joinDOTA OPEN - Rules

If you need help, go to our support system!

1. General

1.1 Tournament
The joinDOTA Open Dota 2 Cup is a tournament with a given schedule and will be called the "jD Open" in the following.

1.2 Participants & Teams
Everybody who has access to the Dota 2 Beta is allowed to participate in the the jD Open and will be called "participant" in the following. Participants joining a team in order to fulfill the minimum required amount of team members will be called a "team" in the following.

1.3 Administration

1.3.1 Everybody who is authorised by Freaks 4U Gaming to administrate joinDOTA OPEN based on its rules and regulations will be called an "admin" or “referee”in the following, the collectivity of all admins will be called the "administration". A list of the current referees can be found here.

1.3.2 A referee is allowed to ignore or overrule any of the following rules in order to make the competition as fair as possible.

1.4 Commitments

1.4.1 By attending the jD Open participants acknowledge without limitation to comply with the rules and regulations of the jD Open and especially with the decisions made by the referees.

1.4.2 Every participant acknowledges the right for Freaks 4U Gaming to modify the rules and regulations for adjustments at any time without notice.

1.4.3 Every participant has to show the needed respect towards other participants and referees. Insults and unfair or disrespectful behaviour towards referees and other participants are not tolerated and will be punished.

1.4.4 Every participant must always have the newest version of steam and Dota 2 installed and has to check for updates in time before each match. Patching is not a valid reason to delay a match under normal circumstances.

1.4.5 Every participant has to be available during the the jD Open until elimination. Longer absence due to well-founded reasons needs the approval of the referees.

1.5 Communication

The primary communication platform for the qualifier stage is the joindota website. All issues should be proclaimed via the support system.

2. Competition Format

2.1 Overview

2.1.1 The jD Open is played in a single elimination pool system. Each team plays until it loses a match or is the last team left.

2.1.2 Every participant that advances to the next round will face another participant randomly.

2.2 Seedings

Well-known teams might be seeded by the referees before the tournament starts to ensure that top teams will not eliminate each other in the early stages of the jD Open.

2.3 Match length

2.3.1 All matches except the grand final are best of one (bo1). That means: Only one game gets played.

2.3.2 The grand final is a best of three (bo3). That means: The two opposing teams play against each other until one team has two wins.

3. Teams & Players

3.1 Team Size

A Team has to consist of at least five and at most ten participants. Those persons will be called "team members" or "members" of the team in the following.

3.2 Registration

3.2.1 To sign up for the jD Open, each team has to register and have at least five members with valid steam accounts

3.3 Lineup Changes

3.3.1 New members can only be added between two editions of the jD Open. If at least one match of an edition has been played, nobody can be added until it is finished.

3.3.2 If any data about the team needs to be changed, the captain or manager has to update it on the website or ask an admin about it.

3.4 Stand-ins

3.4.1 Besides the official members a team has the right to use another person as a player during a match, if this person meets the following requirements:

He is not member of another team in the jD Open

He has not played a match for another team during the current edition of the jD Open

This person will be called "stand-in" in the following.

3.4.2 A Team must not use more than two stand-ins during a match.

4. Hosting & Settings

4.1 Availability

Both teams have to check the match details on joindota.com 15 minutes before the start of their match and onwards to communicate with the opponents.

4.2 Lobby Hosting

The team who is shown first on the website (left or on top) has to host the lobby, unless both teams agree on the opposite. The hosting team has to write the password in the match details or directly to the opponents.

4.3 Spectators

4.3.1 Every person is allowed to join the game as a broadcaster or unassigned player, if both teams allow it. If one team asks a spectator to leave before or during the game, the particular spectator has to do so immediately.

4.3.2 Official joinDOTA Broadcasters have the right to spectate all games without the agreement of the teams.

4.4 Server Location

The default server location is US East for European/American tournaments and Singapore for Asian tournaments. Other servers can be used, if both teams agree or a referee decides on it.

4.5 Sides & Firstpick

4.5.1 The hosting team has the right to choose a side (Radiant or Dire) or leave this decision to the opposing team.

4.5.2 After the sides are decided, the non hosting team has the right to choose the starting team (Radiant, Dire, or Random) for the drafts or leave this decision to the opposing team.

4.6 Game Settings

SERVER LOCATION, PASSWORD and STARTING TEAM are set according to the rules above. GAME NAME and BOTS are irrelevant. The remaining settings have to be:

GAME MODE: CAPTAINS MODE

CHEATS: No

SPECTATORS: Yes (unless told otherwise by a referree)

VERSION: Tournament

5. During the match

5.1 Picks & Bans

The heropool always consists of all in Captains Mode available heroes. The game must not be paused during the draft, unless a drafter disconnects.

5.2 Pauses

Each team has the right to pause the game for an acceptable duration, if a player announces it at least three seconds in advance and calls a coherent reason (exception: not necessary, if someone disconnects). The game must not be resumed before both teams agree with it and a countdown is required. When the number or the duration of breaks becomes too high or long, the administration may force the continuation of the game.

5.3 Disconnects & Reconnects

If a player disconnects, the game is to be paused instantly. Everyone has up to ten minutes to reconnect to the game (if the same person disconnects more the once, all times get added up). If this time is passed, the opposing team may continue the game, unless an admin demands the opposite. The affected player is in this case still allowed to rejoin later on.

5.4 Broadcasting

5.4.1 Every player and spectator in the game is allowed to provide a videostream. This videostream however has to have a delay of at least 30 seconds.

5.4.2 The players are not allowed to watch or listen to one of these videostreams at any time during their match.

5.5 Bugs

If any serious bugs occur, the game has to be paused immediately and a referee has to be contacted.

5.6 Tools / Hacks

The usage of any Dota-related tool aside from Steam and Dota 2 during a match is strictly forbidden.

5.7 Ending

A game is finished, when an Ancient Fortress is destroyed, when one team obviously forfeits, when the majority of a team leaves on purpose, or when the administration decides on it.

6. Rule Violation & Punishment

6.1 Breaking of the rules or ignoring the order of an admin may result in a punishment. Type and amount is chosen by a referee.

6.2. Possible Team Punishments

Default Loss / Null Game

Prize Money Reduction

Disqualification from the current jD Open

Ban for future editions of the jD Open

Ban from future joindota competitions

6.3. Possible Player Punishments

Temporary ban from the jD Open

Permanent ban from the the jD Open

Ban from future joindota competitions

7. Prize Money Distribution

The team finishing first place in the jD Open will get a prize money of 500€. The prize money transfer is handled via PayPal or bank transfer. Under certain circumstances a transfer via Western Union is also possible but needs the approval of a the jD Open Supervisor. Other payment methods are not accepted. The prize money will only be transfered to the team leader. The team leader has to make sure every member of his team will get his adequate percentage of the prize money.