Match Rules

1. The time allotted to each player will be two hours to play the entire game. The game will end when the last move has been made and the last disk has been flipped.
2. The World Champion, Murakami, has the right to choose the game clock utilized during the match.
3. During the opening ceremony, Murakami will draw lots to determine his color in the first game of the match. Thereafter, the colors will alternate, irrespective of game postponement or forfeiture.
4. Logistello shall be operated by Michael Buro, the programmer of Logistello. The operator may be replaced at any time during a game or match NECI's discretion.
5. The operator, at his option, shall sit at the table facing Murakami. Although the operator is free to move about in a non-distracting manner when it is Logistello's turn to move, the operator may not leave the table or move in a distracting manner when it is Murakami's turn to move.
6. In the event of a technical fault or problem in any way relating to Logistello, the operator may, provided that it is not Murakami's turn to move, communicate with any person he chooses during the match.
7. When it is Logistello's turn to move, Logistello's game clock must remain running at all times -- even in the event of a technical fault (excluding power failure or other conditions that make the game unplayable) that prevents Logistello from performing a move in the regular manner.
8. When Murakami has made his move, the Logistello operator must promptly communicate this move to Logistello via equipment provided for this purpose.
9. When Logistello has chosen its move and communicated it to the operator, the operator shall make Logistello's move on the Othello board, then press Logistello's side of the game clock.
10. If the operator makes a mistake, either in communicating Murakami's move to Logistello or in making Logistello's move on the Othello board through a flipping error or some other error, and after said mistake is discovered, the position immediately before the mistake is to be set up on the Othello board and the player's clock times are to be adjusted.
    If it is possible for the tournament director to determine the proper times that should be displayed on the players' clocks, then the tournament director shall adjust the clocks accordingly. If this is not possible, then each player shall be allotted a time proportional to that indicated by his clock when the error was discovered such that the proportion is the same as the ratio of the number of moves made by that player up to the time the error was made divided by the number of moves made by that player up to the time the error was discovered.
    In addition, if the mistake has been made by Logistello's operator and has not been corrected prior to pressing Logistello's side of the game clock, Murakami will receive a recovery bonus of five minutes on his remaining clock time to compensate for the disturbance caused to his concentration.
11. If Murakami makes a mistake through a flipping error and the mistake is discovered by Murakami, by the operator of Logistello, or by the tournament director, then the flipping error must be corrected on the Othello board and the player's clock times are to be adjusted.
12. At any time during the game, when it is Logistello's turn to move, the operator may indicate to Logistello how much time remains on either or both sides of the game clock.
13. If, during play, Logistello is unable to perform in the expected manner -- for example, if it is unable to accept a legal move -- then the operator may set up in the computer the current board position and status along with the clock times of both players and any other information required by the program. All such work is permitted only while it is not Murakami's turn to move.
14. At any time during play, NECI may replace any or all of the computer hardware and/or software being used to play the games provided that all work is carried out only when it is not Murakami's turn to move. In the case that work is necessary to perform maintenance in the playing hall, Murakami will receive a recovery bonus of five minutes on his remaining clock time to compensate for the disturbance caused to his concentration by the on-site repairs.
15. Either player may keep a written record of the moves of the game. Keeping a written record of the game is optional.
16. In all matters concerning the laws of Othello and their interpretation, the decision of the tournament director shall be final.
17. The tournament director shall be David Parsons. If the tournament director is ill or otherwise unable to perform the arbitration function, then he may be replaced with a person acceptable to Murakami.