Immutable Rules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*
101
All players must always abide by all the rules then in effect,
in the form in which they are then in effect. The rules in the
Initial Set are in effect at the beginning of the first game.
The Initial Set consists of rules 101-116 (immutable) and
201-219 (mutable).
*
102
Initially rules in the 100s are immutable and rules in the
200s are mutable. Rules subsequently enacted or transmuted
(that is, changed from immutable to mutable or vice versa) may
be immutable or mutable regardless of their numbers, and rules
in the Initial Set may be transmuted regardless of their numbers.
*
103
At any time, each player shall be either a Voter or the Speaker; no player
may simultaneously be a Voter and a Speaker. At any time there shall be
exactly one Speaker. The term "player" in the rules shall specifically
include both the Voters and the Speaker.
*
104
The Speaker for the first game shall be Jack Rudd.
*
105
A rule change is any of the following:
i) the enactment, repeal, or amendment of a mutable rule;
ii) the transmutation of an immutable rule into a mutable rule or vice versa.
(Note: This definition implies that, at least initially, all new rules are mutable; immutable rules, as long as they are immutable, may not be amended or repealed; mutable rules, as long as they are mutable, may be amended or repealed; any rule of any status may be transmuted; no rule is absolutely immune to change.)
*
106
All rule changes proposed in the proper way shall be voted on. They will
be adopted if and only if they receive the required number of votes and
Quorum is achieved.
*
107
Any proposed rule change must be communicated to all players before it is
voted on. If adopted, it must guide play in the form in which it was voted on.
*
108
No rule change may take effect earlier than the moment of the completion
of the vote that adopted it, even if its wording explicitly states
otherwise. No rule change may have retroactive application.
*
109
The Speaker shall give each proposed rule change a number for
reference. The numbers shall begin with 301, and each rule change
proposed in the proper way shall receive the next successive
integer, whether or not the proposal is adopted. If a rule is repealed
and re-enacted, it receives the number of the proposal to re-enact it. If
a rule is amended or transmuted, it keeps its original number.
*
110
Rule changes that transmute immutable rules into mutable rules
may be adopted if and only if the vote is unanimous among votes
legally cast. Transmutation shall not be implied, but must be
stated explicitly in a proposal to take effect.
*
111
In a conflict between a mutable and an immutable rule, the
immutable rule takes precedence and the mutable rule shall be
entirely void. For the purposes of this rule a proposal to
transmute an immutable rule does not "conflict" with that immutable rule.
*
112
The state of affairs that constitutes winning may not be altered
from achieving n points to any other state of affairs. The
magnitude of n and the means of earning points may be changed,
and rules that establish a winner when play cannot continue may be
enacted and (while they are mutable) be amended or repealed.
*
113
A player always has the option to forfeit the game rather than
continue to play or incur a game penalty. No penalty worse than
losing, in the judgment of the player to incur it, may be imposed.
*
114
There must always be at least one mutable rule. The adoption of
rule changes must never become completely impermissible.
*
115
Rule changes that affect rules needed to allow or apply rule changes are as
permissible as other rule changes. Even rule changes that amend or repeal
their own authority are permissible. No rule change or type of move is
impermissible solely on account of the self-reference or self-application of
a rule.
*
116
Whatever is not prohibited or regulated by a rule is permitted
and unregulated, with the sole exception of changing the rules,
which is permitted only when a rule or set of rules explicitly or
implicitly permits it.
*
Mutable Rules
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*
201
Quorum for a proposed rule change is defined to be 20% of Voters
at the beginning of the prescribed voting period for that proposal.
*
202
All players begin with 0 points. Points may not be gained, lost, or
traded except as explicitly stated in the rules.
*
203
The winner is the first Voter to achieve 100 (positive) points.
If more than one Voter achieves this condition simultaneously, all
such Voters win. When a game ends in this manner:
i) if there is only one winner, that Voter becomes the Speaker, and the old Speaker becomes a Voter;
ii) if there is more than one winner, the Speaker randomly selects one of the winners, who becomes the new Speaker, and the old Speaker becomes a Voter;
iii) all players' scores are reset to 0;
iv) a new game is begun, in which all rules and proposed rule changes retain the status they had at the end of the old game, with the exception of the number of points required to win, which is doubled.
*
204
A proposal shall be made by submitting it to the Speaker. Only
Players may make proposals. As soon as possible after receiving
a proposal, the Speaker shall assign the proposal a number and
distribute the proposal along with its number and the name of its proposer to all players.
*
205
The prescribed voting period for a proposal shall be one week, beginning at
the time the Speaker distributes the proposal to the players.
*
206
Each Voter has exactly one vote. The Speaker may not vote.
*
207
Voters may vote either FOR or AGAINST any proposal within its
prescribed voting period. In order to be legally cast, the vote
must be received by the Speaker by the end of the prescribed voting
period. The Speaker may not reveal any votes until the end of the
prescribed voting period. Any Voter who does not legally vote within
the prescribed voting period shall be deemed to have abstained.
*
208
At the end of the prescribed voting period on a proposal, the
Speaker shall reveal all votes legally cast on that proposal. If
the Speaker's consent may be required for a proposal to be adopted,
then the Speaker should indicate at that time whether or not such consent
is given. If the Speaker does not explicitly indicate refusal to consent
to the proposal, it shall be assumed that such consent is given.
*
209
The voting requirements for the adoption of a proposal are as follows:
i) For a proposal which would directly alter the actions which are required of and/or forbidden to the Speaker:
* a simple majority of all votes legally cast, if the Speaker consents;
* a 2/3 majority of all votes legally cast, if the Speaker does not
consent.
ii) For all other proposals, a simple majority of votes legally cast.
This rule defers to rules which set the required number of votes for proposals which propose to transmute a rule.
*
210
An adopted rule change takes full effect at the moment of the
completion of the vote that adopted it.
*
211
Voters who voted against proposals which are adopted receive 5
points apiece. Voters who voted for proposals which are not adopted receive 5 points apiece. Players whose proposals are adopted shall receive 10 points. Players whose proposals are not adopted shall lose 10 points. Voting for proposals which then fail or against proposals which then succeed shall be known as "anti-voting".
*
212
If two or more mutable rules conflict with one another, or if
two or more immutable rules conflict with one another, then the rule
with the lowest ordinal number takes precedence.
If at least one of the rules in conflict explicitly says of itself
that it defers to another rule (or type of rule) or takes precedence
over another rule (or type of rule), then such provisions shall
supersede the numerical method for determining precedence.
If two or more rules claim to take precedence over one another or
defer to one another, then the numerical method again governs.
*
213
If players disagree about the legality of a move or the
interpretation or application of a rule, then a player may invoke
judgement by submitting a statement for judgement to the Speaker.
Disagreement, for the purposes of this rule, may be created by the
insistence of any player. When judgement is invoked, the Speaker
must, as soon as possible, select a Judge as described in the Rules.
The Speaker must then distribute the statement to be judged, along
with the identity of the Judge, to all players.
*
214
If judgement was invoked by a Voter, then the first Judge to be
selected to judge that statement shall be the Speaker. If judgement
was invoked by the Speaker, the first Judge to be selected shall be
a randomly selected Voter.
In all cases, if a Judge beyond the first must be selected to judge
a statement, it shall be a randomly selected Voter. The Voter thus
selected may not be the player most recently selected as Judge for
that statement, nor the player who invoked judgement.
*
215
After the Speaker has distributed the statement to be judged and the
identity of the Judge, the Judge has one week in which to deliver a
legal judgement. If a judgement is not delivered within
this time, the Judge is penalized 10 points and a new Judge selected.
A judgement is delivered by submitting that judgement to the
Speaker, who must then distribute that judgement to all players
as soon as possible.
*
216
A legal judgement is either TRUE, FALSE, or UNDECIDED. The
judgement may be accompanied by reasons and arguments, but such
reasons and arguments form no part of the judgement itself. If a
judgement is accompanied by reasons and arguments, the Speaker must
distribute the reasons and arguments along with the judgement.
*
217
All judgements must be in accordance with the rules; however, if
the rules are silent, inconsistent, or unclear on the statement
to be judged, then the Judge shall consider game custom and the
spirit of the game before applying other standards.
*
218
In addition to duties which may be listed elsewhere in the rules,
the Speaker shall have the following duties:
i) register new players;
ii) maintain a list of all players and their current scores, and make such a list available to all players;
iii) maintain a complete list of the current rules, and make such a list available to all players;
iv) make a random determination whenever such determination is required by the rules.
*
219
If a player believes that the rules are such that further play is
impossible, or that the legality of a move cannot be determined with
finality, or that a move appears equally legal and illegal, then the
player may invoke judgement on a statement to that effect. If the
statement is judged TRUE, then the player who invoked judgement
shall be declared the winner of that game, and the game ends, with
no provision for starting another game.
This rule takes precedence over every other rule determining the
winner of the game.