Rules

The competition process

Student teams of 3 participants compete with each other. Incomplete teams are also allowed.
One team is allowed to use exactly one computer.
The duration of the competition is 5 hours.
A set of 8 to 13 solution tasks is offered. For each task, a programme that effectively solves the described problem must be created.
Recommended programming languages are C, C++ or Java.

Task solutions (programme code) are sent online to the server. After a while, the team receives a report on their submission. The task is counted if the programme outputs the correct answers to all tests, as well as works within the allowed time and memory limits. If the programme does not meet these requirements for at least one test, the task is not counted and the attempt is considered unsuccessful.
The teams are sorted by the number of tasks solved.
If there is an equal number of solved tasks, the teams are sorted according to the resulting time penalty.
Time penalties are assigned to each completed task. If the task was solved T minutes after the start and the number of unsuccessful submissions is x, then a penalty of T + 20x is given for this task. The penalty minutes of the failed tasks do not affect the final result.

Selection contest among the University of Latvia teams. The selection takes place in autumn, and at most two of the best teams advance to the regional contest.
Central European Regional Contest (CERC, semifinal). The semifinal is held in late autumn or early winter. Teams from Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia participate.
The best teams from the region advance to the World Finals, where student teams from all over the world compete. The World Finals usually take place at the end of spring, in a different country each year.

In the selection round, a team can participate with their own computer.
During the competition you can use your prepared materials in printed form, for example, with algorithms (up to 25 A4 pages). Electronic materials (such as files on flash memory or your own computer) must not be used. During the competition, the internet may only be used to run the competition software. Compliance with the principles of fair competition is mandatory.
Unclear questions are clarified and the final decision is made by the competition jury: Guntis Arnicāns, Jevgēnijs Vihrovs.
Further information on the general rules can be found here: ICPC Regional Rules, ICPC World Finals Rules.