Tournament Directors are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The Tournament Director reserves the right to overrule any floor decision and the decision is final.
PLAYER CONDUCT AND TOURNAMENT INTEGRITY
1. Big Stack Players Club prohibits the use of obscene or foul language. Any player who uses such language or makes a foul, profane, obscene or vulgar statement, or speaks abusively or in an intimidating manner to another player, a dealer or a Tournament staff member, will be penalized.
2. Excessive celebration through extended theatrics, inappropriate behavior, or physical actions, gestures, or conduct will be subject to penalty.
3. Player or staff abuse will not be tolerated. A player will incur a penalty up to and including disqualification for any abuse towards another player or staff member, and the player could be asked to leave the property. Repeated etiquette violations such as touching another player’s cards, chips or delay of game will result in penalties.
4. Where a situation arises that is not covered by these rules, Big Stack Tournament director will have the sole authority to render a judgment, including the imposition of a penalty, in accordance with the best interests of the Tournament and the maintenance of its integrity and public confidence.
PENALTIES
5. In its sole and absolute discretion, Big Stack Players Club may impose penalties ranging from a verbal warning, one missed hand away from the table up to disqualification and expulsion from the Club.
A. Tournament directors can assess a verbal warning, a missed hand, or one-round, two-round, three-round or four-round penalties and disqualification.
B. A missed-hand penalty will be assessed as follows: The offender can miss one hand or one to four rounds of hands away from the table. The offender’s missed hand is counted as part of the round when a penalty is given.
C. Players who receive a missed-hand penalty must remain outside the designated Tournament areas for the length of their penalty. They must not communicate with the player’s or dealer.
D. The player must notify the Tournament director prior to returning to their seat. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties up to disqualification.
E. It should be noted that penalties may not always be imposed in successive manner. Tournament staff in their sole discretion, for example, can disqualify a person for a first offense if action of player is deemed worthy. Or a player, for example, may forego a warning and be assessed a three round penalty. Players should know any conduct deemed penalty-worthy could result in a wide range of discipline for a first offense.
6. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play and no refund will be provided to that disqualified player. Any player who forfeits play for health or other personal reasons after the start of a Tournament will have his or her chips blinded off accordingly or the Tournament Director may remove the chips from the Tournament.
GENERAL POKER RULES
7. Side pots: Each side pot will be split as a separate pot. Pots will not be mixed together before they are split.
8. Odd Chips: The odd chip(s) will go to the left of the button.
9. Calling-for-clock procedures: Once a reasonable amount of time, which is no less than 90 seconds has passed and a clock is called, a player will be given one (1) minute to act. If action has not been taken by the time the minute has expired, there will be a ten (10) second countdown. If a player has not acted on his hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be dead. Tournament Supervisors reserve the right to speed up the amount of time allotted for a clock if it appears that a player is deliberately stalling. Any player intentionally stalling the progress of the game will incur a penalty.
10. Dead Button: Tournament play will use the dead button rule. Dead Button is defined as a button that can not be advanced due to elimination of a player or the seating of a new player into a position between the small blind and the button.
11. Penalty & Disqualification: A player exposing his or her cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand. All players at the table are entitled to see the exposed card(s), if requested. A penalty will also be imposed if a player throws a card off the table, forcefully mucks their cards causing one or all cards to turn over, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule or engages in similar behavior. Penalties will be invoked in cases of soft-play, abuse or disruptive behavior. All penalties will be imposed at Big Stack Players Club sole and absolute discretion.
12. At Your Seat: A player must be at his or her seat by the time all players have been dealt complete initial hands to have a live hand. “At your seat” is defined as being within reach or touch of your chair. If a player is not at their seat, their hand is dead and the dealer shall immediately pull-in the dead cards. Players must be at their seats to call time.
13. Face Up & Dead Hands: All cards will be turned face up once a player is all in and all action is complete. If a player clearly accidentally folds/mucks their hand before cards are turned up, the Tournament Staff reserves the right to retrieve the folded/mucked cards if the cards are clearly identifiable - even if the cards touch the “muck pile” they can be retrieved if they are clearly identifiable. If a player chooses to muck their cards their cards may be ruled dead. It is the player’s responsibility to maintain their cards at all times.
14. Raise & Oversized Chip: If a player puts in a raise of 50 percent or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he or she will be required to make a full raise. The raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed. An all-in bet of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted. Oversized Chip: Putting a single oversized chip into the pot will be considered a call if the player doesn’t announce a raise. Example, Player who places two $500 chips into the pot on a 300-600 blind level when the bet is $600 without an announcement will also be considered a call even though it is two chips. If a player puts an oversized chip into the pot and says, “Raise,” but doesn’t state the amount, the raise will be the maximum allowable up to the denomination of that chip. To make a raise with a single oversized chip, a verbal declaration must be made before the chip hits the table surface. After the flop, an initial bet of a single oversized chip without comment will signify a bet equal to the size of the chip. A raise must be made by a.) placing the full amount in the pot in one or more continuous motion(s) without going back toward the player’s stack or b.) verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot or c.) verbally declaring “raise” prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion back to the player’s stack. Less than a full raise in an all-in situation does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted.
15. No Disclosure: Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, whether in a hand or not, players may not a.) Disclose contents of live or folded hands, b.) Advise or criticize play before the action is completed, or c.) Read a hand that hasn’t been tabled. While in a hand, players may not a) discuss hands or strategy with any spectator, or b) seek or receive consultation from an outside source. The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced. Players who violate this rule are subject to penalty.
16. New Limits: When time has elapsed in a round and a new round is announced by a member of the Tournament staff, the new limits apply to the next hand. A hand begins with the first riffle.
17. Re-Buys: A player may not miss a hand. If a player announces the intent to re-buy before a new hand begins, that player is playing chips behind and is obligated to make the re-buy.
18. Higher Denomination Chips: Players must keep their highest denomination chips visible at all times.
19. Declarations: Verbal declarations as to the content of a player's hand are not binding; however at the Tournament Directors discretion, any player deliberately miscalling his hand will be subject to penalty.
20. Rabbit Hunting: No rabbit hunting is allowed.
21. Dodging Blinds: A player who intentionally dodges his or her blind(s) when moving from a broken table must forfeit both blinds and incur a penalty.
22. Chips Visible: All chips must be visible at all times. Players may not hold or transport Tournament chips in any manner that takes them out of view or out of the Tournament area. A player who does so will forfeit the chips and face disqualification. The forfeited chips will be taken out of play.
23. Breaking Tables: Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibilities of the position. They can get the big blind, the small blind or the button. The only place they cannot get a hand is between the small blind and the button. If blinds are already posted and a misdeal occurs the player will take their seat at the new deal and assume the rights and responsibilities of their position including blinds. Big Stack Players Club reserves the right to alter the breaking order due to unusual circumstances.
24. Balancing Tables: Typically players will be moved from the Big Blind to the worst position available. Tournament Staff reserves the right to move any player of any position.
25. Raises: There is no cap on the number of raises. The initial raise must be at least double the big blind, with all subsequent raises being at least the size of the previous raise. I.E. If Big Blind is 400 and next player raises to $1000, the next raise must be at least $600. So the next player to raise would need to put at least $1600 into the pot.
26. Misdeals: Exposure of one of the first two cards dealt is a misdeal. Players may be dealt two consecutive cards on the button.
27. Unprotected Hands: If a dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to his or her money back. An exception would be if a player raised and his or her raise had not been called yet, he or she would be entitled to receive his or her raise back.
28. Killing Winning Hand: A dealer cannot kill a winning hand that was turned face up and was obviously the winning hand. Players are encouraged to assist in reading tabled hands if it appears that an error is about to be made.
29. Verbal Declarations: Verbal declarations in turn are binding. Action out of turn may be binding and will be binding if the action to that player has not changed. A check, call, or fold is not considered action changing. Players must act in turn at all times. Action out of turn may or may not be binding. If a player acts out of turn and the action does not change by the time it is that player's turn to act, that player's action is binding. Action changes only if a player makes an initial bet or raises before the action gets back to the person that acted out of turn. Action does not change when the player in front of a player acting out of turn checks, calls or folds. If a player acts out of turn and the action changes, the person who acted out of turn may change their action by calling, raising or folding and may have their chips returned. Players may not intentionally act out of turn to influence play before them. Violators will be warned and may receive a penalty.
30. Exposing Cards: A player exposing his or her cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand. All players at the table are entitled to see the exposed card(s), if requested. A penalty will also be imposed if a player throws a card off the table, forcefully mucks their cards causing one or all cards to turn over, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule or engages in similar behavior. Penalties will be invoked in cases of soft-play, abuse or disruptive behavior. All penalties will be imposed at The Clubs sole and absolute discretion.
31. Methods of Raising: A raise must be made by (1) placing the full amount in the pot in one motion; or (2) verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot; or (3) verbally declaring “raise” completing the action with one additional motion.
32. Ethical Play: Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties that may include forfeiture of chips and/or disqualification. Chip dumping will result in disqualification.
33. Pot Size: If requested, dealers may spread the pot so that it can be counted by a player.
34. Button in Heads-up: When heads up in blind games, the small blind is on the button and acts first. When beginning heads-up play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player takes the big blind twice.
35. Etiquette Violations: Repeated etiquette violations will result in penalties. Examples include unnecessarily touching other players cards or chips, delay of game, and excessive chatter. Players are required to act in turn.
36. Showdown: At the end of the last round of betting, the player who made the last aggressive betting action in that betting round must show first. If there was no bet during the final round, the player to the left of the button shows first, and so on in a clockwise direction. At showdown, any player at the table may request to see a folded hand from any player who has called all bets on the last round of betting. If a player with the last aggressive action on the last round of betting refuses to show their hand and intentionally mucks his or her hand, the player in violation may receive a penalty.
37. Action Pending: Players must remain at the table if they still have action pending on a hand.
38. String Raises: Dealers will be responsible for calling string bets/raises. All players at the table are encouraged to assist in calling a string bet/raise if a dealer fails to identify it. String bets/raises called by a player must be verified by a floor person. A string bet/raise is defined as attempting a bet or raise in multiple movements that include a return to a player’s stack without a prior verbal declaration of intent or visual deception intended to induce action out of turn before a player’s action is complete.
39. Playing the Board: A player must show his or her cards when playing the board to get part of the pot.