1
Rulebook
Description and objective, team composition, format and progression, run structure and timings, permitted and prohibited actions, penalties, appeals, and definitions.
Events / Brinkmanship
The Doon School · 08–10 December 2026
Brinkmanship
Every match lasts two minutes and is driven by hand. Points come from the time the opponent spends in the red band at the rim, so position matters more than a single big push.
Robo Sumo
A pushing contest, not a combat one.
Time in the red band scores for the opponent. No downforce, no blades.
Rules
How it runs
- Two robots face each other in a circular ring. The objective is to force the opponent into the red scoring band at the rim, or out of the ring, while staying clear of it yourself.
- Robots start at opposite ends of the ring, 5 cm from the boundary, on the referee’s signal. Each match lasts two minutes, and robots are driven by remote control throughout.
- A red band around the rim is the scoring zone. The longer a robot stays in it, the more points its opponent earns: 1 point for one second, rising to 5 points for seven seconds.
- Destructive designs are prohibited: no blades, flame, liquids or projectiles, as are mechanisms generating artificial downforce, such as vacuum suction or sticky tyres. This is a pushing contest, not a combat one.
- The event opens with group stages, with the four highest-scoring participants progressing to the semi-finals and final.
Age divisions. To be announced · TBC
Event details
- Discipline
- Robotics
- Participants
- 1 per school
- Control
- Remote control
- Event head
- Atiksh Kasana
- Deputies
- Atharv Jajodia
- Prohibited
- Blades · flame · liquids · projectiles · vacuum downforce · sticky tyres
Judging
- Points for the time each opponent spends in the red band, with the best of three matches counted
Documents
The Brinkmanship pack
4 of 6 documents available
These are the documents your team will receive for Brinkmanship. Between them they set out everything a team needs in order to prepare.
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Robot Specification
Dimensions at start and expanded, mass, power source and voltage limits, permitted actuators and sensors, control method, communication protocol, prohibited materials.
3
Arena Specification
A dimensioned scale drawing in plan view, all fixed dimensions with tolerances, surface material and finish, wall heights, printable colour references, and the exact range of any variation between rounds.
A school must be able to build a practice replica from this document alone.
4
Judging Rubric
Criteria with point values summing to a stated total, scoring levels, tie-break order, who scores what, and when scores are published.
5
Inspection & Safety
Pre-competition inspection checklist and schedule, consequences of failed inspection, safety requirements during runs, spectator boundaries, and the emergency stop procedure.
6
Support Material
A worked example, a starter guide to core techniques, the concepts a team should learn, common mistakes, and an FAQ.
Documents marked “Available soon” will appear here as soon as they are released.
Flow
How Brinkmanship works, step by step
The event from start to finish, as the rules above set it out. The detailed documents for Brinkmanship will appear here once they are released to registered schools.
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Group stage begins
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Robots placed at opposite ends
5 cm from the boundary, released on the referee’s signal.
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Two-minute match, driven by remote control
Push the opponent into the red band or out of the ring.
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Points for time in the red band
1 point for one second, rising to 5 points for seven seconds.
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Best of three decided?
If yes, continue to the next step.
If no: Back to step 2
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In the top four of the group stage?
If yes, continue to the next step.
If no: Event ends for the participant
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Semi-finals and final
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Winner decided
Who runs it
The people behind Brinkmanship
Atiksh Kasana
Event Head
Atiksh is a student at The Doon School pursuing the IB Diploma Programme, with a keen interest in design. He serves as the Boy-in-Charge of the Design and Technology Society. An aspiring automotive designer, he draws much of his inspiration from Formula One, whose engineering he follows as closely as its racing. He is also a committed sportsman, playing football and basketball and swimming regularly. In his free time, he enjoys sketching cars and watching a race weekend. He is honoured to serve as the Event Head of Brinkmanship at the IPSC IT Fest 2026.
Deputy Event Head
Atharv Jajodia
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