ISC rules

Rules for the International Solving Contest (ISC)

  1. Event: The ISC is a solving competition appointed by the WFCC for individual solvers taking place on multiple locations worldwide on a Sunday at the end of January concurrently in all participating countries.
  2. Organisation: at the WCCC of the preceding year central controller(s) are appointed by the WFCC delegates who will take the overall responsibility of the contest.
  3. Admittance: For the admittance of each participating place a reliable local controller with email address has to be appointed for the responsibility of organising the local tournament, preferably by the local controller of the respective country; otherwise the central controllers decide about the acceptance of local controllers.

There is no limit for the amount of local competitions and multiple places per country are possible. Solvers are admitted in any local competitions, also in other countries.

  • Categories: The competition comprises three solver categories:
  • Category 1 for experienced solvers, but open for all solvers
  • Category 2 for inexperienced solvers with no rating or with an active, non-active or

half-rating of less than  2000

  • Category 3 for youth not older than 13 years in the year of the competition

Separate results are recorded for youth, females and seniors. For Category 1 and 2 only results of solvers will be rated. However for all solvers no norms for titles are possible.

  • Begin: The start of the contest should be at 11 a.m. CET (Central European Time) in all countries. Central controllers can allow a different begin of the contest for Asia and the Americas and an earlier or later begin of one hour at most for all other countries.
  • Rounds: The rounds of the contest last two hours for all categories.

There are two rounds for category 1 and 2 with a break of at least half an hour with a maximum of one and a half hour between the two rounds.

For category 3 there is one round only.

  • Modus:
  • Category 1: for each round a 2#, 3#, n#, eg, h# and s#
  • Category 2: in first round two 2# and one 3#, n#, eg and s# and in  second  round one #2, two 3# and one n#, eg and h#
  • Category 3: four 2#, a 3# and an eg
  • Rules and Appeals: General applicable solving rules of the WCSC/ECSC apply accordingly. Appeals by solvers have to be sent to the central controllers who will decide in the first instance. In case of disagreement a 3 man committee with members of the WFCC Solving Committee will be appointed for the final decision.
  • Tools: (technical tools used by central and local controllers)

All communication between central and local controllers by email

Usage of WFCC Solving Tournament Manager by all controllers highly recommended for reducing the efforts of all involved parties

The results will be transferred automatically to the MatPlus-website where they can be seen by all solvers.

  1. Timeline: (specification of latest deadlines in days – ISC = date of contest)
  2. registration of local controllers until the end of the previous year
  3. distribution of complete documentation by central to local controllers: ISC-7
  4. top 3 results of Cat. 1 sent by email to central controllers: ISC (Sunday evening)
  5. mailing of all results to central controllers: ISC +2
  6. mailing of scanned solving sheets to central controllers: ISC+ 8
  7. publication of preliminary results by central controllers: ISC+21
  8. possible appeals by solvers: ISC+28
  9. publication of final results: ISC+35
  10. prize giving and distribution of certificates at next WCCC

Annex

PDF Documents local controllers receive from central controllers by email

  • One sheet with diagrams of the problems for each round
  • One solving sheet for writing the solutions by solvers for each round
  • One sheet with diagrams and solutions of the problems for each round
  • A form for summarising the results

Tasks of the local controllers

  • Organisation of the local contest including reservation of suitable tournament venue
  • Announcement in local publications (magazines, Internet websites etc.)
  • Invitation of local solvers by mail or email
  • Reproduction of various sheets to be distributed to solvers during contest
  • Checking of solutions and point giving on solving sheets
  • Email of preliminary results of 3 top solvers of Category 1 to central controllers
  • Email of results to central controllers
  • Email of scanned solving sheets to central controllers
  • Keeping of original solving sheets to ensure back-up
  • Use of WFCC Solving Tournament Manager is highly recommended!

Tasks of the central controllers

  • Selection of problems according to the rules for WCSC/ECSC and creation of the whole documentation necessary for the contest; especially diagrams at least for category 3 with coordinates (digits and letters) and rules for writing the solutions (like “twomovers: only the key-move” etc.)
  • Creation of the invitation document, including distribution to WFCC delegates and previous local controllers
  • Distribution of the complete documentation to local controllers
  • Supervision of the overall contest
  • Checking of the markings of local controllers
  • Decision on possible appeals by solvers
  • Distribution of final results to WFCC delegates, local controllers and the WFCC web publisher

ISC Rules, PDF (updated in October 2023)

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