IATF General Gameplay

General Gameplay

Safety

1. All participants in the sport (competitors, spectators, match officials, scorekeepers, employees, etc) must avoid any action that endangers the physical safety of themselves or others.

Sportsmanship

2. Competitors must adhere to the IATF Code of Conduct (see IATF Code of Conduct)

3. Competitors may perform an “axe handshake”, a courtesy clinking of axe heads, face against face

1. Competitors will avoid injury by making eye contact before initiating an axe handshake to ensure all parties are attentive

2. This action is optional, it is strictly a courtesy and sign of sportsmanship that harkens back to the beginnings of the sport

Lane Choice

4. Competitors will determine on which of the two targets they will begin gameplay
   1. In the event of a disagreement, then a suitable, time-effective, randomized process should be used to determine their starting targets. ex. Rock-Paper-Scissors, coin toss, etc.
      1. a disagreement would typically be:
         1. both competitors wish to begin on the same target for regular gameplay, or
         2. the competitors cannot decide which target to use for a tie breaker when both targets have space permitting

Inspection and Communication of Scores

5. Competitors must relay their scores clearly and accurately to the scorekeeper and their opponent

6. Competitors must confirm their score for any throw that could appear to be spanning more than one point value with their opponent before relaying them to the scorekeeper

7. Competitors must not interfere with the resting position of throws until agreement on scores has been reached
   1. Interference includes:
      1. removing an axe of knife from the target
      2. moving, rotating or adjusting an axe or knife in the target

8. In the event that the competitors cannot agree on a score, they must call for an inspection from the Scorekeeper or Match Official

9. The Scorekeeper or Match Official may inspect any throw at any time to confirm scoring accuracy

10. Competitors may pause to check their score, their opponent’s score, the throw number, or rounds won at any time during a match with the Scorekeeper

Repairing and Replacing Target Boards

11. A Match Official may repair or replace a target’s face boards at any time between matches

12. A Match Official may repair or replace a target’s face boards at any time when deemed necessary for fairness or safety

13. Competitors may request a change of a target’s face boards before a match begins, and before competitors determine their starting target choice

14. Target board changes must be approved by a Match Official
    1. Target board change requests may be denied if the Match Official determines the board is still fit to use

15. At the discretion of a Match Official, if a target board becomes damaged to the degree that fair   gameplay is deemed no longer possible, play will be paused and the target restored to playable condition
    1. the target board may be repaired or replaced
    2. examples:
       1. A large piece of wood falls from the target, creating a void or large gap on the target, it is acceptable for a Match Official to add screws to reattach this piece to repair the target
       2. The corner of a target board pulls away from the backboard during gameplay, screws may be added to reattach the board to the backboard by a Match Official
       3. A part of a target ring or Clutch is missing due to chip, making measurement difficult, a Match Official may repaint the missing segment

16. At the discretion of a Match Official, if it is determined that a board has too many knots, or is too dense, as evidenced by an unusually high rate of failed throws, the Match Official may decide to replace the board
    1. The Match Official must make this replacement only after both competitors have thrown an equal number of times at the target in question
       1. i.e. after Round 2, when both competitors have each thrown one round on the board in question, before continuing to Round 3

Target Interference

17. No spectator or competitor, whether involved in a match or observing, may interfere with any in-play target
    1. Interference includes: 
       1. striking the target
       2. chopping at Clutches
       3. damaging the target
       4. adding screws to targets
       5. other actions deemed interference by the Match Official

18. Official counted throws made during gameplay are not considered interference

19. Use of the butt of an axe head to gently hammer loose target wood back into place between throws is not considered interference

20. Wetting the target boards prior to the start of a match is not considered interference
    1. Wetting the target boards during a match should be avoided, but is allowed if both competitors agree to pause play to take this action