House Rules (Deviations from Robert's Rules of Poker)

We play a tournament style game with rules from Robert’s Rules of Poker with a few exceptions. When checking our their rulebook keep in mind they have ring game rules and tournament rules. We play in a tournament format. There is a tournament committee. If you feel a rule should be reviewed by committee, let me know and I’ll put it on the agenda.

In a dispute involving the TD, a member of the tournament staff will make a binding ruling.

If your behavior is inappropriate, the tournament director will ask you to leave. You will not be entitled to a refund of your entry fee or your rebuys.

You must be 21 to gamble in Arizona. That includes the social gamble exemption that makes our game legal. Make sure you bring an ID because we will check it.

You can’t be a student on post and play in our game. We have several instructors that play and we don’t want you getting the answers for tomorrow’s test early.

Bring your own beer. There is no house beer and if you didn’t bring it, you shouldn’t drink it.

Bring your own food. There is no house food and if you didn’t bring it, you shouldn’t eat it. If all else fails, order pizza! It is appropriate to ask everyone if they would like to chip in for the pizza. If you don’t chip in for pizza, don’t expect to eat any. Just remember, the host and tournament director are automatically entitled to a slice at no charge.

Bring your own love interest. There is no house love interest and if you didn’t bring it, you shouldn’t – well you get the idea.

We pay on a sliding scale based on how much money is in the pot. It may change based on the tournament directors discretion (and how far I’ve made it in the tournament).

You can buy in at any time during the rebuy period. If you think it is to your advantage to show up after everyone else has been playing for 2 hours, more power to you!

When you rebuy, you can change tables if there is an available seat at another table. All table changes must keep the tables even and must be coordinated with the tournament director. You will be placed as close the left of the big blind as possible.

You can rebuy at any time during the rebuy period. This also allows for taking a break before rebuying. Should you decide to take a break while the blind timer counts down, you may. When you are reseated, you will placed as close to the left of the big blind as possible.

Our rebuy structure does encourage poor money management for gambling addicts. If you lose all you chips and have no more money, you can take a break and go to the ATM. You will be at a disadvantage when you come back because the blinds have moved on without you. We’ve also had an opportunity to talk about you and discuss what a moron you are. You might be reseated at another table if they are no longer even. You will be place as close to the left of the big blind as possible.

Whenever there is both an add-on and rebuy available, you may forfeit all your chips in order to do what we call a “Double”. A Double is both a rebuy and add-on at the same time. For example - if you have 1000 chips at the end of the rebuy period during the Friday night format. You could add-on for $10 and get another 5000 chips bringing your total to 6000. Or, you could forfeit your chips, rebuy for $10 and add-on for $10. $20, 10000 chips, no more rebuys. Or, if you have 7000 chips and want a real challenge, you could forfeit your chips, rebuy for $10 and add-on for $10. $20, 10000 chips, no more rebuys.

You may prebuy a seat for a friend—and a good friend you would be. We do limit the number of players, so if your buddy is running late you can buy his seat. The stack will play and pay all blinds as they come around. If your friend does not show up by the end of the 1st blind period, the stack MAY be picked up and the seat will be sold to someone on the alternate list. Your money will stay in the pot, there will be no refunds. You’ll have to take that up with your buddy and find out just what kind of friend he is. If he shows up, he can get on the alternate list and buy a brand spanking new seat when one becomes available.

Early bird bonus means seated with chips. Your butt must be in the seat when we decide when to start passing them out. The will be a set time so it will come no earlier. Later however might be a different story. Depending on how set up is going, early birds might be passed out a little later than the set time. Or, if there is a hot chick I’m busy checking out, they might get passed out later. Regardless, you need to have a butt in your seat when I get there or you don’t get one.

As with any tournament, your seat will be dealt a hand every time, whether you are there or not. If you are not there when it is your turn to act, your hand will be folded by the dealer. If you were in a blind, the dealer will post if for you and then raise on the button to steal it. Since the game is run by volunteers - we will give them some latitude in getting to their seat. If one of the TD's are in the room, you must give them the chance to get back to their seat to play. This is a free game where you do not have to pay an entry fee to play. There is not a paid staff that is going to hold your hand and wipe your butt when you whine. Act like you appreciate the time these people are putting in for you.

Dead button - The big blind is posted by the player due for it, and the small blind and button are positioned accordingly, even if this means the small blind or the button is placed in front of an empty seat, giving the same player the privilege of last action on consecutive hands.

We use an unlimited raise rule. The full raise to qualify for a reraise is not in effect for our games. You can bet all your chips at any time regardless of the action to you. I.E. if you raise, someone goes all in for less than your initial raise, you can still also raise. We believe no limit poker should be played with no limits.

The idea that you can't show one of your cards in a live hands seems silly. If you are good enough to play with your cards face up - then you should. Just remember any player in the tournament has an equal right to see your cards.

There is a place for the kids, and it is not by the poker tables. There will be a dark, dank room set aside for them. Please don’t make me use the cattle prod to keep them in there. I don’t really like kids anyway. Better yet, just leave them at home.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some here so if need be, I will make up the rules as we go along. I’ll probably have a source, but if I don’t like you I’ll just pull something out of my ass. Remember to check http://pokercoach.us for Robert’s Rules as that is the basis for all other rules. If you feel the need to dispute a rule, please bring a copy of Robert’s Rules so it at least looks like you know what you are talking about.

Some Selected Rules From Robert's Rules

Management reserves the right to make decisions in the spirit of fairness, even if a strict interpretation of the rules may indicate a different ruling.

Your hand is declared dead if:

You fold or announce that you are folding when facing a bet or a raise.

You throw your hand away in a forward motion causing another player to act behind you (even if not facing a bet).

You have the clock on you when facing a bet or raise and exceed the specified time limit.

Cards thrown into the muck may be ruled dead. However, a hand that is clearly identifiable may be retrieved and ruled live at management’s discretion if doing so is in the best interest of the game. An extra effort should be made to rule a hand retrievable if it was folded as a result of incorrect information given to the player.
You must protect your own hand at all times. Your cards may be protected with your hands, a chip, or other object placed on top of them. If you fail to protect your hand, you will have no redress if it becomes fouled or the dealer accidentally kills it.

A verbal statement in turn denotes your action, is binding, and takes precedence over a differing physical action.

Deliberately acting out of turn will not be tolerated. A player who checks out of turn may not bet or raise on the next turn to act. A player who has called out of turn may not change his wager to a raise on the next turn to act. An action or verbal declaration out of turn is binding unless the action to that player is subsequently changed by a bet or raise. If there is an intervening call, an action may be ruled binding.

String raises are not allowed. The dealer should enforce obvious infractions to this string-raise law without being asked. To protect your right to raise, you should either declare your intention verbally or place the proper amount of chips into the pot. Putting a full bet plus a half-bet or more into the pot is considered to be the same as announcing a raise, and the raise must be completed. (This does not apply in the use of a single chip of greater value.)

Over Size Chip Rule - If you put a single chip in the pot that is larger than the bet, but do not announce a raise, you are assumed to have only called.

By participating in a tournament, you agree to abide by the rules and behave in a courteous manner. A violator may be verbally warned, suspended from play for a specified length of time, or disqualified from the tournament. Chips from a disqualified participant will be removed from play. Players, whether in the hand or not, may not discuss the hands until the action is complete. Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Discussing cards discarded or hand possibilities is not allowed. A penalty may be given for discussion of hands during the play.