Please note that these are draft tournament rules and subject to change. If you have any suggestions or corrections, please email me before 8 April 2005. A final version of the rules will be available here after 25 April 2005 and as a hard copy at the tournament.

Format

Rounds 1- 3
Players will be divided into groups of 3 or 4 for the first round by a random draw. All tournament games will be between four players if possible. In the event of the number of entrants not being a multiple of four, then there will be three player boards as required to make the count correct. For the second and third rounds matches will be constructed using the groups from round 1 to ensure that, where possible, no player plays another player twice and that the number of 3 player games played per player will be as equal as possible. Note: the even distribution of 3 player games will take precendence over playing new players.

Scoring: Rounds 1- 3
To determine the total score of each player for rounds 1 - 3, the total of all victory points is used. To determine ranking between players with equal victory point totals, VP percentage points are used as shown below. Note these only come into effect when 2 players have the same VP total e.g. a player with 28 VP will always score more highly than a player with 27.

Example for Percentage VP points:
Player A and B both win 2 games and lose once. Both achieve 28 victory points in total. This results in a draw on VP. The percentages of the victory points of the tables at which the players played are now calculated.

Player A:
Game 1: Player A achieves 10 VPs, there were in total 32 VPs achieved at the table, therefore, his share is: 31.25%.
Game 2: Player A achieves 8 VPs, there were in total 30 VPs at the table, therefore, his share is: 26.67%.
Game 3: Player A achieves 10 VPs, there were in total 36 VPs at the table, therefore, his share is: 27.78%.
The sum of the above adds up to: 85.70%.
Player B:
Game 1: Player B achieves 10 VPs, there were in total 30 VPs at the table, therefore, his share is: 33.33%.
Game 2: Player B achieves 10 VPs, there were in total 33 VPs at the table, therefore, his share is: 30.30%.
Game 3: Player B achieves 8 VPs, there were in total 36 VPs at the table, therefore, his share is: 22.22%.
The sum of the above is 85.85%.
Therefore player B is placed higher than player A.

For 3 player games, which will be avoided if possible, the sum of the victory points on this table will be raised for the calculation by the average victory points achieved in this game. If this were not done, playing 3 player games would be advantageous.
Example:
Player A: 10 Victory points, player B: 9 Victory points, player C: 5 Victory points.
Total: 24 Victory points, the average is 8 victory points.

Therefore the new total used during the calculation is 32 victory points.
So the percentages for this game are:
Player A: 100 * 10/32 = 31.25, player B: 100 * 9/32 = 28.13, player C: 100 * 5/32 = 15.63.

Semi-finals
The 16 highest scoring players play in the semi-finals. Players are drawn for each table at random; ranking in the first rounds does not affect table position.

Finals
The winner of each semi-final match will play in the final. Unlike the other rounds the final will not be finished early on time considerations. However, clocks may stll be introduced for individual players if play is deemed to be proceeding too slowly.

Rules clarifications

1. The desert is not placed in the middle of the board but drawn randomly as with any other land tile. The Robber begins on the desert tile and must be moved to another tile on the roll of any seven after the first two rounds.

2. Rolls of seven within the first two rounds must be re-rolled.

3. When a player moves the robber and takes a resource card from another player, either because he has just rolled a 7 or because of the use of a Knight/Soldier card, he adds the resource card to his own hand.

4. The player who places his two settlements together in the setup phase may choose to take the resources from either settlement.

5. A trade consists of two players each exchanging 0, 1 or more cards.

6. Each game shall have an accessible time piece, and if any player is taking a large amount of time over their move, a minute time limit may be introduced by the tournament director or by consensus of the players. From then on each player will have a minute to complete their trading phase. After this time no more trading may take place (even with the bank) and the player should complete any builds quickly. Note this limit may not be imposed on individuals without it applying to every player in the game.

7. For rounds 1 - 4 (inc. semi-finals), any match not completed by the end time indicated for that round will nevertheless end at the specified time. Players will score all points earnt up until that point, to a maximum of 9 VP. The final is the exception to this; this must be played until won in the usual manner.

8. A win cannot be claimed on another player's turn. The winning player will be credited with a score of 10 VPs for the game, regardless of whether they won by scoring 10, 11, 12 or more VPs; all other players will be credited with a score of at most 9 VPs for the game. Previously undisclosed 1VP cards count towards this total.

9. You can play a Knight/Soldier card either before or after rolling the dice.

10. If the bank does not have enough cards of a particlar resource to pay every player the full number of cards they have earnt for that round, nobody picks up any cards of that resource for that particular dice roll.

11. Only one development card can be played in a player's turn, and it may not be one bought that turn. Note that 1VP cards do not have to be explicitly played, merely disclosed and counted at the end of the game.

12. If a player is unable to demonstrate which development card he bought that turn (e.g. by setting it aside separately), he may be refused permission to play any development card that turn.

13. Building occurs strictly after trading in the turn. If you build to a port, you cannot use it in the same turn. All trading, even with the bank, must be completed before any building takes place.

14. Roads are blocked by settlements; it is illegal to build a road from another player's settlement.

15. A random draw is used to allocate players to positions pre game (north, south, west or east).

16. You may build a settlement and upgrade it to a city within the same turn unless you have five settlements already.

17. You may trade with the bank both before and after trading with other players in your turn.

18. All players must write their names and final VP scores on the results sheet, sign it and return it to the Tournament Director. The TD will happily provide rulings on any queries that occur; their decision is final and not subject to appeal. All players are expected to show good sportsmanship and to try to complete each game in the time allowed. The TD reserves the right to enact, introduce, delete or alter any of these rules at any time with no prior notice, and the decision of the TD is binding, even if incorrect. The TD reserves the right, as a last resort, to exclude or dismiss players from the tournament without refund.