Bob Ciaffone is a leading
authority on cardroom rules. He is the person who has selected which rules to
use, and formatted, organized, and worded the text. Nearly all these rules are
substantively in common use for poker, but many improved ideas for wording and
organization are employed throughout this work. A lot of the rules are similar
to those used in the rulebook of cardrooms where he has acted as a rules
consultant and rules drafter. Ciaffone authored the rulebook for the Poker
Players Association (founded in 1984, now defunct), the first comprehensive set
of poker rules for the general public. He has done extensive work on rules for
the Las Vegas Hilton, The Mirage, and Hollywood Park Casino, and assisted many
other cardrooms. Ciaffone is a regular columnist for Card Player magazine, and
can be reached through that publication. This rulebook will be periodically
revised, so suggestions are welcome.
Poker rules are widely used and freely
copied, so it is impossible to construct a rulebook without using many rules
that exist as part of a rule set of some cardroom. If such a rule is used, no
credit is given to the source (which is unlikely to be the original one for the
rule).
The goal of this rulebook is to produce the
best set of rules in existence, and make it generally available, so any person
or cardroom can use it who so desires. The purpose is the betterment of poker.
The general philosophy used in this rulebook
is to make the rules sufficiently detailed so a decision-maker will know what
the proper ruling is in each situation. A rule should do more than produce the
right ruling. It should be stated so the decision-maker can refer to specific
language in the rulebook, to have the ruling is accepted as correct.
The author has strongly supported uniform
poker rules, and applauds the work done in this direction by the Tournament
Director’s Association (TDA). Nearly all the rules herein are compatible with
the TDA rules, although there are some slight differences in wording.
This rulebook may be copied or downloaded by anyone, provided it is not
sold for profit without written permission from the author, and the name
“Robert’s Rules of Poker” is used or credited. Excerpts of less than a full
chapter may be used without restriction or credit. People are welcome to use
these rules, and even put their own business name on them, but this does not
give a person or business any rights other than to use the rules in their own
establishment, or to make copies available to someone else with the same
restrictions applied to the recipient as stated here. Anyone may make copies of
these rules and distribute them at no charge to recipients as a business
promotion without obtaining permission.
THIS IS THE OFFICIAL RULEBOOK FOR OUR CARDROOM
Welcome to our cardroom. Your presence in our establishment means that
you agree to abide by our rules and procedures. By taking a seat in one of our
card games, you are accepting our management to be the final authority on all
matters relating to that game.
Management will attempt to
maintain a pleasant environment for all our customers and employees, but is not
responsible for the conduct of any player. We have established a code of
conduct, and may deny the use of our cardroom to violators. The following are
not permitted:
Collusion with another player
or any other form of cheating.
Verbally or physically threatening any patron or employee.
Using profanity or obscene
language.
Creating a disturbance by
arguing, shouting, or making excessive noise.
Throwing, tearing, bending, or
crumpling cards.
Destroying or defacing
property.
Using an illegal substance.
Carrying a weapon.
POKER ETIQUETTE
The following actions are
improper, and grounds for warning, suspending, or barring a violator:
Deliberately acting out of
turn.
Deliberately splashing chips
into the pot.
Agreeing to check a hand out when a third
player is all-in.
Reading a hand for another player at the
showdown before it has been placed faceup on the table.
Telling anyone to turn a hand faceup at the
showdown.
Revealing the contents of a
live hand in a multihanded pot before the betting is complete. Revealing the
contents of a folded hand before the betting is complete. Do not divulge the
contents of a hand during a deal even to someone not in the pot, so you do not
leave any possibility of the information being transmitted to an active player.
Needlessly stalling the action
of a game.
Deliberately discarding hands away from the muck. Cards should be
released in a low line of flight, at a moderate rate of speed (not at the
dealer's hands or chip-rack).
Stacking chips in a manner that
interferes with dealing or viewing cards.
Making statements or taking
action that could unfairly influence the course of play, whether or not the
offender is involved in the pot.
Using a cell phone at the
table.
TOBACCO USE
(These rules are for an
establishment that does not completely bar smoking.)
The seat on each side of the
dealer is a nonsmoking seat.
Cigar or pipe smoking is not
allowed in the cardroom.
Smoking by a guest or spectator
is not allowed.
SECTION
2 - HOUSE POLICIES
DECISION-MAKING
1.Management
reserves the right to make decisions in the spirit of fairness, even if a
strict interpretation of the rules may indicate a different ruling.
2.Decisions
of the shift supervisor are final.
3.The
proper time to draw attention to an error or irregularity is when it occurs or
is first noticed. Any delay may affect the ruling.
4.If
an incorrect rule interpretation or decision by an employee is made in good
faith, the establishment has no liability.
5.A
ruling may be made regarding a pot if it has been requested before the next
deal starts (or before the game either ends or changes to another table).
Otherwise, the result of a deal must stand. The first riffle of the shuffle
marks the start for a deal.
6.If
a pot has been incorrectly awarded and mingled with chips that were not in the
pot, and the time limit for a ruling request given in the previous rule has
been observed, management may determine how much was in the pot by
reconstructing the betting, and then transfer that amount to the proper player.
7.To
keep the action moving, it is possible that a game may be asked to continue
even though a decision is delayed for a short period. The delay could be needed
to check the overhead camera tape, get the shift supervisor to give the ruling,
or some other good reason. In such circumstances, a pot or portion thereof may
be impounded by the house while the decision is pending.
8.The
same action may have a different meaning, depending on who does it, so the
possible intent of an offender will be taken into consideration. Some factors
here are the person’s amount of poker experience and past record.
PROCEDURES
1.Management will decide when to start or
close any game.
2.Collections
(seat rental fees) are paid in advance. In all time-collection games, the
dealer is required to pick up the collection from each player before dealing. A
player not wishing to pay collection may play one courtesy hand in stud, and
may play until the blind in button games, provided no one is waiting for the
game. If there is more than one person on the list for that game when the
collection becomes due, everyone must pay collection. A new player is not
required to pay if there is either no list or only one person waiting.
3.Cash
is not permitted on the table. All cash should be changed into chips in order
to play. If a player appears unaware of this rule and attempts to play
unnoticed cash that was on the table during a pot, the dealer may let the cash
play if no one in the pot objects, then have all the cash changed into chips
after the hand. Any chips from another establishment are not permitted on the
table, do not play in the game, and if discovered will be treated similarly to
unnoticed cash. [See Section 16 – “Explanations,” discussion #5, for more
information on this rule.]
4.Money and chips may be removed for security
purposes when leaving the table. The establishment is not responsible for any
shortage or removal of chips left on the table during a player’s absence, even
though we will try to protect everyone as best we can. All removed funds must
be fully restored when returning to the game.
5.If you return to the same game within one
hour of cashing out, your buy-in must be equal to the amount removed when
leaving that game.
6.All games are table stakes (except “playing
behind” as given in the next rule). Only the chips in front of a player at the
start of a deal may play for that hand, except for chips not yet received that
a player has purchased. The amount bought must be announced to the table, or
only the amount of the minimum buy-in plays. Awareness of the amount being in
play for each opponent is an important part of poker. All chips and money must
be kept in plain view.
7."Playing
behind" is allowed only for the amount of purchased chips while awaiting
their arrival. The amount in play must be announced to the table, or only the
amount of the minimum buy-in plays.
8.Playing
out of a rack is not allowed.
9.Only
one person may play a hand.
10.No one is allowed to play another player’s
chips.
11.Permission is required before taking a seat
in a game.
12.Playing
over without permission from the floorperson is not allowed. A playover box is
required. Permission from the absent player is not necessary.
13.Pushing bets (“saving” or “potting out”) is
not allowed.
14.Pushing an ante or posting for another person
is not allowed.
15.Splitting pots will not be allowed in any
game. Chopping the big and small blind by taking them back when all other
players have folded is allowed in button games.
16.Insurance propositions are not allowed.
Dealing twice (or three times) when all-in is permitted at big-bet poker.
17.The
game's betting limit will not be changed if two or more players object. Raising
the limit is subject to management approval.
18.Players
must keep their cards in full view. This means above table-level and not past
the edge of the table. The cards should not be covered by the hands in a manner
to completely conceal them.
19.Any player is entitled to a clear view of an
opponent’s chips. Higher denomination chips should be easily visible.
20.Your chips may be picked up if you are away
from the table for more than 30 minutes. Your absence may be extended if you
notify a floorperson in advance. Frequent or continuous absences may cause your
chips to be picked up from the table.
21.A lock-up in a new game will be picked up
after five minutes if someone is waiting to play. No seat may be locked up for
more than ten minutes if someone is waiting to play.
22.A
new deck must be used for at least a full round (once around the table) before
it may be changed, and a new setup must be used for at least an hour, unless a
deck is defective or damaged, or cards become sticky.
23.Looking
through the discards or deck stub is not allowed.
24.After
a deal ends, dealers are asked to not show what card would have been dealt.
25.A player is expected to pay attention to the
game and not hold up play. Activity that interferes with this such as reading
at the table is discouraged, and the player will be asked to cease if a problem
is caused.
26.A non-player may not sit at the table.
27.In
non-tournament games, you may have a guest sit behind you if no one in the game
objects. It is improper for a guest to look at any hand other then your own.
28.Speaking a foreign language during a deal is
not allowed.
SEATING
1.You
must be present to add your name to a waiting list.
2.It
is the player’s responsibility to be in the playing area and hear the list
being called. A player who intends to leave the playing area should notify the
list-person, and can leave money for a lockup. The lockup amount is $20.
3.When
there is more than one game of the same stakes and poker form, and a must-move
is not being used, the house will control the seating of new players to best
preserve the viability of existing games. A new player will be sent to the game
most in need of an additional player. A transfer to a similar game is not
allowed if the game being left will then have fewer players than the game being
entered.
4.A
player may not hold a seat in more than one game.
5.The
house reserves the right to require that any two players not play in the same
game (husband and wife, relatives, business partners, and so forth).
6.When
a button game starts, active players will draw a card for the button position.
The button will be awarded to the highest card by suit for all high and
high-low games, and to the lowest card by suit for all low games.
7.In
a new game, the player who arrives at the table the earliest gets first choice
of remaining seats. If two players want the same seat and arrive at the same
time, the higher player on the list has preference. A player playing a pot in
another game may have a designated seat locked up until that hand is finished.
Management may reserve a certain seat for a player for a good reason, such as
to assist reading the board for a person with a vision problem.
8.To
avoid a seating dispute, a supervisor may decide to start the game with one
extra player over the normal number participating. If so, a seat will be
removed as soon as someone quits the game.
9.To
protect an existing game, a forced move may be invoked when an additional game
of the same type and limit is started. The must-move list is maintained in the
same order as the original waiting list. If a player refuses to move into the
main game, that player will be forced to quit, and cannot play in the must-move
game or get on that list for one hour.
10.You
must play in a new game or must-move game to retain your place on the list, if
by your playing there would be three or fewer empty seats.
11.In
all button games, a player going from a must-move game to the main game may
play until due for the big blind. The player must then enter the game as a new
player, and may either post an amount equal to the big blind or wait for the
big blind. In all stud games, a player may play only one more hand before
moving.
12.A
player who is already in the game has precedence over a new player for any seat
when it becomes available. However, no change will occur after a new player has
been seated, or after that player’s buy-in or marker has been placed on the
table, unless that particular seat had been previously requested. For players
already in the game, the one who asks the earliest has preference for a seat
change.
13.In
all button games, a player voluntarily locking up a seat in another game must
move immediately if there is a waiting list of two or more names for the seat
being vacated, except that the player is entitled to play the button if a blind
has already been taken. Otherwise, a player may play up to the blind before
moving. In a stud game, a player changing tables may play only the present hand
if someone is waiting for the seat being vacated, or one more hand when no one
is waiting.
14.When
a game breaks, each player may draw a card to determine the seating order for a
similar game. The floorperson draws a card for an absent player. If the card
entitles the absent player to an immediate seat, the player has until due for
the big blind in a button game to take the seat (two hands in a stud game), and
will be put first up on the list if not back in time.
SECTION 3 - GENERAL
POKER RULES
THE BUY-IN
1.When you enter a game, you must make a full
buy-in. At limit poker, a full buy-in is at least ten times the maximum bet for
the game being played, unless designated otherwise.
2.You are allowed to make only one short
buy-in for a game. Adding to your stack is not considered a buy-in, and may be
done in any quantity between hands.
3.A player who is forced to transfer from a
broken game or must-move game to a game of the same limit may continue to play
the same amount of money, even if it is less than the minimum buy-in. A player
switching games voluntarily must have the proper buy-in size for the new game.
MISDEALS
1.The
following circumstances cause a misdeal, provided attention is called to the
error before two players have acted on their hands. (If two players have acted
in turn, the deal must be played to conclusion, as explained in rule #2)
(a)The first or second card of the hand has been
dealt faceup or exposed through dealer error.
(b)Two or more cards have been exposed by the
dealer.
(c)Two or more boxed cards (improperly faced
cards) are found.
(d)Two or more extra cards have been dealt in
the starting hands of a game.
(e)An incorrect number of cards has been dealt
to a player, except the top card may be dealt if it goes to the player in
proper sequence.
(f)Any card has been dealt out of the proper
sequence (except an exposed card may be replaced by the burncard).
(g)The button was out of position.
(h)The first card was dealt to the wrong
position.
(i)Cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a
player not entitled to a hand.
(j)
A player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. This player must be
present at the table or have posted a blind or ante.
2.Once
action occurs, a misdeal can no longer be declared. The hand will be played to
conclusion, and no money will be returned to any player whose hand is fouled. In
button games, action is considered to occur when two players after the blinds
have acted on their hands. In stud games, action is considered to occur when
two players after the forced bet have acted on their hands.
DEAD
HANDS
1.Your hand is declared dead if:
(a) You fold
or announce that you are folding when facing a bet or a raise.
(b) You
throw your hand away in a forward motion causing another player to act behind
you (even if not facing a bet).
(c) In stud,
when facing a bet, you pick your upcards off the table, turn your upcards
facedown, or mix your upcards and downcards together.
(d) The hand does not contain the proper
number of cards for that particular game (except at stud a hand missing the
final card may be ruled live, and at lowball and draw high a hand with too few
cards before the draw is live). [See Section 16 - “Explanations,” discussion
#4, for more information on the stud portion of this rule.]
(e) You act on a hand with a joker as a
holecard in a game not using a joker. (A player who acts on a hand without
looking at a card assumes the liability of finding an improper card, as given
in Irregularities, rule #8.)
(f) You have the clock on you when facing a
bet or raise and exceed the specified time limit.
2.Cards
thrown into the muck may be ruled dead. However, a hand that is clearly
identifiable may be retrieved at management’s discretion if doing so is in the
best interest of the game. We will make an extra effort to rule a hand
retrievable if it was folded as a result of incorrect information given to the
player.
3.Cards
thrown into another player’s hand are dead, whether they are faceup or
facedown.
IRREGULARITIES
1.In
button games, if it is discovered that the button was placed incorrectly on the
previous hand, the button and blinds will be corrected for the new hand in a
manner that gives every player one chance for each position on the round (if
possible).
2.You
must protect your own hand at all times. Your cards may be protected with your
hands, a chip, or other object placed on top of them. If you fail to protect
your hand, you will have no redress if it becomes fouled or the dealer
accidentally kills it.
3.If
a card with a different color back appears during a hand, all action is void
and all chips in the pot are returned to the respective bettors. If a card with
a different color back is discovered in the stub, all action stands.
4.If
two cards of the same rank and suit are found, all action is void, and all
chips in the pot are returned to the players who wagered them (subject to next
rule).
5.A
player who knows the deck is defective has an obligation to point this out. If
such a player instead tries to win a pot by taking aggressive action (trying
for a freeroll), the player may lose the right to a refund, and the chips may
be required to stay in the pot for the next deal.
6.If
there is extra money in the pot on a deal as a result of forfeited money from
the previous deal (as per rule #5), or some similar reason, only a player dealt
in on the previous deal is entitled to a hand.
7.A
card discovered faceup in the deck (boxed card) will be treated as a
meaningless scrap of paper. A card being treated as a scrap of paper will be
replaced by the next card below it in the deck, except when the next card has
already been dealt facedown to another player and mixed in with other
downcards. In that case, the card that was faceup in the deck will be replaced
after all other cards are dealt for that round.
8.A
joker that appears in a game where it is not used is treated as a scrap of
paper. Discovery of a joker does not cause a misdeal. If the joker is
discovered before a player acts on his or her hand, it is replaced as in the
previous rule. If the player does not call attention to the joker before
acting, then the player has a dead hand.
9.If
you play a hand without looking at all of your cards, you assume the liability
of having an irregular card or an improper joker.
10.One
or more cards missing from the deck does not invalidate the results of a hand.
11.Before
the first round of betting, if a dealer deals one additional card, it is returned
to the deck and used as the burncard.
12.Procedure
for an exposed card varies with the poker form, and is given in the section for
each game. A card that is flashed by a dealer is treated as an exposed card. A
card that is flashed by a player will play. To obtain a ruling on whether a
card was exposed and should be replaced, a player should announce that the card
was flashed or exposed before looking at it. A downcard dealt off the table is
an exposed card.
13.If
a card is exposed due to dealer error, a player does not have an option to take
or reject the card. The situation will be governed by the rules for the
particular game being played.
14.If
you drop any cards out of your hand onto the floor, you must still play them.
15.If
the dealer prematurely deals any cards before the betting is complete, those
cards will not play, even if a player who has not acted decides to fold.
BETTING AND
RAISING
1.Check-raise
is permitted in all games, except in certain forms of lowball.
2.In
no-limit and pot-limit games, unlimited raising is allowed.
3.In
limit poker, for a pot involving three or more players who are not all-in,
these limits on raises apply:
(a)
A game with three or more betting rounds allows a maximum of a bet and three
raises.
(b)
A game with two betting rounds (such as lowball or draw) allows a maximum of a
bet and four raises. [See “Section 16 - Explanations,” discussion #6, for more
information on this rule.]
4.Unlimited
raising is allowed in heads-up play. This applies any time the action becomes
heads-up before the raising has been capped. Once the raising is capped on a
betting round, it cannot be uncapped by a subsequent fold that leaves two
players heads-up.
5.In
limit play, an all-in wager of less than half a bet does not reopen the betting
for any player who has already acted and is in the pot for all previous bets. A
player facing less than half a bet may fold, call, or complete the wager. An
all-in wager of a half a bet or more is treated as a full bet, and a player may
fold, call, or make a full raise. (An example of a full raise is on a $20
betting round, raising a $15 all-in bet to $35).
6.Any
wager must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise in that round,
unless a player is going all-in.
7.The
smallest chip that may be wagered in a game is the smallest chip used in the
antes, blinds, rake, or collection. (Certain games may use a special rule that
does not allow chips used only in house revenue to play.) Smaller chips than
this do not play even in quantity, so a player wanting action on such chips
must change them up between deals. If betting is in dollar units or greater, a
fraction of a dollar does not play. A player going all-in must put all chips
that play into the pot.
8.A
verbal statement denotes your action and is binding. If in turn you verbally
declare a fold, check, bet, call, or raise, you are forced to take that action.
9.Rapping
the table with your hand is a pass.
10.Deliberately
acting out of turn will not be tolerated. A player who checks out of turn may
not bet or raise on the next turn to act. An action or verbal declaration out
of turn may be ruled binding if there is no bet, call, or raise by an
intervening player acting after the infraction has been committed.
11.To
retain the right to act, a player must stop the action by calling “time” (or an
equivalent word). Failure to stop the action before three or more players have
acted behind you may cause you to lose the right to act. You cannot forfeit
your right to act if any player in front of you has not acted, only if you fail
to act when it legally becomes your turn. Therefore, if you wait for someone
whose turn comes before you, and three or more players act behind you, this
still does not hinder your right to act.
12.In
limit poker, if you make a forward motion with chips and thus cause another
player to act, you may be forced to complete your action.
13.A
player who bets or calls by releasing chips into the pot is bound by that
action and must make the amount of the wager correct. (This also applies right
before the showdown when putting chips into the pot causes the opponent to show
the winning hand before the full amount needed to call has been put into the
pot.) However, if you are unaware that the pot has been raised, you may
withdraw that money and reconsider your action, provided that no one else has
acted after you. At pot-limit or no-limit betting, if there is a gross
misunderstanding concerning the amount of the wager, see Section 14, Rule 8.
14.String
raises are not allowed. To protect your right to raise, you should either
declare your intention verbally or place the proper amount of chips into the
pot. Putting a full bet plus a half-bet or more into the pot is considered to
be the same as announcing a raise, and the raise must be completed. (This does
not apply in the use of a single chip of greater value.)
15.If
you put a single chip in the pot that is larger than the bet, but do not
announce a raise, you are assumed to have only called. Example: In a $3-$6
game, when a player bets $6 and the next player puts a $25 chip in the pot
without saying anything, that player has merely called the $6 bet.
16.All
wagers and calls of an improperly low amount must be brought up to proper size
if the error is discovered before the betting round has been completed. This
includes actions such as betting a lower amount than the minimum bring-in
(other than going all-in) and betting the lower limit on an upper limit betting
round. If a wager is supposed to be made in a rounded off amount, is not, and must
be corrected, it shall be changed to the proper amount nearest in size. No one
who has acted may change a call to a raise because the wager size has been
changed.
THE SHOWDOWN
1.To
win any part of a pot, a player must show all of his cards faceup on the table,
whether they were used in the final hand played or not.
2.Cards speak (cards read for themselves).
The dealer assists in reading hands, but players are responsible for holding
onto their cards until the winner is declared. Although verbal declarations as
to the contents of a hand are not binding, deliberately miscalling a hand with
the intent of causing another player to discard a winning hand is unethical and
may result in forfeiture of the pot. (For more information on miscalling a hand
see “Section 11 - Lowball,” Rule 15 and Rule 16.)
3.Any player, dealer, or
floorperson who sees an incorrect amount of chips put into the pot, or an error
about to be made in awarding a pot, has an ethical obligation to point out the
error. Please help us keep mistakes of this nature to a minimum.
4.All
losing hands will be killed by the dealer before a pot is awarded.
5.Any
player who has been dealt in may request to see any hand that has been called,
even if the opponent's hand or the winning hand has been mucked. However, this
is a privilege that may be revoked if abused. If a player other than the pot
winner asks to see a hand that has been folded, that hand is dead. If the
winning player asks to see a losing player’s hand, both hands are live, and the
best hand wins.
6.Show
one, show all. Players are entitled to receive equal access to information
about the contents of another player’s hand. After a deal, if cards are shown
to another player, every player at the table has a right to see those cards.
During a deal, cards that were shown to an active player who might have a
further wagering decision on that betting round must immediately be shown to
all the other players. If the player who saw the cards is not involved in the
deal, or cannot use the information in wagering, the information should be
withheld until the betting is over, so it does not affect the normal outcome of
the deal. Cards shown to a person who has no more wagering decisions on that
betting round, but might use the information on a later betting round, should
be shown to the other players at the conclusion of that betting round. If only
a portion of the hand has been shown, there is no requirement to show any of
the unseen cards. The shown cards are treated as given in the preceding part of
this rule.
7.If
everyone checks (or is all-in) on the final betting round, the player who acted
first is the first to show the hand. If there is wagering on the final betting
round, the last player to take aggressive action by a bet or raise is the first
to show the hand. In order to speed up the game, a player holding a probable
winner is encouraged to show the hand without delay. If there is a side pot,
players involved in the side pot should show their hands before anyone who is
all-in for only the main pot.
TIES
1.The
ranking of suits from highest to lowest is spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. Suits
never break a tie for winning a pot. Suits are used to break a tie between
cards of the same rank (no redeal or redraw).
2.Dealing
a card to each player is used to determine things like who moves to another
table. If the cards are dealt, the order is clockwise starting with the first
player on the dealer’s left (the button position is irrelevant). Drawing a card
is used to determine things like who gets the button in a new game, or seating
order coming from a broken game.
3.An
odd chip will be broken down to the smallest unit used in the game.
4.No
player may receive more than one odd chip.
5.If
two or more hands tie, an odd chip will be awarded as follows:
(a) In a button game, the first hand
clockwise from the button gets the odd chip.
(b) In a stud game, the odd chip will be
given to the highest card by suit in all high games, and to the lowest card by
suit in all low games. (When making this determination, all cards are used, not
just the five cards that constitute the player's hand.)
(c) In high-low split games, the high hand
receives the odd chip in a split between the high and the low hands. The odd
chip between tied high hands is awarded as in a high game of that poker form,
and the odd chip between tied low hands is awarded as in a low game of that
poker form. If two players have identical hands, the pot will be split as
evenly as possible.
(d) All side pots and the main pot will be
split as separate pots, not mixed together.
SECTION 4 - BUTTON AND BLIND USE
In button games, a non-playing dealer normally does the actual dealing. A
round disk called the button is used to indicate which player has the dealer
position. The player with the button is last to receive cards on the initial
deal and has the right of last action after the first betting round. The button
moves clockwise after a deal ends to rotate the advantage of last action. One
or more blind bets are usually used to stimulate action and initiate play.
Blinds are posted before the players look at their cards. Blinds are part of a
player’s bet, unless the structure of a game or the situation requires part or
all of a particular blind to be “dead.” Dead chips are not part of a player’s
bet. With two blinds, the small blind is posted by the player immediately
clockwise from the button, and the big blind is posted by the player two
positions clockwise from the button. With more than two blinds, the little
blind is normally left of the button (not on it). Action is initiated on the
first betting round by the first player to the left of the blinds. On all
subsequent betting rounds, the action begins with the first active player to
the left of the button.
RULES FOR USING BLINDS
1.The minimum
bring-in and allowable raise sizes for the opener are specified by the poker
form used and blind amounts set for a game. They remain the same even when the
player in the blind does not have enough chips to post the full amount.
2.Each
round every player must get an opportunity for the button, and meet the total
amount of the blind obligations. Either of the following methods of button and
blind placement may be designated to do this:
(a) Moving button – The button always moves
forward to the next player and the blinds adjust accordingly. There may be more
than one big blind.
(b) Dead button – The big blind is posted by
the player due for it, and the small blind and button are positioned
accordingly, even if this means the small blind or the button is placed in
front of an empty seat, giving the same player the privilege of last action on
consecutive hands.
[See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion
#1, for more information on this rule.]
3.A
player who posts a blind has the option of raising the pot at the first turn to
act. (This does not apply when a "dead blind" for the collection is
used in a game and has been posted).
4.In
heads-up play with two blinds, the small blind is on the button.
5.A
new player entering the game has the following options:
(a)Wait for the big blind.
(b)Post an amount equal to the big blind and
immediately be dealt a hand. (In lowball, a new player must either post an
amount double the big blind or wait for the big blind.)
6.A new player who elects to let the button
go by once without posting is not treated as a player in the game who has
missed a blind, and needs to post only the big blind when entering the game.
7.A person playing over is considered a new
player, and must post the amount of the big blind or wait for the big blind.
8.A new player cannot be dealt
in between the big blind and the button. Blinds may not be made up between the
big blind and the button. You must wait until the button passes. [See “Section
16 – Explanations,” discussion #3, for more information on this rule.]
9.When
you post the big blind, it serves as your opening bet. When it is your next
turn to act, you have the option to raise.
10.A player who misses any or all
blinds can resume play by either posting all the blinds missed or waiting for
the big blind. If you choose to post the total amount of the blinds, an amount
up to the size of the minimum opening bet is live. The remainder is taken by
the dealer to the center of the pot and is not part of your bet. When it is
your next turn to act, you have the option to raise.
11.If a player who owes a blind
(as a result of a missed blind) is dealt in without posting, the hand is dead
if the player looks at it before putting up the required chips, and has not yet
acted. If the player acts on the hand and plays it, putting chips into the pot
before the error is discovered, the hand is live, and the player is required to
post on the next deal.
12. A player who goes all-in and loses is obligated to make up the blinds
if they are missed before a rebuy is made. (The person is not treated as a new
player when reentering.)
13.These
rules about blinds apply to a newly started game:
(a) Any
player who drew for the button is considered active in the game and is required
to make up any missed blinds.
(b) A new
player will not be required to post a blind until the button has made one
complete revolution around the table, provided a blind has not yet passed that
seat.
(c) A player may change seats without
penalty, provided a blind has not yet passed the new seat.
14. In all multiple-blind games, a player who
changes seats will be dealt in on the first available hand in the same relative
position. Example: If you move two active positions away from the big blind,
you must wait two hands before being dealt in again. If you move closer to the
big blind, you can be dealt in without any penalty. If you do not wish to wait
and have not yet missed a blind, then you can post an amount equal to the big
blind and receive a hand. (Exception: At lowball you must kill the pot, wait
for the same relative position, or wait for the big blind; see “Section 11 –
Lowball,” rule #7.)
15. A player who "deals off" (by
playing the button and then immediately getting up to change seats) can allow
the blinds to pass the new seat one time and reenter the game behind the button
without having to post a blind.
16. A live “straddle bet" is not allowed
at limit poker except in specified games.
SECTION 5 - HOLD’EM
In hold’em, players receive two downcards as their personal hand
(holecards), after which there is a round of betting. Three boardcards are
turned simultaneously (called the “flop”) and another round of betting occurs.
The next two boardcards are turned one at a time, with a round of betting after
each card. The boardcards are community cards, and a player may use any
five-card combination from among the board and personal cards. A player may
even use all of the boardcards and no personal cards to form a hand (play the
board). A dealer button is used. The usual structure is to use two blinds, but
it is possible to play the game with one blind, multiple blinds, an ante, or
combination of blinds plus an ante.
RULES
These rules deal only with irregularities. See the previous chapter,
“Button and Blind Use,” for rules on that subject.
1.If
the first or second holecard dealt is exposed, a misdeal results. The dealer
will retrieve the card, reshuffle, and recut the cards. If any other holecard
is exposed due to a dealer error, the deal continues. The exposed card may not
be kept. After completing the hand, the dealer replaces the card with the top
card on the deck, and the exposed card is then used for the burncard. If more
than one holecard is exposed, this is a misdeal and there must be a redeal.
2.If
the dealer mistakenly deals the first player an extra card (after all players
have received their starting hands), the card will be returned to the deck and
used for the burncard. If the dealer mistakenly deals more than one extra card,
it is a misdeal.
3.If
the flop contains too many cards, it must be redealt. (This applies even if it
were possible to know which card was the extra one.)
4.If
the flop needs to be redealt because the cards were prematurely flopped before
the betting was complete, or the flop contained too many cards, the boardcards
are mixed with the remainder of the deck. The burncard remains on the table.
After shuffling, the dealer cuts the deck and deals a new flop without burning
a card. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,” discussion #2, for more information
on this rule.]
5.If
more than one card has been burned before the flop round of betting begins, and
any cards have been turned faceup, the flop is invalid if the error is
discovered before betting has started. The flop shall be redealt as per the
previous rule. If the error has been discovered without the identity of any flop-cards
being divulged, the proper flop shall be used. If betting has started before
attention is called to the error, the flop actually dealt must be used.
6.If
the dealer turns the fourth card on the board before the betting round is
complete, the card is taken out of play for that round, even if subsequent
players elect to fold. Nobody has an option of accepting or rejecting the card.
The betting is then completed. The error is rectified in a manner to least influence
the identity of the boardcards that would have been used without the error. The
dealer burns and deals what would have been the fifth card in the fourth card’s
place. After this round of betting, the dealer reshuffles the deck, including
the card that was taken out of play, but not including the burncards or
discards. The dealer then cuts the deck and deals the final card without
burning a card. If the fifth card is turned up prematurely, the deck is
reshuffled and dealt in the same manner. [See “Section 16 – Explanations,”
discussion #2, for more information on this rule.]
7.If
more than one card has been burned, the error shall be rectified if the mistake
is discovered before betting starts. If the error is not discovered before
betting starts, the card dealt faceup must be used.
8.You
must declare that you are playing the board before you throw your cards away;
otherwise you relinquish all claim to the pot.
SECTION
6 - OMAHA
Omaha is similar to hold’em in using a three-card flop on the board, a fourth
boardcard, and then a fifth boardcard. Each player is dealt four holecards
(instead of two) at the start. In order to make a hand, a player must use
precisely two holecards with three boardcards. The betting is the same as in
hold'em, using a preflop, flop, turn, and river betting rounds. At the
showdown, the entire four-card hand should be shown to receive the pot.
RULES
OF OMAHA
1.All
the rules of hold’em apply to Omaha except the
rule on playing the board, which is not possible in Omaha (because you must use two cards from
your hand and three cards from the board).
SECTION 7 - OMAHA
HIGH-LOW
Omaha is often played high-low split. The player
may use any combination of two holecards and three boardcards for the high hand
and another (or the same) combination of two holecards and three boardcards for
the low hand.
The rules governing kill pots are listed in “Section
13 – Kill Pots.”
RULES OF OMAHA HIGH-LOW
1.All the rules of Omaha
apply to Omaha
high-low split except as below.
2.A
qualifier of 8-or-better for low is used. This means to win the low half of the
pot, a player’s hand at the showdown must have five cards of different ranks
that are an eight or lower in rank. (An ace is the highest card and also the
lowest card.) If there is no qualifying hand for low, the best high hand wins
the whole pot.
SECTION
8 - SEVEN-CARD STUD
Seven-card stud is played with
a starting hand of two downcards and one upcard dealt before the first betting
round. There are then three more upcards and a final downcard, with a betting
round after each, for a total of five betting rounds on a deal played to the
showdown. The best five-card poker hand wins the pot. In all fixed-limit games,
the smaller bet is wagered for the first two betting rounds, and the larger bet
is wagered for the last three betting rounds (on the fifth, sixth, and seventh
cards). If there is an open pair on the fourth card, any player has the option
of making the smaller or larger bet. Deliberately changing the order of your
upcards in a stud game is improper because it unfairly misleads the other
players.
RULES OF SEVEN-CARD STUD
1.The first round of betting starts with a
forced bet by the lowest upcard by suit. On subsequent betting rounds, the high
hand on board initiates the action (a tie is broken by position, with the
player who received cards first acting first).
2.The player with the forced
bet has the option of opening for a full bet.
3.Increasing the amount wagered by the
opening forced bet up to a full bet does not count as a raise, but merely as a
completion of the bet. For example: In $15-$30 stud, the lowcard opens for $5.
If the next player increases the bet to $15 (completes the bet), up to three
raises are then allowed when using a three-raise limit.
