo win (19 Supply Centers) will be considered to be a 37 SC win with all other players eliminated. After determination of the first 6 players to advance to the second round, the remaining player having the highest score in the tournament as a whole shall also advance to the second round.
17. The player having the most Supply Centers at the conclusion of the second
round game (subject to proration of Supply Center count pursuant to these rules,
their “score” for the second round) shall be the winner of the tournament.
A solo win (19 SCs or more) will be considered to be a 37 SC win with all other
players eliminated.
18. In the event of a solo conceded by vote, the SC counts at time of concession
will be carried to the penultimate year and the solo will only be applied in
the final year. Any other result accepted by vote will have the current SC counts
applied to all remaining years.
19. If two or more players are tied at the end of the first round, the following
tie-breakers will be applied:
(a) Least successful country. (i.e., the Power with lowest total number of Supply
Centers across all boards in the first round.);
(b) Count-back (i.e. greatest number of SCs held at the end of 1509, then if
a further tie-break is required, the greatest number of SCs held at the end
of 1508, etc.); and
(c) Highest roll on 100-sided dice
20. If two or more players are tied on a board at the end of the second round,
the following tie-breakers will be applied:
(a) Least successful country. (i.e., the Power with lowest total number of Supply
Centers across all boards in the first and second rounds);
(b) Count-back (i.e. greatest number of SCs held at the end of 1509, then if
a further tie-break is required, the greatest number of SCs held at the end
of 1508, etc.); and
(c) Application of tie-break rules in section A.19.
21. If a player qualifies for the second round but declines to play, then the otherwise non-qualifying player with the highest overall first round score (including tie break calculation) across all boards shall advance.
22. “Best Country” recognition will be based on the results of the first round games, with tie breakers are as follows:
(a) Count-back (i.e. greatest number of SCs held at the end of 1509, then if
a further tie-break is required, the greatest number of SCs held at the end
of 1508, etc.); and
(b) Highest roll on 100-sided dice
23. A player who is was replaced for more than one turn due to arranged absence or a player who took over a position as a replacement shall receive pro-rated points. The pro-rated score will be calculated as follows:
"Total score (for the position) x "Number of movement turns played" / "Total number of movement turns in the game"
24. A player may only qualify for advancement from the first round based upon their score, pro-rated or otherwise, in the first game (chronologically) for which they are permanent, either as the initial player or as a permanent replacement.
(1) The victory criterion is ownership of a majority of the Supply Centers
(19 out of 37).
(2) Navigable Rivers/River Convoys. The rivers on the map, representing the
Indus, the Ganges/Brahmaputra/Patna/Hooghly, and the Irrawaddy are available
for fleets to travel up to the interior, and they can be used to convoy. The
fleets will be on the provinces, as the rivers are not spaces themselves, but
merely indicators. If a fleet attacks a convoying fleet in a river province,
the river convoy is disrupted whether or not the attack is successful, except
that a fleet located in the destination province of a river convoy which attacks
one of the fleets convoying an army to the destination province must dislodge
the convoying fleet for a river convoy to be disrupted. An attacking army must
dislodge the convoying fleet for a river convoy to be disrupted.
(3) Additional Home Centers. If a power leaves a specific unit on a Supply Center
whether owned by that power or not) for an entire game calendar year (consecutive
Spring, Fall and Winter turns), then that Supply Center becomes a new Home Supply
Center for that power. Moving a different unit onto the Supply Center in the
fall is not effective for this purpose. In that case, just as in Standard Diplomacy,
the Supply Center is a Home Supply Center for the original owner, but presently
belongs to a different power. A Supply Center can only be a Home Supply Center
for one power at a time, so if power A converts power B's Home Supply Center
to a Home Supply Center for power A, then power B must recapture and reconvert
the Supply Center in order for it to once more be a Home Supply Center for power
B.
(4) The starting year of the variant is 1501.
(5) The adjustment phase or turn, commonly known as "Winter", may
be called “Monsoon".
(1) GM Guidelines.
a) This tournament has standardized rules for each game. All GM's must follow these tournament rules.
b) Some rules are stated in the alternative, or require a GM to state a policy, which the GM may state prior to the start of that particular game Those rules are the following:
B.III (2)
B.IV (4)
B.VIII (3)
B.XI (1)
(2) Disputes.
(a) Players disputing rulings, adjudications or other actions of the GM should be taken up in the first instance with the GM concerned and only if the player is still not satisfied should the player or GM approach the TD. The TD will then attempt to arrive at a solution acceptable to the GM and players. If the TD is unable to do so, the TRC will render a final and binding decision on the matter pursuant to these rules. If the TRC rules on an item brought before it, the decision will be considered binding on both the players and the GM.
b) By accepting a position in the tournament, players agree to abide by these rules, to compete earnestly, and to comport themselves in a civil manner, cognizant of the fact that this tournament is taking place for the enjoyment of the participants, and respectful of the labor put forth by the volunteer officials and GMs
(3) Rulebook:
Subject to these rules, the 1999/2000 Diplomacy rules as published by Hasbro will be used as standard for all games.
(1) Preliminary and Final Orders:
Submission of preliminary orders is strongly encouraged, but not required. All orders will be considered preliminary unless marked "Final".
(2) Identification of Order Sets:
All order sets submitted must be addressed "To" the GM (not "CC" or "BCC") at an address supplied by the GM for that purpose unless the GM instructs otherwise, and must contain such information and/or adhere to such format in the Subject line of the email as the GM shall require. The GM is not required to accept order sets that do not meet his or her requirements, nor will the GM be required to search for nonconforming order sets.
(3) Orders Submitted by Proxy:
Orders submitted by proxy will not be permitted.
(4) Perpetual Orders:
An order set is required to be submitted by each player for each turn, and the GM will not accept instructions to make an order set perpetual.
(5) Contingent Retreat or Adjustment Orders:
Retreat or adjustment turns will be separate from movement turns. Contingent retreat or adjustment orders are not required, and negotiations are allowed prior to a retreat or adjustment turn. Players are strongly encouraged, however, to submit contingent retreat, build or disband orders, when the situation of the game permits, as this will help speed the pace of the game and reduce the likelihood of NMRs occurring.
IV. General Adjudication Rules:
(1) Interpretation of Orders:
Alternative A: Order sets and individual orders will be adjudicated with no
presumption being made that each player wishes to submit a complete set of valid
orders.
(2) Abbreviations and Typographical Errors:
Players are encouraged to spell out province names in their entirety. Typographical
errors and nonstandard abbreviations may cause the GM to rule an order ambiguous.
A typographical error in an order that is nonetheless understandable in English
by the GM will not cause the GM to rule an order ambiguous. A typographical
error that results in an order containing either an abbreviation or the fully
spelled out name of another province shall be adjudicated as an order pertaining
to the province correctly abbreviated or spelled out.
The following is a list of provinces, with official abbreviations:
Aceh: Ace
Agra: Agr
Ahmadabad: Ahm
Ahmadnagar: Ang
Andaman Sea: AnS
Arabia: Ara
Arabian Sea: ArS
Assam: Ass
Ava: Ava
Awadh: Awa
Ayutthaya: Ayu
Badakhshan: Bad
Balkh: Bal
Bangalore: Ban
Bay of Bengal: BoB
Benares: Ben
Bengal: Bgl
Berar: Ber
Bidar: Bid
Bijapur: Bij
Bikaner: Bik
Bukhara: Buk
Calicut: Cal
Dasht-I-Kavir: DIK
Elburz: Elb
Ferghana: Fer
Gartok: Gar
Goa: Goa
Gujarat: Guj
Gulf of Aden: GAd
Hadramaut: Had
Herat: Her
Honavar: Hon
Hormuz: Hor
Isfahan: Isf
Jabalpur: Jab
Jaffna: Jaf
Jaipur: Jai
Jaisalmer: Jsl
Jodhpur: Jod
Kabul: Kab
Kandahar: Kan
Kandy: Kdy
Kara Kum: KaK
Kashgar: Kas
Kashmir: Kmr
Khandesh: Kha
Kra: Kra
Laccadive Sea: LaS
Lahore: Lah
Maldive Sea: MaS
Malwa: Mal Meshed: Mes
Mewar: Mew Multan: Mul
Muzaffarpur: Muz
Nepal: Nep
Nicobar Sea: NiS
Oman: Oma
Orissa: Ori
Pegu: Peg
Persian Gulf: PrG
Peshawar: Pes
Pulicat: Pul
Qom: Qom
Raipur: Rai
Rub Al Khali: RAK
Samarkand: Sam
Sambalpur: Sbl
Sea of Ceylon: SoC
Seylac: Sey
Shiraz: Shi
Sind: Sin
Tinnevelly: Tin
Warangal: War
Yemen: Yem
Yezd: Yez
(3) Inferred Orders:
If a unit or units of a particular player are not ordered by that player, the GM will not look to the orders of other units for the purpose of inferring an order for an unordered unit.
(4) Multiple sets of orders:
The last set of orders submitted before the adjudication takes place will be used. In the event a partial set of revised orders are submitted, previous order sets will be disregarded when the GM receives a revised order set. The GM will not look to an earlier order set to fill in missing orders in a revised order set.
The GM has the discretion to use the following alternative rule, provided that he states this to be his policy at the outset of the game:
Alternative Rule: The last set of orders submitted before the adjudication takes place will be used. In the event a partial set of revised orders are submitted, the GM will adjudicate using the most recently submitted order set, but will examine previously submitted order sets in order to adjudicate with a full set of orders consisting of the most recently submitted order for each unit.
(5) Movement Orders:
Any unit adjudged by the GM to have been ordered illegally will be presumed to have been ordered to hold, and may receive support to hold. A unit will not be adjudged to have been ordered illegally, if, before the turn was adjudicated, such movement would have been possible with the aid of other units on the board, irrespective of nationality of such other units. Any unordered unit or units will be considered to have been ordered to hold, and may receive support to hold.
(6) Multiple Orders for Units:
In the event that a unit is ordered more than once within the same set of orders, the unit will be deemed to have been ordered ambiguously, and will be considered to have been ordered to hold. Duplicate orders will be treated as a single order for purposes of adjudication.
V. Specification of Unit Type, Unit Nationality and
Coast in Orders:
(1) Omitted Designations:
An omitted designation of the type of a unit (A or F) in orders other than build orders will not invalidate the order.
(2) Inaccurate Designations:
An inaccurate designation of the type of a unit (A or F) will invalidate the order.
(3) Omitted Nationality of Units:
An omitted designation of the nationality of a supported or convoyed foreign unit will not invalidate the order.
(4) Inaccurate Nationality of Units:
An inaccurate designation of the nationality of a supported or convoyed foreign unit will invalidate the order.
(1) Omitted Build Designations:
If a player fails to designate the type of unit to be built in a build order, no unit will be built based upon that order if the Supply Center specified by the player can produce armies or fleets, but an army will be built if the Supply Center can produce armies only.
(2) Excess Builds or Disbands:
If a player attempts to build or disband more units than the position would allow, the builds will not be allowed, and the disbands will occur according to the rules for civil disorder removals.
(3) Multiple Builds in a Center:
If a player attempts to build more than one unit in a single turn in the same supply center, no unit will be built in the Supply Center if the build orders are for different types (A or F) of units, unless fleets cannot legally be built in the province, in which case an army will be built, but duplicate orders will be treated as a single order for purposes of adjudication.
(4) Civil Disorder Removals:
If a power in civil disorder is required to remove a unit or units in an adjustment phase, the unit most distant from the nearest Home Supply Center will be removed first. Distance will be calculated in terms of the minimum number of legal moves necessary to return to the nearest home Supply Center, however, sea provinces, (whether or not a fleet is present in the sea area) will each count as one move for any unit. If an army and a fleet stand equally distant from home, the fleet will be removed the army. When two units of the same kind stand equally distant from home, the units shall be removed in full-province-name alphabetical order.
(5) Impermissible Designation in Build Order:
If a player orders a fleet to be built in a Supply Center that cannot contain a fleet, no unit will be built based on that order.
(1) Retreat of Units After Dislodgment by Convoyed Armies:
If a unit has been dislodged by a convoyed army, the dislodged unit may retreat to the province from which the dislodging convoyed army originated, if the retreat is otherwise legal.
(2) Possible Convoy to an Adjacent Province:
If movement by an army to an adjacent province is possible, prior to adjudication, both directly and by convoy, and a fleet of the same nationality as the army is ordered to convoy the army to the same destination as is stated in the order for that army, then the order for movement of that army will be adjudicated as an attempt to move by convoy. If no fleet of the same nationality is ordered to convoy the army to the same destination as is stated in the order for that army, unless the army is explicitly ordered to move by convoy, then the order for the movement of the army will be adjudicated as an attempt to move by land.
(3) Convoy Route Specification:
If multiple convoy routes for an army from the present province of that army to the ordered destination province are possible prior to adjudication, a player may write an order for that army that limits or specifies the convoy route that army is to attempt to take.
(4) Disruption of Attempted Convoys with Multiple Possible Routes:
If multiple convoy routes for an army from the present province of that army to the ordered destination province are possible prior to adjudication, the attempt to convoy will be disrupted if any fleet that is part of a specified or limited convoy route is dislodged, but if no specified or limited convoy route is listed in that player's orders, the attempted convoy will only be disrupted if fleets necessary for all the possible convoy routes to the destination province of that army are dislodged.
(5) Cutting Support by Convoy to an Adjacent Province:
If an army attempts to move by convoy to a province in which a unit is supporting an attack by another unit on the province from which that convoyed army originated, the convoyed army will not cut the support.
(6) Adjudication of Paradoxical Convoy Situations:
In any adjudication in which a possible convoy disruption is either unresolved or has more than one possible resolution when following the appropriate rules in the Rulebook or elsewhere in these House Rules, any attempted move of an army by convoy which is part of the paradox fails, and the attempted move has no effect on the province named as the destination in the order for that army.
(7) Convoy of an attack against a unit of the same nationality as the convoying fleet
If a player convoys another player's unit to a space occupied by one of the convoying player's units, the convoyed unit will succeed in dislodging the unit being attacked if it has received enough valid support to do so.
VIII. Deadlines, Length of Turns, NMRs:
(1) Order Submission:
It is the responsibility of each player to make sure that a set of orders is submitted as required before the deadline for each turn. Time of submission of orders will be considered to be when the GM receives the orders, not when the orders were sent, however, the GM will have the discretion to accept late orders if it is proven to the satisfaction of the GM that the orders were sent prior to the deadline. Individual and/or broadcast reminders may be given, but the lack of a reminder will not serve to excuse failure to submit orders.
(2) Timing of Adjudication:
Early adjudication is allowed if all orders are submitted marked "Final", but a minimum of 24 hours is required between posting of adjudications. Each player can inform the GM that he or she will be unavailable for a specific 64 hour period during each week (for example, from 5:00 p.m. Friday to 9:00 a.m. Monday US Eastern Standard Time). The GM must not publish a set of orders (or an adjudication) within this period and set the next deadline within the same period. If several players state different "unavailable" periods such that a player or the GM thinks significant problems will arise, the a player or the GM may contact the TD so that a solution can be implemented.
(3) Orders After Deadline:
Orders will be accepted until the start of adjudication.
The GM has the discretion to use the following alternative rule, provided that he states this to be his policy at the outset of the game:
Alternative Rule: Orders will not be accepted after the deadline.
(4) Length of Turns:
a) Games will typically progress at the pace of one game year every two weeks. At least 4 days will normally be allowed for each movement turn and at least 2 days will normally be allowed for each retreat or adjustment turn. The GM may speed up or slow down the timing depending on the perceived complexity, to the GM, of the game situation, but will never speed up beyond these stated minimums without the consent of the surviving players.
b) It is mandatory that all deadlines be stated in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) (see http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/) in addition to any local time the GM may list. This will assist players who may be each be in vastly different time zones, to make the conversion. If GMT and Local time do not agree, the GMT deadline listed is the definitive deadline.
(5) Delay/Extension Requests:
Each player will have a right to guaranteed extensions, in one day increments, totaling 8 days. All extensions must be requested at least 12 hours in advance. Any extension requested less than 12 hours in advance will be rejected for that immediate turn, but may apply to a subsequent turn if a player requests. If a player will be absent for more than the available extension request time for that player, that player should obtain either a temporary or a permanent replacement. Players are free to recruit anyone not otherwise forbidden elsewhere in these Rules to replace them. The TD may decree that certain international holidays are eligible for extensions, Christmas being a prime example. Players will have the option to take such “holiday extensions” without being charged for an extension. Should any one player in a game or the GM wish to exercise a holiday extension, it must be granted.
(6) NMRs and Replacement of Players:
(a) The GM will adjudicate with orders missing from one or more powers. Players failing to submit orders must contact the GM within 48 hours [or 96 hours if the period includes a weekend] of the publication of the adjudication, or the replacement procedure described in these rules will be followed.
(b) The only seasons in which there are no NMR's allowed are the movement phases of Spring 1501 and Fall 1501, and the 1501 adjustment (or “Monsoon/Winter”) phase. Any player who does not turn in orders for these seasons will be replaced immediately. The GM will not release results during any of these seasons if there is an NMR.
(c) After Monsoon/Winter 1501, any player whose orders are not received by the GM by the stated deadline, with any allowance for grace period will be given an NMR. All units will hold. If any units are dislodged, that player, or the replacement for that player will be able to order retreats for those units.
(7) TD's Order Confirmation Mailbox:
The TD has set up a mailbox at maharajahconfirm@yahoo.com]. This mailbox is available for players to CC their orders to for purposes of verification. An automatic confirmation system will reply to messages received at this address within a few minutes, giving the player assurance that it has been received without having to wait for the GM to respond. This mailbox will only be by tournament officials and will be checked only where a player having been adjudicated NMR maintains that their orders were sent before the deadline. Orders received at this address without the GMs correct address in the “to” line will not be accepted.
IX. Adjudication Correction, Review:
(1) Correction of Adjudication:
Players discovering errors in adjudication should bring them to the attention of the GM as soon as possible, and the GM shall correct any errors. However, errors are not pointed out and another adjudication is published, without correction of an error, the error will stand on the condition that the mandatory minimum amount of time as specified in these rules was allowed between the adjudications in question.
Where extra information is provided as a courtesy by the GM (maps, unit positions, etc.) and conflicts with the adjudication, the adjudication will always take precedence.
(2) Two Units in the Same Space Due to Error In Published Adjudication.
Wherever a GM error leads to two units in the same space, any unit erroneously present in that space will be placed in the space where it should have been if that is otherwise vacant, and otherwise off the board, as soon as the error is discovered unless one of the units has vacated the space by the time the error is noticed.
(3) Extra Unit in Published Adjudication (Flying Dutchman)
If it is discovered that an extra unit is present for a player, and that unit has existed for more than one adjudication, the imbalance between the number of units present and the number of units to which that player is actually entitled will be rectified, if necessary, during the next build/disband phase.
(4) Publication of Orders as Submitted:
GMs should publish the "as written" orders to assist players in checking accuracy of adjudications. GM's may edit out player commentary, but no appeals for breach of GM confidentiality will be entertained from players who do not make clear which parts of their submission are orders for publication and which parts are intended as private comment for the GM only.
X. Voting Procedures, Game Endings and House Rule
Changes:
(1) Early Game Terminations:
All players remaining in the game must agree upon an early game termination
unanimously, other than players who specifically advise the GM that they wish
to abstain from the vote. A single negative vote will defeat the proposal. All
games are presumed to continue until the year specified in these rules as the
final year of the game is completed, or until a player wins by reaching 19 Supply
Centers, so an uncast vote (other than an abstention) counts as a negative vote
and defeats the proposal. If a vote is sufficiently vague as to make its intent
unclear then the GM will treat it as an uncast vote.
If, after a period of three game years, no Supply Centers have changed ownership,
the game will automatically conclude, unless all players remaining in the game
vote in favor of continuing the game.
(2) Confidentiality and Limitation of Proposals:
Votes will be due simultaneously with the next due date for orders. All votes will be secret and the result will be published instead of the relevant adjudication if the proposal is approved, or together with the adjudication, if the proposal fails. All votes may be submitted confidentially, players may submit revised votes, and the GM will not reveal any information regarding the specific votes of an individual power, or the total of votes for or against any proposal. The GM may refuse to conduct votes on repetitive or humorous proposals. Players may vote for or against proposals that they submit.
(3) Changes to House Rules:
Proposals may be made to change any specific house rule or rules where the GM has discretion. The GM and all players remaining in the game must agree to any rule change unanimously, other than players who specifically advise the GM that they wish to abstain from the vote. All House Rules are presumed to remain unchanged, so an uncast vote (other than an abstention) counts as a negative vote and defeats the proposal.
XI. Press and Other Communications, Integrity of Identity
and Email Systems:
(1) Acceptable Press:
The GM, in the sole discretion of the GM, reserves the right to refuse to publish a piece or pieces of press for any reason. In general, press correctly identifying the author (white press), press to be published anonymously (gray press), and press attributed to another person (black press) will be accepted. The GM will publish all press in a section of the adjudication separate from the orders of the individual players.
The GM has the discretion to use one the following alternative rules, provided that he states this to be his policy at the outset of the game:
Alternative Rule A: press correctly identifying the author (white press), press to be published anonymously (gray press), and press unofficially attributed to any person (dark gray press) will be accepted. Press officially attributed by the GM to another person (black press) will not be accepted. The GM will publish all anonymous press and all press not officially identifying the author (non-white press) in an "Anonymous or Unofficial Press" section of the adjudication separate from the orders of the individual players. White press will be published with the orders of the author.
Alternative Rule B: press correctly identifying the author (white press) and press to be published anonymously (gray press) will be accepted. Press attributed to any person unofficially (dark gray press) or officially by the GM (black press) will not be accepted. The GM will publish all gray press in an "Anonymous Press" section of the adjudication separate from the orders of the individual players. White press will be published with the orders of the author.
Alternative Rule C: press correctly identifying the author (white press) will be accepted. Press to be published anonymously (gray press), press attributed to any person unofficially (dark gray press), or officially (black press) will not be accepted.
Alternative Rule D: No Press to be published by the GM. All Press must be published by the players themselves.
(2) Disclosure of Authorship of Gray, Dark Gray or Black Press:
Authorship of gray, dark gray or black press will never be revealed by the GM.
(3) GM Press and comment:
Color commentary and other game related comment by GMs is prohibited.
(4) Forwarding of E-Mails:
E-mails and other communications are the intellectual property of their author, but the GM and players, by virtue of agreeing to GM or play in the tournament, freely give permission for the use of those e-mails and communications by other participants as part of the play of the tournament, subject to the restrictions of this Section. Forwarding of e-mails will not be restricted by the GM.
(5) Prior Restrictions on Communications Prohibited:
Except as otherwise provided for elsewhere in these rules, the GM will not
impose any prior restrictions on the form or content of direct communications
between any player and any one or more other players, or one or more persons
not playing in this game. In addition, certain types of communications may be
prohibited by law, or by the rules of the forum or community under the auspices
of which this game is being played. Such communications are also prohibited
under these rules.
(6) Communications Found Objectionable by the Recipient:
Any communication sent by a player to the GM, another player or players, or
one or more persons not involved in the game, which in the sole opinion of the
TD is objectionable, will subject the sender to possible discipline by the TD,
who may caution the sending player, replace the sending player immediately,
or take such other action as the TD deems appropriate.
(7) Impersonation of Players or GM, Subversion of E-mail Systems:
Impersonation of one player by another is not be restricted in this tournament, as long as this occurs between the players without the involvement of the GM, and does not involve subversion of the e-mail systems of others. Any attempt to deceive or impersonate the GM or the TD, or to subvert the integrity of the e-mail system of the GM, the TD, another player, or a third party will be grounds for immediate replacement.