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Game Manual
Version 0.1
 VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match - Game Manual

Table of Contents
Prefix
Changelog.................................................................................iv
Quick Reference Guide..........................................................v

Section 1 - Introduction
The VEX IQ Robotics Competition................................... 1
VIQRC Mix & Match - A Primer........................................... 2
About the Game Manual - A Note from the GDC........ 3
Our Intent - How We Want the Game to be Played.... 4
Updates...................................................................................... 5
The Q&A System..................................................................... 6
Additional Policies.................................................................. 7

Section 2 - The Game

Field Overview.......................................................................... 9
General Definitions............................................................... 13
Game-Specific Definitions................................................ 17
Scoring......................................................................................20
Scoring Examples.................................................................22
Safety Rules............................................................................26
General Rules.........................................................................27
General Game Rules............................................................31
Specific Game Rules............................................................36

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Section 3 - The Robot

Inspection Rules....................................................................40

Section 4 - Robot Skills Challenge

Robot Skills Challenge Definitions.................................49
Robot Skills Challenge Rules............................................50

Section 5 - The Event

Tournament Definitions......................................................54
Tournament Rules.................................................................55

Appendix A - Field Overview

Appendix B - Simplified Edition

Using this Appendix.............................................................B2
Important Rules.....................................................................B3
How do you play Mix & Match?.........................................B3
How to Earn Points...............................................................B5
Robot Rules.............................................................................B5

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Prefix
Changelog
Version 0.1 - May 14, 2025
● Initial Release

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Quick Reference Guide

Scoring Rules
<SC1> All scoring statuses are evaluated after the Match ends
<SC2> All scoring statuses are evaluated visually by a Head Referee
<SC3> A Scoring Object can be Connected to another Scoring Object to form a Stack
<SC4> A Stack that includes more than one color of Scoring Object receives additional points
<SC5> A Stack is considered Placed in a Goal if it meets all of the following criteria
<SC6> Placed Stack in Matching Goal criteria
<SC7> Cleared Starting Pin criteria
<SC8> Ending the Match in contact with Scoring Objects

Safety Rules
<S1> Stay safe, don’t damage the Field
<S2> Students must be accompanied by an Adult
<S3> Each Student Team member must have a completed participant release form on file

General Rules
<G1> Treat everyone with respect
<G2> VIQRC is a Student-centered program
<G3> Use common sense
<G4> Students can only belong to one Team, and all work must represent their skill level

General Game Rules

<GG1> Drivers drive your Robot, and stay in the Driver Station
<GG2> A Team’s Robot should attend every Match
<GG3> Robots on the Field must be ready to play
<GG4> Hands out of the Field
<GG5> Match Replays are allowed, but rare
<GG6> Disqualifications
<GG7> Timeouts
<GG8> Keep your Robot together
<GG9> Don’t damage the Field
<GG10> Handling the Robot mid-Match is allowed under certain circumstances
<GG11> A Team’s two Drivers switch Controllers midway through the Match
<GG12> Stop moving at the end of a Match
<GG13> Ending a Match early

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Specific Game Rules

<SG1> Starting a Match
<SG2> Horizontal expansion is limited
<SG3> Vertical expansion is limited
<SG4> Keep Scoring Objects in the Field
<SG5> Each Robot gets one Pin as a Preload
<SG6> Using the Load Zone

Robot Rules
<R1> One Robot per Team
<R2> Robots must represent the Team’s skill level
<R3> Robots must pass inspection
<R4> There is a difference between accidentally and willfully violating a Robot rule
<R5> Robots must fit within an 11” x 20” x 15” (279.4mm x 508mm x 381.0mm) volume
<R6> Officially registered Team numbers must be displayed on Robot License Plates
<R7> Let it go after the Match is over
<R8> Robots have one Brain
<R9> Keep the power button accessible
<R10> Firmware
<R11> Motors
<R12> Batteries
<R13> One Controller per Robot
<R14> Robots are built from the VEX IQ product line
<R15> Prohibited items
<R16> Legal Non-VEX IQ components
<R17> Decorations are allowed
<R18> Pneumatics
<R19> Modifications of parts

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Robot Skills Challenge Rules

<RSC1> Standard rules apply in most cases
<RSC2> Scoring Robot Skills Matches
<RSC3> Robot and Field setup for Robot Skills Matches
<RSC4> Loader and Driver differences
<RSC5> Handling Robots during an Autonomous Coding Skills Match
<RSC6> Starting an Autonomous Coding Skills Match
<RSC7> Autonomous means “no humans”
<RSC8> Skills Stop Time
Tournament Rules
<T1> The Head Referee has final authority on all gameplay and Robot ruling decisions
<T2> Head Referees must be qualified
<T3> Drive Team Members are permitted to immediately appeal the Head Referee’s ruling
<T4> The Event Partner have final authority regarding all non-gameplay decisions
<T5> Be prepared for minor Field variance
<T6> Fields and Field Elements may be repaired at the Event Partner’s discretion
<T7> Fields at an event must be consistent with each other
<T8> Qualification Matches will occur according to the official Match schedule
<T9> Each Team will be scheduled Qualification Matches as follows
<T10> Teams are ranked by their average Qualification Match scores
<T11> Qualification Match tiebreakers
<T12> How Alliances are formed for Teamwork Challenge Matches
<T13> Teams playing in Finals Matches
<T14> Finals Match schedule
<T15> Robot Skills Match schedule
<T16> No requirement that Skills Fields have the same modifications as Teamwork Fields
<T17> Skills rankings at events
<T18> Skills rankings globally
<T19> Robot Skills at league events

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Section 1 - Introduction
 VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match - Game Manual

Section 1 - Introduction
Overview
This section provides an introduction to the VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC) and VIQRC Mix &
Match.

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition

The world around us is constantly changing, and so are the ways we learn. Traditional classroom
methods don’t always capture the hands-on problem solving and collaboration that are essential in
STEM fields. Competitive robotics provides an alternative approach—one that engages Students in re-
al-world applications of engineering, coding, and design. Instead of just reading about these concepts,
you get to experience them firsthand as you test ideas, refine solutions, and work as part of a Team to
overcome challenges. By combining creativity with technical skills, the VEX IQ Robotics Competition
helps make STEM learning more dynamic, practical, and inspiring.

Competitive robotics isn’t just about building a Robot—it’s about learning to approach challenges with
confidence, resilience, and teamwork. The same problem-solving mindset that helps you design and
refine a VEX Robot is the foundation for tackling real-world engineering problems, scientific break-
throughs, and technological innovations. Mix & Match is more than just a game—it’s an opportunity to
develop skills that will shape the problem solvers and innovators of tomorrow.

Working together with other people—whether it be your own teammates or someone from another
organization—can be challenging, but it’s just as much a part of the VEX Robotics Competition as
building a Robot.

Within this manual, you’ll find the rules that define Mix & Match. These rules are designed to create a
competitive yet fair environment that rewards creativity, strategy, and collaboration. Just like in the real
world, constraints exist to challenge you—not to limit your potential, but to inspire innovative solutions.

As you embark on this season, remember that every challenge is an opportunity to grow. Whether
you’re fine-tuning your design, refining your strategy, or working through unexpected setbacks, the
lessons you learn here will stay with you far beyond the competition Field.

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing your creativity and innovation in action!

Sincerely,

The VEX Robotics Game Design Committee, composed of members from VEX Robotics, the Robotics
Education & Competition Foundation, and DWAB Technology

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VIQRC Mix & Match - A Primer

VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match is played on a 6’x8’ rectangular Field, set up as illustrated in
the figures throughout this game manual.

The primary objectives of the game are to build Stacks out of Pins and Beams, and Place Stacks in
Goals. Additional Pins are introduced to the Field by Drive Team Members at the Load Zone. Points are
awarded based on how many Pins and Beams are Connected, how many colors are included in each
Stack, and for Stacks that match the color of the Goal.

In the Teamwork Challenge, an Alliance composed of two (2) Robots works together to score as many
points as possible in a 60-second Match.

Teams may also compete in Robot Skills Matches, where one (1) Robot tries to score as many points as
possible with a slightly different set of rules. See Section 4 for more information.

The REC Library article titled “How to Navigate a Game Manual” describes the conventions and orga-
nizational structure used in this game manual, and may help you understand and interpret this Game
Manual.

Note: The illustrations in this section of the Game Manual are intended to provide a general visual
understanding of the game. Some figures may highlight or change the appearance of certain
Field and Scoring Elements to emphasize or clarify intent.

Teams should refer to official Field specifications, found in Appendix A, for exact Field dimen-
sions, a full Field bill of materials, and exact details of Field construction.

Figure O-1: Starting configuration of the Field for a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match Teamwork Match.

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About the Game Manual - A Note from the GDC

This Game Manual and its appendices contain everything there is to know about this season’s game,
VIQRC Mix & Match. It is intended to be a resource for all Teams, Head Referees, Event Partners, and
other members of the VIQRC community.

The rules contained in the following pages can be thought of as “constraints” that define this game,
just as engineers begin any design project by defining their constraints. At the beginning of a season,
constraints are all we have. We don’t know what the winning Robot, best strategy, or most-frequent-
ly-violated rule will be any more than you do. Isn’t that exciting?

When exploring a new game, please approach this Game Manual with that mentality of looking at rules
as constraints. The Game Manual, its appendices - and the official Q&A on RobotEvents.com - contain
the full and complete list of constraints that are available for competitors to strategize, design, and
build their Robots.

Obviously, all Teams must adhere to these rules, and any stated intents of these rules. However,
beyond that, there is no “right” way to play. There are no hidden restrictions, assumptions, or intended
interpretations beyond what is written here. So it is up to you, the competitor, to find the path through
these constraints that best suits your Team’s goals and ambitions.

Figure O-2: Starting configuration of the Field for a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match Teamwork Match.

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Our Intent - How We Want the Game to be Played

The Game Design Committee (GDC) carefully crafts each VEX IQ Robotics Competition game with
a clear vision of how we believe it should be played. The GDC envisions Mix & Match as an execu-
tion-based challenge where Teams must collaborate effectively to maximize their scoring potential. The
game pieces that are easiest for one Robot to obtain are the hardest for the other. Teams are encour-
aged to plan ahead, and work with their partners to develop strategies that help each other gain access
to all of the game pieces on the Field. With incentives for creating specific patterns, success in Mix &
Match depends on both the quality and quantity of Stacks—not one at the expense of the other. This
design promotes continuous engagement, adaptability, and shared strategy. Teams will have to work
together to ensure the highest possible score.

As the season progresses and Teams develop new strategies, certain aspects of gameplay may evolve
in ways that were not initially anticipated. To ensure that the game remains fair, competitive, and aligned
with its original intent, the GDC has identified key areas that may be subject to clarification or adjust-
ment throughout the season. While updates are not limited to these areas, the GDC believes these are
some of the most critical for maintaining the integrity of gameplay:

● Game Piece Layout: The GDC has intentionally designed the Teamwork Field layout to spread the
game pieces out, and make one color of Pin for each Team harder to obtain. We reserve the right to
adjust the Field layout in Major Game Manual Updates if the layout does not properly disperse game
pieces around the Field.

● Match Loading: Match Loading is still a new concept for VEX IQ Robotics Competition. The GDC
feels like the rules regarding Match Loading clearly explains our intent that Match Loading should
be one at a time, and that each game piece is released at rest before a Robot picks it up. If Match
Loading rules are being abused, we will make this process more strict and the Violations more
punitive.

● Beams & Goals: The Goals are designed such that as they fill up, the next available location is
slightly harder to score into than the last. At release, there is no “bonus” for scoring into more chal-
lenging Goals, or Placing Beams into Goals. If the points ceiling for the game is in danger of being
reached, we will consider amending the scoring rules to incentivize scoring multiple Stacks on the
Standoff Goal and/or placing Stacks with Beams into Goals.

Any potential adjustments would be made with the goal of ensuring that the game plays as intended for
the duration of the season. While we will try our best to adhere to the self-imposed limits on change per
update, we may make larger/broader changes if it is deemed absolutely necessary. Any updates will be
communicated through official rule updates.

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Updates
This manual will have a series of “major” and “minor” updates over the course of the season. Each version
is official and must be used in official VIQRC events until the release of the next version, upon which the
previous version becomes void.

The latest version of the Game Manual can always be found at:
https://link.vex.com/docs/25-26/viqrc-mixandmatch-manual.

Known major release dates are as follows:

Release Date Effective Date Version # Details

May 14, 2025 May 14, 2025 Version 0.1 Initial game release
May 27, 2025 May 27, 2025 N/A Official Q&A system opens
Minor typographical errors or formatting
June 5, 2025 June 12, 2025 Version 0.2 issues found in the initial release. Very
few rule changes are expected.
May include gameplay or rule changes
June 26, 2025 July 3, 2025 Version 1.0 inspired by input from the official Q&A
system and the VEX community.
August 7, 2025 August 14, 2025 Version 1.1 Clarification / minor update
May include gameplay or rule changes
September 4, 2025 September 11, 2025 Version 2.0
inspired by early-season events.
October 9, 2025 October 16, 2025 Version 2.1 Clarification / minor update
December 4, 2025 December 11, 2025 Version 2.2 Clarification / minor update
May include gameplay or rule changes
January 29, 2026 February 5, 2026 Version 3.0
inspired by mid-season events.
May include gameplay or rule changes
April 2, 2026 April 9, 2026 Version 4.0 pertaining specifically to the VEX
Robotics World Championship

In addition to these known major updates, there may also be unscheduled updates released throughout the
season if deemed critical by the GDC.

Any scheduled or unscheduled updates will always be released on a Thursday, no later than 5:00 PM
CST (11:00 PM GMT). These updates will be announced via the VEX Forum, automatically pushed to the
VIQRC Hub app, and shared via VEX Robotics / REC Foundation social media & email marketing channels.
Once announced, the new version of the Game Manual will be immediately available at the link above.

Generally, Mix & Match Game Manual updates, scheduled or unscheduled, will include a grace period
before the updated rules go into effect for competitions. See the Release Table above for specific dates.
This grace period does not apply to the Version 0.1 Release, which serves as the initial rule set for the
season. Any events that begin before the 7-day grace period has ended should continue using the rules
from the previous Game Manual Release. This policy ensures fairness and consistency, allowing Teams to
adapt their strategies and gameplay accordingly before the changes are enforced in official competitions.
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The GDC reserves the right to enforce critical updates to the Game Manual as effective immediately upon
release, if we feel that the changes are critical for competitive integrity, safety, and/or other extenuating
circumstances.

Multi-week league events (or similar) that cross over a grace period should use the version of the Game
Manual that is in effect at the beginning of each league session. Leagues should update to new versions of
the Game Manual between sessions as appropriate.

The Q&A System

When first reviewing a new robotics game, it is natural to have questions about situations which may not
be immediately clear. Navigating the Game Manual and seeking out answers to these questions is an
important part of learning a new game. In many cases, the answer may just be in a different place than you
first thought—or, if there is no rule explicitly prohibiting a gameplay strategy, then that usually means it is
legal!

However, if a Team is still unable to find an answer to their question after closely reviewing the relevant
rules, then every Team has the opportunity to ask for official rules interpretations in the VEX Robotics
Question & Answer System. These questions may be posted by an Adult via the RobotEvents account that
is associated with that Team.

All responses in this Q&A system should be treated as official rulings from the VEX Robotics Game Design
Committee, and they represent the correct and official interpretation of the VEX Robotics Competition
Rules. The Q&A system is the only source besides the Game Manual for official rulings and clarifications,
and is functionally an extension of the Game Manual. Q&A rulings are effective immediately upon release.

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition Question & Answer System will open on May 27th, 2025.

Before posting on the Q&A system, be sure to review the Q&A Usage Guidelines:
1. Read and search the Game Manual before posting.
2. Read and search existing Q&As before posting.
3. Quote the applicable rule from the latest version of the Game Manual in your question.
4. Make a separate post for each question.
5. Use specific and appropriate question titles.
6. Questions will (mostly) be answered in the order they were received.
7. This system is the only source for official rules clarifications.

If there are any conflicts between this Game Manual and other supplemental materials (e.g., Referee
Certification courses, the VIQRC Hub app, the HTML version of the Game Manual, etc.), the most current
version of the Game Manual takes precedence.

Similarly, it can never be assumed that definitions, rules, or other materials from previous seasons apply
to the current game. Q&A responses from previous seasons are not considered official rulings for the
current game. Any relevant clarifications that are needed should always be re-asked in the current
season’s Q&A.
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Additional Policies
The rules and guidelines in these official documents and policies apply to Teams and events in the VEX
Robotics Competitions alongside the rules in this Game Manual.

● Code of Conduct - Outlines the expectations of behavior and ethical standards for all attendees at
REC Foundation-sanctioned events.

● Student-Centered Policy - Communicates the REC Foundation’s goal of maximizing learning

opportunities for Students, and the mandate that Students use designs, code, and game strategies
that are consistent with their abilities and knowledge. The related Important Behavior Guidelines for
Team Adults provides guidelines for Adults to promote Student-centeredness when interacting with
Teams.

● Commitment to Coach Excellence - Communicates the partnership and expectations between the
REC Foundation and Coaches. Must be agreed to during Team registration.

● Commitment to Event Excellence - Communicates the partnership and expectations between

the REC Foundation and Event Partners, with the goal of providing Teams with quality and uniform
competition experiences throughout our programs.

● Guide to Judging - Provides policies and procedures for the judging process, and guidelines for
Teams’ engineering notebooks.

● Organizational Policy - Provides guidelines for organization and Team numbers that are assigned
during Team registration.

● Qualifying Criteria - Provides the criteria that Teams and events must meet to qualify for Event
Region Championships and the VEX Robotics World Championship.

● Youth Protection Policy - Provides information, guidelines, and procedures to create safe environ-
ments for participants in our range of programs.

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Section 2 - The Game
 VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match - Game Manual

Section 2 - The Game

Field Overview
The VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match Field consists of the following:
● 36 Pins
○ 10 blue Pins
■ 1 Preload
■ 6 that can be introduced through the blue Load Zone
■ 3 that start in the Field
○ 10 red Pins
■ 1 Preload
■ 6 that can be introduced through the red Load Zone
■ 3 that start in the Field
○ 16 orange Pins that start on the Field
● Two (2) Beams
● One (1) Floor Goal
● Two (2) Square Goals, one red and one blue
● Two (2) Triangle Goals, one red and one blue
● One (1) Standoff Goal
● Two (2) Load Zones, one red and one blue
● Four (4) Starting Pin Supports

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Figure FO-1: Starting configuration of the Field for a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match Teamwork Match.

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Figure FO-2: A VIQRC Mix & Match Field, with Field Elements highlighted. Triangle Goals (green), Square Goals (yellow), Starting Pin
Supports (blue), Floor Goal and Standoff Goal (purple), and Load Zones (pink).

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Figure FO-3: The recommended locations for Drive Team Members and Head Referees during Teamwork Challenge Matches.

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General Definitions
Adult - Anyone who is not a Student or another defined term (e.g., Head Referee).

Alliance - A pre-assigned grouping of two (2) Teams that are paired together during a given Teamwork
Challenge Match.

Alliance Score - Points scored in a Teamwork Challenge Match that are awarded to both Teams.

Disablement - A penalty applied to a Team for a safety Violation. During Disablement, a Team is no
longer allowed to operate their Robot, and the Drivers will be asked to place their Controller down. A
Disablement is not the same as a Disqualification.

Disqualification - A penalty applied to a Team for a rule Violation (see <GG6> for more details). If a Team
receives a Disqualification in a Match, the Head Referee will notify the Team of their Violation at the end
of the Match. At the Head Referee’s discretion, repeated Violations and/or Disqualifications for a single
Team may lead to its Disqualification for the entire event.

Driver - A Student Team member who stands in the Driver Station and is responsible for operating
and controlling that Team’s Robot. Up to two Team members may fulfill this role in a given Match (see
<GG1>), and there is no requirement that the same Students serve as Drivers in multiple Matches.

Driver Station - A region beside the Field where the Drivers must remain during their Match unless
legally interacting with their Robot. The Driver Stations are represented by the red and blue lines in
Figure FO-3.

Drive Team Members - The two Drivers and one Loader who participate in a given Match as represen-
tatives of their Team. No Student may fill more than one role on a Drive Team in the same Match.
● Driver 1 - Drives the Robot until the mid-Match Driver switch (see <GG11>)
● Driver 2 - Drives the Robot after the mid-Match Driver switch (see <GG11>)
● Loader - Introduces Scoring Objects into the Field for the whole Match

Field - The entire playing Field, being six (6) Field tiles wide by eight (8) Field tiles long (totaling for-
ty-eight (48) Field tiles), including the Field Perimeter.

Field Element - The Field Perimeter, Floor, PVC pipes, and VEX IQ pieces which comprise and/or are
attached to the Field.

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Field Perimeter - The outer part of the Field, made up of four (4) outside corners and twenty-four (24)
straight sections.

Floor - The interior flat part of the playing Field, made up of the forty-eight (48) Field tiles that are within
the Field Perimeter.

Game Design Committee (GDC) - The creators of VIQRC Mix & Match, and authors of this Game
Manual. The GDC is the only official source for rules clarifications and Q&A responses; see Section 1.

License Plate - A physical component on the Robot that displays the Team’s VEX IQ Robotics Compe-
tition number. Each License Plate must have a length and height of 3.5” x 1.5” (88.9mm x 38.1mm) and
must not exceed a width of 0.25” (6.35mm) per <R6>.

Match - A set time period, consisting of Autonomous Periods and/or Driver Controlled Periods, during
which Teams play a defined version of Mix & Match to earn points. See Sections 3 & 4.
● Autonomous Period - A time period during which Robots operate and react only to sensor inputs
and/or commands pre-programmed by the Students into the Robot control system.
● Driver Controlled Period - A time period during which Drivers operate their Robot.

Autonomous Period Driver Controlled

Match Type Participants
(m:ss) Period (m:ss)
One Alliance, on one
Field, made up of two
Teamwork Challenge None 1:00
Teams, each with one
Robot
One Team, with one
Driving Skills Match None 1:00
Robot
Autonomous Coding One Team, with one
1:00 None
Skills Match Robot

Robot - A machine that has passed inspection, designed by Student Team members to execute one or
more tasks autonomously and/or by remote control from Drivers.

Student - Anyone born after May 1, 2010 (i.e., who will be 15 or younger at VEX Worlds 2026). Eligibility
may also be granted based on a disability that has delayed education by at least one year. Students are
the individuals who design, build, repair, and program the Robot with minimal Adult assistance.
• Elementary School Student – Any Student born after May 1, 2013 (i.e., who will be 12 or younger
at VEX Worlds 2026). Elementary School Students may “play up” and compete as Middle School
Students.
• Middle School Student - Any eligible Student that is not an Elementary School Student.
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Team - Three or more Students make up a Team.

● A Team is classified as an Elementary School Team if all members are Elementary School Students.
● A Team is classified as a Middle School Team if any member is a Middle School Student, or if the Team
is made up of Elementary School Students who declare themselves as “playing up” as Middle School
Students by registering their Team as a Middle School Team.
● Once a Team has competed in an event as a Middle School Team, that Team may not change to an Ele-
mentary School Team for the remainder of the season. If a Team mistakenly registers as an Elementary
School Team but is ineligible for that age group, their registration may be revised mid-season with RSM
assistance; all prior qualifications for the season will be lost.
● Teams may be associated with schools, community/youth organizations, or a group of neighborhood
Students.
In the context of this Game Manual, Teams contain three types of Student roles related to Robot build,
design, and coding. See <G2> and <G4> for more information. Adults may not fulfill any of these roles.
● Builder - The Student(s) on the Team who assemble(s) the Robot. Adults are permitted to teach the
Builder(s) associated concepts, but should never work on the Robot.
● Coder - The Student(s) on the Team who write(s) the computer code that is downloaded onto the Robot.
Adults are permitted to teach the Coder(s) associated concepts, but should never work on the code that
goes on the Robot.
● Designer - The Student(s) on the Team who design(s) the Robot to be built for competition. Adults are
permitted to teach the Designer(s) associated concepts, but should never work on the design of the
Robot.

Violation - The act of breaking a rule in the Game Manual.

● Minor Violation - A Violation which does not result in a Disqualification.
○ Accidental, momentary, or otherwise non-Score Affecting Violations are usually Minor Violations.
○ Minor Violations usually result in a verbal notification from the Head Referee during the Match, which
should serve to inform the Team that a rule is being Violated before it escalates to a Major Violation.
● Major Violation - A Violation which results in a Disqualification.
○ Unless otherwise noted in a rule, all Score Affecting Violations are Major Violations.
○ If noted in the rule, egregious, intentional, or strategic Violations may also be Major Violations.
○ Multiple Minor Violations within a Match or tournament may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head
Referee’s discretion or as specified in a rule.
● Score Affecting - A Violation which improves an Alliance’s score at the end of a Match.
○ Multiple Violations within a Match can cumulatively become Score Affecting.
○ When evaluating whether a Violation was Score Affecting, Head Referees will focus primarily on any
Robot actions that were directly related to the Violation.
○ Determining whether a Violation was Score Affecting can only be done once the Match is complete
and the scores have been calculated.
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Some rules include Violation Notes in red italicized text to denote special circumstances or provide
additional clarifications. If no Violation Notes are found in a given rule, then it should be assumed that
the default definitions above apply.

To determine whether a Violation may have been Score Affecting, check whether the Violation directly
contributed to increasing the score of the Match. If it did not increase the Alliance’s score, then the
Violation was not Score Affecting, and it was very likely a Minor Violation.

See the following flowchart for more information.

Figure V-1: The process for determining whether or not an infraction should result in a Major Violation or Minor Violation.
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Game-Specific Definitions
Connected - A Scoring Object status. See <SC3>.

Cleared - A Starting Pin status. See <SC7>.

Goal - A place where Stacks can be Placed. There are four (4) varieties of Goal in VIQRC Mix & Match:
● Square Goal - A segment of the Floor in a corner of the long side of the Field opposite from the
audience. Each Square Goal is bordered by the inside of the Field Perimeter and the inside edges of
the VEX IQ pieces connected to the Floor. Each Square Goal has a color, red or blue, determined by
its VEX IQ pieces and PET sheet. Each Square Goal can hold a maximum of one (1) Placed Stack.
● Floor Goal - A segment of the Floor in the center of the Field surrounding the Standoff Goal. The
Floor Goal is defined by the center, white-outlined portion of the PET sheet connected to the Floor
underneath the Standoff Goal, and includes that white line. The Floor Goal can hold a maximum of
four (4) Placed Stacks.
● Triangle Goal - A segment of the Floor in a corner of the long side of the Field closest to the
audience. Each Triangle Goal is bordered by the inside of the Field Perimeter and the inside of the
PVC pipe that spans the corner of the Field. Each Triangle Goal has a color, red or blue, determined
by its VEX IQ pieces, PVC pipe, and PET sheet. Each Triangle Goal can hold a maximum of three (3)
Placed Stacks.
● Standoff Goal - The orange plastic structure mounted to the center of the Field with IQ pins or
screws.

Figure G-1: A Square Goal. Figure G-2: A Triangle Goal. Figure G-3: A Floor Goal and Standoff Goal.

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Load - The act of legally introducing a Pin or Beam into the Field. See <SG6>.

Load Zone - A red or blue VEX IQ beam that is attached to the Field with VEX IQ pins. The Load Zone is
intended to receive Scoring Objects from a human Loader.

Figure LZ-1: A Load Zone.

Matching Goal - A Goal status. See <SC6>.

Placed - A Stack status. See <SC5>.

Preload - A Pin that is Loaded into a Robot prior to a Match. See <SG5>.

Scoring Object - A plastic object that can be added to a Stack. There are two types of Scoring Objects
in VIQRC Mix & Match:
● Pin - An orange, blue, or red roughly cylindrical object with a diameter of approximately 3.15”
(80mm), height of 4.5” (116mm), and a weight of approximately 2.5 ounces (71g).
● Beam - A gray, roughly rectangular object with a size of 9.88” (251mm) x 4.88” (124mm) x 1.97”
(50mm) and a weight of approximately 6 ounces (170g).

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Figure SO-1: Red, blue, and orange Pins Figure SO-2: A Beam

Stack - A set of two or more Connected Scoring Objects.

Figure S-1: A Stack of two Pins.

Starting Pin - A Pin that begins the Match on a Starting Pin Support.

Starting Pin Support - One of four (4) red or blue structures, built out of VEX IQ parts, that is attached
to the Field Perimeter. Each Starting Pin Support holds a Pin of its color at the beginning of the Match,
and until the Pin is removed by a Robot.

Figure SPS-1: A Starting Pin. Figure SPS-1: A Starting Pin Support.

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Scoring
Each Connected Pin 1 Point
Each Connected Beam 10 Points
Each 2-color Stack 5-Point Bonus
Each 3-color Stack 15-Point Bonus
Each Stack Placed in a Matching Goal and/or Connected to a Beam 10-Point Bonus
Each Stack Placed on the Standoff Goal 10-Point Bonus
Each Cleared Starting Pin 2 Points
Each Robot in contact with Scoring Objects at the end of the Match. See <SC8>. 2 Points

<SC1> All scoring statuses are evaluated after the Match ends, once all Scoring Objects, Field Elements,
and Robots on the Field come to rest.
a. Referees should avoid contacting or moving Scoring Objects as much as possible while evaluating
Scoring statuses. If an object must be moved to evaluate the status of another object, its status must
be agreed upon by all Teams and the Head Referee, and noted or recorded, before it is moved.

<SC2> All scoring statuses are evaluated visually by a Head Referee, to the best of their ability within the
context of a given Match/event.
a. Referees and other event staff are not allowed to review any videos or pictures from the Match. See
<T3>.
b. If there is a concern regarding the score of a Match, only the Drive Team Members from that Match,
not an Adult, may share their questions with the Head Referee. See <T3>.

<SC3> A Scoring Object can be Connected to another Scoring Object to form a Stack. To qualify as
Connected, the resulting Stack must be roughly vertical (i.e., the Stack goes ‘up’ and not sideways) and
cannot be in contact with a Robot.
a. Scoring Objects can be Connected in two ways: up from the Floor or Standoff Goal, or up from a Beam.
b. A Pin is Connected if it is fully nested with another Scoring Object and neither the Pin nor the resulting
Stack is touching a Robot.
c. A Beam is Connected if it is fully nested to one or more Connected Pins and/or the Standoff Goal and
is not touching a Robot.
i. A Beam cannot be Connected to another Beam.
ii. A Beam may be Connected to up to three (3) Pins simultaneously if all Pins are fully nested with the
Beam.
iii. Each Pin that is Connected directly to a Beam is considered to be part of a separate Stack, and a
Beam may count as a color in up to three (3) Stacks simultaneously.

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Note: Scoring Objects cannot count as Connected or Placed in Goals if they are not vertical.
Scoring Objects that end the Match ‘knocked down’ or ‘tipped’ within the Field, or that are not
Connected to other Scoring Objects, can only count toward the 2 points earned for a Robot that
ends the Match in contact with 2 or more Scoring Objects.

<SC4> A Stack that includes more than one color (blue, red, orange, or gray) of Scoring Object receives
additional points based on the number of colors in that Stack, up to three colors.

<SC5> A Stack is considered Placed in a Goal at the end of the Match if it meets all of the following
criteria.
a. There are at least two (2) Connected Scoring Objects in the Stack.
b. No part of the Stack is contacting a Robot.
c. The Stack meets one of the following criteria:
i. The Stack is entirely within the center outline that defines the Floor Goal (maximum of four (4)
Stacks).
ii. The Stack is entirely within a Square Goal (maximum of one (1) Stack per Goal).
iii. The Stack is entirely within a Triangle Goal (maximum of three (3) Stacks per Goal).
iv. The Stack is Connected to the Standoff Goal or (via a Beam) to another Stack that is Placed on
the Standoff Goal (maximum of one (1) Stack without including a Beam, or three (3) Stacks if all
share a Beam).

<SC6> A Placed Stack receives credit for a Matching Goal when the color of the bottom Pin in the
Placed Stack (i.e., the one that is in contact with the Floor or Connected to the Standoff Goal) matches
the color of that Goal.
a. This status automatically applies to any Stack that is Connected to a Beam, regardless of the
Stack’s final position on the Field.

<SC7> A Starting Pin is Cleared if no part of its Starting Pin Support is within the volume of the Pin at
the end of the Match.

<SC8> A Robot will receive 2 points for ending the Match in contact with Scoring Objects in the
following scenarios:
a. The Robot is directly contacting two or more Scoring Objects.
b. The Robot is directly contacting a Scoring Object that is fully nested with one or more additional
Scoring Objects.

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Scoring Examples
<SE1> All Scoring Objects in this example are Connected, and none are Placed in a Goal. This example
is scored as 6 Connected Pins, 1 Connected Beam, and three 3-color Stacks Connected to a Beam.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 6 6

Connected Beam 10 points 1 10

3-color Stack 15 points 3 45

Stack Connected to a
10 points 3 30
Beam
Total Points for this example 91

<SE2> All Scoring Objects in this example are Connected, and none are Placed in a Goal. This example
is scored as 6 Connected Pins, 1 Connected Beam, and three 3-color Stacks Connected to a Beam.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 points 6 6

Connected Beam 10 points 1 10

3-color Stack 15 points 3 45

Stack Connected to a
10 points 3 30
Beam
Total Points for this example 91

<SE3> The top Stack in this example is not Connected to the Beam, but all other Scoring Objects are
Connected; none are Placed in a Goal. This example is scored as 6 Connected Pins, 1 Connected Beam,
two 3-color Stacks Connected to a Beam, and one 2-color Stack not Placed in a Goal.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 6 6

Connected Beam 10 points 1 10

2-color Stack 5 points 1 5

3-color Stack 15 points 2 30

Stack Connected to a
10 points 2 20
Beam
Total Points for this example 71

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<SE4> The Beam in this example is not Connected, but all of the Pins are; no Stacks are Placed in a
Goal. This example is scored as 4 Connected Pins and two 2-color Stacks not Placed in a Goal and not
Connected to a Beam.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 4 4

Connected Beam 10 points 0 0

2 -color Stack 5 points 2 10

Total Points for this example 14

<SE5> Because none of these Pins are vertical, nothing in this example counts as Connected or as a
Stack. No other points are scored. This example would not receive a score.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 0 0

Connected Beam 10 points 0 0

3-color Stack 15 points 0 0

Stack Connected to a
10 points 0 0
Beam
Total Points for this example 0

<SE6> The Pins in this example are Connected, Placed in a Matching Goal, and Placed on the Standoff
Goal. This example is scored as 3 Connected Pins and one 3-color Stack that is both Placed in a
Matching Goal and Placed on the Standoff Goal.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 3 3

3-color Stack 15 points 1 15

Stack Placed in a
10 points 1 10
Matching Goal
Stack Placed on the
10 points 1 10
Standoff Goal
Total Points for this example 38

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<SE7> All Scoring Objects in this example are Connected, and all three Stacks are Placed on the
Standoff Goal via the Connected Beam. This example is scored as 6 Connected Pins, 1 Connected
Beam, and three 3-color Stacks that are Connected to a Beam and Placed on the Standoff Goal.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 6 6

Connected Beam 10 points 1 10

3-color Stack 15 points 3 45

Stack Placed in a
Matching Goal and/or 10 points 3 30
Connected to a Beam
Stack Placed on the
10 point 3 30
Standoff Goal
Total Points for this example 121

<SE8> The Pins in this example are nested together, but part of the Stack is in contact with a Robot
at the end of the Match. None of the Pins qualify as Connected. This example is scored as a Robot in
contact with Scoring Objects at the end of the Match.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 0 0

3-color Stack 15 points 0 0

Robot in contact with
Scoring Objects at the 2 points 1 2
end of the Match
Total Points for this example 2

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<SE9> All of the Scoring Objects in this example are nested together, but a Pin in one of the Stacks is in
contact with a Robot at the end of the Match. The Pins in the one Stack that is in contact with the Robot
do not qualify as Connected to each other or to the Beam. This example is scored as 4 Connected Pins,
1 Connected Beam, two 3-color Stacks Connected to a Beam, and a Robot in contact with Scoring
Objects at the end of the Match.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 4 4

Connected Beam 10 points 1 10

3-color Stack 15 points 2 30

Stack Connected to a
10 points 2 20
Beam
Robot in contact with
Scoring Objects at the 2 points 1 2
end of the Match
Total Points for this example 66

<SE10> All of the Scoring Objects in this example are nested together, but the Beam is in contact with a
Robot at the end of the Match. Because the Beam is part of all three Stacks, none of the Scoring Objects
qualify as Connected. This example is scored as a Robot in contact with Scoring Objects at the end of
the Match.
Scoring Category Points Quantity Subtotal
Connected Pin 1 point 0 0

Connected Beam 10 points 0 0

3-color Stack 15 points 0 0

Stack Connected to a
10 points 0 0
Beam
Robot in contact with
Scoring Objects at the 2 points 1 2
end of the Match
Total Points for this example 2

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Safety Rules
<S1> Stay safe, don’t damage the Field. If, at any time, the Robot operation or Team actions are
deemed unsafe or have damaged any Field Elements or Scoring Objects, the offending Team may be
Disabled and/or Disqualified at the Head Referee’s discretion. The Robot will require re-inspection
before it may again take the Field.

Note: Teams may not step onto the Field at any time. If a Team’s Robot requires stepping onto the
Field during pre-Match setup, this will be considered a Violation of <S1>, <GG3>, and/or <SG1>.
The Team’s Robot may be removed from the current Match at the Head Referee’s discretion.

Violation Notes: Major Violations should be reported to and/or discussed with the Event Partner
during the event, and should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee
following the event.

<S2> Students must be accompanied by an Adult. No Student may attend a VEX IQ Robotics
Competition event without a responsible Adult supervising them. The Adult must obey all rules and
be careful to not violate Student-centered policies, but must be present for the full duration of the
event in the case of an emergency. Violations of this rule may result in removal from the event.

Violation Notes: <S2> Violations should be reported to the Event Partner during the event, and
should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.

<S3> Each Student Team member must have a completed participant release form on file for the
event and season. A Student Team member cannot participate in an event without a completed release
form on file.

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General Rules
<G1> Treat everyone with respect. All Teams are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and
professional manner while competing in VEX IQ Robotics Competition events. If a Team or any of its
members (Students or any Adults associated with the Team) are disrespectful or uncivil to event staff,
volunteers, or fellow competitors, they may be Disqualified from a current or upcoming Match. Team
conduct pertaining to <G1> may also impact a Team’s eligibility for judged awards. Repeated or extreme
Violations of <G1> could result in a Team being Disqualified from an entire event, depending on the
severity of the situation.

This rule exists alongside the REC Foundation Code of Conduct. Violation of the Code of Conduct
can be considered a Major Violation of <G1> and can result in Disqualification from a current Match,
an upcoming Match, an entire event, or (in extreme cases) an entire competition season. The Code of
Conduct can be found here.

More information regarding the event Code of Conduct process can be found at the RECF Library.

We all can contribute to creating a fun and inclusive event experience for all event attendees. Some
examples include:

When dealing with difficult and stressful situations, it is…

● Okay for Teams to be gracious and supportive when your Alliance partner makes a
mistake.
● Not okay for Teams to harass, tease, or be disrespectful to your Alliance partner
when a Match does not go your way.
When a Team does not understand a Match ruling or score, it is…
● Okay for Drive Team Members to consult with a Head Referee to discuss a ruling per
the process outlined in <T3> in a calm and respectful manner.
● Not okay for Drive Team Members to continue arguing with the Head Referee after
a decision has been finalized, or for Adults to approach a Head Referee with ruling/
scoring concerns.
When Teams are getting ready for an upcoming Match, it is…
● Okay for Teams in an Alliance to develop a game strategy that utilizes the strengths
of both Robots to cooperatively solve the game.
● Not okay for one Team in an Alliance to ask another Team to sit in a corner during the
Match or to intentionally play beneath their abilities.

Violation Notes: Any Violation of <G1> may be considered a Major Violation and should be ad-
dressed on a case-by-case basis. Teams at risk of a <G1> Major Violation due to multiple disre-
spectful or uncivil behaviors will usually receive a “final warning”, although the Head Referee is
not required to provide one. All <G1> Major Violations/Disqualifications should be reported to
and/or discussed with the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the REC
Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.
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<G2> VIQRC is a student-centered program. Adults should not make decisions about the Robot’s
build, design, or gameplay, and should not provide an unfair advantage by providing ‘help’ that is beyond
the Students’ independent abilities. Students must be prepared to demonstrate an active understand-
ing of their Robot’s design, construction, and programming to judges or event staff. Students should
build, design, and code the Robot with minimal Adult involvement.

Some amount of Adult mentorship, teaching, and/or guidance is an expected and

encouraged facet of VEX competitions. No one is born an expert in robotics! However,
obstacles should always be viewed as teaching opportunities, not problems for an Adult
to solve for the Team.

When building or designing the Robot, it is…

● Okay for an Adult to help a Student consider why something failed, so it can be
improved.
● Not okay for an Adult to provide step by step instructions or photos for the Student
to copy.
When a mechanism falls off, it is…
● Okay for an Adult to help a Student consider why it failed, so it can be improved.
● Not okay for an Adult to investigate or put the Robot back together.
When a Team encounters a complex programming concept, it is…
● Okay for an Adult to guide a Student through a flowchart to understand its logic.
● Not okay for an Adult to write a premade command for that Student to copy / paste.
During Match play, it is…
● Okay for an Adult to provide cheerful, positive encouragement as a spectator.
● Not okay for an Adult to explicitly shout step-by-step commands from the audience.

This rule operates in tandem with the REC Foundation Student Centered Policy, which is available in the
REC Library for Teams to reference throughout the season.

Violation Notes: Potential Violations of this rule will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. By
definition, all Violations of this rule become Score Affecting as soon as a Robot which was built
or programmed by an Adult scores points in a Match. All reported and/or suspected <G2> Vio-
lations should be reported to the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the
REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Committee following the event.

<G3> Use common sense. When reading and applying the various rules in this document, please
remember that common sense always applies in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition.

Some examples may include:

● If there is an obvious typographical error (such as “per <T5>” instead of “per
<GG5>”), this does not mean that the error should be taken literally until corrected in
a future update.
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● Understand the realities of the VEX IQ Robot construction system. For example, if a
Robot could hover above the Field for a whole Match, that would create loopholes in
many of the rules. But… they can’t. So… don’t worry about it.
● When in doubt, if there is no rule prohibiting an action, it is generally legal. However,
if you have to ask whether a given action would violate <S1>, <G1>, or <T1> then
that’s probably a good indication that it is outside the spirit of the competition. On
the other hand, if there’s not a rule that makes a Robot part legal, it’s not allowed.
● In general, Teams will be given the “benefit of the doubt” in the case of accidental or
edge-case rules infractions. However, there is a limit to this allowance, and repeated
or strategic infractions will still be penalized.

<G4> Each Student can only belong to one Team, and all work must represent the skill level of
the Students on the Team. Each Team must include Drive Team Members, Coder(s), Designer(s), and
Builder(s); many also include notebooker(s). No Student may fulfill any of these roles for more than one
VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team in a given competition season. Students may have more than one
role on the Team (e.g., the Designer may also be the Builder, the Coder, and a Drive Team Member).
a. The Team’s design, Robot, coding, strategy, and ongoing work must represent the skill level of the
Students currently on the Team.
i. Teams may be inspired by a Robot found online but must avoid academic dishonesty and should
not copy a Robot that has been provided for them. This includes use of instructions provided by
Adults or educational facilities.
ii. Teams may use Robot plans provided by VEX Robotics or the REC Foundation, but are encour-
aged to use these Robots only as a starting point that Students modify, improve, or replace as
their skills increase.
b. Team members may only move from one Team to another for non-strategic reasons outside of the
Team’s control.
i. Examples of permissible moves may include, but are not limited to, changing schools, conflicts
within a Team, or combining/splitting Teams.
ii. Examples of strategic moves in Violation of this rule may include, but are not limited to, one
Coder “switching” Teams in order to write the same program for multiple Robots, or one Student
writing the engineering notebook for multiple Teams.
iii. If a Student leaves a Team to join another Team, <G4> still applies to the Students remaining
on the previous Team. For example, if a Coder leaves a Team, then that Team’s Robot must still
represent the skill level of the Team without that Coder. One way to accomplish this would be to
ensure that the Coder teaches or trains a “replacement” Coder in their absence.

Points ii and iii are intended to represent real-world situations that are found in industry
engineering. If a vital member of a professional engineering team were to suddenly
leave, the remaining members of the team should still be capable of working on / main-
taining their project.

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c. When a Team qualifies for a Championship event (e.g., States, Nationals, Worlds, etc.) the Students
on the Team attending the Championship event are expected to be the same Students on the Team
that was awarded the spot. Students can be added as support to the Team, but may not be added as
Drivers or Coders for the Team.
i. An exception is allowed if only one (1) member of the Team is able to attend the event. The Team
can make a single substitution of a Driver or Coder for the Championship event with another
Student, even if that Student has competed on a different Team. This Student will now be on this
new Team and may not substitute back to the original Team during the season.

Note: Teams cannot “borrow” Students from other Teams to serve as Drive Team Members,
Coders, Designers, Builders, or notebookers. This includes Loaders. However, Teams can add
permanent members throughout the season under the guidelines of this rule.

Violation Notes:
● Violations of this rule will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, in tandem with the REC
Foundation Student Centered Policy as noted in <G2>, and the REC Foundation Code of
Conduct as noted in <G1>. All reported and/or suspected <G4> Violations should be reported
to the Event Partner during the event, and should be reported to the REC Foundation Rules
and Conduct Committee following the event.
● Regarding point A and prebuilt Robot instructions or prewritten code: Teams believed to be in
Violation should be reported to the Judge Advisor, Head Referee, or Event Partner for further
investigation in coordination with the RSM. Based on the investigation the Team may be
removed from further Matches, have their Robot Skills Challenge scores removed, and/or be
removed from consideration from judged awards.

Event Partners should bear in mind <G3>, and use common sense when enforcing this
rule. It is not the intent to punish a Team who may change Team members over the
course of a season due to illness, changing schools, conflicts within a Team, etc.

Event Partners and referees are not expected to keep a roster of any Student who
has ever been a Drive Team Member for one day. This rule is intended to prohibit any
instance of loaning or sharing Team members for the sole purpose of gaining a compet-
itive advantage.

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General Game Rules

<GG1> Drivers drive your Robot, and stay in the Driver Station. During a Match, Robots may only be
operated by that Team’s Drivers and/or software running on the Robot’s control system. Each Team may
have up to three (3) Drive Team Members at the Match: two (2) Drivers, and one (1) Loader. All Drive Team
Members must remain in their Driver Station, except when legally interacting with their Robot per <GG10>.
a. Drive Team Members are prohibited from any of the following actions during a Match:
i. Having or using any sort of communication devices in the Driver Station. Non-headphone devices
with communication features turned off (e.g., a phone in airplane mode) are allowed.
ii. Standing or sitting on any sort of object during a Match, regardless of whether the Field is on
the Floor or elevated, except as required by an official accommodation request that has been
approved by the REC Foundation.
iii. Using additional materials to simplify the game challenge during a Match.
iv. To ensure that Drive Team Members are aware of verbal calls during a Match (as an application
of rules <T1>, <G1>, <S1>, and <G3>), powered headphones, earbuds, and/or passive earpieces
connected to electronic devices cannot be worn/used in the Driver Station except as required by
an official accommodation request that has been approved by the REC Foundation.

Point iii is intended to refer to non-Robot-related items that directly influence gameplay,
such as using a ramp to assist with the Load Zone. Provided no other rules are violated,
and the items do not pose any safety or Field damage risks, the following examples are
not considered Violations of <GG1>:
● Materials used before or after a Match, such as a pre-Match alignment aid
● Strategic aids, such as a whiteboard or clipboard
● Earplugs, gloves, or other personal accessories

Note: Drive Team Members are the only Team members that are allowed to be in the Driver Station
during a Match. Adults (other than event staff) are not permitted to be in the Driver Station during a
Match.

Violation Notes: Major Violations of this rule are not required to be Score Affecting, and could
invoke Violations of other rules, such as <G1>, <G2>, or <GG11>.

<GG2> A Team’s Robot should attend every Match. The Team’s Robot must report to the Field for the
Team’s assigned Match, even if the Robot is not functional. If the Robot is not at the Field at the start of a
Match, that Team is considered a “no show” and will receive zero (0) points. The other Team in the Alliance
will still play and receive points for the Match.

a. Teams are expected to participate in all scheduled Qualification Matches and, if they’re ranked high
enough to be included in a Finals Alliance, Finals Matches. Failure to attend scheduled Matches may
be considered a Violation of <G1> and the Code of Conduct. Teams that do not participate in any
Qualification Matches cannot be considered for Judged Awards.
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<GG3> Robots on the field must be ready to play. When a Team puts their Robot on the Field, it must be
prepared to play (i.e., batteries charged, sized within the starting size constraint, etc.).
a. Robots must be placed on the Field promptly. Repeated failure to do so could result in a Violation of
<G1> and/or removal of the Robot from the current Match at the Head Referee’s discretion.
b. If a Robot is not placed on the Field prior to the start of a Match, it cannot be placed on the Field during
that Match.

The definition of the word “promptly” is at the discretion of the Event Partner and Head
Referee, who will consider event schedule, previous Violations or delays, etc. As a general
guideline, five seconds to check Robot alignment would be acceptable, but five minutes to
assemble multiple parts together would not.

<GG4> Hands out of the Field. During a Match, Drive Team Members are prohibited from making intention-
al contact with any Field Element, Robot, or Scoring Object that has been introduced to the Field, except for
the allowances in <GG10>, <RSC5>, and/or <SG6>.
a. Drive Team Members are not permitted to break the plane of the Field Perimeter at any time during the
Match, apart from the actions described above or while Loading a Pin as described in rule <SG6>.
b. Transitive contact, such as contact with the Field Perimeter that causes the Field Perimeter to contact
Field Elements or objects inside of the Field, could be considered a Violation of this rule.

Note: Any concerns regarding Field Element or Scoring Object starting positions should be raised
with the Head Referee prior to the Match. Team members may never adjust Scoring Objects or Field
Elements themselves.

<GG5> Match Replays are allowed, but rare. Match replays (i.e., playing a Match over again from its start)
are at the discretion of the Event Partner and Head Referee, and will only be issued in the most extreme
circumstances. Some examples that may warrant a Match replay are as follows (note that this is not an
exhaustive list):
a. Score Affecting “Field fault” issues.
i. Scoring Objects not being reset before the Match starts.
ii. Field Elements detaching or moving beyond normal tolerances, not a result of Robot interactions.
b. Score Affecting game rule issues.
i. A Field is reset before the score is determined.
ii. A Match is run before its scheduled time without a Team.

<GG6> Disqualifications. A Team that is issued a Disqualification in a Qualification Match receives zero (0)
points for the Match. The other Team on their Alliance will still receive points for the Match.
a. In Finals Matches, Disqualifications apply to the whole Alliance, not just one Team. An Alliance that
receives a Disqualification in a Finals Match will receive zero (0) points.
b. A Team that receives a Disqualification in a Robot Skills Match will receive a score of zero (0).
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<GG7> Timeouts. There are no timeouts in VIQRC tournaments.

<GG8> Keep your Robot together. Robots may not intentionally detach parts or leave mechanisms on
the Field during any Match.
a. Parts that become unintentionally detached from the Robot are no longer considered to be part of the
Robot and can be either left on the Field or collected by a Drive Team Member during a Robot reset
using <GG10>.

<GG9> Don’t damage the Field. Robot interactions which damage the Field or any Field Elements are
prohibited. For the purpose of this rule, “damage” is defined as anything which requires repair in order to
begin the next Match, such as causing part of a Goal to detach from the Field.

Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots at all times, especially when inter-
acting with the Goals. If a Team chooses to repeatedly ram full-speed into a Field Element,
it will be hard to convince a Head Referee that any damage caused was “accidental.”

Violation Notes:
● In most cases, accidental Field damage should only be considered a Minor Violation
● Egregious, intentional, or repeated accidental/Minor Violations may escalate to a Major Viola-
tion at the Head Referee’s discretion

<GG10> Handling the Robot mid-match is allowed under certain circumstances. If a Robot goes com-
pletely outside the playing Field, gets stuck, tips over, or otherwise requires assistance, the Drive Team
Members may retrieve & reset their Robot. To do so, the Team must do the following:
a. Signal the Referee by placing their VEX IQ Controller on the ground.
b. Any Scoring Objects being controlled by the Robot while being handled must be removed from the
Field, and can be returned by a Loader in accordance with <SG4>.
i. In the context of this rule, “controlled” implies that the Robot was manipulating the Scoring Object,
and not simply touching it. For example, if the Scoring Object would move with the Robot either
vertically or while turning, then the Robot is “controlling” that Scoring Object.
c. The Robot must be placed back into a legal position that meets the criteria listed in clauses a,b, c, & d
of <SG1>. If any Scoring Objects are preventing the Robot from being legally placed, they should be
removed from the Field and reintroduced by a Loader in accordance with <SG4>.
d. Swapping one set of parts for another, or adding new pieces to a Robot mid-Match during a <GG10> or
<RSC5> interaction is considered a Violation of the intent and spirit of this rule. Repairing a Robot, or
reattaching parts of the Robot that fall off during a Match, is allowed.
e. As described in rule <S1>, Students cannot step into the Field at any time during a Match. If the Drive
Team Members cannot reach the Robot due to the Robot being in the center of the Field, they may ask
the Head Referee to pick up the Robot and hand it to the Drive Team Members for placement accord-
ing to the conditions above.
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Violation Notes: This rule is intended to allow Teams to fix damaged Robots or help get their
Robots “out of trouble.” Strategically exploiting this rule may be considered a Minor Violation or
Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.

<GG11> A Team’s two Drivers switch Controllers midway through the Match. In a given Match, up
to two (2) Drivers may be in the Driver Station per Team. The two Drivers must switch their controller
between thirty-five seconds (0:35 on the Match timer) and twenty-five seconds (0:25 on the Match
timer) remaining in the Match.
a. No Driver shall operate a Robot for more than thirty-five (35) seconds.
b. The second Driver may not touch their Team’s controls until the controller is passed to them.
c. Once the controller is passed, the first Driver may no longer touch their Team’s controls.
d. A Driver cannot also be a Loader in the same Match.
e. If a Drive Team for a Match only has two members, one must serve as the Driver until the mid-Match
Driver switch. The second Drive Team Member may serve as either the 2nd Driver (after the mid-
Match Driver switch) or the Loader for the full Match, but cannot fill both roles. If the 2nd Driver
position is unfilled, the Robot’s operation (even prewritten commands) must cease after the first
thirty-five (35) seconds of the Match.
f. If only one Drive Team Member is present, the Robot’s operation (even prewritten commands) must
cease after the first thirty-five (35) seconds of the Match and the Team will not have a Loader during
that Match.

Violation Notes: At a minimum, any Violation of this rule is considered a Minor Violation.
Whether it escalates to a Major Violation or not is dependent upon the Head Referee’s judgment
regarding:
● Prior Violations
● Any Score Affecting actions that were a direct result of the Violation, such as the first Driver
scoring additional points after 35 seconds of driving or a Driver also serving as a Loader in
the same Match.

<GG12> Stop Moving at the End of a Match. Driver inputs and Robot motion must cease at the end of
the Match, when the Match timer reaches 0:00.
a. A pre-programmed routine which causes Robot motion to continue after the end of the Match would
violate this rule.
b. Any scoring which takes place after the Match due to Robots continuing to move will not count
toward the score and is a Violation of this rule.

It is expected that many Mix & Match Matches will have last-second “buzzer-beater”
moments. The key moment occurs when the timer display shows 0:00. At many events,
a buzzer sound will also play at T=0:00; however, the Field timer display takes prece-
dence in the event of any audio discrepancies.
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If a Stack is released from a Robot before this moment, it will be allowed to finish its path
and the score will be calculated once it comes to rest. However, if it is released after this
moment (i.e., the Robot was still moving past T=0:00) it will not count and the Team will
receive a Violation as described below.

In cases where a last-second scoring attempt is “too close to call,” Teams will generally
be given the “benefit of the doubt” and the score will be counted. Teams are advised to
Place and release Stacks a second or two before the timer reaches zero to avoid the
need for referee judgment calls.

Violation Notes:
● Because scoring that happens after the Match is not counted, all Violations of <GG12>
should be recorded as Minor Violations.
● If a Team receives three Minor Violations within the same event, all future <GG12> Violations
at that event will be considered Major Violations and Disqualifications.
● This count does not reset for any reason within an event (e.g., Qualification vs Finals Matches,
one of the Team’s “dropped score” Matches, etc.), but does not include Violations that occur
in Robot Skills Matches

<GG13> Ending a Match early. If an Alliance wants to end a Qualification Match or a Finals Match early,
both Teams must signal the referee by ceasing all Robot motion and placing their controllers on the
ground. The referee will then signal to the Teams that the Match is over and will begin to tally the score.
If the Match is a tiebreaker Finals Match for first place, then the Match Stop Time will also be recorded
(see <T14b>).

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Specific Game Rules

<SG1> Starting a Match. At the beginning of a Match, the Robot must be placed such that it meets all of
the following criteria:
a. Fit within an 11” wide x 20” long x 15” high (279mm x 508mm x 381mm) volume, as checked during
inspection per <R5>.
b. Not contacting any Goals other than the one specified in clause c, other Robots, or Scoring Objects
other than a maximum of one (1) Preload. See rule <SG5>.
c. Contacting the structure of one of the two Triangle Goals.
i. For Teamwork Challenge Matches, the Team listed as Team 1 (printed Match list) or Red Team
(RobotEvents.com) must place their Robot in contact with the red Triangle Goal.
ii. For Teamwork Challenge Matches, the Team listed as Team 2 (printed Match list) or Blue Team
(RobotEvents.com) must place their Robot in contact with the blue Triangle Goal.
d. Only be contacting the Floor and the PVC pipe of the Goal.
e. Completely stationary (i.e., no motors or other mechanisms in motion) until the Match timer starts.
Pre-charging a pneumatic system (i.e., having the Pneumatic Pump running prior to the Match) is the
only permitted exception to this rule.
f. The starting configuration of the Robot at the beginning of a Match must be the same as a Robot
configuration that was checked during Robot inspection.

Violation Notes: The Match will not begin with any conditions in this rule unmet. If a Robot cannot
meet these conditions in a timely manner, the Robot will be removed from the Field and rules
<R3d> and <GG2> will apply until the situation is corrected. In most cases, they will not receive a
Disqualification, but they will not be permitted to play in the Match.

Figure SG1-1: Robots in a legal pre-Match starting position.

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<SG2> Horizontal expansion is limited. Robots cannot expand horizontally beyond the 11” x 20”
starting size limit at any time in the Match.

<SG3> Vertical expansion is limited. Once the Match begins, Robots may expand vertically beyond the
15” starting size limit with no limits.

<SG4> Keep Scoring Objects in the Field. Scoring Objects that leave the Field during a Match may be
reintroduced by a Loader in accordance with <SG6> with the following restrictions:
a. A blue Pin that leaves the Field may only be reintroduced by the blue Loader at the blue Load Zone; a
red Pin that leaves the Field may only be reintroduced by the red Loader at the red Load Zone.
b. An orange Pin or Beam that leaves the Field must be given to the Loader closest to the location
where it left the Field, and can only be reintroduced by that Loader.
c. “Leaving the Field” means that a Scoring Object is outside of the Field Perimeter and no longer in
contact with the Field, Field Elements, or Robots.
d. If a Scoring Object is removed from a Robot during a <GG10> interaction, it is considered “out of the
Field” as soon as it is no longer in contact with any Robots.
e. If a Scoring Object is on its way out of the Field (as determined by the Head Referee), but is deflected
back into the Field by a Drive Team Member, field monitor, ceiling/wall, or other external factor,
<SG4> would still apply. This Scoring Object should be considered “out of the Field,” removed by a
Head Referee, and given to a Loader.
f. If a set of Connected Scoring Objects leaves the Field, they must be separated and reintroduced
one at a time by the appropriate Loader(s).

<SG5> Each Robot gets one Pin as a Preload. For Teamwork Challenge Matches, the Team listed as
Team 1 (printed Match list) or Red Team (RobotEvents.com) will use a red Pin. Team 2 / Blue Team will
use a blue Pin. Prior to the start of each Match, each Preload must be placed such that it meets all of the
following criteria:
a. Contacting exactly one Robot.
b. Not contacting any Field Elements, Goals, or other Scoring Objects.

If a Robot is not present for a Teamwork Match, its Preload should be placed in the matching Load Zone.

<SG6> Using the Load Zone. Scoring Objects Loaded through the Load Zone must meet all of the
following criteria:
a. A Pin may only be put into the Load Zone that matches the color of that Pin, and must be placed in
contact with the VEX IQ Beam.
b. The Loader may only put a Scoring Object into a Load Zone if no other Scoring Objects are in
contact with that Load Zone.
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c. A Robot may not contact a Scoring Object in the Load Zone if that Scoring Object is being contacted
by a human.
d. Once a Scoring Object is Placed into a Load Zone and released, it may no longer be contacted by a
Loader.
e. If a Scoring Object is introduced improperly (e.g., while another Scoring Object is in contact with the
Load Zone), it must be retrieved by the Loader and reintroduced.

Note: Although it is not required, Robots are highly recommended to remain some distance
away from the Scoring Object until the Loader’s hand has clearly been removed. This will make
clauses d & e abundantly clear to Head Referees.

Violation Notes:
● Teams are responsible for their own actions. Violations that involve a Loader and Robot from
opposite Teams will be given to both Teams.
● It is expected that most Violations of this rule will be accidental. In accidental cases that end
up being Score Affecting (i.e., an illegally-Loaded Scoring Object is Connected to another
Scoring Object), the first occurrence during a Qualification Match may be treated as a Minor
Violation and a “final notice” that any future Violation will result in Disqualification for the
Match.
● Any Score Affecting Violation during a Finals Match (accidental and intentional) must be
treated as a Major Violation.
● Repeated, intentional, or egregious Violations may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head
Referee’s discretion. One example of an egregious Violation would be placing a Scoring
Object directly onto a Robot without ever contacting the Load Zone.

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Section 3 - The Robot
 VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match - Game Manual

Section 3 - The Robot

Description
Every Robot must pass a full inspection before being cleared to participate in the VEX IQ Robotics
Competition. This inspection will ensure that all Robot rules and regulations are met. Initial inspections
will typically take place during Team check-in / practice time. Every Team should use the rules below as
a guide to pre-inspect their Robot and ensure that it meets all requirements.

Comprehensive lists of legal and illegal VEX IQ Robotics Competition parts can be found in the VEX IQ
Robotics Competition Legal Parts and VEX IQ Robotics Competition Illegal Parts supplements. These
documents are updated as needed if/when new VEX IQ parts are released, and may not coincide with
scheduled Game Manual updates.

Inspection Rules
<R1> One Robot per Team. Each Team can only bring one (1) Robot to a given event. Though it is
expected that Teams will make changes to their Robots at the event, a Team is limited to only one (1)
Robot, and a given Robot may only be used by one (1) Team. The VEX IQ system is intended to be a
mobile robotics design platform. As such, a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Robot, for the purposes of the
VEX IQ Robotics Competition, has the following subsystems:
● Subsystem 1: Mobile robotic base including wheels, tracks, or any other mechanism that allows the
Robot to navigate the majority of the flat playing Field surface. For a stationary Robot, the robotic
base without wheels would be considered Subsystem 1.
● Subsystem 2: Power and control system that includes a VEX IQ legal battery, a VEX IQ control
system, and associated Smart Motors for the mobile robotic base. Also includes the VEX IQ pneu-
matic air pump and solenoids if used on the Robot.
● Subsystem 3: Additional mechanisms (and associated Smart Motors) that allow manipulation of
Scoring Objects or navigation/manipulation of Field Elements.
Given the above definitions, a minimum Robot for use in any VEX IQ Robotics Competition event (includ-
ing Skills Challenges) must consist of subsystems 1 and 2 above. Thus, if you are swapping out an entire
subsystem 1 or 2, you have now created a second Robot and are no longer legal.
a. Teams may not compete with one Robot while a second is being modified or assembled at a
competition.
b. Teams may not have an assembled second Robot on hand at a competition that is used to repair or
swap parts with the first Robot.
c. Teams may not switch back and forth between multiple Robots during a competition. This includes
using different Robots for Robot Skills Matches, Qualification Matches, and/or Finals Matches.
d. Multiple Teams may not use the same Robot. Once a Robot has competed under a given Team
number at an event, it is “their” Robot; no other Teams may compete with it for the duration of the
competition season.

The intent of <R1a>, <R1b>, and <R1c> is to ensure an unambiguous level playing field
for all Teams. Teams are welcome (and encouraged) to improve or modify their Robots
between events, or to collaborate with other Teams to develop the best possible game
solution.
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However, a Team who brings and/or competes with two separate Robots at the same
tournament has diminished the efforts of a Team who spent extra design time making
sure that their one Robot can accomplish all of the game’s tasks. A multi-Team organi-
zation that shares a single Robot has diminished the efforts of a multi-Team organiza-
tion that puts in the time, effort, and resources to undergo separate individual design
processes and develop their own Robots.

To help determine whether a Robot is a “separate Robot” or not, use the Subsystem
definitions found in <R1>. Above that, use common sense as referenced in <G3>. If you
can place two complete and legal Robots on a table next to each other, then they are
two separate Robots. Trying to decide if changing a pin, a wheel, or a motor constitutes
a separate Robot is missing the intent and spirit of this rule.

<R2> Robots must represent the Team’s skill level. The Robot must be designed, built, and pro-
grammed by members of the Team. Adults are permitted to mentor and teach design, building, and
programming skills to the Students on the Team, but may not design, build, or program that Team’s
Robot.

In VIQRC, we expect Adults to teach fundamental Robot principles like linkages, drive-
trains, and manipulators, then allow the Students to determine which designs to imple-
ment and build on their Robot.

Similarly, Adults are encouraged to teach the Students how to code various functions
involving applicable sensors and mechanisms, then have the Students program the
Robot from what they have learned.

<R3> Robots must pass inspection. The Team’s Robot must pass inspection before being allowed
to participate in any Matches. Noncompliance with any Robot design or construction rule will result in
removal from Matches or Disqualification of the Robot at an event until the Robot is brought back into
compliance, as described in the following subclauses.
a. Significant changes to a Robot, such as a partial or full swap of Subsystem 3, must be re-inspected
before the Robot may compete again.
b. All possible functional Robot configurations must be inspected before being used in competition.
c. Teams may be asked to submit to spot inspections by Head Referees. Refusal to submit will result in
Disqualification.
d. If a Robot is determined to not be legal before a Match begins and cannot be brought into compli-
ance before the scheduled Match start time, the Robot will be removed from the Field. The Robot
may remain at the Field so that the Team does not get assessed a “no-show” (per <GG2>).
e. Robots which have not passed inspection (i.e., that are in Violation of one or more Robot rules) will
not be permitted to play in any Matches until they have done so. <GG3> will apply to any Matches
that occur until the Robot has passed inspection.

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f. If a Robot has passed inspection, but is later found to be in Violation of a Robot rule during or
immediately following a Match, then they will be Disqualified from that Match and <R3d>/<GG3> will
apply until the Violation is remedied and the Team is re-inspected. This is the only Match that will be
affected; any prior Matches that have already been completed will not be revisited. <R3d> will apply
until the Violation is remedied and the Team is re-inspected.
g. All inspection rules are to be enforced at the discretion of the Head Referee within a given event.
Robot legality at one event does not automatically imply legality at future events. Robots which rely
on “edge-case” interpretations of subjective rules, such as whether a decoration is “non-functional”
or not, should expect additional scrutiny during inspection.

<R4> There is a difference between accidentally and willfully violating a Robot rule. Any Violation of
Robot rules, accidental or intentional, will result in a Team being unable to play until they pass inspection
(per <R3d>).

However, Teams who intentionally and/or knowingly circumvent or violate rules to gain an advantage
over their fellow competitors are in Violation of the spirit and ethos of the competition. Any Violation of
this sort should be considered a Violation of <G1> and/or the REC Foundation Code of Conduct.

A Team that circumvents a Robot rule for a competitive advantage should receive an immediate
Disqualification for the current Match and be reported to the Event Partner for discussion with the REC
Foundation Regional Support Manager. As a result of that discussion, the Team may be Disqualified
from the event. The Violation should also be reported to the REC Foundation Rules and Conduct Com-
mittee following the event.

<R5> Robots must fit within an 11” x 20” x 15” (279.4mm x 508mm x 381.0mm) volume.
a. Teams using more than one possible Robot configuration at the beginning of Matches must tell the
inspector(s) and have the Robot inspected in all configurations. Rule <R3c> will apply if a Robot is
placed in an uninspected configuration (i.e., will not be permitted to play until re-inspected, but will
not be considered a “no-show”).
b. A Team may NOT have its Robot inspected in one configuration and then place it in an uninspected
configuration at the start of a Match.

Figure R5-1: The approximate size that a Robot should start the
Match in.

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<R6> Officially registered Team numbers must be displayed on Robot License Plates. To participate
in an official VEX IQ Robotics Competition Event, a Team must first register on RobotEvents.com and
receive a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team number.

This Team number must be legibly displayed on exactly two (2) VEX IQ Robotics Competition License
Plates on opposing sides of the Robot. Teams may use the official VEX IQ Robotics Competition License
Plate (VEX Part Number 228-7401) or a plain paper version of matching size, such as this template in the
REC Library.
a. License Plates are considered functional components, and must meet the requirements of all Robot
rules.
b. License Plates must be clearly visible at all times. For example, License Plates must not be in a
position that would be easily obstructed by a Robot mechanism during standard Match play.
c. Additional License Plates cannot be used on the Robot for any purpose.

Figure R6-1: A VEX IQ Robotics Competition License Plate with a VEX

IQ Robotics Competition Team Number written upon it.

<R7> Let it go after the Match is over. Robots must be designed to permit easy removal of Scoring
Objects from their Robot without requiring that the Robot have power or remote control after the Match
is over.

<R8> Robots have one Brain. Robots are limited to one (1) VEX IQ Robot Brain. Any other microcontrol-
lers or processing devices are not allowed, even as non-functional decorations.

This includes microcontrollers that are part of other VEX product lines, such as VEX Cortex, VEX EXP,
VEXpro, VEX CTE, VEX RCR, VEX V5, VEX GO, or VEX Robotics by HEXBUG*. This also includes devices
that are unrelated to VEX, such as Raspberry Pi or Arduino devices.
a. If using a first generation VEX IQ Brain, Robots must use one (1) VEX IQ 900 MHz radio, VEX IQ 2.4
GHz radio, or VEX IQ Smart Radio in conjunction with their VEX IQ Robot Brain. The VEX IQ Brain
and VEX IQ Controller may not be physically connected during a Match, and may only communicate
through the radio.
b. Additional Robot Brains cannot be used on the Robot (even Robot Brains that are not connected).

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<R9> Keep the power button accessible. The on/off button on the VEX IQ Robot Brain must be accessible
without moving or lifting the Robot. All screens and/or lights must also be easily visible by competition
personnel to assist in diagnosing Robot problems.

This rule is in place to ensure the safety of both competitors and field staff. In the event
that a Robot needs to be quickly powered off—whether due to a malfunction, entangle-
ment, or other safety concern—it is crucial that the power button remains easily acces-
sible. This allows competitors and/or field personnel to safely Disable the Robot without
putting their hands near moving parts or other hazards inside the Robot. Additionally,
keeping screens and indicator lights visible helps officials diagnose issues efficiently,
minimizing downtime and ensuring a smooth competition experience.

<R10> Firmware. Teams must use VEXos version 2.2.1 or newer on Gen1 Brains, or VEXos version 1.0.8 or
newer on Gen2 Brains. The latest firmware can be found at https://link.vex.com/firmware. Custom firmware
modifications are not permitted.
a. The minimum version requirement is subject to change over the course of the season.
b. When the minimum version is updated, Teams have a two week (14 calendar day) grace period from the
time the minimum version is changed to update their firmware to the latest minimum version.
c. VEX Robotics reserves the right to deem any firmware update critical, and remove the allowable grace
period.

<R11> Motors. Robots may use up to six (6) VEX IQ Smart Motors.
a. Additional motors cannot be used on the Robot (even motors that aren’t connected).

<R12> Batteries. The only allowable sources of electrical power for a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Robot
are one (1) VEX IQ Robot Battery (first or second generation) or six (6) AA batteries via the Robot AA
Battery Holder (228-3493).
a. Additional batteries cannot be used on the Robot (even batteries that aren’t connected).
b. Teams are permitted to have an external power source (such as a rechargeable battery pack) plugged
into their VEX IQ Controller during a Match, provided that this power source is connected safely and
does not violate any other rules (such as <GG1>).

Note: Although it is legal, the Robot AA Battery Holder (228-3493) is not recommended for use in
the VEX IQ Robotics Competition.

<R13> One Controller per Robot. No more than one (1) VEX IQ Controller may control a single Robot.
a. No physical or electrical modification of the Controller is allowed under any circumstances.
i. Attachments which assist the Drivers in holding or manipulating buttons/joysticks on the V5 Con-
troller are permitted, provided that they do not involve direct physical or electrical modification of
the Controller itself.
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b. No other methods of controlling the Robot (light, sound, etc.) are permissible.
i. Using sensor feedback to augment Driver control (such as motor encoders or the Vision Sensor) is
permitted.
ii. See <RSC5>, <RSC6>, and <RSC7> for more information about operating the Robot during Auton-
omous Coding Skills Matches.

<R14> Robots are built from the VEX IQ product line. Robots may be built ONLY from official Robot
components from the VEX IQ product line, unless otherwise specifically noted within these rules.
a. Official VEX IQ products are ONLY available from VEX Robotics. To determine whether or not a product
is “official” and legal for competition use, consult the following sources:
i. VEX IQ Robotics Competition Legal Parts Appendix
ii. VEX IQ Robotics Competition Illegal Parts Appendix
iii. www.vexiq.com
b. If an inspector or Head Referee questions whether something is an official VEX IQ component, the
Team will be required to provide documentation that proves the component’s source. Such documen-
tation may include receipts, part numbers, or other printed documentation.
c. Only VEX IQ components specifically designed for use in Robot construction are allowed. Using addi-
tional components outside their typical purpose is against the intent of the rule (i.e., please don’t try
using VEX IQ apparel, Team or event support materials, packaging, Field Elements, or other non-Robot
products on a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Robot).
d. Official Robotics components from the VEX IQ product line that have been discontinued are still legal
for Robot use. However, Teams must be aware of <R14b>.
e. Additional VEX IQ products that are released during the season are legal for use, unless otherwise
noted on their product pages.
f. VEX IQ Smart Cables may only be used for connecting legal electronic devices to the VEX IQ Robot
Brain.

Note: A comprehensive list of legal VEX IQ parts can be found in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition
Legal Parts Appendix, at https://www.vexrobotics.com/iq/competition/viqc-current-game. This
Appendix is updated as needed if/when new VEX IQ parts are released, and may not coincide with
scheduled Game Manual updates.

<R15> Prohibited items. The following types of mechanisms and components are NOT allowed:
a. Those that could potentially damage Field Elements or Scoring Objects.
b. Those that could potentially damage or entangle other Robots.
c. Grease, oil, graphite, and/or any other lubricant or plastic additive.
d. Tape and/or any other material that adheres to or changes a legal part, other than non-functional
decorations as permitted by <R17>.

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e. Products from the VEX 123, VEX V5, VEX CTE, VEX EXP, Cortex, or VEXpro product lines, unless
specifically allowed by a clause of <R16>.
f. Electrical components from the VEX Robotics by HEXBUG* product line.
g. Electrical components from the VEX GO product line.
h. 3D printed parts for any purpose, including non-functional decorations.
i. Additional illegal parts are listed in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition Illegal Parts Appendix, at
https://link.vex.com/ docs/viqrc/illegal-parts. This Appendix is updated as needed, and may not
coincide with scheduled Game Manual updates.

<R16> Legal Non-VEX IQ components. Robots are allowed to use the following additional “non-VEX IQ”
components:
a. Rubber bands that are identical in length and thickness to those included in the VEX IQ product line
(#32, #64, #117B, & #170).
b. ⅛” metal shafts from the VEX V5 product line.
c. Other products from the VEX V5 product line that are also cross-listed as part of the VEX IQ product
line are legal. A “cross-listed” product is one which can be found in both the VEX IQ and VEX V5
sections of the VEX Robotics website.
d. Mechanical/structural components from the VEX Robotics by HEXBUG* product line are legal for
Robot construction.
e. Mechanical/structural components from the VEX GO product line are legal for Robot construction.
f. Aerosol-based cooling/freeze spray may be used to assist in cooling motors. Teams using freeze
spray or similar products in ways that may reasonably be deemed unsafe could be subject to <S1>
Violations.
g. Cleaners, disinfectants, and/or sanitizers may be used to assist in cleaning Robots, parts, compo-
nents, etc. VEX Robotics recommends these procedures for cleaning/disinfecting/sanitizing Robot
parts.

<R17> Decorations are allowed. Teams may add non-functional decorations, provided that they do not
affect Robot performance in any significant way or affect the outcome of the Match. These decorations
must be in the spirit of the competition. Inspectors and Head Referees will have final say in what is con-
sidered “non-functional.” Unless otherwise specified below, non-functional decorations are governed
by all standard Robot rules.
a. Decorations must be in the spirit of an educational competition.
b. To be considered “non-functional,” any decorations must be backed by legal materials that provide
the same functionality. For example, a giant decal cannot be used to prevent Scoring Objects from
falling out of the Robot unless it is backed by VEX IQ material. A simple way to check this is to deter-
mine if removing the decoration would impact the performance of the Robot in any way.
* The HEXBUG brand is a registered trademark belonging to Spin Master Corp

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c. The use of non-toxic paint is considered a legal non-functional decoration. However, any paint being
used as an adhesive or to impact how tightly parts fit together would be classified as functional.

Teams should be mindful of any non-functional decorations which could risk “distract-
ing” an Alliance partner Robot’s Vision Sensor or other sensors.

<R18> Pneumatics. Robots using parts from the VEX IQ Pneumatics Kit (228-8795) must satisfy all of
the following criteria:
a. No more than two (2) Air Tanks, including any that aren’t connected.
b. No more than (1) Air Pump, including any that aren’t connected.
c. No additional parts that are not included in the VEX IQ Pneumatics Kit (e.g., unofficial tubing or
fittings).

There is no limit on the number of Pneumatic Cylinders or Pneumatic Solenoids that may be used,
provided that no other rules are violated. There are no restrictions on running the Air Pump prior to (or
during) Matches.

The intent of <R18a> is to limit Robots to the air pressure stored in two Air Tanks, as well
as the normal working air pressure contained in any Pneumatic Cylinders and tubing on
the Robot. Teams may not use other elements for the purposes of storing or generating
air pressure.

Using Pneumatic Cylinders or additional tubing solely for additional air storage is in Vio-
lation of the spirit of this rule. Similarly, using Pneumatic Cylinders and/or tubing without
an actual pneumatic system (e.g., Air Tanks and/or a Air Pump) is also in Violation of the
spirit of this rule.

<R19> Modifications of parts. Parts may NOT be modified unless specifically listed as an exception
in this rule. Examples of illegal modifications include, but are not limited to, bending, cutting, sanding,
gluing, lubricating, taping, and melting. The following exceptions are the only legal modifications of
parts:
a. Cutting metal VEX IQ or VEX V5 shafts to custom lengths.
b. Bending parts which are intended to be flexible, such as string, rubber bands, or thin plastic sheets.
c. Cutting VEX IQ pneumatic tubing to custom lengths.
d. Tying knots to shorten or connect string or rubber bands.

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Section 4 - Robot Skills Challenge
 VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match - Game Manual

Section 4 - Robot Skills Challenge

Overview
In this challenge, Teams will compete in sixty-second (one minute) Matches in an effort to score as
many points as possible. These Matches consist of Driving Skills Matches, which are entirely Driver
controlled, and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, which are autonomous with limited human interac-
tion. Teams will be ranked based on their combined score in the two types of Robot Skills Matches.

The Robot Skills Challenge is an optional event for all Teams. Teams who do not compete will not be
penalized in the main tournament. However, participation in the Robot Skills Challenge may impact
eligibility for judged awards at the event.

At events that include Qualification Matches, Teams may only participate in the Robot Skills Challenge if
they also participate in the Qualification Matches. See rule <T15>.

Robot Skills Challenge Definitions

All definitions from previous sections of the manual apply to the Robot Skills Challenge, unless other-
wise specified.

Driving Skills Match - A Driving Skills Match consists of a sixty-second (one minute) Driver Controlled
Period. There is no Autonomous Period. Teams can elect to end a Driving Skills Match early as de-
scribed in rule <RSC8> if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.

Autonomous Coding Skills Match - An Autonomous Coding Skills Match consists of a sixty-second
(one minute) Autonomous Period. There is no Driver Controlled Period. Teams can elect to end an
Autonomous Coding Skills Match early if they wish to record a Skills Stop Time.

Robot Skills Match - A Driving Skills Match or Autonomous Coding Skills Match.

Skills Stop Time - The time remaining in a Robot Skills Match when a Team ends the Match early.
a. If a Team does not end the Match early, they receive a default Skills Stop Time of 0.
b. The moment when the Match ends early is defined as the moment when the Robot and Scoring
Objects have come to a rest and the Driver has provided the agreed upon visual and audio signal to
the Referee. See <RSC8> for more details.
c. If a Tournament Manager display is being used for field timing, then the Skills Stop Time is the time
shown on the display when the Match is ended early (i.e., in 1-second increments).
d. If a manual timer is being used that counts down to 0 with greater accuracy than 1-second incre-
ments, then the time shown on the timer should be rounded up to the nearest second. For example,
if the Robot is Disabled and the timer shows 25.2 seconds, then the Skills Stop Time should be
recorded as 26.

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Robot Skills Challenge Rules

<RSC1> Standard rules apply in most cases. All rules from previous sections apply to the Robot Skills
Matches, unless otherwise specified in this section.

Violation Notes:
● Violations of <GG>, <SG>, and <RSC> rules that occur during a Robot Skills Match should
only affect the outcome of that Match and should not be considered when determining
whether a Violation has been repeated during the event.

<RSC2> Scoring Robot Skills Matches. For each Robot Skills Match, Teams are awarded a score based
on the standard scoring rules.

<RSC3> Robot and Field setup for Skills Matches. The Robot and Field are set up the same as a
Teamwork Challenge Match, with the following modifications:
a. The layout of Scoring Objects for a Mix & Match Robot Skills Match differs from the layout for
Teamwork Challenge Matches, as shown in Figure RSC3-1.
b. The Robot must start the Robot Skills Match in contact with the structure of the red Triangle Goal.
c. The Loader must use the red Load Zone to Load Pins.

Figure RSC3-1: The Field Configuration for a VIQRC Mix and Match Robot Skills Match.

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<RSC4> Loader and Driver differences. All criteria listed in <SG6> apply as written (e.g., a Loader
cannot put a Scoring Object into a Load Zone if there’s already a Scoring Object there). Loading is
modified as follows:
a. In both Driving Skills Matches and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, any Driver who is not cur-
rently Driving the Robot may also serve as a Loader (i.e., a Team may have one, two, or three Loaders
at any given time).
b. The blue Load Zone is not used in Robot Skills Matches, and Scoring Objects may only be intro-
duced into the red Load Zone. This includes any Scoring Object that is reintroduced after leaving the
Field during the Match.
c. Any Scoring Object that leaves the Field during a Robot Skills Match should be given to the Team’s
human Loader for reintroduction at the red Load Zone, regardless of that object’s color.

<RSC5> Handling Robots during an Autonomous Coding Skills Match. A Team may handle their
Robot as many times as desired during an Autonomous Coding Skills Match.
a. Upon handling the Robot, it must be immediately brought back to a legal starting position.
i. Drive Team Members may reset or adjust the Robot as desired from this position, including
pressing buttons on the Robot Brain or activating sensors.
ii. Any Scoring Objects being controlled by the Robot while being handled must be removed from
the Field, and can be reintroduced by a Loader in accordance with <SG6> and <RSC4>.
iii. As described in rule <S1>, Students cannot step into the Field at any time during a Match. If the
Drive Team Members cannot reach the Robot due to the Robot being in the center of the Field,
they may ask the Head Referee to pick up the Robot and hand it to the Drive Team Members for
placement according to the conditions above.
b. During an Autonomous Coding Skills Match, Drivers may move freely around the Field, and are not
restricted to the Driver Station when not handling their Robot.
i. The rest of <GG1>, which states that Drive Team Members are not allowed to use any communi-
cation devices during their Match, still applies.
ii. An intent of this exception is to permit Drivers who wish to “stage” Robot handling during an
Autonomous Coding Skills Match to do so without excessive running back and forth to the Driver
Station.

This rule is an explicit exception to rules <GG4> and the Violation Note for <GG10>, and
may be used as part of a Team’s strategy for Autonomous Coding Skills Matches.

Driving Skills Matches are still governed by <GG4> & the Violation Note for <GG10>,
especially for strategic Violations.

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<RSC6> Starting an Autonomous Coding Skills Match. Drivers must start a Robot’s Autonomous
Coding Skills Match routine by pressing a button on the Robot Brain or manually activating a sensor.
Because there is no VEX IQ Controller hand-off, only one (1) Driver is required for an Autonomous
Coding Skills Match (though Teams may still have two (2) if desired).
a. Pre-Match sensor calibration is considered part of the standard pre-Match setup time (i.e., the time
when the Team would typically be turning on the Robot, moving any mechanisms to their desired
legal start position, etc.).
b. Pressing a button on the VEX IQ Controller to begin the routine is not permitted. To avoid any confu-
sion, Teams are advised not to bring controllers to Autonomous Coding Skills Matches.

In accordance with <GG3>, Teams should be mindful of event schedules and set their
Robot up as promptly as possible. The definition of “prompt” is at the discretion of the
Event Partner and Head Referee, and could depend on things like how much time is left
for the Skills Challenge Field(s) to be open, how many Teams are waiting in line, etc. As
a general guideline, three seconds to calibrate a Gyro Sensor would be acceptable, but
three minutes to debug a program would not.

<RSC7> Autonomous means “no humans.” During an Autonomous Coding Skills Match, Drive Team
Members are not permitted to activate any controls on their VEX IQ Controller, and cannot manually
trigger sensors (including the Vision Sensor) in any way, even without touching them.

<RSC8> Skills Stop Time. If a Team wishes to end their Robot Skills Match early, they may elect to
record a Skills Stop Time. This is used as a tiebreaker for Robot Skills Challenge rankings. A Skills Stop
Time does not affect a Team’s score for a given Robot Skills Match. Drivers and field staff must agree
prior to the Match on the signal that will be used to end the Match early.
a. As noted in the definition of Skills Stop Time, the moment when the Match ends early is defined as
the moment when the Robot and Scoring Objects have come to a rest and the Driver provides the
agreed upon visual and audio signal to the Scorekeeper Referee.
b. Teams who intend to attempt a Skills Stop Time must “opt-in” by verbally confirming with the Score-
keeper Referee prior to the Robot Skills Match. If no notification is given prior to the start of the
Match, then the Team forfeits their option to record a Skills Stop Time for that Match.
c. This conversation should include informing the Scorekeeper Referee which Driver will signal the
stop. The Match may only be ended early by a Driver for that Match.
d. The agreed-upon signal to stop the Match must be both verbal and visual, such as Drivers crossing
their arms in an “X” or placing their VEX IQ Controller on the ground.
e. It is recommended that the Driver also provides a verbal notice that they are approaching their Skills
Stop Time, such as counting out “3-2-1-stop.”
f. If a Team runs multiple Robot Skills Matches in a row, they must reconfirm their Skills Stop Time
choice with the Scorekeeper Referee prior to each Match.
g. Any questions regarding a Skills Stop Time should be reviewed and settled immediately following
the Match. <T1> and <T3> apply to Robot Skills Matches.

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Section 5 - The Event
 VEX IQ Robotics Competition Mix & Match - Game Manual

Section 5 - The Event

Description
The VEX IQ Robotics Competition encompasses both the Teamwork Challenge and the Robot Skills
Challenge. This section describes how the Teamwork Challenge and Robot Skills Challenge are to be
played at a given event. For information about the requirements for tournaments that qualify Teams to
championship events, visit this article in the REC Library.

Awards may be given to top Teams in each format, as applicable. Awards may also be given for overall
performance in the judged criteria. Please review the Guide to Judging: Awards article in the REC
Library for more details.

Tournament Definitions
Event Partner - The volunteer VEX IQ Robotics Competition tournament coordinator who serves as an
overall manager for the volunteers, venue, event materials, and all other event considerations. Event
Partners serve as the official liaison between the REC Foundation, the event volunteers, and event
attendees.

Finals Match - A Teamwork Challenge Match used to determine the Teamwork Challenge champions.

Head Referee - A certified impartial volunteer responsible for enforcing the rules in this manual as
written. Head Referees are the only people who may discuss ruling interpretations or scoring questions
with Teams at an event. Large events (e.g., Signature Events, World Championships, etc.) might include
multiple Head Referees at the Event Partner’s discretion.

Match Stop Time - The time remaining (i.e., displayed on the timer or audience display) in a tiebreaker
Finals Match (which only occurs for 1st place) when an Alliance ends the Match early by placing their
controllers on the ground. The Match Stop Time is rounded down to the nearest even number. For
example, if controllers are set down when the displayed time is 13 seconds, the Match Stop Time is
recorded as 12 seconds. If an Alliance does not finish the Match early, they receive a default Match Stop
Time of 0 seconds.

Practice Match - A non-scored Match used to provide time for Teams to get acquainted with the official
playing Field.

Qualification Match - A Teamwork Challenge Match used to determine the event rankings.

Robot Skills Challenge - A portion of the VEX IQ Robotics Competition. The Robot Skills Challenge
consists of Driving Skills Matches and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches as described in the General
Definitions.

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Scorekeeper Referee - An impartial volunteer responsible for tallying scores at the end of a Match.
Scorekeeper Referees do not make ruling interpretations, and should redirect any Team questions
regarding rules or scores to the Head Referee.

Teamwork Challenge - A portion of the VEX IQ Robotics Competition. The Teamwork Challenge
consists of Teamwork Challenge Matches and Finals Matches, and may include Practice Matches.

Tournament Rules
<T1> Head Referees have ultimate and final authority on all gameplay and robot ruling decisions
during the competition.
a. Scorekeeper Referees score the Match, and may serve as observers or advisers for the Head
Referees, but may not determine any rules or infractions directly.
b. When issuing a Disqualification or Violation to a Team, the Head Referee should attempt to notify the
Team as the Violation occurs, and after the Match must provide the rule number of the specific rule
that has been Violated and record the Violation in the Match Anomaly Log.
c. Major Violations of the REC Foundation Code of Conduct and other rules related to the Code of
Conduct require additional escalation beyond the Head Referee’s initial ruling, including (but not
limited to) investigation by REC Foundation representatives. Rules <S1>, <S2>, <G1>, <G2>, <G4>,
and <R4> are the rules for which this escalation may be required.
d. Event Partners may not overrule a Head Referee’s gameplay or Robot decisions.
e. Every Qualification Match and Finals Match must be watched by a certified Head Referee. Head
Referees may only watch one Match at a time; if multiple Matches are happening simultaneously on
separate Fields, each Field must have its own Head Referee.
f. At a minimum, every Robot Skills Match must be watched by a trained Scorekeeper Referee, who
may only watch one Match at a time. If multiple Robot Skills Matches are happening simultaneously
on separate Fields, each Field must have its own Scorekeeper Referee. A certified Head Referee
must be available at the event to explain a rule, Disqualification, Violation, or other penalty to Teams
in Robot Skills Matches as needed in support of the Scorekeeper Referees at skills Fields.

Note from the VEX GDC: The rules contained in this Game Manual are written to be
enforced by human Head Referees. Many rules have “black-and-white” criteria that can
be easily checked. However, some rulings will rely on a judgment call from this human
Head Referee. In these cases, Head Referees will make their calls based on what they
and the Scorekeeper Referees saw, what guidance is provided by their official support
materials (the Game Manual and the Q&A), and most crucially, the context of the Match
in question.

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition does not have video replay, our Fields do not have
absolute sensors to count scores, and most events do not have the resources for an
extensive review conference between each Match.

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When an ambiguous rule results in a controversial call, there is a natural instinct to

wonder what the “right” ruling “should have been,” or what the GDC “would have ruled.”
This is ultimately an irrelevant question; our answer is that when a rule specifies “Head
Referee’s discretion” (or similar), then the “right” call is the one made by the Head
Referee in the moment. The VEX GDC designs games, and writes rules, with this expec-
tation (constraint) in mind.

<T2> Head Referees must be qualified. VEX IQ Head Referees must have all of the following
qualifications:
a. Be at least 16 years of age.
b. Be approved by the Event Partner.
c. Be an REC Foundation Certified VIQRC Head Referee for the current season. Visit the REC Library
for more details.
d. Cannot be the Event Partner or a Judge Advisor for the event.

Note: Scorekeeper Referees must be at least 15 years of age, and must be approved by the
Event Partner.

<T3> The Drive Team Members are permitted to immediately appeal the Head Referee’s ruling.
If Drive Team Members wish to dispute a score or ruling, they must stay in the Driver Station until the
Head Referee talks with them. The Head Referee may choose to meet with the Drive Team Members
at another location and/or at a later time so that the Head Referee has time to reference materials or
resources to help with the decision. Once the Head Referee announces that their decision has been
made final, the issue is over and no more appeals may be made (see rule <T1>).
a. Referees are not permitted to review any photo or video Match recordings when determining a
score or ruling.
b. Head Referees are the only individuals permitted to explain a rule, Disqualification, or Violation to the
Teams in a Teamwork Challenge Match. Teams should never consult other field personnel, including
Scorekeeper Referees, regarding a ruling clarification.
Communication and conflict resolution skills are an important life skill for Students to practice and
learn. In VEX IQ Robotics Competitions, we expect Students to practice proper conflict resolution using
the proper chain of command. Violations of this rule may be considered a Violation of <G1> and/or the
Code of Conduct.

Some events may choose to utilize a “question box” or other designated location for
discussions with Head Referees. Offering a “question box” is within the discretion of the
Event Partner and/or Head Referee, and may act as an alternate option for asking Drive
Team Members to remain in the Driver Station (although all other aspects of this rule
apply).

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However, by using this alternate location, Drive Team Members acknowledge that they
are forfeiting the opportunity to use any contextual information involving the specific
state of the Field at the end of the Match. For example, it is impossible to appeal
whether a game element was scored or not if the Field has already been reset. If this
information is pertinent to the appeal, Drive Team Members should still remain in the
Driver Station, and relocate to the “question box” once the Head Referee has been
made aware of the concern and/or any relevant context.

<T4> The Event Partner has ultimate authority regarding all non-gameplay decisions during an
event. The Game Manual is intended to provide a set of rules for successfully playing VIQRC Mix &
Match; it is not intended to be an exhaustive compilation of guidelines for running a VEX IQ Robotics
Competition event. Rules such as, but not limited to, the following examples are at the discretion of the
Event Partner and should be treated with the same respect as the Game Manual:
● Venue access
● Pit spaces
● Health and safety
● Team registration and/or competition eligibility
● Team conduct away from competition Fields

This rule exists alongside <G1>, <S1>, and <G3>. Even though there isn’t a rule that
says “do not steal from the concession stand,” it would still be within an Event Partner’s
authority to remove a thief from the competition.

<T5> Be prepared for minor field variance. Field Element tolerances may vary from nominal by up to
±0.5” [12.7mm], unless otherwise specified. Teams are encouraged to design their Robots accordingly.
Please make sure to check Appendix A for more specific nominal dimensions and tolerances.

The Field and Field Elements are designed to be assembled and disassembled multiple
times each year. Event Partners store and transport Fields between events, and the in-
dividuals setting up the Field at one event may differ from those at the next. While every
effort will be made to ensure minimal variance, Teams should expect that any Field may
be slightly different than another, and prepare accordingly. Just because something
works on one Field does not fully guarantee it will work on the next, and is not enough
evidence alone to determine if a Field is out of tolerance.

<T6> Fields and Field Elements may be repaired at the Event Partner’s discretion. All competition
Fields and other Field Elements at an event must be set up in accordance with the specifications in
Appendix A and/or other applicable support materials. Minor aesthetic customizations or repairs are
permitted, provided that they do not impact gameplay (see <T4>).

Examples of permissible modifications include, but are not limited to:

a. Replacing a damaged or missing VEX IQ component with an identical part of any color.
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b. Elevating the playing Field off of the Floor (common heights are 10” to 24” [254mm to 609.6mm]).
c. Using off-the-shelf PVC to replace a damaged or missing pipe.

<T7> Fields at an event must be consistent with each other. There are many types of permissible aes-
thetic and/or logistical modifications that may be made to competition Fields at the Event Partner’s discre-
tion. If an event has multiple Teamwork Challenge Fields, they must all incorporate the same permissible/
applicable modifications. For example, if one Field is elevated, then all Teamwork Challenge Fields must be
elevated to the same height.

Examples of these modifications may include, but are not limited to:
● Elevating the playing Field off of the Floor (common heights are 12” to 24” [30.5cm to 61cm])
● Field display monitors
● Field Perimeter decorations (e.g., LED lights, sponsor banners attached to risers)

Note: If an event has dedicated Fields for Robot Skills Matches, there is no requirement for them
to have the same consistent modifications as the Teamwork Challenge Fields. See <T16> for more
details.

<T8> Qualification Matches will occur according to the official match schedule. This schedule will
indicate Alliance partners, Qualification Match times, and, if the event has multiple Fields, which Field each
Qualification Match will be played on.
a. Practice Matches may be included in the Match schedule at some events, but are not required. If
Practice Matches are run, every effort will be made to equalize practice time for all Teams.
b. A Qualification Match can only start before its scheduled time if all Teams, Robots, and assigned volun-
teers are at the Field and ready to play.
c. Any multi-division event must be approved by the REC Foundation RSM prior to the event, and divisions
must be assigned in sequential order by Team number.

Note: The official Match schedule is subject to changes at the Event Partner’s discretion.

<T9> Each Team will be scheduled Qualification Matches as follows.

a. When in a tournament, the tournament must have a minimum of six (6) Qualification Matches per Team
at local qualifying events and eight (8) for a Championship event.
b. When in a league, there must be at least three (3) league ranking sessions, with at least one (1) week
between sessions. Each session must have a minimum of two (2) Qualification Matches per Team. The
suggested number of Qualification Matches per Team for a standard league ranking session is four (4).
Event Partners may choose to have Qualification Matches as part of their league finals session.

<T10> Teams are ranked by their average Qualification Match scores.

a. When in a tournament, every Team will be ranked based on the same number of Qualification Matches.
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i. For tournaments that have more than one (1) division, Teams will be ranked among all Teams in their
specific division. Each division will have its own set of Finals Matches. The winners of each division
will then have an overall event Finals. Any multi-division event must be approved by the REC Founda-
tion Regional Support Manager prior to the event, and divisions must be assigned in sequential order
by Team number.
b. When in a league, every Team will be ranked based on the number of Matches played. Teams that par-
ticipate in less than 60% of the total Matches available will be ranked below Teams that participate in at
least 60% of the total Matches available (e.g., if the league offers 3 ranking sessions with 4 Qualification
Matches per Team, Teams that participate in 8 or more Matches will be ranked higher than Teams who
participate in 7 or fewer Matches). Being a no-show to a Match that a Team is scheduled in still consti-
tutes participation for these calculations.
c. A certain number of a Team’s lowest Qualification Match scores will be excluded from the rankings based
on the quantity of Qualification Matches each Team plays. Excluded scores do not affect participation for
leagues. “No show” Matches, as described in <GG2>, are not considered lowest scores for the purposes
of calculating a Team’s Qualification Match ranking and will never be excluded from the calculation.

Number of Qualification Matches per Team Number of excluded Match scores

4-7 1
8-11 2
12-15 3
16+ 4
d. In some cases, a Team will be asked to play an additional Qualification Match. The extra Match will be
identified on the Match schedule with an asterisk and will not impact the Team’s ranking (or participation
for leagues). Teams are reminded that <G1> is always in effect and Teams are expected to behave as if
the additional Qualification Match counted.

<T11> Qualification Match tiebreakers. Team rankings are determined throughout Qualification Matches
by:
a. Removing the Team’s lowest score and comparing the new average score.
b. Removing the Team’s next lowest score and comparing the new average score (on through all scores).
c. If the Teams are still tied, the Teams will be sorted by random electronic draw.

<T12> How Alliances are formed for Teamwork Matches. During each Teamwork Challenge Match, two (2)
Teams form an Alliance that will play on the Field.
a. Qualification Match Alliances are randomly assigned by the tournament software.
b. Finals Match Alliances are assigned as follows based on Teams’ rankings after all Qualification Matches
have concluded (see <T10>):
i. The first- and second-ranked Teams form an Alliance.
ii. The third- and fourth-ranked Teams form an Alliance.
iii. And so on, until all Teams participating in Finals Matches have formed an Alliance.
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<T13> Teams playing in Finals Matches. The number of Finals Matches, and therefore the number of
Teams who will participate in Finals Matches, is determined by the Event Partner. Events that qualify teams
directly to the VEX Robotics World Championship must have a minimum of five (5) Finals Matches if there
are ten (10) or more Teams in attendance.

<T14> Finals Match Schedule. Finals Matches are played sequentially, starting with the lowest-ranked
Alliance. Each Alliance will participate in one (1) Finals Match. The Alliance with the highest Finals Match
score is the Teamwork Challenge champion.
a. Alliances are ranked by their Finals Match score. The highest-scoring Alliance is in first place, the
second-highest-scoring Alliance is in second place, etc.
b. Ties for first place will result in a series of tiebreaker Finals Matches, starting with the lower-seeded
Alliance. The Alliance with the highest tiebreaker Finals Match score will be declared the Teamwork
Challenge champion.
i. If the tiebreaker Finals Match scores are tied, the Alliance with the higher Match Stop Time will be
declared the winner.
ii. If the Match Stop Time is also tied, a second series of tiebreaker Finals Matches will be played. If
this second series of tiebreaker Finals Match is also tied, then the higher-seeded Alliance will be
declared the winner.
iii. If there is a tie for a place other than first, the higher-seeded Alliance will receive the higher rank.

Example 1: Alliance 6 and Alliance 3 are tied for first place. During the tiebreaker Finals
Match, Alliance 6 scores 13 points and has a Match Stop Time of 12 seconds. Alliance 3
scores 13 points and has a Match Stop Time of 10 seconds. Alliance 6 is the Teamwork
Challenge winner.

Example 2: Alliance 4 and Alliance 5 are tied for third place. Alliance 4 is the third place
winner and Alliance 5 is the fourth place winner. In this way, the lower ranked Alliance
must “overcome” the higher ranked Alliance in order to become the Teamwork Challenge
champion.

<T15> Skills Match Schedule. Teams play Robot Skills Matches on a first-come, first-served basis. Each
Team will get the opportunity to play exactly three (3) Driving Skills Matches and three (3) Autonomous
Coding Skills Matches.

Teams should review the event agenda and their Match schedule to determine when the best possible
time is to complete their Robot Skills Matches. If the Robot Skills Challenge area closes before a Team has
completed all six (6) Robot Skills Matches, but it is determined that there was adequate time given, then the
Team will automatically forfeit those unused Matches.

Details regarding logistics of Skills-Only Events can be found in the REC Foundation Qualifying Criteria
document.
a. Robot Skills Matches are only available to Teams who participate in Qualification Matches, unless the
event is an approved Skills-Only Event.

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b. Skills scores recorded by ineligible Teams will be deleted from Tournament Manager before the event is
finalized on RobotEvents.com.

<T16> There is no requirement that Skills Challenge fields have the same consistent modifications as
the Teamwork fields. For example, there is no requirement that Robot Skills Challenge Fields are elevated
to the same height as Teamwork Challenge Match Fields.

In order to use non-conforming Teamwork Challenge Fields for Robot Skills Challenge Matches (e.g. during
lunch), the following steps should be taken:
● Teams must be informed that the Teamwork Challenge Fields may have some differences from the
Robot Skills Challenge Fields (e.g., they might be elevated).
● Teams must be given an opportunity to select which type of Field they want to use, i.e. they cannot be
required to use a Teamwork Challenge Field for any Robot Skills Challenge Match.

<T17> Skills Rankings at events. Teams will be ranked at an event based on the following scores and
tiebreakers:
a. Sum of highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score and highest Driving Skills Match Score.
b. Highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
c. Second-highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
d. Second-highest Driving Skills Match score.
e. Highest sum of Skills Stop Times from a Team’s highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match and highest
Driving Skills Match (i.e., the Matches in point 1).
f. Highest Skills Stop Time from a Team’s highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match (i.e., the Match in point
2).
g. Third-highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score
h. Third-highest Driving Skills Match score.
i. If the tie cannot be broken after all above criteria (i.e., both Teams have the exact same scores and Skills
Stop Times for each Autonomous Coding Skills Match and Driving Skills Match), then the following
ordered criteria will be used to determine which Team had the “best” Autonomous Coding Skills Match:
i. Points for Stacks in the Standoff Goal
ii. Points for Stacks in a Matching Goal or Connected to a Beam
iii. Points for 2-color and 3-color Stacks
j. If the tie still cannot be broken, the same process in the step above will be applied to the Teams’ highest
Driving Skills Matches.
k. If the tie still isn’t broken, the Event Partner may choose to allow Teams to have one more deciding
Match, or both Teams may be declared the winner.

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<T18> Skills Rankings globally. Teams are ranked based on their Robot Skills scores from Tourna-
ments and Leagues that upload results to RobotEvents.com, according to the following tiebreakers.
a. Highest Robot Skills score (combined Autonomous Coding Skills Match and Driving Skills Match
Score from a single event).
b. Highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score (from any event).
c. Highest sum of Skills Stop Times from the Robot Skills Matches used for point 1.
d. Highest Skills Stop Time from the Autonomous Coding Skills Match used for point 2.
e. Highest Driving Skills Match score (from any event).
f. Highest Skills Stop Time from the Driving Skills Match score used in point 5.
g. Earliest posting of the highest Autonomous Coding Skills Match score.
i. The first Team to post a score ranks ahead of other Teams that post the same score at a later
time, all else being equal.
h. Earliest posting of the highest Driving Skills Match score.
i. The first Team to post a score ranks ahead of other Teams that post the same score at a later
time, all else being equal.

<T19> Robot Skills at League Events. At league events in which Teams may submit Robot Skills Chal-
lenge scores across multiple sessions, the Robot Skills scores (combined highest Autonomous Coding
Skills Match and Driving Skills Match scores) used for rankings will be calculated from Matches within
the same session.

For example, consider the following scores for a hypothetical Team across two league event sessions:

Autonomous Coding
Driving Skills Match Robot Skills Score
Skills Match
Session 1 25 45 70
Session 2 30 42 72

This Team would have a Robot Skills score of 72 for this event’s rankings, and their scores from Session
2 would be used for the event and global tiebreakers listed in <T17> and <T18>.

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Appendix A - Field Overview
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Appendix A - Field Overview

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Appendix B - Simplified Edition
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Appendix B - Simplified Edition

Using this Appendix
Hey Students!

Welcome to the VEX IQ Robotics Competition. We’re excited to see you play Mix & Match! We know that
learning new things can be hard, and that the “big game manual” can be kind of a lot. So, we’re here to
help!

You and your teammates can start here and work together to learn about the important parts of the
Field, how to earn points, study basic rules, and see different ways to play the game. But these are
only some of the rules of this year’s game, and you will need to know them all! So after you understand
everything here, and before you go to your first event, head over to the official game manual to make
sure you understand all of the rules.

We hope that you have fun, make lots of friends, and work together to build your best Robot ever! Have
an awesome season!

Hi Adults!

This unofficial version of the VEX IQ Robotics Competition manual is a print-friendly resource for you
and your Teams to help introduce Students to this season’s game, Mix & Match.

It’s very important to note that this is NOT a replacement for reading the official manual in its entirety.
We encourage you to use this Appendix to support Team members who may be overwhelmed by the
full game manual, and use it to aid in building a basic understanding of the game. Once Students are
comfortable with this appendix and the rules outlined here, you should transition them to reading and
using the full game manual, where they will gain a full-depth comprehension of the VEX IQ Robotics
Competition.

We hope that you’ll find this guide helpful and that more Students feel welcomed, supported, and em-
powered to join your Teams.

Your Robotics friends,

The VEX Robotics Competition Game Design Committee

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Important Rules
It’s very important to understand that all of the rules of Mix and Match must be followed, not just by
Students, but by Adults, too. The choices that Students and Adults make go hand-in-hand, so be sure to
follow the rules together.

Treat everyone with respect. <G1>

● Be kind and do your best. This is one of the most important parts of VEX IQ.
● Be respectful. It’s okay for Students and Adults to disagree, but it’s never okay to be disrespectful.
● Be a good sport. Think about how you make other people feel.
● Include everyone. Alliances should always work together to come up with a plan, and telling another
person how they have to play the game is not allowed.

VIQRC is a student-centered program. <G2>

● The Student-Centered Policy is very important because VEX IQ is a competition for Students.
● This means that the Students come up with the ideas, build the Robots, write the code, troubleshoot,
and compete.
● Adults can teach, but can’t do the work. Adults should give Students tips, not answers, and cannot
directly work on Robots, code, engineering notebooks, or in-Match strategy.
● Students should respectfully speak up when an Adult is doing too much, and give a reminder that
when it comes to VEX IQ, Student-Centered is a rule all the time and everywhere.

How do you play Mix & Match?

Mix & Match is a game where two Robots work together to make Stacks of Pins and Beams to score
points. During each Match, all of the points that both Robots earn are added together to come up with
a Teamwork Challenge Match score. Teams are ranked based on their scores in Teamwork Challenge
Matches, and the top Teams will compete in the Finals Matches to determine a Teamwork Champion.

Teams can also play in Robot Skills Matches to see how well their Robot does in a Match by itself. There
are two kinds of Robot Skills Matches, one for driving the Robot (called a Driving Skills Match) and
another (called an Autonomous Coding Skills Match) where the Robot can only run using pre-written
programs created by the Students on the Team.

Game Pieces and Goals

Pins and Beams
● There are 36 Pins in each Match. Pins can be orange, blue, or red.
● Some Pins begin on the Field, some are put into the Field by Loaders, and each Robot can start with
a Preload <SG5>.
● There are two gray Beams that start the Match on the Field.

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Red, blue and orange Pins A Beam

Goals
● There are four (4) types of Goals: Square, Triangle, Floor, and Standoff.

A Square Goal. A Triangle Goal. A Floor Goal and Standoff Goal.

Starting Pins
● 4 Pins start the Match on Starting Pin Supports.

A Starting Pin Support.

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How to Earn Points

Robots build Stacks <SC3>
● Make Stacks of two or more Pins anywhere on the Field to earn points
● Make Stacks with more colors to earn more points <SC4>
● Include Beams in Stacks to earn even more points <SC3>

Robots put Stacks into or onto Goals <SC5>

● Place Stacks into or on Matching Goals to earn more points <SC6>

Robots can touch two or more Scoring Objects (Pins or Beams) at the end of the Match to score two
points.

Robots can Clear Starting Pins to earn points <SC7>

Robot Rules
Robots can’t get bigger than 11 inches by 20 inches during a Match, but can follow rule <SG3> to get
taller than 15 inches after the Match starts.

Your Robot has to be designed, built, and programmed by the Students on your Team, not by Adults <R2>,
using only VEX IQ parts <R14>.

Drive Team
Three Students make up the Drive Team for each Match:
● Driver 1 - Drives the Robot for the first 30 seconds <GG11>
● Driver 2 - Drives the Robot for the last 30 seconds
● Loader - Places Pins into the Field for the whole Match <SG6>
Your Team’s Driver 1, Driver 2, and Loader can be different for each Match, but all of them have to be
members of your Team. <G4> and <GG11f>

Referees and Scoring

● Drive Team Members should know who the Head Referee is each Match <T1>.
● Robots must stop moving at the end of the Match <GG12> and can end the Match early <GG13>.
● Scores are added up at the end of the Match and are shown to the Drive Team Members by a Score-
keeper or Head Referee <SC1>.
● Only Drive Team Members can talk to the Head Referee about any questions they have from the
Match, and have to do it right after the Match. Team Adults are not allowed to be a part of this conver-
sation. <SC2>
● What the Head Referee says goes. Students are encouraged to respectfully ask
questions after a Match, but it’s not okay to argue after the Referee makes their final
decision <T3>.

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