Player Guide for Tournaments Organized by the Backgammon Federation of Serbia

This guide has been created solely for the enjoyment and protection of players, as well as the successful conduct of tournaments.

This guide complies with the tournament regulations of the WBGF (World Backgammon Federation).

Every player wishing to participate in tournaments organized by the Backgammon Federation of Serbia must have an account on the Federation’s website (www.backgammon.rs) and a paid annual Federation membership fee. Players can open an account up until the start of the tournament at the latest, after which they will receive a registration number used for recording results and scoring.

Smoking is strictly prohibited in the tournament hall, unless there is a specially designated room for smokers.

Players must respect all instructions and the authority of the Tournament Director, as well as the designated tournament schedule.

A player must not leave the tournament venue without prior approval from the Tournament Director. Unauthorised departure from the venue may negatively impact the schedule and slow down the tournament for all participants, and is therefore subject to penalties.

Players are required to proceed to their assigned tables immediately after the pairings are announced.

Dice

The use of precision (i.e., balanced) dice is mandatory at tournaments organized by the Backgammon Federation of Serbia. Both dice must be of the same size, standardly approx. 14mm. Ideally, each opponent selects one die from two dice offered by the other opponent.

If the players or the tournament organizer do not have enough precision dice available, the Tournament Director may allow the use of other types of dice.

If one of the players insists on using precision dice, their request must be granted.

If at any point during a match a doubt arises regarding the fairness of the dice, the Tournament Director is obligated to investigate the matter and provide an additional pair of dice to be used for the remainder of the match.

The use of a dice tower is permitted but not mandatory.

A player always rolls the dice into the right-hand quadrant of the board from their perspective. A player may roll the dice into the left-hand quadrant only with the opponent’s consent, which can be revoked at any point during the match.

After being rolled, the dice must land completely flat on one of their faces within the designated quadrant. Otherwise, the roll must be repeated.

If at least one die lands and remains on top of a checker after being rolled, the roll must be repeated.

If a player touches the dice with their hand while rolling, the roll must be repeated.

A roll is not repeated if a die cannot sit perfectly flat on one of its faces due to mechanical imperfections on the playing surface itself, such as bulges from moisture, torn felt, seams of stitched points on the board, etc.

The dice cup must be thoroughly shaken before rolling. Any objections regarding an opponent’s method of shaking or rolling the dice shall be resolved by the Tournament Director. The player is obligated to adjust their shaking and rolling method if instructed to do so by the Tournament Director.

In case of repeated infractions regarding the rolling of dice, which have been previously confirmed by the Tournament Director, the following measures may be imposed:

• Loss of the current game/point.
• Loss of the match.

Breaks and Delays

Adherence to the schedule is of the utmost importance for the successful conduct of the tournament.

The organizer announces the exact start time of the next round and publishes the pairings 5 minutes before the round begins. Tardiness to a match beyond the announced time will not be tolerated and must be reported immediately to the Tournament Director, who will start the late player’s clock. A player must not do this on their own.

In matches played to 7, 9, and 11 points, each player is entitled to one five-minute break. For matches of different lengths, breaks are determined separately.

Breaks may only be taken between games/points within a match, and a note indicating the exact end time of the break must be left on the board. The back of the score sheet provided to players before each match can be used for this purpose. It is highly recommended to take a photo of the board, score, and clock before taking a break.

The rules governing the use of breaks cannot be altered once a round has started, but the Tournament Director has the right to announce a change in the break policy between rounds.

In case of infractions regarding breaks and tardiness, the Tournament Director may impose the following measures:

• If one player is late returning from a break or at the start of a match, the Tournament Director, upon establishing this fact, is obligated to start the late player’s clock or award penalty points. The expiration of time on the clock results in the loss of the match.
• If both players are late returning from a break or at the start of a match, the Tournament Director, upon establishing this fact, is obligated to deduct appropriate time from the clocks or award penalty points to both players.
• The Tournament Director may grant an extended break in special cases, as well as an extraordinary break for reasons deemed justified.

Clocks

The standard rule is that the tournament clock is set to allow players two minutes per point of the match length, with an additional 12-second delay per move, unless defined otherwise by the tournament rules. The Tournament Director may order changes to these values, but only between rounds. However, such changes during a tournament are not recommended.

The use of clocks is mandatory unless the Tournament Director decides otherwise.

The expiration of time on the clock results in an immediate termination of the game and a victory for the opponent.

In case of a clock malfunction during a match, or a player’s error when taking a break, etc., players are required to call the Tournament Director, who, in consultation with the players, may reset the time or replace the clock. Players are not permitted to adjust the time on the clock independently during a match. Adjusting the clock independently without the Tournament Director’s approval will result in a penalty at the Director’s discretion.

If the Tournament Director notices that players are not using the clock, or are using it incorrectly, the Director is obligated to warn and admonish the players.

Responsibility for the proper use of the clock rests equally upon both players in the match.

In case of repeated warnings for not using the clock or using it incorrectly, the Tournament Director is obligated to impose measures at their own discretion. These include:

• Time penalties, i.e., deduction of time from the clock, proportional to the Tournament Director’s assessment.
• Deduction or addition of points in the game.
• Loss of the match for one or both players.
• Disqualification from the tournament.

Reporting Results

The winner of the match is required to write down the score on the score sheet, sign it, and personally hand it over to the staff at the tournament desk. Scorekeepers are not permitted to fill out score sheets.

The winner is responsible for the accuracy of the reported score. Reporting an incorrect score results in the loss of the match.

In case of malicious false reporting of results, a player may be expelled from the tournament, and a long-term suspension is highly recommended.

After submitting the score sheet, and before the start of the next round, it is advisable for the player to check the recorded result on the Federation’s website (www.backgammon.rs) or on the notice board/projector. If a player notices an incorrectly entered result, they should report the error to the tournament desk without delay. An incorrectly reported score that is not corrected before the start of the next round becomes valid for the remainder of the competition, unless it is still possible to correct it.

Player Conduct Outside of Matches

Players who have finished their matches and reported their scores may follow the matches of other players as spectators.

If they wish to spectate other players’ matches, spectators are obligated to do so in complete silence.

Spectators are not permitted to disturb other players, make remarks, draw attention to illegal moves, or point out the status of the clock.

Spectators may discreetly report expired clock time of other players to the Tournament Director, but under no circumstances should they signal the players.

In case of non-compliance with these guidelines, the Tournament Director may impose the following measures:

• A warning to the spectators.
• A fine to the spectators.
• Temporary removal of the spectators from the table or the tournament hall if they fail to adjust their behavior.
• Permanent expulsion from the tournament or other measures at the Tournament Director’s discretion.