MPPS SUMO comp

Matches will be conducted under the following rules:

● Each match will consist of a best-of-three rounds, with a total time limit of five minutes.
● Once the time limit is reached, the current standing result will be final.
● Scoring: A win earns 3 points. A draw earns 1 point for each team.
● A Sumo-bot that wins 2 out of 3 rounds is the winner, and will advance. If no sumo-bot has won after 5 minutes the round is considered a draw. Judges may decide to do rounds over if there is a draw.
● Games will be organised into Preliminary Rounds, then a Head-to-Head Semi Finals, followed by a Knockout Final.
● Competitors may make minor repairs or adjustments to their sumo-bots between rounds, such as changing programs or moving adjustable components. However, competitors may not delay matches. Delaying a match may lead to forfeit.
● If the Sumo-bot is badly damaged and can not be repaired within 30 seconds, then it is eliminated from that match. A sumo-bot that loses 4 (not including connector pins/friction pegs) or more pieces is considered damaged. A motor/sensor that comes off but remains tethered is still considered as a lost piece towards the count of four. Any parts that fall off your sumo-bot during the round cannot be replaced.

Start of Round
● Participants place their own sumo-bots in the ring.
● At the referee’s signal, one member of each team will manually start their robot. After the match has begun, only the referee is permitted to touch the sumo-bot.
● Sumo-bots will begin back-to-back in the centre of the ring. They must move to the perimeter on their half of the circle, turn, and begin the contest.
● The referee will call: "3, 2, 1, Sumo", on "Sumo", robot handlers will start their sumo-bots. Sumo-bots must wait 3 seconds before moving, allowing handlers to step behind the boundary around the SUMO board.
● Timing starts after the three-second wait. The timer will stop at the end of each round and restart at the beginning of the following round.
● Sumo-bots must be actively seeking by moving around the field. Robots that only spin in place without actively moving will be disqualified from the round.
● After each round, opponents switch sides.

Referee Intervention
A referee may stop or call over a round under the following conditions:

● A sumo-bot is either pushed or voluntarily exits the ring. That sumo-bot loses the round.
● A round lasts longer than one minute without clear progression.
● A handler touches or interferes with a sumo-bot during a round. In such cases, the referee will decide whether to restart the round or award the win to the opposing team.
● If robots become entangled, or stuck in a prolonged pushing match, the judge will halt the round, and the sumo-bots will be restarted at their starting positions.

A Lack of Progress occurs when any of the following conditions are met:

1. Match duration exceeds one minute without clear progress.

• The referee will begin a countdown: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”

• On “1,” both sumo-bots must be picked up.

• Once this countdown has started, no winner will be awarded for that match, and the match will be restarted.

2. Robots become immobile due to mechanical or sensor issues.

• Examples include sumo-bots being flipped onto their side or becoming otherwise unable to move effectively.

• In this case, the referee will begin a countdown: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”

Sudden Death (Finals)
In the event of a finals match exceeding the five-minute time limit without a winner, the match will be resolved by sudden death:

● Sudden death consists of a one-minute round, with both sumo-bots repositioned and started by the referee.
● If no winner is determined at the end of one minute, the referee(s) will declare a winner based on the actions and performance observed within the circle.
● If the referee(s) are still unable to make a clear distinction between the sumo-bots, a coin toss will be used to decide the winner.