The 16th World Computer Shogi Championship
Competition Dates
May 3-5, 2006
Competition Venue
Kazusa Akademia Center (Kazusa Arc)
2-3-9 Kazusa-Kamatari, Kisarazu-Shi, Chiba 292-0818, Japan
Phone: 0438-20-5555 Fax: 0438-20-5139
(438-20-5555) (438-20-5139)
http://www.kap.co.jp/
Registration Deadline
January 31, 2006
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 may use CSA library modules.
Each developing team must disclose all the members' first and last names
and the name of any library module (package) used.
The program must be able to quit and resume at any point and any total
time spent. 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.
The 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 (1st through 19th seeds,
excluding the three direct finalists).
The lower division contest will be held on the first 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 second 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 must
count in whole seconds, rounding fractions up or down at the
discretion of the programmer.
Handling (input move) time will be excepted in the case of a
communication breakdown.
Declaration of a win in the case of Nyugyoku
In the case of NYUGYOKU (JISHOGI), the CSA applies the following
declaration rule:
The program may declare a WIN (send %KACHI if communication is 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 decision of an operator to resign
2) a decision by the referees (on matters including one side
having exceeded the time limit, and perpetual repetition)
3) a normal end of the program (for example, a resignation and
the declaration of a win by a program) and an abnormal end
of the program (for example, if a system breaks down or
is not able to quit the program when a referee orders an
interruption). All abnormal ends result in a loss for
that program.
4) an illegal move
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).
Communication via a server is available and recommended. For the
LAN(TCP/IP) protocol (the Server Protocol Ver1.1) by the CSA and
sample codes, visit http://www.computer-shogi.org/protocol.
In case of a communication breakdown for any reason, the program
must resume smoothly (sometimes, several moves prior). After
initiating the fifth move, a program loses if it stops for any
reason.
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 by the programmer for one year (until the last day
of the tournament in the following year).
If the program etc was varied within the tournament, at least
one version of the set must be kept.
The CSA may accept an 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
and/or restrict entry in subsequent tournaments.
Appeals must be made within six months of 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.)
CSA-authorized shogi-specific program module library
(CSA module library/package)
A program may contain program modules from the CSA-authorized shogi-
specific program module library. The program modules are published
on the CSA homepage (http://www.computer-shogi.org/index_e.html).
The programmer must disclose the names of any library program module
(package) used. The programmer may modify library modules without
prior notice, even though the program is said to be using the modules.
Anyone may apply to the CSA for a shogi-specific module to be added
to the authorized library (see the CSA homepage for the application
page to do this).
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The 16th Computer Shogi Championship: Application Form
1. 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
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Application Fee
10,000 yen
Please transfer the fee to the following bank account by cable:
Mizuho Bank, Machida-Kitaguchi 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 LAN(TCP/IP) protocol and the sample codes, together with an RS-232C
protocol and the source codes for a communication program for an IBM
compatible and for a Macintosh, are provided on the CSA homepage
(http://www.computer-shogi.org/index_e.html).
The Rules and Regulations of the Computer Shogi Championship are
available in both Japanese and English. In all questions of
interpretation, the Japanese version shall be regarded as authoritative.
Takenobu Takizawa