Tournament rules!

1. All players must be registered members of the River Rat Poker League.

2. Minimum age to play is 18. Each location reserves the right to set the minimum age requirement.

3. Generally, players will all start with 4000 in chips, however this may vary state by state and/or venue by venue, based on a number of factors. Blinds will rise according to the blind schedule due to session time restraints.

4. If there are more players than seats at the tables there will be a waiting list. Those players will be allowed to join the tournament as seats become available.Any late arriving players will only be able to join within the first blind level and they will be deducted chips from their starting stack.

5. Once a player has lost all the chips they have started with they cannot reload and reseat. They are however, eligible to play in the second session.

6. During the breaks, the floor person will colour-up, exchanging lower denomination chips for each player, for the next value up. Any uneven amount will be rounded up for the players benefit.

7. To determine the first dealer position of each table, all the cards are spread face down and each player will draw 1 card. The player with the highest value card will start the deal. In the event of 2 or more people drawing the same high card, those players will redraw untill someone draws a higher card.

8.The deal will rotate clockwise.

9. Players are required to post their blinds. When a player is absent from the table for any reason, their blind will be posted by the current dealer from the absent players stack and their hand will be dealt and folded.

10. The small blind is posted by the player immediately to the left of the dealer. The big blind is posted by the player two seats to the left of the dealer.

11. New players to a table must take a hand, unless the seat they are taking on that hand will be the small blind or dealer position. In these situations the player must wait for the dealer button to pass.

12. When dealing, there will not be any presorting of the cards. All remaining cards are to stay on top of the deck until all betting is done. Then the dealer will burn one card and turn 3 flops cards. Once again no cards will be taken from the top of the deck until the round of betting is complete. The dealer will then burn one card and turn another. Again no cards will be taken from the top until the round of betting is complete. Then another card is burnt and the river is turned.

13. When new players join an existing table, a dealer redraw will occur only when 4 or more players arrive at the table.

14. The dead button rule applies. This means whatever position had the small blind the previous hand will receive the button regardless of whether or not the player in that position is still at the table.

15. When a player is absent, the dealer will always deal the absent player in. When the action gets to the player, that players hand will be mucked. (the dealer always deals to the chips not the player).

16. If a player does not have anough chips to call a bet or place a blind, that player can go all-in. If this occurs a side pot will be created between remaining players in the pot.

17. When a player goes ALL-IN and the bet is called by one player, the remaining player will turn their cards face up for the showdown and continue the hand.

18. Once a player has lost all his/her chips they are required to leave the table if the seat is needed.

19. If two or more players are eliminated on the same hand, the player with the most chips at the start of the hand will finish in the higher position.

20. If a player is dealt a card face up the dealer will continue to deal each position their hole cards. Once the hand is dealt to all players the card that was dealt face up will become the first burn card. All players must see the card that was dealt face up and the card should then be placed in the muck. If two cards are dealt face up, a miss deal is called and the hand must be dealt again.

21. The dealer is responsible for placing the burn cards and muck cards into the muck. If at anytime a players cards are placed into the muck (either deliberatly or on purpose) the hand is dead and cannot be played.

22. No one can turn over any of the burn or muck cards during the hand.

23. Chips are to remain on the table at all times unless the player is being moved to another table.

24. Players moving from a broken table to fill in seats at another table will assume the rights and responsibilities of the seat. A player must play when sat in the big blind. When sat in the big blind or on the button the player must wait to play until the button has passed their position.

25. Any advice on a hand must come from the host. No other players may give advice on how to play a hand. No advice on a hand can be given by anyone (including the hosts) at regional events.

26. The only player that may touch the chips in the pot is the acting dealer. If change is needed, state your intentions and get permission from the acting dealer.

27. When two players are left at the table the dealer will always be the small blind.

28. Any inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. The floor person reserves the right to ask any player to leave the table and the tournament. The hosting establishment always reserves the right to ask anyone to leave their place of business at any time.

29. Please adhere to poker etiquette, such as splashing the pot, information about your hand and string bets.

30. The RRPL reserves the right to cancel, chance, or alter the event at any time.

31. At NO time, at any RRPL event is currency of any kind allowed on the poker table. This is in direct violation of state and federal laws. There will be no exceptions to this rule. Any violation of this rule will result in immediate expulsion from the tournament.

32. The tournament floor person has final decision on all disputes.