Tournament Rules for SLPT Events

The following set of rules constitutes the “house rules” for Salt Lake Poker Tour (SLPT) tournaments. While there is no universally agreed upon set of rules for poker, the rules adopted by Harrah’s for WSOP events (which are taken from the rules developed by the Tournament Directors’ Association) are effectively the closest thing to an industry standard for tournament poker. With that fact in mind, SLPT has adopted a modified version of those rules. Exceptions have been made where the rule in question is simply not practical for bar poker. To make a long story short, we want the game to have some structure, but we don’t want to take the fun out of it either.

The majority of the text for these rules is taken from those posted on the WSOP web site. Additional text has been taken from the TDA web site. The important thing to keep in mind is that there is an unavoidable element of subjective interpretation in enforcing these rules, hence the decision of the floor is considered final in order to maintain game flow. Finally, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, complaints, death threats etc. please feel free to email Chuck.

1. Side pots: Each side pot will be split as a separate pot. Pots will not be mixed together before they are split. The odd chip(s) will go to the high hand. In flop games, when there are two (2) or more high hands or two (2) or more low hands, the odd chip(s) will go to the left of the button. In stud-type games, the odd chip will go to the high card by suit. However, when hands have identical value, e.g., a wheel in Omaha 8 or Better, the pot will be split as evenly as possible.

2. Calling-for-clock procedures: Once a reasonable amount of time has passed and a clock is called, a player will be given one (1) minute to act. If action has not been taken by the time the minute has expired, there will be a ten (10) second countdown. If a player has not acted on his hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be dead.

3. Dead Button: Tournament play will use the dead button rule. Dead Button is defined as a button that can not be advanced due to elimination of a player or the seating of a new player into a position between the small blind and the button.

4. A player exposing his or her cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand. A penalty may also be imposed if a player throws a card off the table, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule or engages in similar behavior. Penalties will be invoked in cases of soft-play, abuse or disruptive behavior. All penalties will be imposed at SLPT’s sole and absolute discretion, in accordance with Rule No. 5.

5. In its sole and absolute discretion, SLPT may impose penalties that include verbal warnings and missed-hand penalties. A missed-hand penalty will be assessed as follows: The offender will miss one hand for each player at the table, including the offender, when the penalty is given, multiplied by the number of rounds specified in the penalty. Tournament staff can assess one-, two-, three- or four-round penalties or disqualification. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play and no refund will be provided to that disqualified player.

6. A player must be at his or her seat by the time all players have been dealt complete initial hands to have a live hand. Players must be at their seats to call time.

7. All cards will be turned face up once a player is all in and all action is complete.

8. If a player puts in a raise of 50 percent or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he or she will be required to make a full raise. The raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed. In no-limit and pot-limit, an all-in bet of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted. Putting a single oversized chip into the pot will be considered a call if the player doesn’t announce a raise. If a player puts an oversized chip into the pot and says, “Raise,” but doesn’t state the amount, the raise will be the maximum allowable up to the denomination of that chip. To make a raise with a single oversized chip, a verbal declaration must be made before the chip hits the table surface. After the flop, an initial bet of a single oversized chip without comment will constitute the size of the bet.

9. In no-limit or pot-limit, a raise must be made by a.) placing the full amount in the pot in one motion or b.) verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot or c.) verbally declaring “raise” prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion. Less than a full raise in an all-in situation does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted.

10. All cards will be turned face up once a player is all in and all betting action is complete.

11. Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, whether in a hand or not, players may not a.) disclose contents of live or folded hands, b.) advise or criticize play before the action is completed or c.) read a hand that hasn’t been tabled. The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced. Players who violate this rule are subject to penalty in accordance with Rule 5.

12. When time has elapsed in a round and a new round is announced, the new limits apply to the next hand. A hand begins with the first riffle.

13. Players must keep their highest denomination chips visible at all times.

14. Verbal declarations as to the content of a player's hand are not binding; however at SLPT’s discretion, any player deliberately miscalling his hand may be penalized.

15. In cases where hands are concluded prior to the last card being dealt, the next card to be dealt will not be exposed under any circumstances. This prohibited practice is commonly referred to as “rabbit hunting.”

16. There is no cap on the number of raises in no-limit games. A raise must be at least the size of the previous raise. In limit events, there will be a limit of one bet and four raises even when heads up until the tournament is down to two players. Once the tournament becomes heads-up, the rule does not apply. There may be unlimited raises at the heads-up level.

17. If a dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to his or her money back. An exception would be if a player raised and his or her raise had not been called yet, he or she would be entitled to receive his or her raise back.

18. A dealer cannot kill a winning hand that was turned face up and was obviously the winning hand. Players are encouraged to assist in reading tabled hands if it appears that an error is about to be made.

18. Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties that may include forfeiture of chips and/or disqualification. Chip dumping will result in disqualification.

19. Players are entitled to be informed of the pot size in pot-limit games only. Dealers will not count the pot in limit and no-limit games.

20. When heads up in blind games, the small blind is on the button and acts first. When beginning heads-up play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player takes the big blind twice.

21. At the end of the last round of betting, the player who made the last aggressive betting action in that betting round must show first. If there was no bet, the player to the left of the button shows first, and so on in a clockwise direction. In stud games, the player with the high board must show first. In razz, the lowest board shows first.

22. Players must remain at the table if they still have action pending on a hand.

23. Dealers will be responsible for calling string raises.

24. A player must show cards when playing the board to get part of the pot.

25. At the end of a hand, if a player exposes one hole card, he or she must also show the other hole card if asked to do so by any player.

26. All chips put into the pot in turn stay in the pot. If a player has raised and his or her hand is killed before the raise is called, the player may be entitled to the raise back, but will forfeit the amount of the call. Any chips put into the pot out of turn fall under action "may or may not be binding".

27. Players must act in turn at all times. Action out of turn may or may not be binding. If a player acts out of turn and the action does not change by the time it is that player's turn to act, that player's action is binding. Action only changes by a player raising before the action gets back to the person that acted out of turn. Action does not change when the player in front of a player acting out of turn calls or folds. If a player acts out of turn and the action changes, the person who acted out of turn may change their action by calling, raising or folding and may have their chips returned. Players will receive a warning for the first occurrence of acting out of turn, and will receive a penalty, in accordance with Rule No. 5, every time after.

28. Misdeals: In stud-type games, if any of the players’ two down cards are exposed due to dealer error it is a misdeal. In flop games, exposure of one of the first two cards dealt is a misdeal. Players may be dealt two consecutive cards on the button.

29. Side-games: For SLPT events, the winner of a side-game may re-enter the main tournament with a stack equal to that of the current average. The following conditions apply:

1. The side-game winner may not re-enter the tournament after the final table has begun
2. If a winner has not been determined for a side-game and the final table of the main tournament is about to begin, the current chip leader of the side-game has the following option, he or she can:
   1. Decide to kill his/her stack in the side-game, enter the main tournament but forfeit any prizes and points available in the side-game
   2. Decide to stay in the side-game and continue to compete for any prizes and points available in the side-game
3. If the current chip leader decides to remain in the side-game, the same option moves to the player with the second most chips, and so on.
4. In order for the option in Rule 29.2 to apply, the side-game must have completed at least one round of play. This means that the dealer button has "gone around" at least once.
5. Side games are limited to 12 players on regularly sized tables, and 13 on larger tables (i.e., the tables in the back room at Piper Down).
6. One alternate may enter a side game if:
   1. The button has not completed one pass or round.
   2. The addition of the alternate to the game does not exceed the maximum number of players allowed.
   3. If the blinds have passed the player's position, then the blind amounts will be deducted from his/her starting stack.
   4. Only one alternate is allowed per side game.