THE RULES OF TIDDLYWINKS

Well, you asked for it. Please don't let this put you off the game...

COMPILED FOR THE ENGLISH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION

NOTES

1. This version of the rules incorporates the modifications sanctioned by

the 1992 Congress and supersedes earlier versions.

2. "He" and "his" have been used throughout these rules for the sake of

simplicity. No disrespect to lady players is intended.

3. It has been suggested that to aid memory the winner of the squidge-off

should always play yellow. Players are invited to try this.

4. Players are invited to agree before a game starts that they will

endeavour to point out in advance that a player is about to play out of

sequence.

English Tiddlywinks Association

May 1992

1. PRELIMINARIES

(a) The following terms are explained in the course of the rules:

(i) Winks: the discs with which the game is played (Rule 2).

(ii) Squidgers: the discs used to propel the winks. The act of playing

the winks is called squidging (Rule 2).

(iii) The mat: the surface on which the game is played (Rule 3).

(iv) The pot: the container into which the winks may be squidged

(Rule 4).

(v) To squop: to play a wink so that some part of it is vertically above

some part of another wink (Rule 6).

(vi) A pile: a number of winks, connected directly or indirectly by

squops.

(b) In tiddlywinks, four colours of winks are always used, blue, green, red

and yellow. Blue and red are always partners against green and yellow, and

partners are at diagonally opposite corners of the mat. The colours are

arranged clockwise in alphabetical sequence. In pairs games each player has

one partnership colour, and in singles games both. These rules apply in all

respects to pairs and singles alike.

match, tournament or series of games, the result is decided on the aggregate

number of points scored (see Rule 10), not on individual games won and lost.

2. THE WINKS AND THE SQUIDGER

There are six plastic discs, called winks, of each colour, two being 22mm in

diameter, and four being 16mm in diameter. All winks should be

approximately 1.5mm thick. A disc called a squidger is used to play the winks.

This must be between 25mm and 51mm in diameter, and no thicker than

5mm at its edge. A player must use a squidger which will not damage the

winks he plays. In a game, though not for a single shot, a player may use

more than one squidger.

3. THE MAT

Games should be played on rectangular mats measuring 6 feet by 3 feet. At

each corner of the mat are straight lines drawn at right angles to the mat's

diagonals at a point 3 feet from the centre of the mat. These are called

baselines and they and the edges of the mat constitute the boundaries of the

field of play. Whenever possible mats approved by National Associations

and currently made of felt should be used.

The mat should be placed on a hard smooth horizontal surface so that the

whole of the mat's surface is itself horizontal. If there is no such surface

available, the players may agree to play on a less satisfactory surface. If this

surface measures less than 6 feet by 3 feet, any wink coming to rest on any part

of the mat unsupported by the underlying surface may be moved the shortest

distance onto the playing surface, so that the status of every wink remains the

same as far as squopping is concerned, with no penalty. Nothing but winks

and the pot may be placed on the field of play, unless all players agree

otherwise. This does not preclude a player from resting on the mat in order

to play a shot.

If the surface is unsatisfactory owing to bumps, ridges, cracks etc., the

players must agree before the game commences what action is to be taken to

avoid the surface's irregularities. In these circumstances, it is permissible

temporarily to move the mat so that a wink is no longer resting on a flaw in

the underlying surface, the mat being replaced in its former position after the

shot has been played. Alternatively the wink itself may be moved, remaining

always the same distance from the pot, but in no circumstances may the pot

be moved.

4. THE POT

The pot is placed in the centre of the mat. It is a concave sided cup 38mm

high with an external diameter of 48mm at the top and 38mm at the base.

Pots approved by National Associations should be used whenever possible.

Nothing is allowed inside the pot except potted winks.

5. THE PLAY

(a) The winks are arranged as described in Rule 1 and behind the

baselines, and then the game begins with the squidge-off. One wink of each

colour is squidged towards the pot. The wink nearest the pot at the end of the

squidge-off wins the squidge-off. For the purposes of this rule, all potted

winks are equally near the pot and nearer than any unpotted wink; nearness

is measured from the nearest edge of the wink. Any winks that go off the mat

are deemed to be equally far from the pot, and further from it than any other

wink. If two or more winks are equally near to the pot, and nearer than any

other wink, the players concerned each resquidge one wink from the baseline

until the winner of the squidge-off is determined. The winks are then

replaced behind the baselines and play begins, proceeding clockwise and

starting from the colour that won the squidge-off. Winks played from behind

the baselines must be brought in one at a time. If an attempt to squidge a

wink from behind a baseline does not propel it completely over the baseline,

the shot does not count and the same wink must be replaced behind the

baseline and played again.

(b) When playing a shot, a player must hold his squidger not more than

5cm above the highest point of the first wink he squidges. A shot consists of

downward pressure of squidger on wink that is an attempt to move a wink or

that causes a wink to move irreversibly. For the purposes of this rule, a

movement is irreversible if, when the squidger ceases contact with the wink,

all winks do not return to the position they occupied before contact with the

squidger began. The squidger must first touch the upper surface (that part of

the wink that is visible from directly above) of an unsquopped wink (see Rule

6) of his correct colour in sequence. If the wink is squopping all or part of a

pile, the squidger may subsequently touch only winks vertically below some

part of the wink first played. It must not touch other winks in the same pile.

From the moment when a wink starts to move irreversibly, the movement

of the squidger must be quick and continuous. A shot may consist of tapping

a wink so that another moves from beneath it, but it is a foul shot to squeeze

a wink from beneath the top wink and then play the top wink if the

movements are distinct. The shot ends when contact between the squidger

and playable winks ceases, and all winks have come to rest. Any shot that

does not comply with these criteria is a foul shot (see Rule 12).

If, while playing any shot, a player disturbs with his squidger or part of his

body or clothing a wink or winks that were not in the same pile as the wink

or pile of winks he was playing, the disturbed winks are immediately restored

to their original position. If any wink or winks are accidentally impeded

while in motion, they are placed in a position agreed by all the players, or left

where they come to rest, at the discretion of the offended pair. If any wink is

accidentally interfered with while not in motion, it is immediately replaced

where it was immediately before it was interfered with, squopping or

squopped if necessary to comply with this Rule. Players are at all times bound

to make every endeavour not to touch winks they are not playing, other than

those inevitably hit by the follow-through of the squidger.

squidge for each wink of his correct colour potted in that turn. Winks coming

to rest inside or on the top rim of the pot are "potted winks". A potted wink

which comes out of the pot or any winks coming to rest on the top rim of the

pot and not resting on any wink inside the pot must immediately be placed

inside the pot (doing this does not constitute a shot). If a potted wink is

knocked out of the pot by another wink it is replaced in the pot. Any wink it

disturbs is restored to the position where it was before being disturbed.

(d) A player may pass at any turn. If he does this, he must inform his

opponents, unless the next opponent colour cannot be played.

6. SQUOPPING

(a) A wink any part of which is vertically below any part of any other

wink on the field of play is described as squopped, even if the upper wink is

not touching the lower. A squopped wink cannot be the first wink played in

any shot (see Rule 5).

(b) If all the unpotted winks are squopped the game ceases and the score is

calculated in accordance with Rule 10 (b).

7. THE BOUNDARIES

(a) External.

If in any turn a player plays a shot which causes one or more winks of

his correct colour to leave the field of play (i.e. any part of the wink to cross

the boundary) he forfeits the next shot due to be played with that colour. Any

wink crossing the boundary is immediately replaced on the field of play

22mm (a large wink's width) from the boundary at the point at which the

wink crossed it. However, no wink replaced in this manner may be closer

than 10cm to any other wink, nor closer than 10cm to any baseline with

unplayed winks behind it, and any wink moved to satisfy the 10cm

requirement must be moved the minimum distance necessary.

(b) The pot.

The pot may only be held if it is likely to be moved accidentally by a

player or a squidger. It may not be moved during a game except by winks in

motion, and if it is so moved it must be replaced immediately at the centre of

the mat. Any wink moved when the pot is moved by a wink in motion is

replaced in its former position. Any wink coming to rest wholly or partly

under the base of the pot, or the place on the mat where the pot is to be

replaced in accordance with this Rule, is moved the minimum distance

necessary for it to be touching the base of the pot but not beneath the base of

the pot when the pot is correctly placed.

If a wink comes to rest in a position where it is unsquopped but supported

by the pot so that part of the wink is higher than the rest, it is moved to lie

touching the pot but no longer supported by it. It squops any wink within the

range of its required movement. If any wink comes to rest in a position

where it is both supported by the pot and squopped, it is left as it lies. If it is

subsequently freed but remains supported by the pot, it is moved as above. To

move a wink under this rule does not constitute a shot.

8. POTTING OUT

When all the winks of one colour have been potted, whether by the player

controlling them or not, they are said to have been potted out. As soon as

one colour has been potted out, all squopped winks are desquopped by

moving the winks squopping them. This movement does not constitute a

shot, and must be done in such a way that the distance of each wink from the

pot is not altered. If possible, there should be a gap of 2mm between winks

separated after a potout. The position of any wink moved under this rule

must be agreed between the players. During the remainder of the game winks

landing on or less than 2mm from each other must be moved so as to leave a

2mm gap between them and any other winks affected by this movement.

Rule 9 ceases to apply in any game in which a colour is potted out, at

whatever stage the potout occurs.

9. THE TIME LIMIT

(a) The time limit of a game is calculated from the first shot played after

the squidge-off, and subject to (i) any agreement between the players and (ii)

the umpire's discretion to extend the game if he considers time has been

deliberately wasted, is 25 minutes for pairs games and 20 minutes for singles

games. If for any reason more than 30 seconds elapse between one shot and

the next, the opponents of the player due to play the next shot may require

that any additional time taken by him before he plays his shot be not counted

as part of the game. At any time after 30 seconds have elapsed, until the

delayed shot has been completed, at which point the delaying player must

announce that he has played, the opponents are at liberty to practise on any

available nearby mat. Time elapsing while a wink or winks are lost, or when

a player due to play is called away from the game, is not counted as part of the

game. For the procedure when an umpire is called, see Rule 14.

(b) When the time limit has expired, play continues up to and including

the colour that won the squidge-off, after which each colour has five further

turns in sequence and no more, the game ending with the fifth turn of the

colour that won the squidge-off. For the purposes of the time limit, a player's

turn is deemed to begin at the moment when he plays its first shot. If the

time limit expires between two shots of the same turn, it is deemed to have

expired at the end of that turn.

additional restriction of 2 minutes for each shot played in the five rounds

following the expiry of regulation time. The penalty for failing to play within

the 2 minutes is forfeiture of the shot.

10. THE SCORE

(a) In a game in which Rule 8 has come into operation, the first colour to

be potted out scores 4 points, the second to do so scores 2 points, the third one

point and the remaining colour does not score. Partners' points are added

together and one point is transferred from the losing partnership to the

winning partnership.

(b) In a game in which Rule 8 has not come into operation (i.e. which has

ended in accordance with Rule 9 or the last sentence of Rule 6) points are

calculated as follows: each colour has three tiddlies for each potted wink and

one tiddly for each unsquopped wink. Unplayed winks behind baselines do

not count. The colour with the greatest number of tiddlies scores 4 points,

that with the second greatest number 2 points, the third one point and the

remaining colour does not score. Partners' points are added together and if

two or more colours have an equal number of tiddlies, the appropriate points

are aggregated and shared equally between these colours.

11. SQUOPPING UP AND FREE TURNS

(a) When all the unpotted winks of one partnership are squopped, the

opposing partnership is obliged to free at least one of the squopped winks.

Before doing so, the squopping partnership may play one turn per wink on

the field of play which was neither squopping nor squopped after the shot

which caused this Rule to be invoked. These are called "free turns", and are

shared between the two colours in normal rotation, even if a colour cannot

play at a particular turn.

(b) A freeing shot is a shot which leaves an opponent's wink

unsquopped, one which pots the sixth wink of any colour (after which Rule 8

applies) or a shot which terminates the game according to Rule 6(b). One

must be played no later than the first shot of the turn following completion of

free turns, except when the number of free turns is zero and the first of the

squopping partnership has no playable winks. In this case his partner must

free on his first shot. N.B. A shot which is forfeited owing to Rule 7(a) is

always counted in the timing of a freeing shot, and the playability of a free

wink.

their opponents have a turn with a playable wink, the squopping pair must

leave an opponent's wink free after each shot played. This wink must be of

the same colour as the wink free prior to the shot, unless the other colour is

given an opportunity to play first. If both squopped colours become free, the

first to play must be left free after each shot.

(d) If a freeing shot is not played as required by section (b), or a wink is

squopped contrary to section (c), the turn in which the offence occurs is

terminated, and the offended partnership is awarded a "nominated wink".

For the first shot of the turn immediately following the failure to free, the

player due to play the next colour shall nominate a playable wink of any

colour and play it as if it were his own. If after the playing of a nominated

wink no wink of the squopped partnership is free, free turns are recounted

and start immediately. If in the playing of the nominated wink any of the

nominated colour is potted, it will ultimately count for the opposition, but

the player may continue the turn, playing any wink of his own colour freed

by the previous shot. If a wink of the nominated colour leaves the field of

play, the player forfeits the next shot due to be played with his own colour.

If the failure to free occurs on the final turn of the fifth round after expiry

of the time limit, the next colour in sequence shall be entitled to one extra

turn, commencing with a nominated wink.

(e) If the time limit expires during free turns, it is deemed to have expired

at the moment before the first playable shot (including a nominated wink) of

the squopped pair, and Rule 9(b) applies from then.

12. FOUL SHOTS AND FOUL PLAY

(a) Any player squidging a wink contrary to Rule 5 (b) or 11 must, if

requested by his opponents, replace all the winks disturbed by his illegal shot

and play a further shot as part of the same turn. He need not attempt the

same shot as caused the illegality.

(b) Whenever a foul shot is played, the opponents have the right to accept

the shot in its entirety if they consider it to be to their advantage. They cannot

accept part and have part replayed. Any time taken to correct a foul shot is

not counted as part of the game.

for his own, this is a foul shot, not a shot out of sequence. The opponents

may have the shot, and any shot subsequent to it in the same turn, retracted,

or they may accept the shot or shots. If the opponents accept such a shot, play

continues as if the correct colour had been played.

(d) If a colour is played out of sequence, the opponents may require the

shot or shots played in the turn out of sequence to be retracted, or they may

allow the turn, if necessary, to be completed, and continue as if the correct

colour had been played in sequence, so that their own sequence of colours is

not disturbed. If the opponents play a shot subsequent to a turn out of

sequence, this is equivalent to accepting it, their shot must stand and the

sequence of colours must be continued from that turn. Any time taken to

correct a turn played out of sequence is not counted as part of the game.

(e) If a player deliberately interferes with any wink or winks, the pot or

the mat, or deliberately impedes any other player, the penalty is that the game

is declared ended, and all seven points are awarded to the player's opponents.

During his own turn, however, a player may turn or clean any of his own

winks which is neither squopping nor squopped, and replace it in its correct

position.

13. OUTSIDE HELP

(a) No advice on the play of the game may be sought from or given by

third parties. (This does not preclude discussion with other team members

on points required.)

(b) During the course of a game no player may play any wink other than

in his rightful turns in the game, except in the specific circumstances

sanctioned in Rule 9(a). For instance, it is not permissible to set up a shot on

another table and practise it.

14. UMPIRE

If the players are unable to agree on any matter concerned with the play of

the game, or are in doubt as to the meaning or interpretation of any rule, they

must if possible call a competent person to act as an umpire. If a player is

doubtful whether a proposed shot will be played legally, he must call an

umpire before the shot is played. The umpire must decide whether the

proposed shot is legal, and if it is played, whether it has been legally executed.

The time from the moment an umpire is called to that when he announces

his decision is not counted as part of the game. If he is asked to judge

whether a shot is legal or not, the timing of the game starts as the shot is

played. If he judges a shot to be foul and winks have to be replaced, the time

taken to replace the winks is not counted as part of the game. The umpire's

decision is final on all matters on which he is consulted.

Well, if you've got this far, you're more dedicated than the average winker!

Patrick "Outraged of London" Barrie

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