Intuitively, the algorithm works as follows:

• Processors with status set to contending (processors that have a chance to be elected ring leader) start the algorithm spontaneously, due to a start signal from an application or user. Processors which start spontaneously send their identifier to the processor on their right.
• Processors with status set to lost either started the algorithm when they received a message from the processor on their left or were initially contending until they received a message with a higher value than their current maxId. These processors relay messages sent by other processors if that message contains the highest identifier seen.
• The processor which receives its own identifier from the node on its left is elected the leader. This processor sets its status to won.