Tournament Rules

a) Introduction

The Tournament Director and Floor Personnel decisions are final. In unusual circumstances, the TD and Floor Personnel might have to take decisions that differ from the technical rules that will follow for the fairness and best interest of the game.
Electronic devices or any other object that could conceal gaming equipment are not allowed on the table felt.
The use of any electronic device will not be allowed once a player has cards. Recording/Broadcasting devices are not allowed at any time.
The Tournament Director and Floor Personnel reserve the right to cease the use of anything that could cause a distraction, affect anybody else at the table or slow down the pace of the game.
Different rules might apply for Televised/Streamed table including, but not limited to, the use of phones, tablets, headphones.

b) Registration/Seating

All tournament seating will be randomly assigned but we reserve the right to adjust It to accommodate players with special needs and to randomly re-assign family members seating at the same table prior redraws. Players are responsible for verifying their registration receipt and starting stack.
Late Entries and Re-Entries will receive a full stack. If a player will not take a seat after the registration period has ended the stack will be decurted following time/blinds rules.
The table breaking order will always be from the highest table number to the lowest unless advertised differently.
Tables will break with double randomization (dealers will high card + floor staff will distribute shuffled seating cards) or through a gaming software where applicable. A new entry and a player from a broken table can assume any position into their newly assigned table unless they will be between the small blind the button (same goes for Late Registration players).
Complete redraws will take place at 3/2/1 tables remaining after late registration has been closed unless the tournament never exceeded 5 total tournament tables after this time. If the total number of tournament tables in the same scenario is between 4 and 5 the redraws will be at 2/1 tables remaining, if less than this, only the Final Table redraw will take place.
Tables will be balanced with a difference of 2 players unless appointed differently by the Tournament Director following the smoothness and fairness of the game. Play will halt with a difference of 3 players between tables awaiting balancing.
Balance will be from the second highest table number and the player from the Big Blind will be seated on the worst position (closest to the Big Blind) on the table that will need balancing. In Ante-Only tournaments the players will be taken from closest to the button and will be repositioned to closest to the button.
In most tournaments there will be a TV Table, in fairness of the game the tables will be changed as often as possible to maintain as much of an equal time for all players at the TV table; this will never alter the announced table breaking order.
The position of the button will be determined at random for each tournament start, re-start, redraw.
The button will move clockwise to the next player after each hand unless due to eliminations It will stay for more than one hand in the same position (dead button) or It will “skip” a player that just got seated in between the Small Blind and the Button and could not legally receive a hand. In Ante-Only games the button will never be “Dead” and always move forward
Once the tournament is down to the two last players the button will start from the player that paid the Big Blind before the other one. In Heads Up the button will be the Small Blind and It will act first pre-flop. Heads up play will continue on with the ante in play. In Ante-Only games the same above rule will apply to who has been the Button before the other player, and the button will act second pre-flop.
All players are responsible to have their valid passport with them at all times.

c) Chips

When a certain denomination will come off play there will be a Chip Race.
The Chip Race will start from the first player left of the dealer and each player can receive a maximum of one chip of the lowest denomination that will be in play.
A player cannot be eliminated from the tournament because of losing the Chip Race and will automatically receive a chip of the lowest denomination that will be in play. We strongly encourage players to witness their own Chip Race or Color Up.
The Tournament Director and Floor Personnel reserve the right of coloring up any player at any time, this process will be in front of the player or announced prior breaks to allow any player to witness the process. A player can request color-ups at any time if the consequence of It will not affect the game.
Chips, Cards, and any other gaming equipment including, but not limited to, Time Banks, Bounty Cards, Bullet Cards will have to be kept visible and in a countable manner at all times. High denomination chips should be kept visible and separated from other chips at all time.
Players are entitled to know the exact amount of the opponents’ stacks only once is being bet (All-In).
Players are entitled to know the exact amount of any bets once is their turn to act.
In a split pot if there will be an Odd Chip It will go to the first eligible player left to the button.
A player needs to maintain chips visible and in provided racks while moving to a different table. Any concealed chips might be taken out of play and the player might incur into a penalty.

d) Cards

A player can’t request for a deck change but is encouraged to point out marks, faults and any other damages on cards. The decks will be changed at the Tournament Director discretion. Different rules might apply for Televised/Featured Tables where decks might be changed more often.
A hand is considered “dead” once It will touch the muck, discards, burn cards, board.
Rule #1 will apply in case, for the fairness of the game, the Tournament Director or Floor Staff will decide to declare live a hand that is retrievable but technically “dead”.
A hand is considered folded once a player will release the cards in a forward motion while facing a bet.
Players are responsible to protect their own cards and act in turn at all times. If a hand is accidentally mucked by a dealer the player is not entitled to receive back any bets that have been already called. Players are responsible not to show their cards with action pending. If a hand is exposed with action pending the player might receive a penalty but will retain all betting options.
The right to dispute a hand will end when the dealer will start the first riffle or pushes the retrieve deck button on tables with shuffle machines. Both of these actions indicate the start of a new hand for raising blinds purposes.

e) Time / Shot Clock

Once a reasonable time has passed a player is entitled to call the clock on another player. The player will then be given 30 seconds to act (including a final 5 seconds countdown) and if no action will take place at the end of It the player’s hand will be declared dead or if he/she was not facing a bet It will be an automatic Check.
In tournaments with Shot Clocks a player will have no right to call time but they’re encouraged to point out players that will abuse of the Shot Clock.
The Time Bank cards have to be visible on the table and easily countable by any staff or players at any time.
The Shot Clock is to be considered a tool to speed up the game and maintain a certain pace, if a player will abuse of It (i.e. deliberately running the clock down every hand to lose time) It might incur into a penalty for stalling and/or having their preset time shortened.
The dealer will silently count 5 seconds before starting the preset time on the Shot Clock.
A player will be notified by the dealer if the preset time on the Shot Clock is almost over. Once It’s over then a Time Bank Card will be automatically used. The player will be asked for the used time banks at completion of the hand, not to disrupt the action mid-hand. If the player will have no Time Bank Cards left once the time is over the hand will be declared dead or if he/she was not facing a bet It will be an automatic Check.
In case of a timing dispute towards the player’s action, a tie will go in favor of the player.
Players will get a different number of Time Banks depending on which level he/she will be put into play. Players will have 20 seconds to act Pre-Flop, 25 seconds to act on the Flop and 30 seconds to act on the Turn/River before any Time Bank Cards will be required. Each Time Bank will grant 30 extra seconds regardless of the street that will be used in.
Please refer to the table below.
A player who re-enters will get the unused Time Banks back even if they exceed that specific level criterias:
- Example1: John Doe registers at the start of the tournament getting 12 Time Banks
He will get eliminated on Level 6 and re-enters having used 3 Time Banks

John Doe will get 9 Time Banks at the moment of the re-entry during Level 6
- Example2: Jane Smith registers at the start of the tournament getting 12 Time Banks
She will get eliminated on Level 6 and re-enters having used 10 Time Banks

Jane Smith will get 5 Time Banks at the moment of the re-entry during Level 6
After a level length time for a specific tournament has passed we reserve the right to start the clock if the tournament hasn’t started yet
Players will get 5 extra time banks at the end of the Registration Period and 5 extra upon reaching the Final table
(In Turbo tournaments they will only get 5 extra upon reaching the Final Table)
The time of the levels will be reduced when the tournament will reach 6 / 4 / 2 players remaining as appointed by the Tournament Director. All players will be informed about the exact reduction in each tournament as It will depend on the original level time length. The level that will be currently playing once we reach the targeted number of players will not be affected, the changes will apply from the following level.

f) Action / General

A player must be at his/her seat once the last card will be dealt by the dealer. This is defined as being within reach of his/her chair.
Players must stay at their seat if they have a live hand. If players will not remain in their seats they might incur into a penalty.
A dealer will be responsible for calling string bets.
A string bet is defined as attempting to a bet or raise in multiple non-fluid actions with the intent of inducing other players to react to It. If a verbal declaration of the action was stated a player can bet or raise with no restriction of actions.
Any verbal declaration in turn is binding.
Substantial action will be either any two actions with at least one including putting chips or any combination of three valid actions.
An undercall will be a mandatory full call of the bet/raise only if two players are involved in the hand. However, this might be enforced in a multi-way pot (Rule #1) in fairness of the game. Players are encouraged to clarify actions with the dealer before proceeding to a showdown or carrying on with the hand.
It’s the caller’s responsibility to verify the correct amount of the opponent’s bet/raise before acting on It. If the wrong amount will be counted by the dealer and the bettor has had a reasonable amount of time to correct It the full wager will not be paid in case of a win. (Rule #1 will apply in fairness of the game)
Putting a single oversized chip in the pot will be considered a call if nothing is announced prior to that.
If a single oversized chip is being put in the pot after a player announces “Raise” or It’s silently opening a pot without any other prior bets It will go for the maximum valid amount of that chip. This is also valid if the player has the previous bet cover already in the pot. EXAMPLES:
- Player A verbally bets 400 on the flop placing one 5.000 value chip, Player B raises to 2.300.
  Player A silently places one 1.000 value chip. This is now a raise to 6.000.
- Blinds are SB 200/ BB 400. Player A is in the Big Blinds with a 1.000 chip out. Player B raises from the Small Blind to 1.000. Player A silently places one 5.000 Value chip on top of the 1.000 already out. This is a raise to 6.000.
Placing multiple chips of the same denomination in the pot will be considered a call if removing one of the chips will not be sufficient to cover the previous bet/raise.
If any chips have already been bet or they are used in the blinds they are considered to be in the pot already for any chip betting rules (please see ‘F.8’ for exceptions). Multiple movements of chips (i.e. taking back the blinds before putting chips in the pot) are also not to be considered and chip rules will remain the same.
Any action out of turn will be binding if the action will not change to that player (Check, Call, Fold). If the action will change that player will have all options restored and the eventual bet returned.
A player can bet/raise:
- Placing the full amount in one single fluid motion
- Verbally declaring the full amount
- Announcing “Raise”, placing the exact amount to cover the wager, and then carry on with one of the two prior points
If a player will place a raise of 50% or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise he/she will be required to complete It to a minimum raise.
If a player will place a raise of less than 50% of the previous bet without any verbal declaration It would be a call to the previous wager.
If a verbal declaration is unclear between two bets, the total pot will be taken in consideration leaving no interpretation to be used. It will be ruled to the highest amount that is less or equal to the pot size.
An All-In bet that is less than the full raise will not reopen betting.
A player that is All-In will not benefit from winning hidden chips, but in case of a loss It will be required to pay them if covered by the stack of the opponents.

g) Showdown

Once all action is completed the last aggressor must show first. If there was no action on the last street, the player who acted first in the last betting round must show first and the order will carry on clockwise
Once action is complete if a player involved in the pot is all-in, all cards will have to be shown. It’s the player’s responsibility to turn over their cards and they might incur into penalties if they will try and deliberately mucking their hand.
If a player deliberately miscalls his/her hand might incur into a penalty, however cards speak to determine the value of It. Cards speak if properly tabled face up and easily readable by anybody at the table, including the dealer.
A player will have to show all cards at showdown to be assigned a pot, however the last standing player will be awarded the pot in case other players muck their cards and they will not be required to show their cards. Any player that has to show the cards in a non-All-In situation can muck and therefore lose the right to be awarded the pot
No player will be entitled to request to see any other player’s cards. If a legitimate suspect of collusion will be raised the cards will be held on the side and the situation will then be assessed by the Tournament Director.
Once the tournament will get close to the prize money the tournament will be on the bubble (at the Tournament Director’s discretion).
During the bubble play will continue ‘Hand For Hand’, one hand will be played at each table at the same time. Each table, once the action is over, will halt play and must wait for the announcement of the Tournament Staff to deal the next hand.
When an All-In situation will occur the Dealer will freeze the action and the Showdown will only happen once all tables have completed the action.
If multiple players will get eliminated from different tables they will tie for the finishing position and split the prize.
If multiple players will get eliminated from the same table, the chip stack size will determine their finishing position.
Action will be announced on the microphone and players must stay at their seat during ‘Hand For Hand’ or otherwise could incur into a penalty.

h) Penalties

A player might be warned or incur into a penalty for not abiding the rules or per Tournament Staff discretion
Any form of aggressive behavior and foul language towards anybody is not tolerated.
Repeated etiquette violation will be assessed by the Tournament Director and It might lead to penalties.
Poker is an individual game. Soft Play, Collusion and any form of seeking/receiving help will be sanctioned.
A player might be disqualified in certain circumstances, and he/she might not be entitled to receive any compensation back (Buy-In, Fees, Prize Money, etc..)