2016 Rule Changes

The following changes to the Rules were made in the edition published on December 1, 2016.

Major Changes

I.D. Distracting Speech or Behavior

Misleading your opponent is no longer explicitly forbidden; the Rules Committee determined that such a rule was unenforceable.

II.C. Protocol

Tournament rules not to be used as a tool for intimidation.

II.D. Director's Discretion

Directors should try to unwind the progress of a game as necessary even to the point of un-starting a clock and returning time to a player.

III.A.1. References

OTCWL2016 is now in effect.

III.A.2. Tiles

Tile thickness and wear are now considerations.

III.G.2. Establishing Orientation

Ambiguous initial tile orientation should be clarified immediately.

III.G.3. Misoriented Tiles

Plays with misoriented tiles should be corrected, not challenged.

IV.B.3. Loose Tiles

Rules concerning this situation have been rewritten and expanded.

IV.B.4. Played Tiles Gone Missing

Rules concerning this situation have been rewritten and expanded.

IV.B.7. End of Game Underdrawing

If you don't record cume, then underdraw, the regular overdraw procedure applies.

IV.B.8. Overdrawing Tiles when Fewer than Seven in the Bag

Rules concerning this situation have been rewritten and expanded.

IV.B.9. Exposing Tiles when Fewer than Seven in the Bag

Rules concerning this situation have been rewritten and expanded.

IV.C.3. Tiles from an Adjacent Game

Rules concerning the case where the situation is not immediately detected have been rewritten and expanded.

IV.C.4. Tile Bag Access

A new rule has been added to explain who has priority of tile bag access.

IV.F.1. How to Designate the Blank

If written, the blank must be in capital letters.

IV.I.2. Holding the Play

Players must now announce that they are drawing provisional tiles. The procedure for releasing a hold after the drawing of provisional tiles is now documented, as is the penalty for returning provisional tiles to the bag unseen.

IV.J.1. Software Self-Lookup Procedure

Re-adjudication is not permitted after tiles are commingled or a subsequent play made and clock started.

IV.K.4. Requesting a Second Opinion

If a player asks for a second opinion about a play's validity, and the second opinion contradicts the first one, then in the absence of a third opinion, the first opinion takes precedence.

VI.A. Word Reference

CSW2015 is now in effect.