Niskayuna Summer Invitational

In general—.
1. No registered team shall be composed of more than five (5) members.
2. No registered team shall be composed of less than two (2) members.
3. No school shall register more than two (2) teams for the competition.
Any team containing a member who has been disqualified from the competition shall be disqualified until an appropriate substitution is made, or that member is removed from the roster.

A maximum of four (4) players shall be allowed to compete for any team during a round.
Substitutions may occur during the half-time break of the round.
The rounds of the Niskayuna Summer Invitational will consist of twenty (20) questions.
Each round will have questions from six categories: Energy, Math, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Physics, and Biology. The final question of each round will be an estimation problem.
1. For estimation problems, at the beginning of the round, each team will nominate an estimation player. When the estimation problem arrives, the nominated player of the losing team will have twenty (20) seconds to deliberate and choose their answer.
  1. Following the sumbission of the losing team's answer, the winning team will have an additional ten (10) seconds to submit their answer.
2. After both answers are received, if an answer is exactly the same as the correct answer, fourteen (14) points shall be awarded to the team that gave this answer.
3. Otherwise, the answer closest to the designated value shall be considered the correct answer, and four (4) points shall be awarded to the team that gives the correct answer.
Each question shall follow a similar structure to standard Science Bowl questions, with a tossup worth four (4) points, and bonuses worth ten (10) points.
1. The bonus question will only be awarded if a team gets the tossup question correct, and only that team will be able to answer.
Both non-verbal and verbal communication are not allowed during tossup questions. During the bonus question, the team awarded the bonus will be allowed to both verbally and non-verbally communicate; however, the use of the zoom chatbox is prohibited.

Each tossup shall be allotted seven (7) seconds, and each bonus shall be allotted twenty-two (22) seconds. Timing starts immediately following the end of the question being read, after any potential multiple choice options.
The end of each round will be after every question has been read, including the estimation question.

When recognizing, the moderator shall:
1. State the name of the player.
2. In the event that two or more players share a name, state the team.
If unspecified, all answers shall be rounded according to proper rules of significant figures.
Scoring:
1. Blurt (Stating an answer without being properly recognized) → -4 points.
2. Interrupt (Stating an incorrect answer before the question was read in its entirety) → -4 points.
3. Correct Response (Stating a correct response whilst being properly recognized) → +4 points. Overrules Interrupt.
4. Incorrect Response (Stating an incorrect response whilst being properly recognized) → +0 points.

The Niskayuna Summer Invitational is composed of a round robin style group stage followed by a single elimination stage.
1. It will consist of six round robin groups with four teams each, resulting in three round robin rounds.
Teams will be seeded into groups based on a random assignment, and if necessary, performance at previous competitions, with the national competition having the greatest priority.
Each team will play every other team in its division exactly once.
At the end of each round, two (2) points are awarded to the winning team, one (1) point awarded to each team in the case of a tie, and no points awarded to the losing team.
The top two teams from each round robin group will qualify for the single elimination sector, and the remaining teams will be chosen based on record, and then points per game.
The first twelve (12) seeds of the single elimination bracket will be determined off of placement in the round robin groups, and the last four seeds will be determined as seen above, with points per game being the tiebreaker for this portion.
The single elimination bracket will consist of four (4) rounds, with spectators being allowed for the semifinal and final rounds.

During the round robin, at least one (1) camera showing either the player’s face or workspace will be required to remain in the call.
During playoffs, at least one (1) camera showing the player’s workspace will be required to remain in the call.
1. For the purposes of this subsection, “workspace” means an area in which the player’s allotted scratch paper and writing utensils are clearly visible.
Any substitute players may spectate the match, but any audible noise heard from the substitute will first result in a warning, and then a 10-point penalty.
During bonus questions, only the team that has been awarded the question is allowed to talk. Any audible noise heard from the non-answering team will first result in a warning, then a 10-point penalty.

In this rule–.
1. “Challenge” means a verbal contest to the decision of a moderator or the validity of a question or answer.
2. When a challenge is based on scientific content, the team making the challenge should have tangible standing to make the challenge and a clear basis for the challenge.
  1. “Tangible standing” means the potential for a decision to apply a penalty, or otherwise the decision to not award points from an answer to be reversed and the penalty reversed or the points applied.
Each team will be allowed 2 unsuccessful challenges per round.
A challenge based on scientific content challenging the answer of an estimation question shall not be taken. If a team makes a challenge based on scientific content challenging the answer of an estimation question, that challenge will not count as an unsuccessful challenge.
Challenges may not be made on judging calls by the moderators, such as if the player’s buzz should be considered an interrupt, timing, causes of disruption, etc.
A denied challenge shall be respected by both parties and persistent arguing may result in a 10-point penalty.
A challenge shall be taken in the following manner—.
1. The team making the challenge shall signify verbally to the round moderator before the next question is read that they are making a challenge, and whether or not the challenge is based on scientific content or incorrect administration of rules.
2. Once the round moderator has acknowledged the challenge, the person making the challenge shall state clearly the basis for the challenge, whereupon the moderator shall submit the challenged question or action, and a summary of the basis thereof to the appeals and challenges center, where an appropriate verdict shall be made and returned to the team.
3. Whilst a challenge is being processed, the round should continue as normal, and at the end of the round, any action necessary, such as a replacement question, or reading of the respective bonus, shall be taken. In single elimination rounds, if this challenge does not affect the result of the game, it will be voided.

Prize money shall be distributed based on placing, and shall be distributed as follows (tentative) –
1. 1st Place – $30.00
2. 2nd Place – $20.00
3. 3rd Place – $10.00
Award Ceremony
1. The NSI Award Ceremony will take place approximately 15 minutes after the conclusion of the final round.
2. In addition to the winning teams being announced, top scorers in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth & Space Science, Math, and Energy from the preliminary stage will be acknowledged.

Rule 1. The Team

Rule 2. The Round

Rule 3. Timing

Rule 4. Recognition

Rule 5. The Tournament

Rule 6. Fair Play

Rule 7. Challenges; How Taken

Rule 8. Awards