Competition Dates:

May 3-5, 2003

Competition Venue:

Kazusa Akademia Center (Kazusa Arc)

1637 Yana, Kisarazu-Shi, Chiba 292-0812, Japan

Phone: 0438-20-5555 Fax: 0438-20-5139

(+81-438-20-5555) (+81-438-20-5139)

Registration Deadline:

January 31, 2003

First Prize:

a notebook computer

Eligibility:

Open to anyone of any nationality. Only originally produced programs may be entered. Furthermore, only one program from each developing team may enter the tournament.

The program should allow a move to be adjusted, in case of input error.
(Extra time will be reimbursed.)

Any computer may be used.
Competitors are strongly urged to bring their own computer.
CSA may provide an IBM compatible, but it may be a relatively slow machine.

Operator:

The operator should be one of the principal programmers of the entered program. If none of the programmers can come to the tournament, one proxy must be prepared by the entrant.

The operator may recompile the program/modify parameters before starting each game. The operator may not operate any input device during any game unless a referee orders it or a referee allows it after the operator obtains the opponent's agreement.

All games will be evenly played (hirate).
Perpetual repetition: Draw, 1/2 win point (except perpetual check).

1st day through 2nd day: Preliminary Contest

The top 3 of the last tournament will be exempted from these days and proceed directly to the Final.

The Preliminary Contest is divided into two groups. The upper division will consist of 16 programs (first through 19th seeds excluding the three direct finalists).

The lower division contest will be held on the 1st day. There will be 7 Swiss-style games. The top 8 programs will join the upper division contest. If the number of programs is odd, the CSA will add an extra program by invitation. The invited program will not proceed to the second day.

The upper division contest will be held on the 2nd day. There will be 9 Swiss-style games. The top 5 programs will proceed to the third day of competition. If the number of programs is, by chance, odd, the CSA will add an extra program by invitation but the invited program will not proceed to the third day.

The CSA reserves the right to alter the number of proceeding programs if the number of entrants is less than 28 or more than 64.

3rd day: The Final

Round robin of 8 programs with each program playing each other once.

Time Limits:

To complete a game, each program is allowed a total of 25 minutes of playing time. If one side runs out of time before it wins or declares a win, then it loses the game.

The program must measure the time spent on each move and display the total time spent. The minimum of the time spent on each move is one second, i.e. if the time spent on a move is one second or less, then the program must count it as one second. If the time spent on a move is more than one second, then the program may count in whole seconds, not counting any fractions.

Handling (input move) time will be excepted in the case of a communication breakdown.

Declaration of a win in case of Nyugyoku:

In case of NYUGYOKU (JISHOGI), the CSA applies the following declaration rule:

The program may declare WIN (send %KACHI if communication available) if the following conditions are satisfied. If one of the conditions is not satisfied, the declaring side loses.

(1) The King of the declaring side is in the third rank or beyond.

(2) The declaring side has 28 (the first player (sente, black)) or 27 (the second player (gote, white)) piece points or more.

Piece points are counted only for pieces of the declaring side that are in hand or in the third rank or beyond. Piece points are counted as follows: King:0; Rook, Bishop, Promoted Rook or Promoted Bishop:5; Other:1.

(3) The declaring side has 10 or more pieces other than the King in the third rank or beyond.

(4) There is no check on the King of the declaring side.

(5) The declaring side has at least one second left.

Outcome of Game:

The outcome of a game will be determined by the following rules in the order given:

1) the time limit has been exceeded

2) the usual shogi rules (except JISHOGI)

3) declaration of a win (by the computer)

Tournament Results:

Tournament results will be determined by the following rules in the order given:

1) number of wins

2) sum of all opponents' scores

3) sum of defeated opponents' scores

4) sum of defeated opponents' scores without top and bottom

5) results of head-to-head competition (*)

6) order in the last tournament (for seeded programs) or preliminary contest (for other programs)

draw: 1/2 point

(*) number of wins minus number of losses, taking into account only those games involving the player whose results are the same after 1) to 4) above

Game Records:

Each player must provide a record at the end of each game.

The format must be the CSA format (see http://www.computer-shogi.org/).

The CSA reserves the right to freely publish or otherwise use all game records. The record must include moves and time spent.

Communication:

Each player must prepare communication ability (see http://www.computer-shogi.org/index_e.html).

Appeals:

The tournament version of the set of the object program (exe), data and so on to enable a replay of the games in the tournament must be kept for one year (until the last day of the tournament in the following year) by the programmer.

If the program etc was varied within the tournament, at least one version of the set must be kept.

The CSA may accept the appeal if it is legitimate; the programmer will be required to show the set. A limited committee will examine the set. If the set is not shown, the CSA may remove the award/restrict entry in following tournaments.

Appeals must be made within six months from the last day of the tournament.

Remote Entry:

One may use a remote machine if

(1) a front machine is brought to communicate with the opponent;

(2) time spent is measured by the front machine

(which entails time loss during communication with the remote machine having to be included in total time spent);

(3) the game record is provided by the front machine;

(4) a copy of the game record (at least all moves and time spent) is kept for one year in some form of media written by the remote machine.

(The CSA may check the remote machine if it accepts an appeal.)

1. Your Name (or Team Name)

2. Address

3. Telephone No.

4. E-mail Address

5. Computer (CPU, Clock)

6. Name of the Computer Program

7. Programming Language

8. Communication Availability

Application Fee: 10,000 yen

Please transfer the fee to the following bank account by cable:

Mizuho Bank, Machida Branch, Tokyo, Japan

Ordinary Account No. 2117839

Account Holder: The Computer Shogi Association

Payment in cash will also be accepted at the tournament.

Tournament Referees:

There will be a number of referees managing the tournament.

A communication protocol and the source codes for a communication program for an IBM compatible and for a Macintosh are provided in CSA homepage.

The Rules and Regulations of the Computer Shogi Championship are available in both Japanese and English. In all questions of interpretation, tha Japanese version shall be regarded as authoritative.