MACC RULES OF COMPETITION
OVERVIEW OF MATCH
Each match consists of five rounds. The rounds consist of competition in the single subject areas of English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, as well as the All Around category; and are conducted in that order unless prior arrangements are agreed upon by both principals or head coaches. Correct answers in all categories are worth five points, and there is no penalty for an incorrect answer, except as specified in early answers during the tossup rounds.
ROUNDS OF COMPETITION
All rounds except Mathematics consist of directed questions which alternate between the two competing teams and tossup questions. Each team has the initial opportunity to answer ten directed questions. Buzzers are not used during the directed questions. Team members may confer during the directed questions but the answer must be given by the team captain. If a team fails to answer a question correctly the other team is given the opportunity to answer that same question. The answer must be given by the second team captain and must be an immediate answer. After the ten directed questions to each team, there are ten tossup questions worth five points each. Tossup questions must be answered immediately by the student who buzzes first. If a student buzzes in before the question is completed, or before the word “begin” has been read, and the student gives an incorrect answer, a two point penalty is assessed against his/her team and the question is reread in its entirety for the other team. No penalty shall be assessed to the second team for buzzing in early and giving an incorrect answer.
The format for the Mathematics round will be as follows: Ten directed questions will be offered to both teams at the same time. Each team will hear the question at the same time, the emcee will say “begin,” and the teams will confer (20 seconds are given for directed Mathematics questions).
The answer must be written on one of the official Mathematics match answer sheets, and if there is more than the answer on the answer sheet (for example, computations), the answer must be circled. Only one answer sheet can be accepted by the emcee from each team, and once the answer sheet has been handed to the emcee, it cannot be returned or exchanged.
When the timer signals time is up, the emcee says “Time is up. I need your answers now.” The head judge should count 1001, 1002, 1003, and then announce “Time.” No answer sheet may be turned in if the emcee does not have it at this point. The emcee then reads the answers from each team, awards one/both/neither team(s) points for the correct answer(s).
Math round tossup questions shall be ten second questions and designed to be answered in this amount of time.
Only one repeat is allowed for a given question. Emcees and/or the head judge shall have the right to limit and/or end repeats for questions if it is felt that the requests for repeats are excessive. When it is apparent that team members have heard and understood the question (i.e. when a team does not listen to the repeat but instead uses the time for calculations or conferring on a directed question), then the request to repeat should not be allowed.
MATCH QUESTIONS - DIRECTED QUESTIONS
Directed questions are those designed in the question packet by the contest officials using the format: “This is the first directed question to Team A.” The answer must be given by the team captain and must be given immediately when requested by the emcee. Team members are encouraged to confer during directed questions. If the team to whom a question was directed fails to correctly answer the question, the other team (except as noted in the Mathematics round) is allowed to answer that same question. For example if Team A fails to correctly answer the question, then Team B is afforded an opportunity to answer the same question. After the first directed question to Team B is asked, and if Team B answers incorrectly, Team A has the opportunity to answer. The next question shall be the second directed question to Team A, and so on.
