Encore Club Official Tournament Rules

The Encore Club expects all participants to know the rules of the game. Encore's house rules are based on the Tournament Director Association 2011 (TDA) rule set. Robert's Rules of Poker also apply, if the TDA rules do not address an issue. The following rules have been edited for brevity, if there is need for clarification the rule numbers are consistent with 2011 TDA rules.

General Concepts

1: Floor People
Floor people are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as top priorities. Unusual circumstances may dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floorperson’s decision is final.

2: Official Language
The English-only rule will be enforced in the United States during the play of hands.

3: Official Terminology of Tournament Poker
Official terms are simple, unmistakable, time-honored declarations like: bet, raise, call, fold, check, all-in, and complete. The use of non-standard language is at player’s risk. It is the responsibility of players to make their intentions clear.

4: Communication
Players may not talk on the phone while at the poker table.

Seating Players; Breaking & Balancing Tables

5: Random Correct Seating
Tournament seats will be randomly assigned.

6: Special Needs
Accommodations for players with special needs will be made when possible.

7: Breaking Tables
Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibilities of the position. They can get the big blind, the small blind, or the button.

8: Balancing Tables
Players will be moved position-to-position as needed to balance tables. Tournaments with more than six tables will be considered balanced if within two players of another.

9: Number of Players at Final Table
In flop games, the final table will consist of 9 players. In stud/mix games, the final table will consist of 8 players.

Pots / Showdown

10: Declarations
Cards speak. Any player deliberately miscalling their hand may be penalized.

11: Face Up for All-Ins
All cards will be turned face up once a player is all-in and all betting action for the hand is complete.

12: Showdown Order
In a non-all-in showdown, at the end of the last round of betting, the player who made the last aggressive action in that betting round must show first. If there was no bet in the last round, the player to the left of the button shows first and so on clockwise.

13: Contested Showdown / Playing the Board
All hole cards must be shown to win a contested showdown even if playing the board.

14: Uncontested Showdown
In a non all-in showdown, when all opponent(s) cards have been mucked without being revealed, the last live hand wins.

15: Asking to See a Hand
Asking to see a hand is a privilege granted at TD’s discretion to protect the integrity of the game. This privilege is not to be abused.

16: Killing Winning Hand
Dealers cannot kill a winning hand that was tabled 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.

17: Awarding Odd Chips
The odd chip(s) will go to the left of the button.

18: Side Pots
Each side pot will be split separately.

19: Disputed Pots
The right to dispute a hand ends when a new hand begins.

General Procedures

20: New Hand & New Limits
When time has elapsed in a round and a new level is started, the new level applies to the next hand. A hand begins with the first riffle.

21: Chip-ups
Odd chips will be rounded at chip-up to single chips of the next denomination. For example: five, six, or seven green 25 chips will be rounded to two slate 100 chips.

22: Chipstacks Kept Visible & Countable
Players are entitled to a reasonable estimation of an opponent’s chip count; chips should be kept in countable stacks. Players must keep their higher denomination chips visible and identifiable at all times.

23: Deck Changes
Players may not ask for deck changes.

24: Re-buys
A player may not miss a hand. If a player announces the intent to rebuy before a new hand, he is playing chips behind and is obligated to make the re-buy.

25: Calling for a Clock
Once a reasonable amount of time has passed & a clock is called for, a player will be given a maximum of one minute to make a decision. Encore recommends two minutes as a reasonable amount of time.

26: Rabbit Hunting
No rabbit hunting is allowed.

Player Present / Eligible for Hand

27: At Your Seat
A player must be at his seat by the time all players have been dealt complete initial hands in order to have a live hand. A player must be at his seat to call time.

28: Action Pending
A player must remain at the table if he has a live hand.

Button / Blinds

29: Dead Button
Tournament play will use a dead button.

30: Dodging Blinds
Players who intentionally dodge any blind when moving from a broken table will incur a penalty.

31: Button in Heads-up
In heads-up play, the small blind is on the button, the last card is dealt to the button. When beginning heads-up play no player shall take the big blind twice in a row.

Dealing Rules

32: Misdeals
In flop games, misdeals include but are not necessarily limited to: a) exposure of one of the first two cards dealt; b) two or more exposed or boxed cards; c) first card dealt to the wrong seat; d) cards dealt to a seat not entitled to a hand; e) a seat entitled to a hand is dealt out. Players may be dealt two consecutive cards on the button. If substantial action occurs, a misdeal cannot be declared and the hand must proceed.

33: Substantial Action
Substantial Action is defined as either: A) any two actions involving two players each putting chips in the pot (bet, raise, or call); or B) any combination of three actions (check, bet, raise, call, or fold).

34: Four-Card Flop
If the flop contains 4 cards, whether exposed or not, the dealer shall scramble the 4 cards face down. A floorperson will randomly select one card to be used as the next burn card and the remaining 3 cards will become the flop.

Play: Bets & Raises

35: Verbal Declarations / Acting in Turn
Players must act in turn. Verbal declarations in turn are binding. Chips placed in the pot in turn must stay in the pot. If there is a betting line, "In the pot" is defined as any chips crossing that line. Without a betting line, "In the pot" is defined as chips touching the felt clearly beyond the player's cards. One continuous motion will define action of a bet, when a stack touches the felt a player must immediately withdraw their hand and any excess chips and leave their bet in the pot. Hesitation when placing a bet, or placing a bet irregularly (ie: dropping chips individually into the pot, placing chips at the edge of cards, etc.) may result in commitment of said stack, or minimum action based on chips placed in the pot, based on the floor's discretion.

36: Action Out of Turn
Action out of turn will be binding if the action to that player has not changed. A check, call or fold does not change action. If action changes, the out of turn bet is not binding and the out of turn player has all options including: calling, raising, or folding. An out-of-turn fold is binding.

37: Methods of Raising
A raise must be made by (1) placing the full amount in the pot in one motion; or (2) verbally declaring the amount prior to the placement of chips into the pot; or (3) verbally declaring “raise” prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion. It is the player’s responsibility to make his intentions clear.

38: Raises
If a player puts in a raise of 50% or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he must make a minimum raise. In no-limit and pot limit, an all-in wager of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted.

39: Oversized Chip Betting
When facing a bet or blind, placing a single oversized chip in the pot is a call if a raise isn’t verbally declared before the chip hits the table surface. If raise is declared (but no amount), the raise is the maximum allowable for that chip. When not facing a bet, placing an oversized chip in the pot without declaration is the maximum for the chip.

40: Multiple Chip Betting
When facing a bet, unless a raise is first declared, multiple same-denomination chips is a call if removing one chip leaves less than the call amount. Example of a call: blinds are 200-400: A raises to 1200 total (an 800 raise), B puts out two 1000 chips without declaring raise. This is a call.

41: Number of Raises in Limit and No-Limit
There is no cap on the number of raises in no-limit. In limit games, the cap is at four raises unless the round of betting started heads-up, in which case the betting is uncapped.

42: Accepted Action
Poker is a game of alert, continuous observation. Players are responsible for following the correct action the table, regardless of what is stated by the dealer or players. Rule 1 may apply in certain situations at floor’s discretion.

43: Pot Size & Pot-Limit Bets
Players are entitled to be informed of the pot size in pot-limit games only. Dealers will not count the pot in no-limit games. Declaring "I bet the pot" is not a valid bet but does bind the player to making a valid bet.

44: String Bets and Raises
Dealers will be responsible for calling string bets and raises.

45: Non-Standard & Unclear Betting
Players use unofficial betting terms and gestures at their own risk. These may be interpreted to mean other than what the player intended. When the size of a declared bet can have multiple meanings, it will be ruled as the lesser value.

46: Non-Standard Folds
Anytime before showdown, folding in turn when facing a check ("checking out") or folding out of turn are binding folds and may be subject to penalty.

47: Conditional Statements
Conditional statements regarding future action are strongly discouraged; they may be binding and/or subject to penalty. Example: "If you bet, then I will raise."

Play: Other

48: Chips in Transit
Players may not hold or transport tournament chips in any manner that takes them out of view. A player who does so will forfeit the chips and may be disqualified.

49: Accidentally Killed / Fouled Hands
Players must protect their own hands at all times. If a dealer kills a hand by mistake, or a hand is fouled, the player will have no redress and is not entitled to a refund of bets. If the player initiated a bet or raise and hasn’t been called, the uncalled bet or raise will be returned to the player.

50: Dead Hands in Stud
In stud poker, if a player picks up the upcards while facing action, the hand is dead.

Etiquette & Penalties

51: Penalties and Disqualification
A penalty may be invoked if a player exposes any card with action pending, throws a card off the table, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule, or similar incidents occur. Penalties will be invoked in cases of soft play, abuse, disruptive behavior, or cheating. Penalties available to the tournament director include verbal warnings, “missed hand” penalties, and disqualification.

52: No Disclosure
Players are obligated to protect other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore players, whether in the hand or not, may not: a) Disclose contents of live or folded hands, B) Advise or criticize play at any time, C) Read a hand that hasn’t been tabled.

53: Exposing Cards
A player who exposes his 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.

54: Ethical Play
Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties; chip dumping and all other forms of collusion will result in disqualification.

55: Etiquette Violations
Repeated etiquette violations will result in penalties. Examples include, but are not limited to, unnecessarily touching other players’ cards or chips, delay of the game, excessive foul or crude language, disrespectful or discourteous behavior, repeatedly acting out of turn or excessive chatter.