Payment:
Players must pay the entry fee before drawing for a seat location and receiving chips.
Prepay is not allowed. All players will pay the Tournament Director before the start of the game.
Dealers will not handle any money, including rebuys and the optional add-on.
No refunds once the player has begun playing
Dealing/Dealers:
Dealers will be the only people shuffling cards
Each dealer will have two decks of cards with different color backs
Tourney director will have multiple decks of cards for extras….any markings on the cards found will result in a new deck used at that table. Players may also request a new deck.
If a dealer flips a card face up during dealing, then that card becomes the first burn card. The dealer will continue to deal in order. Once the final player is dealt his/her second card, then the dealer will deal one more card to the player whose card was flipped over. There will be no burn card before the flop. If a dealer flips a second card over during the dealing, the hand will be voided as a misdeal, and all players will return their cards. The dealer will reshuffle and start over
If it is discovered during a hand that there are two or more of the same rank/suit in the deck, or a face up card is seen not in the deck, all bets returned and play voided for that hand only.
Dealer buttons will be used to mark who the dealer represents on the table.
All stacks at the table are always to be dealt every hand. Players not at their seat will have their hand folded, and blinds posted as required.
Dealers will never leave bets or folded cards in front of players, or scattered all around the table when proceeding with the deal.
Dealer should keep control of the hand, make sure correct blinds/bets are posted, pull in bets, muck folded cards, make change, move the button, notify players it's their turn, award pot, etc. ..
If the flop/turn/river contains an extra card, it will generally be shuffled back and re-dealt, even if dealer claims they can determine the correct order.
Correcting of dealing errors should generally try to keep remaining un-dealt board and burn cards as original as possible. Acceptable examples:
1) If the flop is dealt prematurely, it will be shuffled back into the stub without the burn card. Any post-flop bets (only) pulled back, and flop then re-dealt without another burn. (Dealing out turn/river face down before shuffle is acceptable).
2) If the turn is dealt prematurely, the river will be burned and dealt as the new turn. Then the original turn will be reshuffled into the stub and river will be dealt (no additional burn). All actions stay.
3) If the river is dealt prematurely, it will be shuffled back into the stub without the burn card and re-dealt without another burn.
A single Joker, wrong back color, or other discovered non-valid card in the deck will be ignored and simply removed. Deal will continue.
A player viewed hand, discovered with three or more cards, is void and folded. Any bets or blinds placed by that player are forfeit to the pot if action has continued, however if discovered pre-flop, before that player looks and/or acts, the dealer shall pull one card from the face down hand at random, and use it as the burn card.
In most cases, any error(s) will stand, if discovered or mentioned after the hand has played out, the pot already awarded and next deal has begun. No re-visiting previous hands. Players are responsible for holding onto their cards until a winner is declared and the hand is over.
Any player may and should check deck integrity before start of game.
No rabbit hunting is allowed. If the hand ends before the turn or river, the dealer may not show those remaining cards to the players. Levels are timed and the game must move on.
Dealers will never pre-deal, advance setup face down, or pre-burn the board cards.
Dealers may not help players decide what to do.
Dealers are volunteers and are not paid. All dealers are registered with the state.
BETTING:
No straddling. A player may not make a straddle bet for pre-flop position. Any player that makes a straddle bet will not be honored as the last to act and the wager will be considered a valid opening bet.
No String-bets. Place the amount of your wager in front of you in one unambiguous motion OR verbally declare the amount. Going back for more chips, after you already placed out a legitimate sized bet or raise, is not allowed, except to complete a previous verbal statement.
A Verbal of "I call/see your 50 (pause) and raise you $200 more" is simply a call of $50. Count your chips out clearly behind betting area, to avoid confusion. A Player, for example, saying “raise” and placing out a call, is expected to complete the bet to any valid raise. This is acceptable action.
Players may not change the amount to bet. If they throw out a 500 chip, then cannot say they thought it was 100. The 500 bet is binding. However if they declare verbally a bet of 100 and then throw a 500 out, that first verbal bet will be the one accepted and the dealer will refund the 400 difference or allow the player to switch it to a 100 chip
Statements of “I'll put you all-in” should be avoided, (you can’t play someone else’s cards), but if used in the game, in turn, it will be considered a valid bet, equal to the amount of the total chip stack(s) of the player it was directed at. If that player has more chips than the bettor, then it will be considered a valid All-In bet.
If an undersized bet is placed in error, in turn, without any verbal, it will need to be completed to a call, or be forfeit to the pot. Director may rule a bet can be pulled back, only if very clearly due to some very “gross misunderstanding” of the bet amount. This “gross misunderstanding” exception is usually not used, is only for the very rare and occasional extreme cases, where, for example, the actual clearly misunderstood bet was massive and/or it would put the player all-in. Verbal and bet actions are binding and will apply. Director's ruling in this and all matters is final.
For any all-in or large wagering bet, the bettor and caller(s) should be very sure they know the amount being bet, and chips to cover the bets are placed out, before flipping over cards or deal proceeding, to avoid problems.
Betting must be at least the size of the current wager (i.e. if Player 5 bets 100, then if Player 6 wants to raise, they must raise at least an additional 100 (200 total))
All re-raises must add, at minimum, the last raise amount ("on top” portion of last bet) in that round. Example: $50 bet, raised by another $150, (to $200 total), if re-raised, must be re-raised by at least another $150, to $350 total (it does not need to go to $400).
When raising the blind or initial 1st bet of the round, the raise amount then must be at least equal or higher to that blind or 1st bet.
Do not act out of turn (OOT). Out of turn action is generally not binding, except for a fold. If the bet or action amount changes in the interim, after the OOT bet, then the player may only call or fold.
Out of turn statements such as “I’m going to call whatever you bet” or “I’ll raise anything you may bet” are not binding (and may be considered bad etiquette OOT and may get a warning / penalty if abused).
Be sure your bets and raises have been clearly called, and chips placed out correctly, BEFORE flipping your cards over to claim the pot.
Do not splash/ throw / fling / toss / pitch chips out into the pot when betting. Leave your bet in front of you, either the dealer will collect, or just put the bet directly in pot when the betting round is complete.
Any player who declares or is assumed to be all in, and loses the pot, then discovers that one or more of their chips were hidden, disregarded, and/or not bet, 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. The covered chips are then given to the winning player.
Gameplay Rules:
No double running (cannot run it twice for half pot each time). Only one, five card run, will be allowed per hand.
No playing for another player. The player who bought the chips at the start of the tournament is the only player than can use those chips.
No sharing chips/ no giving other players chips. Unlike cash games, tournament play prohibits the sharing of chips.
If a player can no longer continue to play and must quit the game before busting out, one of the following two scenarios will occur:
1) If they leave before the first round (six levels), then their chips will be blinded out by the dealer.
2) If the leave after the first round, then their remaining chips will be removed from play and returned to the locked chip storage box.
No touching other players’ chips.
Dealer will put the chips in for players if they are not present for the blinds.
Picking up other players mucked cards will not be tolerated. A warning will be issued to the player. A second offense will result in the player being dismissed from the game and no refund will be given.
Cards and chips may not leave the table at any time.
Do not "make chip change" until all betting in the round is complete. Do not grab other player's blinds/bets, or any chip(s) from the pot, while there are players are still acting. Wait for chip change until after all players have acted.
Show One, Show All Rule: If a player shows another player their hand (active or folded), then they must show the entire table those cards. Showing cards to another player still active in the hand gives an unfair advantage and must be shown to everyone. Repeated offenses will be handled by the tournament director.
When a player needs a rebuy, they will see the tournament director who will take the payment, mark on the tourney roster each rebuy for each player, and provide 5000 worth in chips.
Blinds must be played before hand is dealt. Two cards each player, face down. Round of betting with a minimum bet the size of the big blind. After betting, dealer burns a card face down, and then three cards (the flop) are turned face up. Round of betting. Another burn card face down then a card face up (the turn). Another round of betting, then another card burned face down followed by a card face up (the river). Hand ends with a final round of betting. Highest hand wins based on the following ranking of hands (highest to lowest):
Royal Flush
Straight Flush
4 of a kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a Kind
Two Pair
Two of a Kind (single pair)
High Card (Ace is both high and low)
If no betting occurred on the river, 1st to show is clockwise from button, otherwise show promptly 1st, if your bet was called, or fold.
If two or more hands are tied at the end, then the pot is split evenly with all players. If a leftover chip remains, then it is given to the winning player who is the first hand clockwise from the button.
A player cannot win more than they have. I.e. Player 8 bets 5500. Player 9 only has 3500 chips. If they want to play, they can bet 3500 (all in). The 3500 will go into the main pot. The dealer will then take 2000 from Player 8’s bet of 5500 and create a side pot. Player 10 calls the 5500, so the dealer will place 3500 of it in the main pot and the remaining 2000 in the side pot (main pot 10500, side pot 4000) If Player 9 wins the hand, he/she can only collect from the main pot and the winner between Player 8 and 10 will decide who gets the side pot.
The "DEAD BUTTON” rule will be used. There is always a big blind every hand, next live player in order, but there may not be a small blind, if a player(s) busts out who would need to be the very next small blind. A player does not skip one or both of their blind(s) due to a bust out. Big and small blind will never “skip” over a player. The button is always the small blind when heads-up, and may be “corrected” at heads-up to avoid the same player paying the big blind twice in a row. The dealer button is small blind and is dealt last in heads up play.
Misc. Tournament Info/Rules:
Location of the game is not taking a rake or charging The Applewood Learning Center for its use.
Chips are no cash value and do not represent actual money (obviously).
Phones will be allowed however not while the player is active in a hand. Using a phone for advice on a hand is prohibited.
Any/all cheating such as looking at other players’ cards, marking cards, stealing chips from other players or the pot, etc . . . . will result in immediate removal from the game with no refund.
Bags/purses/backpacks are not allowed on the tables.
Food and beverages will be allowed at the tables but not on the tables.
All players need to be 21 or over. ID’s will be checked before assigning a seat.
Don’t splash the pot (toss chips) as it might mix them up in betting.
You must protect your own hand. Uses of your hands, a chip, or card protector are examples. A Player will have no claim if their live hand becomes accidentally folded or fouled.
When a player folds, they must return their cards to the dealer immediately. A player may not hold onto their cards until the end of the hand.
Keep your high value chips visible to all, cards in view and not blocked by chip stacks or hands.
Do not grab and start counting out someone else's all-in stack or bet, if the involved players in the hand have not actually requested a specific count.
Don’t place anything on the poker table, except a card-protector or cell phone.
It is understood by all, that if a player takes a bathroom or similar break away from the table, deals will continue and their hand will be folded in turn. No suggesting waiting or stalling the tournament waiting for a player to return.
Respect the host location. No smoking indoors. Stay in designated play area, don't touch things you shouldn't.
You must always show two cards to win the pot, even when playing the board.
All active hands must be turned face up promptly, whenever a player is all-in and no further betting is possible.
The starting Chips & Blind structure are calculated to normally produce a single winner within the time allotted, however if the game does run too late or must be cut short for any reason, the house reserves the right to call off the game, on a house determined notice, & award prizes based on chip counts at that end time.
Host site is not responsible for any problems that may arise during game.
When officially removing a smaller chip value from game, simple rounding up to the next chip values will be used. Color up is usually during a break, however tourney director may do partial / full color ups at any time. Scheduled color ups are listed on the tourney blind chart
Rounding up must get as close as possible and may sometimes need adding an ‘in use’ chip color from a player's stack to do so. (Example: having $875 in 25's, requires also adding a $100 chip, in order to get a $1K chip)
Any player that is asked to make change from their stack to help either the pot or another player must do so.
The blinds timer generally will not be stopped, other than for breaks, chip removals, and occasionally at Tourney Director's discretion. … The clock runs.
It is understood that the Tournament Director has the right of final decision on any rulings.
Effort will be made to follow listed rules, but to allow for game fairness and speed, even if a strict interpretation of the rules may indicate a different ruling, exceptions or differences from these written rules may sometimes occur. All rulings are final.
Any player originally dealt into the hand may call ‘clock’ on someone taking excessive time. If clock is called, the player will have 30 seconds (PLUS an additional last 10 seconds verbal countdown by dealer) (40 seconds total) to act, otherwise his hand will be declared dead.
Each dealer will have a 30 sec clock to use when this occurs.
If the tournament goes the full 6 hrs, the player with the most chips will be declared the winner. 2nd place and lower will also be based on chip totals. Ties will split the money from both places (i.e. 2nd and 3rd tie, then the money from second and third place will be combined and split evenly)
Moving Players / Reseating:
Tourney director will be in charge of reseating players as tables become empty from busting out.
Tables will have evenly distributed players (within 2) of each other.
Players will be moved based on location from blinds. i.e. a player on table 4 who just finished being the small and big blind will not be seated on another table where they will start at the blinds again.
A player must accept the position given at the new table.
Dead Hands:
To avoid confusion if a player’s hand is live or dead, the following applies:
Your hand is declared dead if:
1) You fold or announce that you are folding when facing a bet or raise
2) You throw your hand away in a forward motion causing another player to act behind you (even if not facing a bet).
3) You have the clock on you when facing a bet or raise and exceed the specified time limit (40 sec)
Cards thrown into the muck are ruled dead. A player may not retrieve their cards, even if they are clearly distinguishable from the other mucked cards.
Cards thrown into another players hand are dead, whether they are face up or facedown. The hand that had contact with the mucked cards is also dead, unless it was capped with a chip or card holder.
Cards shown to another player or spectator while a hand is still live are considered dead. As listed in the Gameplay rules, you now must show the entire table. If this occurs during heads-up play, than the hand will still be considered dead
Heads Up Play (when only two players remain):
When going from three to two players, the dealer will determine which player would have been the next big blind if no player had been eliminated. That player becomes the big blind and the other player is the small blind and the button.
The player who does not have the button shall be dealt the first card.
The small blind shall act first on the first betting round and last on all other rounds.
Contacting the NH Gaming Comission:
Players can contact the NH Gaming Comission with question or comments at:
