REMEMBER! Rules are different from casino to casino and tournament to tournament. Please do not think that because you played at Caesars in Atlantic City means that those rules apply to our league.

Please be respectful of these rules. Remember, these tournaments are free to enter and abuse of the rules will not be tolerated!

General Rules

No Gambling

This rule is taken very seriously. Any Player caught wagering cash, property, or anything of value will immediately be terminated from the league. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Discrepancies

In the case of a discrepancy, please ask for a ruling!

Cheating

First, anyone caught cheating in a Free Tournament is a loser and cheating will not be tolerated. If you suspect someone of cheating, let Greg know. His ruling on the situation is final.

Age Requirements For Tournaments

You must be 21 years of age to play in this league.

Threatening

At no time can any player or spectator threaten another player.

Signing Out

You must sign out immediately after losing all of your chips! If you fail to sign out for the tournament, you may not receive points for being in that tournament. If you delay signing out so that others sign out before you and you gain positions as a result, this is considered cheating! If you do so, you risk being expelled from the league. If you can't find the Sign-Out Sheet, ask right away.

Chips

Starting Amount

Players that show up on time will start with $250 in chips. Players that show up after 7:00 PM for the first tournament of the evening, or after the second tournament of the evening has begun will start with $200 in chips. Players that show up after the first blind raise of either tournament are not permitted to play in the tournament. If you show up after the tournament has begun, but before the first blind raise, you may have to forfeit one or more blinds worth of chips.

The second tournament of the evening will not begin before 9:00PM. It's actual start time will depend on how long the first tournament lasts.

Note: The Gray chip has $1 printed on it, but we are using it as if it is a $100 chip. We found that the Black $100 chips were too difficult to discern from the Blue $10 chips and it was very confusing.

Blind Schedule

Blinds are raised every 15 minutes according to the following schedule.

Coloring Up

As the blinds get bigger, the smaller chips are no longer needed and are replaced with larger chips. Often, players do not have the exact amount to turn cash their chips into the larger denomination. If you are coloring up $5 chips into $25 chips and you have 1 or 2 $5 chips remaining, you lose those extra $5 chips. If you are coloring up $5 chips into $25 chips and you have 3 or 4 $5 chips remaining, you gain an extra $25 chip.

During Play

Leaving Early

If a player has to leave the tournament early the chips are taken off the table. PLAYERS CANNOT SPLIT THE CHIPS AMONGST THEMSELVES!

Only 5 Cards Play

Each player has 7 cards from which to play (2 hole cards and 5 community cards). The BEST 5 Cards play! So for example, if there is JQKA on the board, and both players have a 10, it is a split pot.

If 2 Players Go Out At The Same Time

The player that had more chips at the beginning of the hand receives the higher finishing position. Once in a while, both these players will have the same number of chips at the beginning of the hand (this happens very rarely). In this instance, both players will receive the higher position. The players will mark this on the sign-out sheet.

No Splashing The Pot

Every player must place their chips in front of them until all players have acted. Then all chips are moved to the center of the table.

No Chopping The Blinds

If you're not sure what this means, don't worry :).

Turning Up Your Cards - Exposing Your Card(s)

All hands will be turned faceup whenever a player is all-in and the betting action has been completed. If a player accidentally exposes one of their cards before all players have acted, they must turn up both (this is to prevent players purposely doing this to throw off another player). If a player is exposing his/her cards purposely, it is up to Greg if he would like to give a warning, and then eliminate the player from the tournament if it continues. AGAIN, this is up to Greg.

Playing Heads Up

When playing heads up, the Dealer is always the Little Blind, and first to act pre-flop, but last to act after the flop.

Combining Tables

When moving to a new table, attempt to sit in a similar position to the dealer. If 2 or less players move to a new table and sit in one of the Blinds, they have the option of sitting out until the deal passes them. If 3 or more move to a new table, all players will re-draw and the high card will determine who deals.

Equal Players/Table

Attempt to keep the number of players at each table equal. This is not always possible and you cannot stop play because of it.

Blind Schedule

Blinds will go up either every 15 minutes. Each round, every player must pay both Little and Big Blinds. The same person may deal as many times as needed to make sure that all players are big blind, little blind, then dealer.

Minimum Bets

On every round of betting, the minimum bet is always equal to the big blind. This is automatic on the first round of betting, since the big blind is already posted. Keep in mind that it's true on subsequent rounds of betting, also.

Minimum Raises

The first raise of every round of betting must be greater than or equal to the big blind. The only exception is for someone who goes all in with less than the total bet amount.

Mucking Your Cards

If you throw your cards into the "muck" (folded cards pile) then your hand is folded UNLESS you are already ALL IN and your cards can be safely retrieved.

Extra Chip In The Pot

In the case of a split pot, there may be an extra chip left. This chip goes to the first player to the left of the dealer.

Not Enough Chips To Cover The Blind

In the case a player does not have enough chips to cover the blind, they are considered “All In” and cannot win any more from each player than they have in their stack. For example, if a player has only 500 points left and the blinds are 1,000/2,000, they are all in and can only win 500 points from each player left in the hand.

Leaving The Table

If a player leaves the table during play to use the bathroom, get a drink, etc., play may stop if all other players agree. Otherwise they are dealt in the hand and play continues. If they have not returned by the time it is their turn to act, their cards are mucked and their blinds placed in the pot. If the table is down to a small number of players, players may agree to halt play for a reasonable amount of time.

Note: When players are in the Big Blind and everyone checks around, they also check. They continue to be in the hand until someone bets them out.

Season Scoring

Points

For every game that you finish in the top 20, you will be awarded points according to the following schedule.