Types of tournament

3.1 The following types of tournament can be distinguished at international level:

- Championship tournaments

- International matches

- Cup competitions

- International tournaments

 3.2 The following are the championship tournaments at present:

 - World Championships (general class)

- World Games (general class)

- Continental Championships (general class)

- Youth World Championships

- Youth Continental Championships (open)

- Continental Senior Championships (open)

3.3 International matches are competitions between national teams, which must be selected by the respective active members.

3.4 The following are the cup competitions at present:

- Nations Cup (general class)

- Youth Nations Cup

- Senior Nations Cup

- Continental Cups (e.g. European Cup)

Categories

14.1 Individual competitions can be announced for the following categories:

Female kids (Kf) Male kids (Km)

Female youth (Yf) Male youth (Ym)

General class women (W) General class men (M)

Female senior 1 (Sf1) Male senior 1 (Sm1)

Female senior 2 (Sf2) Male senior 2 (Sm2)

14.2 The following age limits apply for the individual categories:  

Female kids and male kids : All children are permitted in the category until and inclusive the year in which they have their 15th birthday

General class ladies (W) / General class men (M) : All people who have had their 19th birthday in previous years are permitted in the category until and inclusive the year in which they have their 45th birthday

Female senior 1 (Sf1) / male senior (Sm1) : All people who have had their 45th birthday in previous years are permitted in the category until the year in which they have their 58th birthday

Female senior 2 (Sf2) / Male senior 2 (Sm2) : All people who have had their 58th birthday in previous years

14.3 Players change automatically the category at the end of the year in which they reach the age limit in question (as listed above). From January 1st of the following year a player is only entitled to play in the new category. 

14.4 Players in any category are permitted to play in the general class (women or men) as well. During a tournament a player can however only play in one individual category.

14.5 The active members do not have to offer all categories in their area.

14.6 In the case of a less differentiated division of categories, the following classification takes effect:

Kf -> Yf -> W <- Sf1 <- Sf2

Km -> Ym -> M <- Sm1 <- Sm2

14.7 Team competitions can be announced for the following categories:

kids’ teams

youth teams

women’s teams

men’s teams

senior teams

club teams

Further team categories and all team compositions have to be defined in international or national regulations and published in the according invitations

14.8 During a tournament a player can only play for one team and a substitute can only be nominated for one team.

14.9 Only teams consisting of players from the same club are allowed in the international tournaments for club teams.