Potential issues with changes to G21

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by G20

ROBOTS may only enter or exit their opponent’s SECRET PASSAGE from/to the opponent’s COURTYARD. A ROBOT is considered to be within the SECRET PASSAGE once the only carpet the ROBOT is in contact with is the carpet inside the SECRET PASSAGE.
Violation: FOUL. If repeated, TECH FOUL

The wording of this rule indicates that entering and exiting refers to the ROBOT's action relative to the SECRET PASSAGE. Much as a person entering a house through the front door and exiting a house through the same door doesn't make the door an entrance or exit, the BERMS of the SECRET PASSAGE aren't specifically entrances or exits. That's where you're going wrong.

With that in mind, it should be clear that the effect of this rule is that a BLUE robot can freely cross whichever side of the BLUE SECRET PASSAGE it likes since it has no restrictions on entering or exiting. A RED robot, however, may only cross the BLUE BERM between the BLUE COURTYARD and BLUE SECRET PASSAGE. Crossing any other BERM would constitute RED either entering or exiting the BLUE SECRET PASSAGE from the OUTER WORKS or NEUTRAL ZONE.