The Game

• Texas Hold ‘Em is Seven Card Stud where each player gets two down cards; Hole cards with the remaining five up cards; Community cards being placed in the center of the table which all players use to complete their hand.
• The best five card hand wins according to the attached listing of possible hands
  • Two Hole cards plus any three Community cards
  • One Hole card plus any four Community cards
  • Five Community cards (should more than one player use only the Community cards as their winning hand, the pot will be split between them regardless of Hole cards). Odd chips will be given to winning player closest to dealer’s left

Buy-in

• Each player pays $100.00 and will receive $1000.00 worth of chips
• No additional chips may be bought or borrowed (when you’re out you’re out)
• No cash is allowed on the table and may not be substituted for chips

• The tournament will continue until one player has won all of the chips
• $1000.00 worth of chips will be placed at each paid seat as follows
  • Black Chips $100.00
  • Green Chips $ 50.00
  • Blue Chips $ 25.00
  • Red Chips $ 10.00
  • White Chips $ 5.00

Payout

• 1^st place 50% of total buy-in
• 2^nd place 30% of total buy-in
• 3^rd place 20% of total buy-in
• 4^th -20^th 0% of total buy-in

Seating

• Each player will be seated according to a random drawing and this will remain their seat until they are eliminated or advance to another table.
• Up to10 players will be seated at each table.
• A single player may be moved to another table to keep the tables somewhat balanced. This will be done between level increases. The table with the most players will draw high cards with the high card moving to another table and placed in any available seat ahead of the big blind.
• The ten finalists will be combined at one table and be seated by another random drawing.
• The ten finalists will begin play with the next level of limits and blinds above the last level in play prior to combining the tables

Limits and Blinds

• Texas Hold ‘Em uses a structured betting system with limits and blinds
• The tournament will begin with limits of $10.00 / $15.00 and increase each hour
  • Hour One Limits $10.00 / $15.00 Blinds $5.00 / $10.00
  • Hour Two Limits $20.00 / $30.00 Blinds $10.00 / $20.00
  • Hour Three Limits $30.00 / $60.00 Blinds $15.00 / $30.00
  • Hour Four Limits $40.00 / $80.00 Blinds $20.00 / $40.00
  • Hour Five Limits $50.00 / $150.00 Blinds $25.00 / $50.00
  • Hour Six Limits $100.00 / $200.00 Blinds $50.00 / $100.00
  • Hour Seven Limits $200.00 / $400.00 Blinds $100.00 / $200.00

• After the signal designating the end of a betting level, the new limits apply on the next deal
• There will be a short break between levels as needed
• Each hand will have four rounds of betting. The first two rounds of bets and raises must equal the (lower) limit with the last two rounds equaling the (high) limit

The Bets

• Each hand starts with two Blind bets being posted, ensuring every hand is worth something
• The player to the dealer’s left posts the small blind which if half of the lower limit
• The player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind which is the full lower limit
• The blinds shall remain in front of the players until the conclusion of the pre-flop betting. The dealer will rake the blinds and all other bets into the pot
• All bets shall be stacked and pushed directly in front of player. The dealer will verify all bets and rake them to the center pot at the conclusion of each round of betting. Tossing chips into the pot is not allowed
• Each player may bet up to four times (max ) per betting round. This includes one bet and three raises. Once a player has reached the four-bet max they may either call or fold only.
• Players are required to verbally declare their bet (Call, Check, Raise w/ amount, or Fold)
• The dealer will make all change for larger chips out of the pot. Players betting large chips shall declare their bet when placing out the chips and the dealer will make the change as needed
• Players may not disclose or turn over their holecards during a live hand even if folded. This injures the rights of players who are still competing. If a player deliberately shows a card the entire hand will be declared dead and the player penalized (half the current pot)

All-In

• If a player cannot cover a blind, he must use all remaining chips and post a short blind and declare All-in. Both blinds and each called bet (not including raises) from the pre-flop round will go into a (main) pot. All raises from the pre-flop round and all bets from additional rounds will be placed into a (side) pot. The All-In player will not be able to bet for the remainder of the hand and should he win the hand he will win only the amount from the (main) pot with the (side) pot going to the next best winning hand. If he does not win the hand he is eliminated from the tournament and the winning hand receives both pots
• When a player does not have enough chips to cover a call he must fold or declare All-In and bet all remaining chips. Players who follow the All-In player will call the entire bet with a portion equaling the All-In player going into the (main) pot and the remaining chips going into a (side) pot. All additional betting for the remainder of the hand will go into the (side) pot. The All-In player is only entitled to the (main) pot should he win the hand with the (side) pot going to the next best hand.
• If more than one player goes All-In during a hand additional (side) pots will be created using the same rules as above. A player may only win a pot equaling his All-In bet and the called bets from following players.

The Open

• The deal begins with the player in seat #1 and will advance to the left with each hand played.
• A Button which will advance to the left with the deal marks the dealer.
• Each deal shall be shuffled and cut by the player to the dealers right

• Each player is dealt two cards face down (hole cards)
• The betting starts with the player to the left of the big blind and advances to the left. Each player must call, raise, or fold, the only player that may check is the big blind because he has already posted a full bet (unless a previous player raised)

o Call matching the big blind (lower limit)

o Raise calling the previous players bet plus the raise (lower limit)

o Fold permanently out of current hand (cards shall be returned to dealer (face down) and placed in discard stack)

• The player who posted the small blind can call by betting the remaining half equaling the big blind plus any raises from previous players
• The player who posted the big blind may check call or raise (lower limit)

The Flop

• After the first round of betting is completed the dealer will burn the top card and place the next three Community cards face up in the center of the table
• The second round of bets starts with the first active player to the dealer’s left
• Players now have the following betting options or they can fold:

o Check declining to bet at this time but retaining the option to call or raise bets made by other players

o Bet a player can bet the (lower limit)

o Raise calling the previous bet plus a raise (lower limit)

The Turn

• The dealer will now burn the top card and turn over one more Community card
• The betting will again start with the first active player to the dealer’s left
• Players have the same options as the previous round with bets & raises now at the (high limit)

The River

• The dealer now burns and turns the final Community card
• The betting will be the same as the previous round (high limit)
• If a player makes a bet that all remaining players fail to call the hand is over with that player taking the pot and without having to show his cards

The Showdown

• After the all bets are called each player still in the hand will have bet the same amount and the dealer will declare that the pot is right
• All players must turn over their cards (visible to all players) and call their own hand
• The best five card hand wins the pot unless someone has gone All-In as described above

Time Limits

• Each player is expected to play their hand and make any bets or fold within 30 seconds

Misdeals

• The following circumstances will result in a misdeal.
  • Dealer exposes any of the hole cards to any player
  • Dealer starts with the wrong position or deals out of sequence (empty chair)
  • Dealer gives any player less or more than the two hole cards
  • All misdeals shall be reshuffled and cut
  • Once two players (after the blinds) have acted upon their hands the entire hand shall be played to conclusion regardless of misdeal
  • If too many cards are exposed during the flop or a card was not burned, the cards shall be reshuffled and a new card burned with three new flop cards being dealt
  • If too many cards are turned or a card not burned during the turn or river the existing community cards shall remain with the remaining cards reshuffled and a new card burned and a new single card turned
  • If a card is found face up in the deck it shall be placed on the bottom of the deck and the next card shall be played
  • If a card is found missing from the deck prior to any betting it shall be replaced, shuffled and cut. If two players have taken action the hand shall be played to conclusion
  • A card dropped or exposed by a player shall continue to be played

House Rules

• Host reserves the right to make decisions in the spirit of fairness should interpretation of the above rules indicate a different ruling, provided that the conflict does not apply to the host in which case a pre-selected player will make ruling.
• Host should be made aware of problem when it occurs and all play must stop with all cards and chips remaining as-is until a resolution is reached.
• Each player must play and call his own hand. No assistance may be given by other players or spectators
• Should a player need to briefly leave the game, all play will stop. Another player may not play for the absent player nor post any blinds
• All cards must remain in full view and are not allowed beyond the edge of the table
• All players are entitled to a clear view of opponent’s chips with higher denominations made easily visible. Hiding chips is not allowed
• Looking through discards or remaining deck cards is not allowed at any time
• The dealer of each hand will be responsible for verifying all bets, raking bets into pot and awarding the pot to the winning player(s)