Tourney What do you feel are some must have rules? (1 Viewer)

Know how to split pots and reveal hands in order.
It’s annoying as hell when a person with a $16 all in and then $400 more action from 4 people on top, and at showdown the $16 person screaming “I have two pair” over and over while you are awarding the $1600 pot to the winner of that pot and then getting to the $16 pot.
 
1) do not dry hump the host
2) do not post social media pics of pets anus
3) keep testicles in pants at all times at table
4) no adjacent board games involving screaming
5) do not dry hump the host
6) do not wipe wet hands from bathroom on rail
7) never, ever dry hump host

These are all based on real world situations fwiw.
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State your action clearly. If you want to raise, say raise. Tossing in a single chip is call unless you say otherwise FIRST.
I've seen this mentioned alot so far and I will for sure be adding it. In my cash games I have a few ignorant people who think they're slick by throwing in $5 chip as a raise while saying nothing. We always have to remind them that's not how it works. I can see myself getting really annoyed by that in a tournament setting so it's going to be a MUST for my rules.
 
22) Don't use Comic Sans
That's Tempus sans.

However, I agree. Don't get clever with the fonts on your printed rules. I thought a comic-like font with a comic-like zombie logo made sense when I drew up the original rules sheet in 2005. When I updated last in 2015, I simply chose to not reformat the sheet because most already knew what it said and weren't going to read it anyway.

Today, if there is a rules dispute, I have a copy of TDA on the computer. It's really easy (if challenged) to type a keyword and go directly to the rule as opposed to looking it up. Most of the time there is no dispute. I have made on-the-spot rulings that were accepted, but I always look the rule up post-game. If I was in error (it has happened twice) I print a retraction so everyone knows the correct rule going forward.

I mean, NFL referees make mistakes (ask any Lions fan after the Dallas game), and they are playing for a hell of a lot more than my home game has on the table. But if you make an error, own up - don't cover up.
 
I didn't see anyone mention OPTAH (one player to a hand). This is very important and I see it broken a fair amount in some relaxed tournaments I play in.

STFU about the board (wetness, dryness, strength, etc), what you had, what the player should do l, etc. I pay a lot of attention to what players not in a hand do and there is a ton of info being shared. This includes sighing, making wierd faces, hitting the table, when the flop comes, thanks for letting me know that you had shit cards that would have connected to that.

The worst is when I am in the hand and can't call out the person talking (without giving away info about my hand).
 
Single chip is a call without a verbal is one players often need to be reminded of. That, and not touching the pot - letting the dealer award pots/side pots in order, and letting the dealer make any necessary change on an overbet.
 
I didn't see anyone mention OPTAH (one player to a hand). This is very important and I see it broken a fair amount in some relaxed tournaments I play in.

STFU about the board (wetness, dryness, strength, etc), what you had, what the player should do l, etc. I pay a lot of attention to what players not in a hand do and there is a ton of info being shared. This includes sighing, making wierd faces, hitting the table, when the flop comes, thanks for letting me know that you had shit cards that would have connected to that.

The worst is when I am in the hand and can't call out the person talking (without giving away info about my hand).
I'm personally always conflicted when hosting with how much I should let players get away with.
On one hand, we're friends in a garage, playing for only a couple bucks. So I want everyone to have fun and enjoy themselves most of all. I don't want the game to be seen as a tight-ass game / wanna be casino or anything like that.

But on the other hand I also want to run a good game. I've definitely been on the shitty end of people breaking "OPTAH" and ended up getting a call when I wanted a fold, etc. Or someone going "WOW LOOK AT THAT RIVER! WHOSE GOT THE BIGGER FLUSH!?!?" :rolleyes:

Just last game I hosted I noticed someone was shuffling cards in their lap. I told them that I wanted cards to be shuffled on the table/where everyone can see them, a request I don't think is absurd. Well of course that player got extremely upset (they also weren't doing very good in the game) and I could tell it soured their night and to some extent other peoples when they made a big deal about it. Now I'm in a weird situation where I don't really want to invite them to my next game, but I'm very close with this person (see them usually at least weekly) and they've been at every one of my games for the past 7 months :/
 
Big chips in front.
No rabbit hunting.
Oversized chip rule.
Payouts.
Blind schedule.
Last player to take aggressive action is first to show.
Dead button rule.
What exactly is "dead button rule"?
 
I'm personally always conflicted when hosting with how much I should let players get away with.
On one hand, we're friends in a garage, playing for only a couple bucks. So I want everyone to have fun and enjoy themselves most of all. I don't want the game to be seen as a tight-ass game / wanna be casino or anything like that.

But on the other hand I also want to run a good game. I've definitely been on the shitty end of people breaking "OPTAH" and ended up getting a call when I wanted a fold, etc. Or someone going "WOW LOOK AT THAT RIVER! WHOSE GOT THE BIGGER FLUSH!?!?" :rolleyes:

Just last game I hosted I noticed someone was shuffling cards in their lap. I told them that I wanted cards to be shuffled on the table/where everyone can see them, a request I don't think is absurd. Well of course that player got extremely upset (they also weren't doing very good in the game) and I could tell it soured their night and to some extent other peoples when they made a big deal about it. Now I'm in a weird situation where I don't really want to invite them to my next game, but I'm very close with this person (see them usually at least weekly) and they've been at every one of my games for the past 7 months :/
I can only tell you from experience, that some people really like a "clean" game.

It's not about the conflict - it's about security. With almost no practice, you can demonstrate a shuffle where you drop an ace into your lap. 2 shuffles, and you got pocket aces (if shuffling off the table is allowed, certainly reading your hand off the table is allowed).

Explain why there is a rule. Tell them you want to enforce the rules not because you don't trust them, but because if they see these simple rules broken elsewhere, with players that aren't trusted friends, that they should be on high alert. Good habits build in game safety. Both at your game and at other games.
 
When I eventually felt my house mold set, I feel like I'm going to have to make "Don't bring chips home" or "Must cash in all chips before departing" explicit.
 
Last player to take aggressive action is first to show.
I've always wondered how this works when there's action on the turn but the river is checked around. Say it's just small blind and big blind.
Turn: SB checks, BB bets, SB calls.
River: SB checks, BB checks.

Does the river "reset" the aggressor to no one and you reveal based on position, starting to the left of the button, or do you consider BB the last aggressor and they show first?
 
I can only tell you from experience, that some people really like a "clean" game.

It's not about the conflict - it's about security. With almost no practice, you can demonstrate a shuffle where you drop an ace into your lap. 2 shuffles, and you got pocket aces (if shuffling off the table is allowed, certainly reading your hand off the table is allowed).

Explain why there is a rule. Tell them you want to enforce the rules not because you don't trust them, but because if they see these simple rules broken elsewhere, with players that aren't trusted friends, that they should be on high alert. Good habits build in game safety. Both at your game and at other games.
I always went with the I'm protecting you route. I don't think you are cheating, but by doing that, if you get lucky, someone else might think you are cheating. I want everyone to know that you aren't cheating by doing it the right way, it's for your own protection.

Doing things the right way not only prevents cheating, but it prevents cheating accusations which break up poker groups and friendships. Doing things the right way also prevents temptation and keeps the focus on poker not trying to catch a cheat.

Following rules is good for the game.
 
Just last game I hosted I noticed someone was shuffling cards in their lap. I told them that I wanted cards to be shuffled on the table/where everyone can see them, a request I don't think is absurd. Well of course that player got extremely upset (they also weren't doing very good in the game) and I could tell it soured their night and to some extent other peoples when they made a big deal about it. Now I'm in a weird situation where I don't really want to invite them to my next game, but I'm very close with this person (see them usually at least weekly) and they've been at every one of my games for the past 7 months :/
Valuable player, invite them. Sometimes players need educating and initially take offense. But spin it so they understand the rule exists to protect them from dodgy newcomers and they'll get over being corrected.
 
I've always wondered how this works when there's action on the turn but the river is checked around. Say it's just small blind and big blind.
Turn: SB checks, BB bets, SB calls.
River: SB checks, BB checks.

Does the river "reset" the aggressor to no one and you reveal based on position, starting to the left of the button, or do you consider BB the last aggressor and they show first?
If all check, first played after button is first to show. Just the same as order of play when a new community card is tabled.
 
Big chips in front.
No rabbit hunting.
Oversized chip rule.
Payouts.
Blind schedule.
Last player to take aggressive action is first to show.
Dead button rule.
The whole table went rabbit hunting on my fold, preflop. That pissed me off because I told them not to, the hand was dead. We were playing .5/1, I raised to $5, villian went $25, I folded queens. Had them on AK, KK, or AA. Most buyins were $40. That bet was asking for all in, 2nd hand of the night. Nope. I told him he pushed me out and showed (my mistake). At least he showed and I saw he was bluffing, cool, I got some info for 5 bucks. Then the table talks their shit and hunts. "See you would have beat him". Like wtf?! No one understands the read I had. Oh well. Jerks!!!!
 
I've always wondered how this works when there's action on the turn but the river is checked around. Say it's just small blind and big blind.
Turn: SB checks, BB bets, SB calls.
River: SB checks, BB checks.

Does the river "reset" the aggressor to no one and you reveal based on position, starting to the left of the button, or do you consider BB the last aggressor and they show first?
SB should show first. But really if they are just staring at each other instead of showing their cards and moving on the next hand, they are both being Douchebags. Show your hands and move on to the next hand. Pisses me off when players fuck around at the showdown trying to be dramatic, the rest of us are all sitting there waiting for the next hand. I think it's just common etiquette, if you're called show your hand and keep the game moving. To damn many slow rollers.
 
Valuable player, invite them. Sometimes players need educating and initially take offense. But spin it so they understand the rule exists to protect them from dodgy newcomers and they'll get over being corrected.
This. I used to get a ton of flack for enforcing rules vigilantly and was referred to as the poker nazi.

Then one day I didn't have to, when a new player came all the longtime players were enforcing the rules without me saying a thing (took about 10 years). It brought a tear to my eyes.

I may have to assert myself again as I've started to have more issues with players slowing down action by sitting on their phones.
 

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