1. A player is recognized when their name is said by the moderator. If two players have the same name, then the moderator shall additionally specify the team.
   1. "A" or "B", or "A team" or "B team" may be used as a substitute for the team name.
   2. An abbreviated or shortened version of the player’s name or team may be used, as long as it is obviously distinguishable from other players and teams.
2. A player shall give their answer immediately after being recognized.

1. A question is considered opened or started when both the topic of the question and whether it is a multiple choice question or a short answer question is read by the moderator.
2. After the question is considered opened and before the question has been fully read, all buzzes shall be considered interrupts.
3. A team shall only be able to answer a toss-up after the question has been opened.
4. If a player buzzes before the question is considered open, the buzz shall be disregarded.

1. A question is fully read when every word of the question and answer choices, if applicable, is completely uttered.

1. No more than four (4) players may play for a team at any one time.
2. Substitutions may occur only at the halftime break. After a player is substituted, the captain shall clearly inform the moderator who was substituted and who is the substitute.

1. A round shall consist of twenty (20) questions in one of six (6) topics: energy, math, chemistry, earth and space, physics, biology.
2. Each question shall consist of a toss-up and a bonus question.
3. During the toss-up question, a player from any team may answer unless a team has already made an attempt at answering the question.
4. If the toss-up question is correctly answered, the bonus question may be given to the team of the player that correctly answered the toss-up.
5. The bonus is given to the entire team, meaning communication is permitted during the bonus question.
6. There shall be a break at the half (215).

1. Verbal communication shall be defined as making audible noises, words, or signals with the purpose of conveying any type of information relating to the question and its answer.
2. Non-verbal communication shall be defined as conveying any type of information relating to the question and its answer in a manner that is not considered verbal communication.
3. Both verbal and non-verbal communication are prohibited during the toss-up and permitted in the bonus.

1. During the round robin, a player shall be expected to have at least one (1) camera showing either the player’s face or the player’s workspace at all times during the round, unless the player is the non-playing substitute.
2. During single elimination, a player shall be expected to have at least one (1) camera showing the player’s workspace at all times during the round unless the player is the non-playing substitute.
3. A player is considered to have shown their workspace if their writing utensils and allotted scratch paper are clearly visible.

1. Players may use scratch paper at any time during the paper, but the paper should be blank, with nothing written on it, at the start of the round.
2. It is imprudent to require that any hung Periodic Tables, charts, diagrams, etc. be removed from the room of a Science Bowl player, but it is highly recommended that they are removed, or at least not visible from the perspective of a player, and that they are not referenced during a question.
3. Players may not use or reference any guide, textbook, or online resource during a question.

1. A challenge may be made either on the basis of scientific content or on the application of rules.
2. Challenges may be made immediately after the answer to the question is read and before the next question is read.
3. When a challenge is made, the team making the challenge shall be given the opportunity to state, in no more than five (5) sentences, why the challenge should be accepted. The moderator shall record the team’s reasons for why the challenge should be accepted and transmit them, without delay, to a challenge judge, whereupon it will be judged.
4. During the time between the challenge being submitted and a verdict being received, the match will continue as normal.
5. Once a verdict has been received, the effect of the challenge will be adopted, with applicable points and bonus questions being given in a challenge relating to scientific content, or any change that is necessary as a result of a challenge based on the application of rules.
   1. A verdict is a final decision and cannot be further disputed.
6. A team may not challenge the incorrect answer of another team.
7. A team may not challenge a determination related to timing.
8. Persistent arguing after the verdict of a challenge is given may result in a delay of game penalty.
9. During single elimination, challenges shall be held until the end of the round, with no points given or bonuses read that would rely on a verdict of a challenge. If the challenge would change the outcome of the game, the challenge shall be submitted and judged. Otherwise, the challenge shall be disregarded.
10. Each team will be allowed two (2) unsuccessful attempts to challenge during a match.

1. The words “final” or “directed” shall be given after a team’s answer to a bonus question to indicate that it is their final answer. The words “final answer” may also be given before the team’s answer as an acceptable alternative.
2. Any reasonable alternative wording conveying the same meaning may be accepted at the discretion of a moderator.

1. A “second” shall be defined according to the definition of a SI second.
2. The following table refers to the manner in which timing should be enforced:

Time	What
5 seconds	Immediately after the toss-up question is fully read and before the question will be considered dead.
20 seconds	Immediately after the bonus question is fully read and before the team with the bonus is no longer able to answer the bonus.

1. There shall be a two-minute break after the tenth question. Substitutions may be made during this break time.
   1. If both teams agree, the two-minute break may be waived.

1. In the event of a tie at the end of a single elimination round, first, any challenges will automatically be considered, then, tiebreaker questions shall be read until any team scores. The team that scores will win and advance to the next round.
2. In the event of a tie at the end of a round-robin round, the match will be marked as a tie.

All Science Bowl rules from the National Science Bowl rules for high school Science Bowl shall apply unless overridden by a contradicting clause from the Niskayuna Winter Invitational.

1. If in a toss-up, a moderator gives an answer before both teams have answered, the question should be discarded.
2. In round-robin games, a replacement toss-up will be given at the end of the round, regardless of if the replacement question could influence the outcome of the game.
3. In single elimination games, a replacement toss-up will be given at the end of the round only if the replacement question could influence the outcome of the game.