Referee's memo on the RFM 2026 rules

Status of the material. This is a study aid of the club, not an official rulebook. The rules and the references to clauses were checked against the web version of the rules that is available, but there is no full clause-by-clause comparison. Before a game the club announces which rulebook and which edition it plays by. If they differ, the official rulebook takes priority.

• Nomination: in your own minute, one candidate per day, a phrase in the present tense; the referee confirms with "Accepted" (4.4.2-4.4.3).
• Voting: only for nominated players, in the order of nomination (4.4.1, 4.4.4).
• A vote: a fist held upright on the table after the candidate is announced, held until the referee's command; a vote lasts about 1.5 seconds (4.4.6-4.4.8).
• A player votes against one candidate only; a vote that was not cast goes to the last nominated candidate, with a foul (4.4.9-4.4.10).
• On the first day a single candidate is not voted on; on later days any number is voted on (4.4.11).
• A tie for the highest number of votes: an extra 30 seconds for the disputed candidates, then a repeat vote in the order of nomination (4.4.13-4.4.13.1).
• Three fouls: the player loses their nearest game minute but keeps the right to nominate; there are special exceptions for play with 3 or 4 players (5.5).
• A fourth or disqualifying foul: removal without a last word (5.6).
• Fouls include speech outside the minute, excessive gesturing, knocking on the table, arguing with the referee, a hand raised too early and gesturing during the vote (5.9).
• Some violations lead to a minor penalty or disqualification; do not apply the same penalty to all violations (5.10, 5.12).