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HOCKEY SUR TABLE QUÉBEC – GAME RULES

Version 9.2 - March 2008

IMPORTANT NOTE: The english translation is provided for your convenience. If there’s a difference between the english and french rules, the french rules prevail.

1 - DECORUM, SPORTSMANSHIP: The participants agree to adopt a sportsmanlike conduct and pleasurable for all. The main objective of everybody will be to have fun in a friendly manner. After a warning, the tournament organization reserves the right to exclude a participant that wouldn’t respect this rule.

2 - TIME: The games consist of a timed five (5) minute period. In the preliminary round, the ties are accounted for as such, and there is no overtime. In the playoffs, there is overtime until the first goal. Each player can ask for a timeout of thirty (30) seconds per game.

3 – PLAY STOPAGE CALLED BY THE REFEREE: There is play stoppage and the timer stops when :

a puck is projected out of the surface of play;
a puck is inaccessible on the surface of play elsewhere than behind the net (see rule #6);
there is a goal or a disallowed goal (see the rules #9-10);
there is a defective part (see rule #7);
the "5 seconds" rule is not respected (see rule #5);
the referee judges that a situation necessitates a play stoppage.

4 – FACE-OFF: With the exception of the foreseen situations described at the rules #5-6-7, all the face-offs are done at center. During a face-off at center, the base of the rods and the the center figurines must be outside the face-off circle. Wingers must be placed behind the goals and defencemen must be placed outside of the zone included between both blue lines. When the players are ready and well placed, the referee drops the puck on the central dot and restarts the timer.

5 - "5 SECONDS" RULE: When a player takes possession of the puck, a player disposes of about 5 seconds to try a pass, a clearing or an attack (passes from « winger-to-winger » or « defenseman-defenseman » behind the net are not considered like being a new take of possession). If this time limit is not respected AND/OR that the referee judges that this player lets time go down voluntarily, the referee calls a play stoppage and gives the puck to the opposing player, to the winger of his choice. When both players are ready to restart play, the referee starts the timer and play by saying “GO”.

6 – DEAD ZONE BEHIND THE NET: When the puck lies in the dead zone behind the net, the referee calls a play stoppage and remits the puck to the opposing player, to the winger of his choice. When both players are ready to restart play, the referee starts the timer and the play by saying “GO”.

7 – FALLEN FIGURINE AND DEFECTIVE PART: If a figurine falls (all, except the goalie) or that a minor breakage occurs (rod, goal lightly removed, etc), the game continues until the disadvantaged player regains possession of the puck. This player then has the choice to ask a stoppage or to continue to play at his own risks. If he asks a play stoppage, the referee gives it to him and remits the puck to the opposing player, to the winger of his choice. When both players are ready to restart play, the referee starts the timer and the play by saying “GO”. When the goalie falls down or that a major breakage occurs (broken end shield glass, moved and displaced board or uneven board, pulled off goal, etc…), the referee must demand an immediate play stoppage and will then execute an immediate play stoppage and will then do a “FACE-OFF” at center.

NOTE CONCERNING RULES #5-6-7: Before the beginning of games, each player must indicate to the referee to wich winger to give the puck.

8 – DIRECTIVES AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INTERDICTIONS:

The goaltender zone (red rectangle) is forbidden to defensemen, that must stay completely outside this zone, except if the puck enters in before;
Rods can be touched only by hands.
It is forbidden to play the « helicopter » (i.e. turn his player without stopping) or the « saw » (i.e. do an excessive continuous up-and-down movement with a figurine). Sustained forechecking but in a reasonable way is allowed. ;

It is forbidden to move or to wable a board during play;
It is forbidden to use a rod to tilt or deform (even slightly) the surface of play (“play the crack”);
It is forbidden to touch the figurines, the puck or any other part inside the surface of play during the course of play;
It is forbidden to use modified figurines or any other figurines than those furnished by the organizers of the tournament;
It is forbidden to use the goalie in reverse position.

9 - GOAL: A goal is allowed when the puck enters entirely into the net and remains in. Thus the puck must cross completely the red line. In the case when the puck immobilizes itself on the goalie rod completely behind the red line, the goal is allowed. If a player moves the goalie rod forward in order to make the puck touch the goal line, the referee will allow the goal.

10 – DISALLOWED GOAL:

A goal scored by "ramming" will be refused ("ramming" : assaut at the net or shove of the board provoking a movement of the board);
After a face-off, a goal will be refused if ;

- no winger controlled the puck before the goal,

- before the goal, the puck didn't cross the goal line behind the net.

A goal will be refused if there is no more time left on the countdown timer or if the count up timer indicates 5.00 minutes.

11 – GRACE RULE: In the preliminary round, a game cannot end by more than a seven (7) goal spread. All of the goals of the winning player above this limit will not be accounted for at the end of the game. When the spread of seven (7) goals is reached, the time is not stopped anymore during play stoppages. If this spread is reduced under seven (7) goals, the referee will restart to timing play stoppages.

12 - REFEREE: The referee is in charge of the good flow of the game. He must apply the rules, do the face-offs, do the management of time and keep score. At any moment, he must focus his attention to the game in course. His decisions must be taken in all good faith but are WITHOUT APPEAL. No protest will be tolerated. If a problem case happens, he can refer to the referee in chief. To his discretion, the referee can consult a video replay, if that is possible.

Policy for late players:

The players often have to travel to go to tournaments, it's possible that unexpected events append and causes delays.

We worked out a policy for late players with the 3 following goal:

To respect the players that are on time
To motivate the players to make all the required efforts to arrive on time
To adapt the travellers reasonably.

The organizers are required to publish a reliable phone number (cellular) for the day of the tournament.

The organizers must provide clear directives to go to the tournament.

Any player having a delay must contact the organizer before end of registration. Otherwise the tournament will begin as planned

The organizer may decide to use one of the following options:

If the delay is tiny (the player being about to arrive) ==> Wait a few minutes before beginning the tournament (maximum 15 minutes).
If the delay is a little more important and that the “pools” allow it ==> Begin the tournament at the panned time but changing the order of the rounds to start with the rounds not implying the latecomer.
If the delay is more important and that the “pools” do not allow to change the order of rounds ==> Exclude the player from the first round robbin. Then, if the player is in top 20 of the Québec Cup, it will be relegated to the class C for the second round. A player who is not in top 20 will be relegated to the lowest class (C, D or E).
If the delay does not make it possible for the player to arrive for the second round ==> total Exclusion of the tournament.