 General Rules |
| General Rules
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| Tournament Rules Limit Game Rules
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| For tournaments we follow Tournament Directors Association (TDA) Rules. Here are some general rules that apply to all games and tournaments:
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- Players/dealers may not discuss a hand in progress. The dealer is NOT to discuss possible hands except in stud games where high hand is first to act and dealer is required to identify high hand and announce all pairs Why?
- No splashing the pot. All bets must be placed in front of the player Why?
- Minimum bet in all button games is the amount of the big blind. In limit button games only it is double the big blind on the turn and river
- Minimum raise in all No-/Pot-Limit games is the amount of the previous bet/raise. For example, if a player bets 100, the minimum raise would be an additional 100 to 200. If the bet is 100 and someone raises 200 to a total of 300, the new minimum raise is an additional 200 to a total of 500.
- Betting/Raising - always state your intentions:
- Verbal is binding
- The first thing you say is binding (i.e. "I call X and raise Y" is a call) Why?
- Players must declare "call" or "raise" before putting chips into the betting area
- Players who fail to declare and place a single, higher denomination chip valued higher than the current bet will be assumed to be calling (example below). Multiple chips will be assumed to be a raise to the total amount of chips put into the betting area Why?
- Player who declares raise must raise at least the minimum and cannot change their mind Why?
- Players who fail to declare and place multiple chips in the betting area but half or less of the minimum raise will be assumed to be calling and extra chips returned, players who put in more than half of but less than the minimum raise will be assumed to be raising and must complete the minimum raise Why?
- All chips for a raise must be placed on the table together in a single motion unless the amount is declared first Why?
- If an amount is not declared all chips in hand are presumed to be the raise (counting of chips must be done next to chip stacks) Why?
- When a player raises "all in" in no-limit play and the players chip stack represents a raise less than the minimum raise, other players can re-raise only if they have not yet had the opportunity to act. Players who have acted can only call or fold.
- Table stakes - in cash games you can only use the amount of chips you already have and may only rebuy between hands Why?
- If a player is taking too long to decide whether to bet or fold, any player still "in the hand" can request a 30 second time limit be put on the player. If the player doesn't declare "call" or "raise" within 30 seconds, their hand is dead Why?
- Players are permitted to "cash-out" at any time (cash games)
- The dealer is responsible for making change and enforcing betting rules
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Tournament Rules
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| The number of winners and amount of prizes is determined by the number of participants. The prize pool consists of the combination of all entry fees, the house does not take any portion of the proceeds unless, of course, the host(s) finish in the money like anyone else.
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| For purposes of determining order of finish when more than one person is eliminated on the same hand, the person with the most chips before the hand finishes ahead of the person with fewer chips going into the hand. If the two or more players were even going into the hand with one or more in the money and possibly one or more out of the money, any prize(s) will then be combined and split among the tied players.
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| Betting/Raising Rules
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| Due to the time limits on rounds and in fairness to all players, the betting rules are strictly enforced. In addition to the general rules:
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- There is no maximum bet or raise in "no-limit" tournaments
- Players must keep chips stacked and countable at all times
- Players must keep largest denomination chips visible at all times
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| Other Rules
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| Seat position will be drawn for prior to the start of the tournament, dealer position will be drawn for after the seat drawing.
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| Chip race: At the start of certain predetermined rounds, the house will replace all lowest denomination chips with the next higher denomination chip. Players who have "odd" chips are dealt one card per chip by the dealer. Highest cards "win" higher denomination chip(s) to the extent of the value of the leftover chips, rounded off. Nobody can win more than one chip, ties are broken by card order (spade, heart, diamond, club).
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| Leaving the table: A player must be present at the table when the last card is dealt pre-flop. If a player leaves the table for any reason and does not return on time their hand(s) will be folded until they return. There will be 10-15 minute breaks every 60-90 minutes. The only exception is that the player in the big blind has until action is on them, if the blinds have been called they are assumed to call/check and have until action is on them again to return.
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| Late arrivals: Players can buy into a tournament without penalty until the end of the fourth round of play.
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Button placement for heads-up (based on previous hand):- If Button is eliminated - Small Blind is now BB and Big Blind is now SB and Button
- If Small Blind is eliminated - Button is now BB and Big Blind is now SB and Button
- If Big Blind is eliminated - Button is now BB and Small Blind is SB again and now Button.
(from homepokertourney.com, without permission)
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| The host is responsible for making all "rulings" and rule interpretations, and all decisions are final
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| Seating
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- Players will be seated randomly, either by the game clock or by random drawing of cards.
- Dealer button(s) will be randomly set at each table, either by the clock or by random drawing.
- Players will be moved as needed to keep tables even. The game clock will determine movement when it is used for seating. When the game clock is not used for seating, the player to be moved will be the player who will pay the next big blind and the seat filled will be the one closest available to the big blind
- When there are more than two tables to start, as tables are broken up players will fill available seats based on random drawing until final table
- Table breakdown order: Brown, Green, Blue. Red table is final table
- Seat position and dealer button will be re-drawn for final table
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| Dealer's Responsibilities
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| Make Change - Dealer should handle all making of change during each hand. When making change, use the pot first if possible, otherwise ask the person with the most chips of the needed denomination. When making change, remember to not only return change to the player but also replace the "big chip" with the correct amount. Avoid just returning change out of the pot and leaving the big chip - it can get confusing especially if there are re-raises.
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| Enforce betting rules - Most people should be getting familiar with them by now but we always have new players and people make mistakes/forget.
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| Be efficient - Always remember you are on a clock. Wasted time is the friend of the big stack and the enemy of the short stack in tournament play. The dealer is responsible to keep things moving at all times. Little things like dealing the flop, turn and river cards before pulling all the chips into the pot make a difference over the course of a tournament.
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Limit Cash Game Rules
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| Our "Limit" games, usually played on a side table for tournament bust-outs, are a limit game in which he dealer can select from a limited number of various hold'em style games. Stud games can also be played if all players agree and the game is played for a full round. Buy-in is $10, players can rebuy as often as they want. Players are given chips in equal value to the amount of money they buy in with. Dealer can select any of the following games:
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- Texas Hold'Em
- Pineapple
- Omaha
- Omaha 8/b
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| Limits start at $0.15/0.25/0.50 meaning the small blind is $0.15, the big blind and pre-/post-flop limit is $0.25 and the turn and river limit is $0.50. After two hours the limits will increase to $0.25/0.50/1.00 and two hours after that go to $.50/1.00/2.00. Limits will not increase for games between tournaments.
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Game Rules- Texas Hold'Em - Players are dealt two cards. After a round of betting, three community cards are dealt on the table (the flop). Another round of betting, followed by a 4th community card (the turn). Another round of betting followed by a 5th community card (the river) and then a final round of betting. Players make the best 5-card hand of any combination of their two cards and the five community cards.
- Pineapple - Similar to Hold'Em except that players are dealt three cards. Prior to dealing the turn card, players must discard one of their hole cards.
- Omaha Hold'Em - Similar to Hold'Em with two big exceptions:
- Players are dealt four cards rather than two
- Players must use exactly two of their hole cards and three community cards
- Omaha 8 or better - AKA Omaha High/Low. Same as Omaha except that if there is a qualifying "low hand", the person with the low hand splits the pot. In the event of an unven split the player with the high hand gets the extra chip. Low hand rules:
- Five cards all of a different denomination (no pairs)
- Ace is low for the low hand
- No card greater than 8 (hence 8 or better)
- Straights and flushes do not count against low hand (A-2-3-4-5 regardless of suit is the best low hand)
Note that if there are not three cards of different denominations that are 8 or lower among the community cards, there cannot be a low hand
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| For more extensive rules, click on the name of the game |