Poker Tournament Rules

These rules describe the procedures commonly used in cardroom tournaments, consistent with the Poker TDA rules. Each event's published rules, and the house rules of the venue, take precedence where they differ.

The tournament director (TD) or floor person shall make decisions in the best interest of the game and fairness. Floor decisions may override a strict reading of the rules in unusual circumstances, and are final.

Players are expected to know the rules of the game being played. The rules of each game are set out on this site, starting with Texas Hold'em.

Seats are assigned at random. A player who is found in the wrong seat shall be moved to the correct seat with their current chip stack.

Players registered at the start receive the full starting stack. A player who is absent when play begins is dealt in, and their blinds and antes are posted, until they arrive.

Many events allow late registration up to a published point. Late entrants receive a full starting stack and are seated at random, and are dealt in on arrival, subject to the event's rules on players entering between the small blind and the button.

Where re-entry or rebuys are permitted, the number, cost and deadline shall be as published for that event.

Blinds and antes increase at the end of each level according to a published structure sheet. A new level takes effect from the next hand once the clock shows the level has ended. A hand is deemed to have started with the first riffle of the shuffle.

Most no-limit Hold'em events use a big blind ante: the player in the big blind pays a single ante on behalf of the whole table, usually equal to the big blind.

3.2(a) If the big blind player has too few chips to post both the ante and the blind, the blind is posted first and any remainder goes to the ante.

3.2(b) Some events use a traditional ante from every player, or a button ante. The published structure governs.

The minimum bet and raise rules are those set out in betting structures.

Tournaments use the dead button rule. The big blind moves forward one seat every hand, and the small blind and button are positioned relative to it. As a result, the button may sit in front of an empty seat, or a hand may have no small blind. No player may avoid a blind by moving or being eliminated.

Some cash games use a moving button instead, where the button always moves to the next active player. Under that method a player may occasionally miss a blind or post twice. It is not used in tournaments.

When play becomes heads-up, the button is adjusted so that no player posts the big blind twice in succession. Heads-up, the button posts the small blind and acts first before the flop.

As players are eliminated, tables are broken in a pre-determined order. Players from a broken table are assigned to empty seats at random, and may be dealt in wherever they land, including in the big blind or on the button. The one exception: a player cannot be dealt in between the small blind and the button, and waits until the button passes.

Tables are kept balanced so that the number of players at each table stays close. The tolerance varies by event and game; in flop games it is commonly one or two players.

When a player is moved to balance tables, the player who is next due to post the big blind at the full table is moved, into the seat at the short table that is in the worst position. This keeps the blinds fair at both tables.

A player who is moved takes their entire stack. Chips shall be transported in a clear rack or bag.

Play may be halted at a table that is three or more players short of the others until balancing is complete, as the event rules provide.

At your seat. A player must be at their seat (within reach of their chair) when the last card of the initial deal is dealt to them, or their hand is dead. The player's blinds and antes still go into the pot.

A player who is absent continues to be dealt in and to post blinds and antes, and their hand is killed. An absent player may be blinded out.

Players must act in a reasonable time. When a player takes too long, any player at the table or the dealer may call the clock. The floor then gives the player a short, fixed time to act, commonly under a minute and ending in a countdown. A player who has not acted when time expires has a dead hand. Some venues instead treat a player facing no bet as having checked.

Some events use an action clock or shot clock with a set time per decision and a number of time-bank extensions.

When a player is all in and no further betting is possible, all hands still in the pot shall be turned face up before any more cards are dealt. No player may muck a hand in this situation.

At showdown with no all-in, the normal showdown order applies (see Texas Hold'em rule 6.2), but any player may table their hand at any time.

A player who is all in shall keep their chips in plain view so the dealer can count them. A player who is facing an all-in may ask for a count.

When two or more players are eliminated in the same hand, the player who began the hand with more chips finishes in the higher place.

One player to a hand. Players shall not share information about a hand in progress, advise another player, or collude. Soft play (deliberately not betting against a friend) may be penalised.

Any unfinished deal of cards is not completed to show what would have happened. Rabbit hunting is not permitted.

When the smallest chips are no longer needed, they are removed from play. This is colouring up. Chips are exchanged for higher denominations to the nearest full value.

Remaining odd chips are resolved by a chip race:

In a chip race, suits rank to break ties: spades high, then hearts, diamonds and clubs. A player may win no more than one chip in the race.

A player cannot be eliminated by a chip race. A player left with no chips after the race receives one chip of the smallest denomination still in play.

As the field approaches the prize places (the bubble), play goes hand-for-hand. Each table plays one hand and then waits until every other table has finished its hand before the next hand is dealt.

Players eliminated at different tables during the same hand-for-hand hand tie for that finishing position and share the prize money for the places concerned.

Players eliminated at the same table in the same hand are placed by their chip counts at the start of the hand (7.4).

Hand-for-hand play may also be used at other prize jumps or when reaching a final table, as the event rules provide.

Where an event permits it, the remaining players may agree a deal to divide the prize pool, commonly by chip count or by the independent chip model. All players still in the event must agree, and the TD must be informed.

The house is not obliged to enforce a private deal that has not been approved by the TD. Some venues require part of the prize pool to be left to play for, and any deal that does not comply with published rules or local law may be refused.

Play continues until one player holds all the chips, unless the event rules state otherwise.

Language. In many venues, only English may be spoken at the table while a hand is in progress. International events may allow other languages. The event rules govern.

Electronic devices. A player who is in a hand shall not use a phone or other device. Devices shall not be placed on the table. Photography and recording at the table are restricted as the event provides.

Cards and chips. Players shall keep cards in plain view, keep chips visible with the highest denominations clearly identifiable, and shall not remove tournament chips from the table.

Etiquette. Abuse of other players or staff, deliberate delay, and exposing cards to influence play are breaches of the rules. See poker etiquette.

Penalties may be imposed for breaches of these rules or of the event rules, including soft play, abuse, exposing cards, acting out of turn and using a device while in a hand.

The available penalties, in increasing severity, are:

For a missed-hand penalty, the player leaves the table for the specified period and is dealt in and posts blinds and antes as normal, with their hand killed. A one-round penalty is a number of hands equal to the number of players at the table, including the penalised player, when the penalty is given.

Penalties may be escalated for repeated breaches. Collusion, cheating and chip dumping may lead to disqualification and forfeiture of any prize.