ROBERT’S RULES OF POKER VERSION
6 “Robert’s Rules Of Poker” is authored by Robert
Ciaffone, better known in the poker world as Bob Ciaffone, a leading
authority on cardroom rules. He is the person who has selected which
rules to use, and formatted, organized, and worded the text. Nearly
all these rules are substantively in common use for poker, but many
improved ideas for wording and organization are employed throughout
this work. A lot of the rules are similar to those used in the rulebook
of cardrooms where he has acted as a rules consultant and rules drafter.
Ciaffone authored the rulebook for the Poker Players Association (founded
in 1984, now defunct), the first comprehensive set of poker rules for
the general public. He has done extensive work on rules for the Las
Vegas Hilton, The Mirage, and Hollywood Park Casino, and assisted many
other cardrooms. Ciaffone is a regular columnist for Card Player magazine,
and can be reached through that publication. This rulebook will be periodically
revised, so suggestions are welcome. Poker rules are widely used and freely copied,
so it is impossible to construct a rulebook without using many rules
that exist as part of a rule set of some cardroom. If such a rule is
used, no credit is given to the source (which is unlikely to be the
original one for the rule). The goal of this rulebook is to produce the
best set of rules in existence, and make it generally available, so
any person or cardroom can use it who so desires. The purpose is the
betterment of poker. The general philosophy used in this rulebook
is to make the rules sufficiently detailed so a decision-maker will
know what the proper ruling is in each situation. A rule should do more
than produce the right ruling. It should be stated so the decision-maker
can refer to specific language in the rulebook, to have the ruling is
accepted as correct. The author has strongly supported uniform poker
rules, and applauds the work done in this direction by the Tournament
Director’s Association (TDA). Nearly all the rules herein are compatible
with the TDA rules, although there are some slight differences in wording. This rulebook may be copied or downloaded by anyone, provided it is not
sold for profit without written permission from the author, and the
name “Robert’s Rules of Poker” is used or credited. Excerpts of less
than a full chapter may be used without restriction or credit. People
are welcome to use these rules, and even put their own business name
on them, but this does not give a person or business any rights other
than to use the rules in their own establishment, or to make copies
available to someone else with the same restrictions applied to the
recipient as stated here. Anyone may make copies of these rules and
distribute them at no charge to recipients as a business promotion without
obtaining permission. THIS IS THE OFFICIAL RULEBOOK FOR OUR CARDROOM Welcome to our cardroom. Your presence in our establishment means that you
agree to abide by our rules and procedures. By taking a seat in one
of our card games, you are accepting our management to be the final
authority on all matters relating to that game. TABLE
OF CONTENTS (1) PROPER BEHAVIOR .........................1
Conduct Code
1
Poker Etiquette
1 Tobacco Use
2 (2) HOUSE POLICIES ...............................3
Decision-Making
3 Procedures
3
Seating
6
(3) GENERAL POKER RULES ................8 The Buy-In
8 Misdeals
8 Dead Hands
9 Irregularities
9 Betting and Raising 11 The Showdown
13 Ties
14 (5) HOLD’EM ............................................19 (14) NO-LIMIT
AND POT-LIMIT ...........39
Pot-limit 43 (15) TOURNAMENTS ...............................43 (16) EXPLANATIONS ...............................47 GLOSSARY ........................................50 SECTION
1 - PROPER BEHAVIOR
CONDUCT CODE
Management will attempt to maintain
a pleasant environment for all our customers and employees, but is not
responsible for the conduct of any player. We have established a code
of conduct, and may deny the use of our cardroom to violators. The following
are not permitted: Collusion with another player
or any other form of cheating. Verbally or physically threatening any patron or employee. Using profanity or obscene language. Creating a disturbance by arguing,
shouting, or making excessive noise. Throwing, tearing, bending, or
crumpling cards. Destroying or defacing property. Using an illegal substance. Carrying a weapon. POKER ETIQUETTE
The following actions are improper,
and grounds for warning, suspending, or barring a violator: Deliberately acting out of turn. Deliberately splashing chips into
the pot. Agreeing to check a hand out when a third player
is all-in. Reading a hand for another player at the showdown
before it has been placed faceup on the table. Telling anyone to turn a hand faceup at the
showdown. Revealing the contents of a live
hand in a multihanded pot before the betting is complete. Revealing
the contents of a folded hand before the betting is complete. Do not
divulge the contents of a hand during a deal even to someone not in
the pot, so you do not leave any possibility of the information being
transmitted to an active player. Needlessly stalling the action
of a game. Deliberately discarding hands away from the muck. Cards should be released
in a low line of flight, at a moderate rate of speed (not at the dealer's
hands or chip-rack). Stacking chips in a manner that
interferes with dealing or viewing cards. Making statements or taking action
that could unfairly influence the course of play, whether or not the
offender is involved in the pot. Using a cell phone at the table. TOBACCO USE
(These rules are for an establishment
that does not completely bar smoking.) The seat on each side of the dealer
is a nonsmoking seat. Cigar or pipe smoking is not allowed
in the cardroom. Smoking by a guest or spectator
is not allowed. SECTION
2 - HOUSE POLICIES
DECISION-MAKING
1. 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. 2. Decisions
of the shift supervisor are final. 3. The
proper time to draw attention to an error or irregularity is when it
occurs or is first noticed. Any delay may affect the ruling. 4. If
an incorrect rule interpretation or decision by an employee is made
in good faith, the establishment has no liability. 5. A
ruling may be made regarding a pot if it has been requested before the
next deal starts (or before the game either ends or changes to another
table). Otherwise, the result of a deal must stand. The first riffle
of the shuffle marks the start for a deal. 6. If
a pot has been incorrectly awarded and mingled with chips that were
not in the pot, and the time limit for a ruling request given in the
previous rule has been observed, management may determine how much was
in the pot by reconstructing the betting, and then transfer that amount
to the proper player. 7. To
keep the action moving, it is possible that a game may be asked to continue
even though a decision is delayed for a short period. The delay could
be needed to check the overhead camera tape, get the shift supervisor
to give the ruling, or some other good reason. In such circumstances,
a pot or portion thereof may be impounded by the house while the decision
is pending. 8. The
same action may have a different meaning, depending on who does it,
so the possible intent of an offender will be taken into consideration.
Some factors here are the person’s amount of poker experience and past
record. PROCEDURES
1. Management will decide when to
start or close any game. 2. Collections
(seat rental fees) are paid in advance. In all time-collection games,
the dealer is required to pick up the collection from each player before
dealing. A player not wishing to pay collection may play one courtesy
hand in stud, and may play until the blind in button games, provided
no one is waiting for the game. If there is more than one person on
the list for that game when the collection becomes due, everyone must
pay collection. A new player is not required to pay if there is either
no list or only one person waiting. 3. Cash
is not permitted on the table. All cash should be changed into chips
in order to play. If a player appears unaware of this rule and attempts
to play unnoticed cash that was on the table during a pot, the dealer
may let the cash play if no one in the pot objects, then have all the
cash changed into chips after the hand. Any chips from another establishment
are not permitted on the table, do not play in the game, and if discovered
will be treated similarly to unnoticed cash. [See Section 16 – “Explanations,”
discussion #5, for more information on this rule.] 4. Money and chips may be removed for security
purposes when leaving the table. The establishment is not responsible
for any shortage or removal of chips left on the table during a player’s
absence, even though we will try to protect everyone as best we can.
All removed funds must be fully restored when returning to the game. 5. If you return to the same game within one
hour of cashing out, your buy-in must be equal to the amount removed
when leaving that game. 6. All games are table stakes (except “playing
behind” as given in the next rule). Only the chips in front of a player
at the start of a deal may play for that hand, except for chips not
yet received that a player has purchased. The amount bought must be
announced to the table, or only the amount of the minimum buy-in plays.
Awareness of the amount being in play for each opponent is an important
part of poker. All chips and money must be kept in plain view. 7. "Playing
behind" is allowed only for the amount of purchased chips while
awaiting their arrival. The amount in play must be announced to the
table, or only the amount of the minimum buy-in plays. 8. Playing
out of a rack is not allowed. 9. Only
one person may play a hand. 10. No one is allowed to play another player’s chips. 11. Permission is required before taking a seat
in a game. 12. Playing
over without permission from the floorperson is not allowed. A playover
box is required. Permission from the absent player is not necessary. 13. Pushing bets (“saving” or “potting out”) is
not allowed. 14. Pushing an ante or posting for another person
is not allowed. 15. Splitting pots will not be allowed in any game.
Chopping the big and small blind by taking them back when all other
players have folded is allowed in button games. 16. Insurance propositions are not allowed. Dealing
twice (or three times) when all-in is permitted at big-bet poker. 17. The
game's betting limit will not be changed if two or more players object.
Raising the limit is subject to management approval. 18. Players
must keep their cards in full view. This means above table-level and
not past the edge of the table. The cards should not be covered by the
hands in a manner to completely conceal them. 19. Any player is entitled to a clear view of an
opponent’s chips. Higher denomination chips should be easily visible. 20. Your chips may be picked up if you are away
from the table for more than 30 minutes. Your absence may be extended
if you notify a floorperson in advance. Frequent or continuous absences
may cause your chips to be picked up from the table. 21. A lock-up in a new game will be picked up after
five minutes if someone is waiting to play. No seat may be locked up
for more than ten minutes if someone is waiting to play. 22. A
new deck must be used for at least a full round (once around the table)
before it may be changed, and a new setup must be used for at least
an hour, unless a deck is defective or damaged, or cards become sticky. 23. Looking
through the discards or deck stub is not allowed. 24. After
a deal ends, dealers are asked to not show what card would have been
dealt. 25. A player is expected to pay attention to the
game and not hold up play. Activity that interferes with this such as
reading at the table is discouraged, and the player will be asked to
cease if a problem is caused. 26. A non-player may not sit at the table. 27. In
non-tournament games, you may have a guest sit behind you if no one
in the game objects. It is improper for a guest to look at any hand
other then your own. 28. Speaking a foreign language during a deal is
not allowed. SEATING
1. You
must be present to add your name to a waiting list. 2. It
is the player’s responsibility to be in the playing area and hear the
list being called. A player who intends to leave the playing area should
notify the list-person, and can leave money for a lockup. The lockup
amount is $20. 3. When
there is more than one game of the same stakes and poker form, and a
must-move is not being used, the house will control the seating of new
players to best preserve the viability of existing games. A new player
will be sent to the game most in need of an additional player. A transfer
to a similar game is not allowed if the game being left will then have
fewer players than the game being entered. 4. A
player may not hold a seat in more than one game. 5. The
house reserves the right to require that any two players not play in
the same game (husband and wife, relatives, business partners, and so
forth). 6. When
a button game starts, active players will draw a card for the button
position. The button will be awarded to the highest card by suit for
all high and high-low games, and to the lowest card by suit for all
low games. 7. In
a new game, the player who arrives at the table the earliest gets first
choice of remaining seats. If two players want the same seat and arrive
at the same time, the higher player on the list has preference. A player
playing a pot in another game may have a designated seat locked up until
that hand is finished. Management may reserve a certain seat for a player
for a good reason, such as to assist reading the board for a person
with a vision problem. 8. To
avoid a seating dispute, a supervisor may decide to start the game with
one extra player over the normal number participating. If so, a seat
will be removed as soon as someone quits the game. 9. To
protect an existing game, a forced move may be invoked when an additional
game of the same type and limit is started. The must-move list is maintained
in the same order as the original waiting list. If a player refuses
to move into the main game, that player will be forced to quit, and
cannot play in the must-move game or get on that list for one hour. 10. You
must play in a new game or must-move game to retain your place on the
list, if by your playing there would be three or fewer empty seats. 11. In
all button games, a player going from a must-move game to the main game
may play until due for the big blind. The player must then enter the
game as a new player, and may either post an amount equal to the big
blind or wait for the big blind. In all stud games, a player may play
only one more hand before moving. 12. A
player who is already in the game has precedence over a new player for
any seat when it becomes available. However, no change will occur after
a new player has been seated, or after that player’s buy-in or marker
has been placed on the table, unless that particular seat had been previously
requested. For players already in the game, the one who asks the earliest
has preference for a seat change. 13. In
all button games, a player voluntarily locking up a seat in another
game must move immediately if there is a waiting list of two or more
names for the seat being vacated, except that the player is entitled
to play the button if a blind has already been taken. Otherwise, a player
may play up to the blind before moving. In a stud game, a player changing
tables may play only the present hand if someone is waiting for the
seat being vacated, or one more hand when no one is waiting. 14. When
a game breaks, each player may draw a card to determine the seating
order for a similar game. The floorperson draws a card for an absent
player. If the card entitles the absent player to an immediate seat,
the player has until due for the big blind in a button game to take
the seat (two hands in a stud game), and will be put first up on the
list if not back in time. SECTION
3 - GENERAL POKER RULES
THE BUY-IN 1. When you enter a game, you must make a full
buy-in. At limit poker, a full buy-in is at least ten times the maximum
bet for the game being played, unless designated otherwise. 2. You are allowed to make only one short buy-in
for a game. Adding to your stack is not considered a buy-in, and may
be done in any quantity between hands. 3. A player coming from a broken game or must-move
game to a game of the same limit may continue to play the same amount
of money, even if it is less than the minimum buy-in. A player switching
games voluntarily must have the proper buy-in size for the new game. MISDEALS 1. The
following circumstances cause a misdeal, provided attention is called
to the error before two players have acted on their hands. (If two players
have acted in turn, the deal must be played to conclusion, as explained
in rule #2) (a) The first or second card of the hand has been
dealt faceup or exposed through dealer error. (b) Two or more cards have been exposed by the dealer. (c) Two or more boxed cards (improperly faced cards)
are found. (d) Two or more extra cards have been dealt in the
starting hands of a game. (e) An incorrect number of cards has been dealt
to a player, except the top card may be dealt if it goes to the player
in proper sequence. (f) Any card has been dealt out of the proper sequence
(except an exposed card may be replaced by the burncard). (g) The button was out of position. (h) The first card was dealt to the wrong position. (i) Cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a
player not entitled to a hand. (j)
A player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. This player must
be present at the table or have posted a blind or ante. 2. Once
action begins, a misdeal cannot be called. The deal will be played,
and no money will be returned to any player whose hand is fouled. In
button games, action is considered to occur when two players after the
blinds have acted on their hands. In stud games, action is considered
to occur when two players after the forced bet have acted on their hands. DEAD
HANDS
1. Your hand is declared dead if: (a) You fold
or announce that you are folding when facing a bet or a raise.
(b) You throw
your hand away in a forward motion causing another player to act behind
you (even if not facing a bet).
(c) In stud,
when facing a bet, you pick your upcards off the table, turn your upcards
facedown, or mix your upcards and downcards together.
(d) The hand does not contain the proper number
of cards for that particular game (except at stud a hand missing the
final card may be ruled live, and at lowball and draw high a hand with
too few cards before the draw is live). [See Section 16 - “Explanations,”
discussion #4, for more information on the stud portion of this rule.] (e) You act on a hand with a joker as a holecard
in a game not using a joker. (A player who acts on a hand without looking
at a card assumes the liability of finding an improper card, as given
in Irregularities, rule #8.) (f) You have the clock on you when facing a
bet or raise and exceed the specified time limit. 2. 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. We will make an extra
effort to rule a hand retrievable if it was folded as a result of incorrect
information given to the player. 3. Cards
thrown into another player’s hand are dead, whether they are faceup
or facedown. IRREGULARITIES 1. In
button games, if it is discovered that the button was placed incorrectly
on the previous hand, the button and blinds will be corrected for the
new hand in a manner that gives every player one chance for each position
on the round (if possible). 2. 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. 3. If
a card with a different color back appears during a hand, all action
is void and all chips in the pot are returned to the respective bettors.
If a card with a different color back is discovered in the stub, all
action stands. 4. If
two cards of the same rank and suit are found, all action is void, and
all chips in the pot are returned to the players who wagered them (subject
to next rule). 5. A
player who knows the deck is defective has an obligation to point this
out. If such a player instead tries to win a pot by taking aggressive
action (trying for a freeroll), the player may lose the right to a refund,
and the chips may be required to stay in the pot for the next deal. 6. If
there is extra money in the pot on a deal as a result of forfeited money
from the previous deal (as per rule #5), or some similar reason, only
a player dealt in on the previous deal is entitled to a hand. 7. A
card discovered faceup in the deck (boxed card) will be treated as a
meaningless scrap of paper. A card being treated as a scrap of paper
will be replaced by the next card below it in the deck, except when
the next card has already been dealt facedown to another player and
mixed in with other downcards. In that case, the card that was faceup
in the deck will be replaced after all other cards are dealt for that
round. 8. A
joker that appears in a game where it is not used is treated as a scrap
of paper. Discovery of a joker does not cause a misdeal. If the joker
is discovered before a player acts on his or her hand, it is replaced
as in the previous rule. If the player does not call attention to the
joker before acting, then the player has a dead hand. 9. If
you play a hand without looking at all of your cards, you assume the
liability of having an irregular card or an improper joker. 10. One
or more cards missing from the deck does not invalidate the results
of a hand. 11. Before
the first round of betting, if a dealer deals one additional card, it
is returned to the deck and used as the burncard. 12. Procedure
for an exposed card varies with the poker form, and is given in the
section for each game. A card that is flashed by a dealer is treated
as an exposed card. A card that is flashed by a player will play. To
obtain a ruling on whether a card was exposed and should be replaced,
a player should announce that the card was flashed or exposed before
looking at it. A downcard dealt off the table is an exposed card. 13. If
a card is exposed due to dealer error, a player does not have an option
to take or reject the card. The situation will be governed by the rules
for the particular game being played. 14. If
you drop any cards out of your hand onto the floor, you must still play
them. 15. If
the dealer fails to burn a card or burns more than one card, the error
should be corrected if discovered before betting action has started
for that round. Once action has been taken on a boardcard, the card
must stand. Whether the error is able to be corrected or not, subsequent
cards dealt should be those that would have come if no error had occurred.
For example, if two cards were burned, one of the cards should be put
back on the deck and used for the burncard on the next round. On the
last round, if there was no betting because a player was all-in, the
error should be corrected if discovered before the pot has been awarded. 16. If
the dealer prematurely deals any cards before the betting is complete,
those cards will not play, even if a player who has not acted decides
to fold. BETTING
AND RAISING 1. Check-raise
is permitted in all games, except in certain forms of lowball. 2. In
no-limit and pot-limit games, unlimited raising is allowed. 3. In
limit poker, for a pot involving three or more players who are not all-in,
these limits on raises apply: (a)
A game with three or more betting rounds allows a maximum of a bet and
three raises. (b)
A game with two betting rounds (such as lowball or draw) allows a maximum
of a bet and four raises. [See “Section 16 - Explanations,” discussion
#6, for more information on this rule.] 4. Unlimited
raising is allowed in heads-up play. This applies any time the action
becomes heads-up before the raising has been capped. Once the raising
is capped on a betting round, it cannot be uncapped by a subsequent
fold that leaves two players heads-up. 5. Any
wager not all-in must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise
in that round. 6. In
limit play, an all-in wager of less than half a bet does not reopen
the betting for any player who has already acted and is in the pot for
all previous bets. A player who has not yet acted (or had the betting
reopened to him by another player’s action), facing an all-in wager
of less than half a bet, may fold, call, or complete the wager. An all-in
wager of a half a bet or more is treated as a full bet, and a player
may fold, call, or make a full raise. (An example of a full raise on
a $20 betting round is raising a $15 all-in bet to $35.) Multiple all-in
wagers, each of an amount too small to individually qualify as a raise,
still act as a raise and reopen the betting if the resulting wager size
to a player qualifies as a raise. 7. The
smallest chip that may be wagered in a game is the smallest chip used
in the antes, blinds, rake, or collection. (Certain games may use a
special rule that does not allow chips used only in house revenue to
play.) Smaller chips than this do not play even in quantity, so a player
wanting action on such chips must change them up between deals. If betting
is in dollar units or greater, a fraction of a dollar does not play.
A player going all-in must put all chips that play into the pot. 8. A
verbal statement denotes your action and is binding. If in turn you
verbally declare a fold, check, bet, call, or raise, you are forced
to take that action. 9. Rapping
the table with your hand is a pass. 10. 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. An action or verbal
declaration out of turn may be ruled binding if there is no bet, call,
or raise by an intervening player acting after the infraction has been
committed. A player who has called out of turn may not change his wager
to a raise under any circumstances. 11. To
retain the right to act, a player must stop the action by calling “time”
(or an equivalent word). Failure to stop the action before three or
more players have acted behind you may cause you to lose the right to
act. You cannot forfeit your right to act if any player in front of
you has not acted, only if you fail to act when it legally becomes your
turn. Therefore, if you wait for someone whose turn comes before you,
and three or more players act behind you, this still does not hinder
your right to act. 12. In
limit poker, if you make a forward motion with chips and thus cause
another player to act, you may be forced to complete your action. 13. A
player who bets or calls by releasing chips into the pot is bound by
that action and must make the amount of the wager correct. (This also
applies right before the showdown when putting chips into the pot causes
the opponent to show the winning hand before the full amount needed
to call has been put into the pot.) However, if you are unaware that
the pot has been raised, you may withdraw that money and reconsider
your action, provided that no one else has acted after you. At pot-limit
or no-limit betting, if there is a gross misunderstanding concerning
the amount of the wager, see Section 14, Rule 8. 14. String
raises are not allowed. 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.) 15. 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. Example:
In a $3-$6 game, when a player bets $6 and the next player puts a $25
chip in the pot without saying anything, that player has merely called
the $6 bet. 16. All
wagers and calls of an improperly low amount must be brought up to proper
size if the error is discovered before the betting round has been completed.
This includes actions such as betting a lower amount than the minimum
bring-in (other than going all-in) and betting the lower limit on an
upper limit betting round. If a wager is supposed to be made in a rounded
off amount, is not, and must be corrected, it shall be changed to the
proper amount nearest in size. No one who has acted may change a call
to a raise because the wager size has been changed. THE SHOWDOWN 1. To
win any part of a pot, a player must show all of his cards faceup on
the table, whether they were used in the final hand played or not. 2. Cards speak (cards read for themselves). The
dealer assists in reading hands, but players are responsible for holding
onto their cards until the winner is declared. Although verbal declarations
as to the contents of a hand are not binding, deliberately miscalling
a hand with the intent of causing another player to discard a winning
hand is unethical and may result in forfeiture of the pot. (For more
information on miscalling a hand see “Section 11 - Lowball,” Rule 15
and Rule 16.) 3. Any player, dealer, or floorperson
who sees an incorrect amount of chips put into the pot, or an error
about to be made in awarding a pot, has an ethical obligation to point
out the error. Please help keep mistakes of this nature to a minimum. 4. All
losing hands will be killed by the dealer before a pot is awarded. 5. Any
player who has been dealt in may request to see any hand that is eligible
to participate in the showdown, even if the opponent's hand or the winning
hand has been mucked. However, this is a privilege that may be revoked
if abused. If a player other than the pot winner asks to see a hand
that has been folded, that hand is dead. If the winning player asks
to see a losing player’s hand, both hands are live, and the best hand
wins. 6. Show
one, show all. Players are entitled to receive equal access to information
about the contents of another player’s hand. After a deal, if cards
are shown to another player, every player at the table has a right to
see those cards. During a deal, cards that were shown to an active player
who might have a further wagering decision on that betting round must
immediately be shown to all the other players. If the player who saw
the cards is not involved in the deal, or cannot use the information
in wagering, the information should be withheld until the betting is
over, so it does not affect the normal outcome of the deal. Cards shown
to a person who has no more wagering decisions on that betting round,
but might use the information on a later betting round, should be shown
to the other players at the conclusion of that betting round. If only
a portion of the hand has been shown, there is no requirement to show
any of the unseen cards. The shown cards are treated as given in the
preceding part of this rule. 7. If
everyone checks (or is all-in) on the final betting round, the player
who acted first is the first to show the hand. If there is wagering
on the final betting round, the last player to take aggressive action
by a bet or raise is the first to show the hand. In order to speed up
the game, a player holding a probable winner is encouraged to show the
hand without delay. If there is a side pot, players involved in the
side pot should show their hands before anyone who is all-in for only
the main pot. TIES 1. The
ranking of suits from highest to lowest is spades, hearts, diamonds,
clubs. Suits never break a tie for winning a pot. Suits are used to
break a tie between cards of the same rank (no redeal or redraw). 2. Dealing
a card to each player is used to determine things like who moves to
another table. If the cards are dealt, the order is clockwise starting
with the first player on the dealer’s left (the button position is irrelevant).
Drawing a card is used to determine things like who gets the button
in a new game, or seating order coming from a broken game. 3. An
odd chip will be broken down to the smallest unit used in the game. 4. No
player may receive more than one odd chip. 5. If
two or more hands tie, an odd chip will be awarded as follows: (a) In a button game, the first hand clockwise
from the button gets the odd chip. (b) In a stud game, the odd chip will be given
to the highest card by suit in all high games, and to the lowest card
by suit in all low games. (When making this determination, all cards
are used, not just the five cards that constitute the player's hand.) (c) In high-low split games, the high hand receives
the odd chip in a split between the high and the low hands. The odd
chip between tied high hands is awarded as in a high game of that poker
form, and the odd chip between tied low hands is awarded as in a low
game of that poker form. If two players have identical hands, the pot
will be split as evenly as possible. (d) All side pots and the main pot will be split
as separate pots, not mixed together. SECTION 4 - BUTTON AND BLIND USE
In button games, a non-playing dealer normally
does the actual dealing. A round disk called the button is used to indicate
which player has the dealer position. The player with the button is
last to receive cards on the initial deal and has the right of last
action after the first betting round. The button moves clockwise after
a deal ends to rotate the advantage of last action. One or more blind
bets are usually used to stimulate action and initiate play. Blinds
are posted before the players look at their cards. Blinds are part of
a player’s bet (unless a certain structure or situation specifies otherwise).
A blind other than the big blind may be treated as dead (not part of
the poster’s bet) in some structures, as when a special additional "dead
blind" for the collection is specified by a cardroom’s procedure.
With two blinds, the small blind is posted by the first player clockwise
from the button, and the big blind is posted by the player two positions
clockwise from the button. With more than two blinds, the smallest blind
is normally left of the button (not on it). Action is initiated on the
first betting round by the first player to the left of the blinds. On
all subsequent betting rounds, the action begins with the first active
player to the left of the button. RULES FOR USING BLINDS
1. The minimum bring-in and allowable raise sizes for the opener are specified by the poker form used and blind amounts set for a game. They remain the same even when the player in the blind does not have enough chips to post the full amount. 2. Each round
every player must get an opportunity for the button, and meet the total
amount of the blind obligations. Either of the following methods of
button and blind placement may be designated to do this: (a) Moving button – The button always moves
forward to the next player and the blinds adjust accordingly. There
may be more than one big blind. (b) 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. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion
#1, for more information on this rule.] 3. A
player posting a blind in the game’s regular structure has the option
of raising the pot at the first turn to act. Although chips posted by
the big blind are considered a bet, this option to raise is retained
if someone goes all-in with a wager of less than the minimum raise. 4. In
heads-up play with two blinds, the small blind is on the button. 5. A new player entering the game has the following
options: (a) Wait for the big blind. (b) Post
an amount equal to the big blind and immediately be dealt a hand. (In
lowball, a new player must either post an amount double the big blind
or wait for the big blind.) 6. A
new player who elects to let the button go by once without posting is
not treated as a player in the game who has missed a blind, and needs
to post only the big blind when entering the game. 7. A
person playing over is considered a new player, and must post the amount
of the big blind or wait for the big blind. 8. A new player cannot be dealt
in between the big blind and the button. Blinds may not be made up between
the big blind and the button. You must wait until the button passes.
[See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #3, for more information
on this rule.] 9. When
you post the big blind, it serves as your opening bet. When it is your
next turn to act, you have the option to raise. 10. A player who misses any or all
blinds can resume play by either posting all the blinds missed or waiting
for the big blind. If you choose to post the total amount of the blinds,
an amount up to the size of the minimum opening bet is live. The remainder
is taken by the dealer to the center of the pot and is not part of your
bet. When it is your next turn to act, you have the option to raise. 11. If a player who owes a blind
(as a result of a missed blind) is dealt in without posting, the hand
is dead if the player looks at it before putting up the required chips,
and has not yet acted. If the player acts on the hand and plays it,
putting chips into the pot before the error is discovered, the hand
is live, and the player is required to post on the next deal. 12. A player who goes all-in and loses is obligated to make up the blinds
if they are missed before a rebuy is made. (The person is not treated
as a new player when reentering.) 13. These
rules about blinds apply to a newly started game: (a) Any player
who drew for the button is considered active in the game and is required
to make up any missed blinds. (b) A new
player will not be required to post a blind until the button has made
one complete revolution around the table, provided a blind has not yet
passed that seat. (c) A player may change seats without penalty,
provided a blind has not yet passed the new seat. 14. In all multiple-blind games, a player who
changes seats will be dealt in on the first available hand in the same
relative position. Example: If you move two active positions away from
the big blind, you must wait two hands before being dealt in again.
If you move closer to the big blind, you can be dealt in without any
penalty. If you do not wish to wait and have not yet missed a blind,
then you can post an amount equal to the big blind and receive a hand.
(Exception: At lowball you must kill the pot, wait for the same relative
position, or wait for the big blind; see “Section 11 – Lowball,” rule
#7.) 15. A player who "deals off" (by playing
the button and then immediately getting up to change seats) can allow
the blinds to pass the new seat one time and reenter the game behind
the button without having to post a blind. 16. A live “straddle bet" is not allowed
at limit poker except in specified games. SECTION 5 - HOLD’EM In hold’em, players receive two downcards as their personal hand (holecards),
after which there is a round of betting. Three boardcards are turned
simultaneously (called the “flop”) and another round of betting occurs.
The next two boardcards are turned one at a time, with a round of betting
after each card. The boardcards are community cards, and a player may
use any five-card combination from among the board and personal cards.
A player may even use all of the boardcards and no personal cards to
form a hand (play the board). A dealer button is used. The usual structure
is to use two blinds, but it is possible to play the game with one blind,
multiple blinds, an ante, or combination of blinds plus an ante. RULES
These rules deal only with irregularities. See the previous chapter, “Button
and Blind Use,” for rules on that subject. 1. If
the first or second holecard dealt is exposed, a misdeal results. The
dealer will retrieve the card, reshuffle, and recut the cards. If any
other holecard is exposed due to a dealer error, the deal continues.
The exposed card may not be kept. After completing the hand, the dealer
replaces the card with the top card on the deck, and the exposed card
is then used for the burncard. If more than one holecard is exposed,
this is a misdeal and there must be a redeal. 2. If
the dealer mistakenly deals the first player an extra card (after all
players have received their starting hands), the card will be returned
to the deck and used for the burncard. If the dealer mistakenly deals
more than one extra card, it is a misdeal. 3. If
the flop contains too many cards, it must be redealt. (This applies
even if it were possible to know which card was the extra one.) 4. If
before dealing the flop, the dealer failed to burn a card, or burned
two cards, the error should be rectified if no cards were exposed. The
deck must be reshuffled if any cards were exposed. 5. If
the dealer fails to burn a card or burns more than one card, the error
should be corrected if discovered before betting action has started
for that round. Once action has been taken on a boardcard, the card
must stand. Whether the error is able to be corrected or not, subsequent
cards dealt should be those that would have come if no error had occurred.
For example, if two cards were burned, one of the cards should be put
back on the deck and used for the burncard on the next round. If there
was no betting on a round because a player was all-in, the error should
be corrected if discovered before the pot has been awarded. 6. If
the dealer burns and turns before a betting round is complete, the card(s)
may not be used, even if subsequent players elect to fold. Nobody has
an option of accepting or rejecting the card. The betting is then completed,
and the error rectified in the prescribed manner for that situation. 7. If
the flop needs to be redealt for any reason, the boardcards are mixed
with the remainder of the deck. The burncard remains on the table. After
shuffling, the dealer cuts the deck and deals a new flop without burning
a card. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #2, for more information
on this rule.] 8. A
dealing error for the fourth boardcard is rectified in a manner to least
influence the identity of the boardcards that would have been used without
the error. The dealer burns and deals what would have been the fifth
card in the fourth card’s place. After this round of betting, the dealer
reshuffles the deck, including the card that was taken out of play,
but not including the burncards or discards. The dealer then cuts the
deck and deals the final card without burning a card. If the fifth card
is turned up prematurely, the deck is reshuffled and dealt in the same
manner. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #2, for more information
on this rule.] 9. You
must declare that you are playing the board before you throw your cards
away. Otherwise, you relinquish all claim to the pot. (sections
6 - 13 have been intentionally removed from this hold em only rulebook)
SECTION 14
- NO LIMIT AND POT-LIMIT A no-limit or pot-limit betting structure for a game gives it a different character from limit poker, requiring a separate set of rules in many situations. All the rules for limit games apply to no-limit and pot-limit games, except as noted in this section. No-limit means that the amount of a wager is limited only by the table stakes rule, so any part or all of a player’s chips may be wagered. The rules of no-limit play also apply to pot-limit play, except that a bet may not exceed the pot size. The maximum amount a player can raise is the amount in the pot after the call is made. Therefore, if a pot is $100, and someone makes a $50 bet, the next player can call $50 and raise the pot $200, for a total wager of $250. For those rules that apply only to no-limit and pot-limit lowball, see the sub-section at the end of “Section 11 – Lowball.” NO-LIMIT
RULES
1. The
number of raises in any betting round is unlimited. 2. All
bets must be at least equal to the minimum bring-in, unless the player
is going all-in. (A straddle bet sets a new minimum bring-in, and is
not treated as a raise.) The minimum bet remains the same amount on
all betting rounds. 3. All
raises must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet
or raise on that betting round, except for an all-in wager. A player
who has already acted and is not facing a fullsize wager may not subsequently
raise an all-in bet that is less than the minimum bet (which is the
amount of the minimum bring-in), or less than the full size of the last
bet or raise. (The half-the-size rule for reopening the betting is for
limit poker only.) 4. “Completing
the bet” is a limit poker wager type only, not allowed at big-bet poker.
For example, if a player bets $100 and the next player goes all-in for
$140, a player wishing to raise must make the total bet at least $240
(unless going all-in). 5. Multiple
all-in wagers, each of an amount too small to qualify as a raise, still
act as a raise and reopen the betting if the resulting wager size to
a player qualifies as a raise. Example: Player A bets $100 and Player B raises
$100 more, making the total bet $200. If Player C goes all in for less
than $300 total (not a full $100 raise), and Player A calls, then Player
B has no option to raise again, because he wasn’t fully raised. (Player
A could have raised, because Player B raised.) 6. At
non-tournament play, a player who says "raise" is allowed
to continue putting chips into the pot with more than one move; the
wager is assumed complete when the player’s hands come to rest outside
the pot area. (This rule is used because no-limit play may require a
large number of chips be put into the pot.) In tournament play, the
TDA rules require that the player either use a verbal statement giving
the amount of the raise or put the chips into the pot in a single motion,
to avoid making a string-bet. 7. A
wager is not binding until the chips are actually released into the
pot, unless the player has made a verbal statement of action. 8. If
there is a discrepancy between a player's verbal statement and the amount
put into the pot, the bet will be corrected to the verbal statement. 9. If
a call is short due to a counting error, the amount must be corrected,
even if the bettor has shown down a superior hand. 10. Because
the amount of a wager at big-bet poker has such a wide range, a player
who has taken action based on a gross misunderstanding of the amount
wagered needs some protection. A "call" may be ruled not binding
if it is obvious that the player grossly misunderstood the amount wagered.
A bettor should not show down a hand until the amount put into the pot
for a call seems reasonably correct, or it is obvious that the caller
understands the amount wagered. The decision-maker is allowed considerable
discretion in ruling on this type of situation. A possible rule-of-thumb
is to disallow any claim of not understanding the amount wagered if
the caller has put eighty percent or more of that amount into the pot. Example: On the end, a player puts a $500 chip
into the pot and says softly, “Four hundred.” The opponent puts a $100
chip into the pot and says, “Call.” The bettor immediately shows the
hand. The dealer says, “He bet four hundred.” The caller says, “Oh,
I thought he bet a hundred.” In this case, the recommended ruling normally
is that the bettor had an obligation to not show the hand when the amount
put into the pot was obviously short, and the “call” can be retracted.
Note that the character of each player can be a factor. (Unfortunately,
situations can arise at big-bet poker that are not so clear-cut as this.) 11. A
bet of a single chip or bill without comment is considered to be the
full amount of the chip or bill allowed. However, a player acting on
a previous bet with a larger denomination chip or bill is calling the
previous bet unless this player makes a verbal declaration to raise
the pot. (This includes acting on the forced bet of the big blind.) 12. If
a player tries to bet or raise less than the legal minimum and has more
chips, the wager must be increased to the proper size. (This does not
apply to a player who has unintentionally put too much in to call.)
The wager is brought up to the sufficient amount only, no greater size. 13. All
wagers may be required to be in the same denomination of chip (or larger)
used for the minimum bring-in, even if smaller chips are used in the
blind structure. If this is done, the smaller chips do not play except
in quantity, even when going all-in. 14. In non-tournament games, one optional live straddle
is allowed. The player who posts the straddle has last action for the
first round of betting and is allowed to raise. To straddle, a player
must be on the immediate left of the big blind, and must post an amount
twice the size of the big blind. 15. In all no-limit and pot-limit games, the house
has the right to place a maximum time limit for taking action on your
hand. The clock may be put on someone by the dealer as directed by a
floorperson, if a player requests it. If the clock is put on you when
you are facing a bet, you will have one additional minute to act on
your hand. You will have a ten-second warning, after which your hand
is dead if you have not acted. 16. Since all a player’s chips may be put at risk
on a hand, the house has the right to set a maximum amount for the buy-in
to help control the effective size of a game. 17. The
cardroom does not condone "insurance" or any other “proposition”
wagers. The management will decline to make decisions in such matters,
and the pot will be awarded to the best hand. Players are asked to refrain
from instigating proposition wagers in any form. The players are allowed
to agree to deal twice (or three times) when someone is all-in. “Dealing
twice” means the pot is divided in two, with each portion being dealt
for separately. POT-LIMIT RULES 1. If a wager is made that exceeds
the pot size, the surplus will be given back to the bettor as soon as
possible, and the amount will be reduced to the maximum allowable. 2. The dealer or any player in
the game can and should call attention to a wager that appears to exceed
the pot size (this also applies to heads-up pots). The oversize wager
may be corrected at any point until all players have acted on it. 3. If an oversize wager has stood
for a length of time with someone considering what action to take, that
person has had to act on a wager that was thought to be a certain size.
If the player then decides to call or raise, and attention is called
at this late point to whether this is an allowable amount, the floorperson
may rule that the oversize amount must stand (especially if the person
now trying to reduce the amount is the person that made the wager). 4. In
pot-limit play, it is advisable in many structures to round off the
pot size upward to produce a faster pace of play. This is done by treating
any odd amount as the next larger size. For example, if the pot size
was being kept track of with $25 units, then a pot size of $80 would
be treated as a pot size of $100. 5. In
pot-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha money games, many structures treat
the little blind as if it were the same size of the big blind in computing
pot size. In such a structure, a player can open for a maximum of four
times the size of the big blind. For example, if the blinds are $5 and
$10, a player may open with a raise to $40. (The range of options is
to either open with a call of $10, or raise in increments of five dollars
to any amount from $20 to $40.) Subsequent players also treat the $5
as if it were $10 in computing the pot size, until the big blind is
through acting on the first betting round. This rule of treating the
little blind as if it were the size of the big blind is especially desirable
in a structure where the little blind uses a lower-denomination chip
than the big blind, as in using blinds of $10 and $25 (two $5 chips
and a $25 chip). At tournament play, strict pot-limit rules are normally
used, so there the maximum opening wager is 3.5 times the size of the
big blind. 6. In
pot-limit, if a chip or a bill larger than the pot size is put into
the pot without comment, it is considered to be a bet of the pot size. SECTION 15 - TOURNAMENTS 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. 1. Whenever
possible, all rules are the same as those that apply to live games. 2. Initial
seating is determined by random draw or assignment. (For a one-table
satellite event, cards to determine seating may be left faceup so the
earlier entrants can pick their seat, since the button is assigned randomly.) 3. The
appropriate starting amount of chips will be placed on the table for
each paid entrant at the beginning of the event, whether the person
is present or not. 4. If
a paid entrant is absent at the start of an event, at some point an
effort will be made to locate and contact the player. If the player
requests the chips be left in place until arrival, the request will
be honored. If the player is unable to be contacted, the chips may be
removed from play at the discretion of the director anytime after a
new betting level is begun or a half-hour has elapsed, whichever occurs
first. 5. A
starting stack of chips may be placed in a seat to accommodate late
entrants (so all antes and blinds have been appropriately paid). An
unsold seat will have such a stack removed at a time left to the discretion
of the director. 6. A
no-show or absent player is always dealt a hand. That player’s stack
will post chips for blinds and antes, and have the forced lowcard bet
put into the pot at stud. 7. In
all tournament games using a dealer button, the starting position of
the button is determined by the players drawing for the high card. 8. Limits
and blinds are raised at regularly scheduled intervals. 9. If
there is a signal designating the end of a betting level, the new limits
apply on the next deal. (A deal begins with the first riffle of the
shuffle.) 10. The
lowest denomination of chip in play will be removed from the table when
it is no longer needed in the blind or ante structure. All lower-denomination
chips that are of sufficient quantity for a new chip will be changed
up directly. The method for removal of odd chips is to deal one card
to a player for each odd chip possessed. Cards are dealt clockwise starting
with the 1-seat, with each player receiving all cards before any cards
are dealt to the next player. The player with the highest card by suit
gets enough odd chips to exchange for one new chip, the second-highest
card gets to exchange for the next chip, and so forth, until all the
lower-denomination chips are exchanged. A player may not be eliminated
from the event by the chip-change process. If a player has no chips
after the race has been held, he will be given a chip of the higher
denomination before anyone else is awarded a chip. If an odd number
of lower-denomination chips are left after this process, the player
with the highest card remaining will receive a new chip if he has half
or more of the quantity of lower-denomination chips needed, otherwise
nothing. 11. A player
must be present at the table to stop the action by calling “time.” 12. A player
must be at the table by the time all players have their complete starting
hands in order to have a live hand for that deal. (The dealer has been
instructed to kill the hands of all absent players immediately after
dealing each player a starting hand.) 13. As
players are eliminated, tables are broken in a pre-set order, with players
from the broken tables assigned to empty seats at other tables. 14. A change
of seat is not allowed after play starts, except as assigned by the
director. 15. In
button games, if a player is needed to move from a table to balance
tables, the player due for the big blind will be automatically selected
to move, and will be given the earliest seat due for the big blind if
more than one seat is open. 16. New
players are dealt in immediately and take over the obligations of that
position, including the small blind or button position. 17. The
number of players at each table will be kept reasonably balanced by
the transfer of a player as needed. With more than six tables, table
size will be kept within two players. With six tables or less, table
size will be kept within one player. 18. In
all events, there is a redraw for seating when the field is reduced
to three tables, two tables, and one table. (Redrawing at three tables
is not mandatory in small tournaments with only four or five starting
tables.) 19. A player
who declares all in and loses the pot, then discovers that one or more
chips were hidden, is not entitled to benefit from this. That player
is eliminated from the tournament if the opponent had sufficient chips
to cover the hidden ones (A rebuy is okay if allowable by the rules
of that event). If another deal has not yet started, the director may
rule the chips belong to the opponent who won that pot, if that obviously
would have happened with the chips out in plain view. If the next deal
has started, the discovered chips are removed from the tournament. 20. If
a player lacks sufficient chips for a blind or a forced bet, the player
is entitled to get action on whatever amount of money is left in his
stack. A player who posts a short blind and wins does not need to make
up the blind. 21. All
players must leave their seat immediately after being eliminated from
an event. 22. Showing
cards from a live hand during the action injures the rights of other
players still competing in an event, who wish to see contestants eliminated.
A player in a multihanded pot may not show any cards during a deal.
Heads-up, a player may not show any cards unless the event has only
two remaining players, or is winner-take-all. If a player deliberately
shows a card, the player may be penalized (but his hand will not be
ruled dead). Verbally stating one’s hand during the play may be penalized. 23. The
limit on raises is also applied to heads-up situations (except the last
two players in a tournament are exempted from a limitation on raises). 24. At pot-limit and no-limit play, the player
must either use a verbal statement giving the amount of the raise or
put chips into the pot in a single motion. Otherwise, it is a string
bet. 25. Non-tournament
chips are not allowed on the table. 26. Higher-denomination
chips must be placed where they are easily visible to all other players
at the table. 27. All
tournament chips must remain visible on the table throughout the event.
Chips taken off the table will be removed from the event, and a player
doing this may be disqualified. 28. Inappropriate
behavior like throwing cards that go off the table may be punished with
a penalty such as being dealt out for a length of time. A severe infraction
such as abusive or disruptive behavior may be punished by eviction from
the tournament. 29. The
decks is changed only when dealers change, unless a card is damaged. 30. The
dealer button remains in position until the appropriate blinds are taken.
Players must post all blinds every round. Because of this, last action
may be given to the same player for two consecutive hands by the use
of a “dead button.” [See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #1,
for more information on this rule.] 31. In
heads-up play with two blinds, the small blind is on the button. 32. At
stud, if a downcard on the initial hand is dealt faceup, a misdeal is
called. 33. If
a player announces the intent to rebuy before cards are dealt, that
player is playing behind and is obligated to make the rebuy. 34. All
hands will be turned faceup whenever a player is all-in and betting
action is complete. 35. If
multiple players go broke on the same hand, the player starting the
hand with the larger amount of chips finishes in the higher place for
prize money and any other award. 36. Management
is not required to rule on any private deals, side bets, or redistribution
of the prize pool among finalists. 37. Private
agreements by remaining players in an event regarding distribution of
the prize pool are not condoned. (However, if such an agreement is made,
the director has the option of ensuring that it is carried out by paying
those amounts.) Any private agreement that does not include one or more
active competitors is improper by definition. 38. A tournament
event is expected to be played until completion. A private agreement
that removes all prize money from being at stake in the competition
is unethical. 39. Management
retains the right to cancel any event, or alter it in a manner fair
to the players. SECTION 16 - EXPLANATIONS 1. The
only place in this set of rules that an alternative is mentioned other
than in this section is in the method of button and blind placement.
That rule (the first rule in “Section 4 – Button and Blind Use”) is
repeated below for convenience. “Each round all participating players must get an opportunity for the button,
and meet the total amount of the blind obligations. Either of the following
methods of button and blind placement may be designated to do this:
(a) Moving button – The button always moves
forward to the next player and the blinds adjust accordingly. There
may be more than one big blind. (b) 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.” Poker tradition has a lot to do with the fact that both of these methods
are in widespread use, but neither method is superior in all situations.
The moving button makes sure no player gets the advantage of last action
twice on a round (a big advantage at no-limit or pot-limit play). On
the other hand, a player may get to post a blind when on the button,
which is more advantageous than posting in front of the button. The
moving button creates a situation where two big blinds may be posted
on a deal, which speeds up the action. At tournament play this speed-up
can be undesirable, as when dealing is being done hand-for-hand to balance
the pace of play between two remaining tables. A cardroom may either
decide for the sake of simplicity to use only one method, or decide
to tailor the method to the game and situation. 2. The rules given for rectifying a hold’em situation
where the dealer has dealt the flop or another boardcard before all
the betting action on a round are inferior, because the dealer is told
to not burn a card on a redeal. Since the “no burn” rule is so common,
there was no choice but to use it here. But at some point it would be
good for poker for some major cardrooms to get together and agree to
use the better rule, or a gaming commission to require the better rule
be used. Here are the rules in question (the third rule and fourth rule
in “Section 5 – Hold’em”). “If the cards are prematurely flopped before the betting is complete, or
if the flop contains too many cards, the boardcards are mixed with the
remainder of the deck. The burncard remains on the table. After shuffling,
the dealer cuts the deck and deals a new flop without burning a card.” “If the dealer turns the fourth card on the
board before the betting round is complete, the card is taken out of
play for that round, even if subsequent players elect to fold. The betting
is then completed. The dealer burns and turns what would have been the
fifth card in the fourth card’s place. After this round of betting,
the dealer reshuffles the deck, including the card that was taken out
of play, but not including the burncards or discards. The dealer then
cuts the deck and turns the final card without burning a card. (If the
fifth card is turned up prematurely, the deck is reshuffled and dealt
in the same manner.)” The portion of this rule saying the dealer does
not burn a card on the redeal is misguided. It is much harder for the
dealer to control the card to be dealt if a burn is required. The applicable
sentence in the rule should read, “The dealer then cuts the deck, burns
a card, and turns the final card.” 3. Rule seven in “Section 4 – Button
and Blind Use” says, “A new player cannot be dealt in between the big
blind and the button. Blinds may not be made up between the big blind
and the button. You must wait until the button passes.” This rule is
standard practice, but allowing a new player or player making up blinds
to come in between the blinds is better (if dealers are trained how
to handle the resulting situations), because it gets players eager to
join or rejoin the game into action faster. 4. Most poker rule sets say you
have a dead hand at the showdown if you do not have the proper number
of cards for that game. At stud, this rule is too strict. An inexperienced
player sometimes does not pay sufficient attention to the final card
when holding a big hand like a flush or full house (where improvement
is neither likely to happen nor be needed), and fails to protect that
card. If the dealer erroneously puts that final card into the muck after
the player fails to take it in, the rules should give the decision-maker
an option to rule such a hand live. Rule 18 in “Section 8 – Seven-card
Stud” reads as below: “A hand with more
than seven cards is dead. A hand with less than seven cards at the showdown
is dead, except any player missing a seventh card may have the hand
ruled live.” 5. This rulebook requires all cash to be changed into chips. In some
cardrooms this can be a bit impractical for various reasons. If the
cardroom chooses to allow cash, only $100 bills should be permitted. 6. Most poker rulebooks follow the usual California practice in multihanded
pots at limit poker of allowing a bet and six raises for lowball and
draw high. The number of allowable raises for those games is given in
this rulebook as a bet and four raises because this cuts down on the
effect of collusion between players, and more raises than four are hardly
ever needed to define the strength of two hands when another player
is calling. 7. Lowball
has historically had less stringent demands on the order of cards or
acceptability of exposed cards than in most other poker forms. This
rulebook follows the modern trend at lowball regarding misdeals of requiring
the cards to be dealt facedown and in proper order. 8. At ace-to-five limit lowball, an exposed card rule used less often,
but probably a superior rule, is to not let a player take an exposed
six or seven (the rule for no-limit ace-to-five lowball). If a player
gets to keep only a card that might make a perfect hand, having a card
exposed is less advantageous, and the opponent must reckon with the
possibility of a perfect hand. 9. At
lowball and draw high, some rule sets allow a player to draw five consecutive
cards. The rule used here disallowing this makes cheating more difficult.
Our rule #10 in lowball and rule #5 in draw high says, “A player may
draw up to four consecutive cards. If a player wishes to draw five new
cards, four are dealt right away, and the fifth card after everyone
else has drawn cards. If the last player wishes to draw five new cards,
four are dealt right away, and a card is burned before the player receives
a fifth card.” GLOSSARY ACTION: A fold, check, call, bet, or raise. For certain
situations, doing something formally connected with the game that conveys
information about your hand may also be considered as having taken action.
Examples would be showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating
the number of cards you are taking at draw. AGGRESSIVE ACTION: A wager that could enable a player to win a
pot without a showdown; a bet or raise. ALL-IN: When you have put all of your playable money
and chips into the pot during the course of a hand, you are said to
be all-in. ANTE: A prescribed amount posted before the start of a hand by all players. BET: The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or
the chips put into the pot. BIG BLIND: The largest regular blind in a game. BLIND: A required
bet made before any cards are dealt. BLIND GAME: A game which utilizes a blind. BOARD: (1) The board on which a waiting list is kept
for players wanting seats in specific games.
(2) Cards faceup on the table common to each of the hands. BOARDCARD: A community
card in the center of the table, as in hold’em or Omaha. BOXED CARD: A card that appears faceup in the deck where
all other cards are facedown. BROKEN GAME: A game no longer in action. BURNCARD: After the initial round of cards is dealt,
the first card off the deck in each round that is placed under a chip
in the pot, for security purposes. To do so is to burn the card; the
card itself is called the burncard. BUTTON: A player who is in the designated dealer position. See dealer button. BUTTON GAMES: Games in which a dealer button is used. BUY-IN: The minimum amount of money required to enter
any game. CALIFORNIA LOWBALL: Ace-to-five lowball with a joker. CARDS SPEAK: The face value of a hand in a showdown is the
true value of the hand, regardless of a verbal announcement. CAPPED: Describes the situation in limit poker in
which the maximum number of raises on the betting round have been reached. CHECK: To waive the right to initiate the betting in
a round, but to retain the right to act if another player initiates
the betting. CHECK-RAISE: To waive the right to bet until a bet has been
made by an opponent, and then to increase the bet by at least an equal
amount when it is your turn to act. COLLECTION: The fee charged in a game (taken either out
of the pot or from each player). COLLECTION DROP:
A fee charged for each hand dealt. COLOR CHANGE: A request to change the chips from one denomination
to another. COMMON CARD: A card dealt faceup to be used by all players
at the showdown in the games of stud poker whenever there are insufficient
cards left in the deck to deal each player a card individually. COMMUNITY CARDS: The cards dealt faceup in the center of the
table that can be used by all players to form their best hand in the
games of hold’em and Omaha. COMPLETE THE BET: To increase an all-in bet or forced bet to
a full bet in limit poker. CUT: To divide the deck into two sections in such a manner as to change the
order of the cards. CUT-CARD: Another term for the card used to shield the
bottom of the deck. DEAD CARD: A card that is not legally playable. DEAD COLLECTION BLIND: A fee posted by the player having the dealer
button, used in some games as an alternative method of seat rental. DEAD HAND: A hand that is not legally playable. DEAD MONEY: Chips that are taken into the center of the
pot because they are not considered part of a particular player’s bet. DEAL: To give each player cards, or put cards on the board. As used in these
rules, each deal refers to the entire process from the shuffling and
dealing of cards until the pot is awarded to the winner. DEALER BUTTON: A flat disk that indicates the player who would
be in the dealing position for that hand (if there were not a house
dealer). Normally just called “the button.” DEAL OFF: To take all the blinds and the button before
changing seats or leaving the table. That is, participate through all
the blind positions and the dealer position. DEAL TWICE: When there is no more betting, agreeing to have
the rest of the cards to come determine only half the pot, removing
those cards, and dealing again for the other half of the pot. DECK: A set of playing-cards. In these games, the deck consists of either: (1) 52 cards in seven-card stud,
hold’em, and Omaha. (2) 53
cards (including the joker), often used in ace-to-five lowball and draw
high. DISCARD(S): In a draw game, to throw cards out of your
hand to make room for replacements, or the card(s) thrown away; the
muck. DOWNCARDS: Cards that are dealt facedown in a stud game. DRAW: (1) The poker form where players are given
the opportunity to replace cards in the hand. In some places like California,
the word “draw” is used referring to draw high, and draw low is called
“lowball.” (2) The act of replacing cards in the hand. (3) The point
in the deal where replacing is done is called “the draw.” FACECARD: A king, queen, or jack. FIXED
LIMIT: In limit poker, any
betting structure in which the amount of the bet on each particular
round is pre-set. FLASHED
CARD: A card that is partially
exposed. FLOORPERSON: A casino employee who seats players and makes
decisions. FLOP: In hold’em or Omaha, the three community cards
that are turned simultaneously after the first round of betting is complete. FLUSH: A poker hand consisting of five cards of the
same suit. FOLD: To throw a hand away and relinquish all interest
in a pot. FOURTH
STREET: The second upcard
in seven-card stud or the first boardcard after the flop in hold’em
(also called the turn card). FOULED HAND: A dead hand. FORCED BET: A required wager to start the action on the
first betting round (the normal way action begins in a stud game). FREEROLL: A chance to win something at no risk or cost. FULL BUY: A buy-in of at least the minimum requirement
of chips needed for a particular game. FULL HOUSE: A hand consisting of three of a kind and a
pair. HAND: (1) All a player’s personal cards. (2) The five cards determining the poker
ranking. (3) A single poker deal. HEADS-UP PLAY: Only two players involved in play. HOLECARDS: The cards dealt facedown to a player. INSURANCE: A side agreement when someone is all-in for
a player in a pot to put up money that guarantees a payoff of a set
amount in case the opponent wins the pot. JOKER: The joker is a “partly wild card” in high draw
poker and ace-to-five lowball. In high, it is used for aces, straights,
and flushes. In lowball, it is the lowest unmatched rank in a hand. KANSAS
CITY LOWBALL: A form of
draw poker low also known as deuce-to-seven, in which the best hand
is 7-5-4-3-2 and straights and flushes count against you. KICKER: The highest
unpaired card that helps determine the value of a five-card poker
hand. KILL (OR
KILL BLIND): An oversize
blind, usually twice the size of the big blind and doubling the limit.
Sometimes a “half-kill” increasing the blind and limits by fifty percent
is used. A kill can be either voluntary or mandatory. The most common
requirements of a mandatory kill are for winning two pots in a row,
or for scooping a pot in high-low split. KILL BUTTON: A button used in a lowball game to indicate
a player who has won two pots in a row and is required to kill the pot. KILL POT: A pot with a forced kill by the winner of the
two previous pots, or the winner of an entire pot of sufficient size
in a high-low split game. (Some pots can be voluntarily killed.) LEG UP: Being in a situation equivalent to having won
the previous pot, and thus liable to have to kill the following pot
if you win the current pot. LIVE BLIND:
A blind bet giving a player the option of raising if no one else has
raised. LIST: The ordered roster of players waiting for a game. LOCK-UP: A chip marker that holds a seat for a player. LOWBALL:
A draw game where the lowest
hand wins. LOWCARD: At seven-card stud, the lowest upcard, which
is required to bet. MISCALL: An incorrect verbal declaration of the ranking
of a hand. MISDEAL: A mistake on the dealing of a hand which causes
the cards to be reshuffled and a new hand to be dealt. MISSED BLIND: A required bet that is not posted when it is
your turn to do so. MUCK: (1) The pile
of discards gathered facedown in the center of the table by the dealer.
(2) To discard a hand. MUST-MOVE: In order to protect the main game, a situation
where the players of a second game must move into the first game as
openings occur. NO-LIMIT: A betting structure allowing players to wager
any or all of their chips in one bet. OPENER: The player who made the first voluntary bet. OPENER BUTTON: A button used to indicate who opened a particular
pot in a draw game. OPENERS: In jacks-or-better draw, the cards held by
the player who opens the pot that show the hand qualifies to be opened.
Example: You are first to bet and have a pair of kings; the kings are
called your openers. OPTION: The choice to raise a bet given to a player
with a blind. OVERBLIND: Also called oversize blind. A blind used in
some pots that is bigger than the regular big blind, and usually increases
the stakes proportionally. PASS: (1) Decline to bet. In a pass-and-out game,
this differs from a check, because a player who passes must fold. (2)
Decline to call a wager, at which point you must discard your hand and
have no further interest in the pot. PAT: Not drawing any cards in a draw game. PLAY BEHIND:
Have chips in play that are not in front of you (allowed only when waiting
for chips that are already purchased). This differs from table stakes. PLAY THE
BOARD: Using all five community
cards for your hand in hold’em. PLAY OVER:
To play in a seat when the occupant is absent. PLAYOVER
BOX: A clear plastic box
used to cover and protect the chips of an absent player when someone
plays over that seat. POSITION: (1) The relation of a player’s seat to the
blinds or the button. (2) The order of acting on a betting round or
deal. POT-LIMIT: The betting structure of a game in which you
are allowed to bet up to the amount of the pot. POTTING
OUT: Agreeing with another
player to take money out of a pot, often to buy food, cigarettes, or
drinks, or to make side bets. PROPOSITION BET: A side bet not related to the outcome of the
hand. PROTECTED HAND: A hand of cards that the player is physically
holding, or has topped with a chip or some other object to prevent a
fouled hand. PUSH: When a new dealer replaces an existing dealer
at a particular table. PUSHING
BETS: The situation in which
two or more players make an agreement to return bets to each other when
one of them wins a pot in which the other or others play. Also called
saving bets. RACK: (1) A container in which chips are stored while
being transported. (2) A tray in front of the dealer, used to hold chips
and cards. RAISE: To increase the amount of a previous wager.
This increase must meet certain specifications, depending on the game,
to reopen the betting and count toward a limit on the number of raises
allowed. RERAISE: To raise someone’s raise. SAVING BETS: Same as pushing bets. SCOOP: To win both the high and the low portions of a pot in a split-pot game. SCRAMBLE: A facedown mixing of the cards. SETUP: Two new decks, each with different colored
backs, to replace the current decks. SIDE POT: A separate pot formed when one or more players
are all in. SHORT BUY: A buy-in that is less than the required minimum buy-in. SHOWDOWN: The showing of cards to determine the pot-winner after all the betting
is over. SHUFFLE: The act of mixing the cards before a hand. SMALL BLIND: In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind. SPLIT POT: A pot that is
divided among players, either because of a tie for the best hand or
by agreement prior to the showdown. SPLITTING BLINDS: When no one else has entered the pot, an agreement between the big blind
and small blind to each take back their blind bets instead of playing
the deal (chopping). SPLITTING OPENERS: In high draw jacks-or-better poker, dividing
openers in hopes of making a different type of hand (such as breaking
aces to draw at a flush). STACK: Chips in front of a player. STRADDLE: An additional blind bet placed after the forced
blinds, usually double the big blind in size or in lowball, a multiple
blind game. STRAIGHT: Five cards in consecutive rank. STRAIGHT FLUSH: Five cards in consecutive rank of the same
suit. STREET: Cards dealt on a particular round in stud games.
For instance, the fourth card in a player’s hand is often known as fourth
street, the sixth card as sixth street, and so on. STRING RAISE: A wager made in more than one motion, without
announcing a raise before going back to your stack for more chips (not
allowed). STUB: The portion of the deck which has not been dealt. SUPERVISOR: A cardroom employee qualified to make rulings,
such as a floorperson, shift supervisor, or the cardroom manager. TABLE STAKES: (1) The amount of money you have on the table.
This is the maximum amount that you can win or lose on a hand. (2) The
requirement that players can wager only the money in front of them at
the start of a hand, and can only buy more chips between hands. “TIME”: An expression used to stop the action on a
hand. Equivalent to “Hold it.” TIME COLLECTION: A fee for a seat rental, paid in advance. TURNCARD: The fourth street card in hold'em or Omaha. UPCARDS: Cards that are dealt faceup for opponents to
see in stud games. WAGER: (1) To bet or raise. (2) The chips used for
betting or raising. CHANGES MADE BY THIS
CARDROOM Here are the amendments, additions, and clarifications to these rules made
by our cardroom. |