A Spotlight Tournament (the "Tournament") is an interactive, skill-based tournament in which Competitors will compete in a series of single-elimination rounds against each other one-on-one in accordance with Rule 4 below. Competitors will compete until four (4) Finalists are determined. The four (4) Finalists will compete against each other in the Final Round, which will comprise a series of elimination rounds until a Champion is determined. Prizes will be awarded to the Champion and the three Finalists in the manner set forth in Rule 5.

If you are 13 years or older and are a legal resident of any of the following states or countries and have access to a computer with Internet access and access to a legal version of the applicable PC game software (if required), you are eligible to compete for prizes: the United States and District of Columbia (except Maryland and Vermont), Canada (void in Quebec), United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Finland, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, the Netherlands, and Norway. If you are not a resident of any of these countries, or you are an employee or an immediate family member of an employee of Microsoft Corporation, its subsidiaries, affiliates, or advertising or promotion agencies, or you are in some way working on this program or providing services to Microsoft in connection with this Tournament, you are not eligible to play for prizes. The Tournament is void in MD, VT, Quebec, and where taxed, restricted or prohibited by law.

To register, be sure you are signed in to .NET Passport. Read these rules completely and click the “I accept” button. You will then be taken to the tournament sign-up confirmation page.

A confirmation email will be sent to the email address listed under My Zone.com. Note: you must be signed into .NET Passport to view My Zone.com. Please update your e-mail address if necessary.

Limit one entry per person. You may only compete using a single Zone.com nickname. If you are found to have competed fraudulently under multiple nicknames, you will be disqualified from the Tournament and could be disqualified from participating in future Zone.com competitions. By participating in the Tournament, a Competitor reconfirms his or her acceptance of all terms and conditions established in the Zone.com “Terms of Use.”

To convert times to Pacific Standard Time check out World Time Server.

Competitors who have already signed up must check in an hour prior to the start of the first round, beginning at 6:00 P.M. (Pacific Time), or they will not be accepted into the Tournament, even if they have registered. At the commencement of each round, a Competitor will be randomly paired with another Competitor and they will compete against each other. Competitors will advance through the rounds by beating an opponent in one match of the determined game. After the round has been bracketed and Competitors are aware of game assignments, play must begin within 15 minutes of the round bracketing. If an opponent fails to show up for a round within 15 minutes of bracketing, his or her opponent will receive a bye for that round. In the first round, if a Competitor does not have an opponent to compete against, that Competitor will receive a bye and will advance to compete in the next round. Once a Competitor wins a round, the Competitor will advance to compete in the next round against the other advancing Competitors until four (4) Finalists are determined. The four (4) Finalists will then compete against each other in the Final Round, which will comprise a series of single-elimination rounds until a Champion is determined. The time it will take to complete the Tournament will generally not exceed five (5) hours.

Play will continue until there is one winner.

Game settings listed below are for all rounds.

Disconnects: If a player disconnects or drops out of the game for any reason, continue play. The disconnected/dropped player must rejoin the battle. Please make sure your connection and system are functioning properly for a match; it is considered part of the realism of a battle if you are detained from battle for some reason.

Disconnects: 2 Disconnects from same game = Forfeit

This Spotlight Tournament is a game of Links 2003. This Tournament will be played in accordance with Zone.com Terms and Conditions set out at / All Competitors will compete against each other in the game environment provided. The winner of the Tournament will be the Competitor who has won every Round in which he or she has competed or advanced according to these rules.

Prizes shall be awarded as follows:

No substitution, assignment, or transfer of prizes permitted except that Microsoft reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if an advertised prize is unavailable for any reason. Certain advertised prizes may not be available in all countries in which this Tournament is offered. In the event an advertised prize is not available in the winner's country, Microsoft will substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Limit one prize per person. Prize winners must provide mailing address to tournament host within 3 days of final Tournament. If mailing address is incomplete or incorrect, winner will be ineligible for the prize Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

By entering the Tournament, Competitors agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by any other Zone.com terms and conditions referenced in the rules. The Official Rules will be posted at the Zone.com site throughout the Tournament. Competitors further agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges and the Tournament Hosts, which shall be final and binding in all respects. Microsoft reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify an individual it finds to be tampering with the type, process, or operation of the game or Web site, to be acting in violation of the Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other person. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A COMPETITOR OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE GAMES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, MICROSOFT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH CONTESTANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

TO THE EXTENT THAT ANY COMPETITOR IS REQUIRED TO DOWNLOAD ANY SOFTWARE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS TOURNAMENT THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SECTION SHALL APPLY. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, COPYING OR REPRODUCTION OF THE SOFTWARE TO ANY OTHER SERVER OR LOCATION FOR FURTHER REPRODUCTION OR REDISTRIBUTION IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED. THE SOFTWARE IS WARRANTED, IF AT ALL, ONLY ACCORDING TO THE TERMS OF THE APPLICABLE END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS WARRANTED IN THE END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT, MICROSOFT CORPORATION HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS WHICH REGARD TO THE SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.

Microsoft is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information whether caused by Web site users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Tournament or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of game plays. Microsoft assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction, or unauthorized access which may result in alteration of game plays or game results. Microsoft is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, or software, or failure of any e-mail or registration to be received by Microsoft or Competitor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site or combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant's or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation in the Tournament. Microsoft is not responsible for the inability of any Competitor to access or complete a game due to any technical malfunction or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site or combination thereof. Microsoft, in its sole discretion, may require the replaying of any game or Round or section, or declare any of the foregoing null and void by reason of any technical or other system error. If for any reason the Tournament is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failure, or any other causes beyond the control of Microsoft which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Tournament, Microsoft reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Tournament. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that Microsoft determines, in its sole discretion, that any individual games or Rounds within the Tournament have been tampered with or that the validity of any game or Round has been compromised for any reason, it may eliminate that game or Round from the Tournament and conduct the Tournament on the basis of the remaining games or Rounds. In the event that any Competitor is adversely affected in a game or Round by any technical or equipment malfunction, Microsoft reserves the right to schedule special games or Rounds among any such Competitors so adversely affected. In the event of a dispute, a Competitor's identity shall be declared to be the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of registration. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

The conduct of this Tournament and the interpretation and enforcement of these Official Rules is governed by the laws of the United States. In the event that any dispute arises regarding the Tournament, Competitors agree that the dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington without regard to conflicts of law provisions and that such disputes shall be resolved within and by the courts of that State. All federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations apply. Prizewinners may be required to execute Affidavits of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Releases within fifteen (15) days of winner determination. Non-compliance within this time period may result in disqualification and an alternate winner being selected. In the event that a winner is determined to be ineligible, a special playoff Round will be conducted among those Competitors who competed in the final Round of the Tournament to determine a winner. Return of prize or prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner in accordance with the same procedure outlined above. All winners and Competitors grant Microsoft the right to publish, online and in print, their MSN Nicknames, names, likenesses, cities of residence, and the names of the states or provinces in which they live, without compensation. Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for Microsoft and their advertising and promotional agencies to use winners' names, cities of residence, and likenesses for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation unless prohibited by law.

By entering, Competitors release and hold harmless Microsoft-respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, including but not limited to personal injury or death, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the Tournament or any prize won. In the event of a dispute, entries made by Internet will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of registration. “Authorized account holder” means the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, an online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

The names of the winners will be posted on the Internet at / at the Links 2003 Tournament pages immediately after the conclusion of the tournament.