1.1. To participate in the tournament each player must pass a preliminary registration on the official RTHF site and confirm his/her registration at the tournament venue on March 17th 2018.
1.1.1. If the registration fee is payed in advance by a bank/credit card transfer, the confirmation registration is not necessary.
1.2. Top 8 registered players (according to WR) are exempted from qualification and start the tournament from the final groups of the 2nd tournament day.
1.3. Registered players with WR 9-40 start the tournament from the semifinal groups of the first tournament day.
1.4. Registered players with WR 41-72 start the tournament from the quarterfinal groups of the first tournament day.
1.5. Registered players with WR 73 and below are divided on qualification groups. The number of groups and number of players in each group (12 to 20) are decided on the tournament day depending on number of players present at the venue.
1.5.1. Seeding of the players to the qualification groups is done according to the WR with the "meander" ("snake") algorithm.
1.5.2. Seeding is done automatically on the RTHF web-site on the first playing day after the confirmative registration (accreditation).
1.6. The players in each qualification group are playing with each other ("round robin") according to the qualification schedule presented after seeding.
1.7. The best players of qualification are promoted to the quarterfinal groups. The results of qualification are not transferred to the qualification groups.
1.8. If the number of players at venue exceeds 150, the organising committee may change the qualification formula of the first playing day.
2. Quarterfinal groups and leagues.
2.1. 32 best players of the qualification tournament, according to the place in the qualification groups, are promoted into the next stage of the tournament - quarterfinal groups.
2.1.1. In case of different number of players promoted from different qualification groups, the following criteria are used to decide the promoted player:
2.2. 32 players promoted from the qualification groups and 32 players with WR 41-72 are divided in 4 (four) groups of 16 players each.
2.2.1. The seeding of players into quarterfinal groups is done automatically on the RTHF web-site according to the WR with the "meander" ("snake") algorithm.
2.3. The players that were not promoted to q1uarterfinal groups from qualification (places 33 and below) are divided on Fifth, Sixth, etc. leagues. Number of players in each league (not less than 16) is decided on the tournament day depending on number of players at venue.
2.4. The players of quartefinal groups and leagues are playing with each other ("round robin") according to the schedule presented after seeding.
2.5. 32 best players of quarterfinal groups (8 from each group) are promoted to the next stage - semifinal groups.
2.5.1. 16 players (places 9-12 in each quarterfinal group) are promoted to the Third league, while remaining 16 players (13 to 16 places in quarterfinal groups) are promoted to the Forth league.
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3. Semifinal groups and leagues.
3.1. 32 best players of quarterfinal groups are promoted to the next stage of the tournament - semifinal groups.
3.2. 32 players promoted from the quarterfinal groups and 32 players with WR 9-40 are divided in 4 (four) groups of 16 players each.
3.2.1. The seeding of players into semifinal groups is done automatically on the RTHF web-site according to the WR with the "meander" ("snake") algorithm.
3.3. The players of semifinal groups and leagues are playing with each other ("round robin") according to the schedule presented after seeding.
3.4. 32 best players of semifinal groups (8 from each group) are promoted to the next stage - final groups.
3.4.1. 16 players (places 9-12 in each quarterfinal group) are promoted to the First league, while remaining 16 players (13 to 16 places in quarterfinal groups) are promoted to the Second league.
4. Final groups and leagues.
4.1. 32 best players of semifinal groups are promoted to the next stage of the tournament - final groups.
4.2. 32 players promoted from the semifinal groups and 8 players with WR 1-8 are divided in 2 (two) groups of 20 players each.
4.2.1. The seeding of players into final groups is done automatically on the RTHF web-site according to the WR with the "meander" ("snake") algorithm.
4.3. The players of final groups and leagues are playing with each other ("round robin") according to the schedule presented after seeding.
4.4. 24 best players of final groups (12 from each group) are promoted to the next stage - play-off series.
4.4.1. The results of the final groups are deciding the places of players from 25 to 40, according to the place in the group, points gained, and, if necessary, additional parameters (goals difference in the final group games, number of scored goals, and random draw, decided by the organising committee).
5. Play-off - 24 participants.
5.1. 1/16 final:
"А": 5 plase in the final group "А" - 12 plase in the final group "В"
"B": 6 plase "A" - 11 plase "B"
"C": 7 plase "A" - 10 plase "B"
"D": 8 plase "A" - 9 plase "B"
"E": 9 plase "A" - 8 plase "B"
"F": 10 plase "A" - 7 plase "B"
"G": 11 plase "A" - 6 plase "B"
"H": 12 plase "A" - 5 plase "B"
5.2. 1/8 final:
"I": 1 plase in the final group "А" - winner "E"
"J": 2 plase in the final group "А" - winner "F"
"K": 3 plase in the final group "А" - winner "G"
"L": 4 plase in the final group "А" - winner "H"
"M": 1 plase in the final group "В" - winner "D"
"N": 2 plase in the final group "В" - winner "C"
"O": 3 plase in the final group "В" - winner "B"
"P": 4 plase in the final group "В" - winner "A"
- The winner of the "U" pair meets the winner of the "V" pair in the final. The losers of 1/2 final are playing a series for the 3rd place.
5.6. On each stage of play-off (except the series for the 3rd place) the series are played of seven matches (to four victories of one player). The series are conducted according to the ITHF Tournament Rules.
5.6.1. The series for the 3rd place is played of five matches.
6. General rules and disputes.
6.1. All matches are conducted according to the ITHF Game Rules.
6.2. The winner of a match during group rounds gains 2 point, the loser - 0 point, in case of a draw players get 1 point each.
6.3. If two players have the same number of points, the placement is done using the following criteria:
a) result of their match
b) goals difference in all matches of the group
c) number of goals scored in all matches of the group
d) number of victories in the group
e) decided by a cast, done by tournament organizers
6.3.1. If three or more players have the same number of points, the placement is done using the results of the mini-tournament between them first:
a) number of points in mini-tournament
b) goals difference in mini-tournament
c) number of goals scored in mini-tournament
d) number of victories in mini-tournament
e) goals difference in all matches of the group
f) number of goals scored in all matches of the group
g) number of victories in the group
h) decided by a cast, done by tournament organizers
6.4. The final places on all stages of the tournament (qualification, final groups, leagues, play-offs) are decided by ITHF Tournament Rules using following criteria:
a) the place gained by the player in the group/play-off stage
b) the overall number of points
c) number of points in games between players with the same overall number of points
d) goal difference in games between players with the same overall number of points
e) number of goals scored in games between players with the same overall number of points
f) number of victories in games between players with the same overall number of points
g) overall goal difference
h) overall number of goals scored
i) overall number of victories
j) additional match played until a goal is scored
6.5. All matches that were not completed during the 5-minutes jingle for any reason should be finished during the next possible pause, no later than 3 tours before the end of the "round robin". If the incomplete match happened during one of the last three tours of the "round robin", they must be finished immediately after the corresponding tour.
6.6. If one of the players is absent at the game for more than 30 seconds after the start signal of jingle, another player wins the match with the score 5:0.
6.7. After introduction of the results into the computer only mistakes made by the secretary entering the results in the software may be corrected. Any mistake done by the player writing the result in the protocol may be corrected only before introduction of the result in the computer.
6.8. Any controvercy is studied by the committee of referees, set by the organizing committee, after request done by any player to any member of the committee of referees.
6.9. The decision of the committee of referees is final and may not be disputed.
6.9.1. If a player refuses to agree with the decision of the committee of referees, the organizing committee may decide to disqualify the player from the tournament.
