How to Play Conditional Moves
Principle
The system permits a restricted range of conditional moves, if the conditionals rule for the event has been selected.
Practice
Refer to How to Check Event Cross-Tables for the conditionals rule setting.
The player wishing to propose a conditional move or moves does so between making Submit and Commit selections (refer How to Play Moves).
After you Submit your reply, you may enter a conditional move (shown in red on the game score), and submit it using the Submit Conditional button. This process allows the pieces of both players to be moved on the display board. Each 1-ply move is recorded when Submit Conditional is clicked, and you may enter as many moves as you wish (subject to the linear restriction described in item 4 below).
No internal branching logic is allowed, thus the conditional string must be linear. For example, 1.e4 if 1... c5 then 2.d4, if 2... cxd4 then 3.c3, is permitted, but 1.e4 if 1... e5 then 2.Nf3, or if 1... e6 then 2.d4, is not permitted.
The Commit button then stores the player's primary selected move in the usual way, and appends an unseen conditional string to the game score.
The opponent receiving the conditional string is unaware of it until he/she has selected and committed a reply, at which time the system generates an alert and immediately shows the 1-ply response to the committed reply.
This sequence may be repeated until the conditional string is exhausted, or a reply is made for which there is no conditional response.
The opponent receiving the conditional string is also entitled to propose another conditional string in turn before he/she exits.
Conditional moves accepted in this way receive a timestamp, but count zero days reflection time for the player who sent the string.
Each time a conditional move is accepted, the receiving player restarts the cycle of 24 hours before a day is charged for his/her next reply (refer How to Calculate Time).
Webserver Actions
A conditional string is stored in the system, but cannot be seen by either player as part of the game score or the email alert sent by the system to inform a player that it is his/her turn to move.
Once an opponent has finished responding to the conditional string, it is removed from the system, and all the accepted moves are entered into the game score along with their appropriate time stamps.