Complete Texas Hold'em Tournament Rules

[K-rug]

Sorry in advance that this is going to be a long reply.

Heh... That's a typo. Something that should have been changed from a previous version when we were messing with the blind structure. Sometimes when I look at this thing over and over to proof it the words big blind and small blind get crossed in my head. I guess that makes me blindlexic.

Our Small Blind IS half of the minimum bet. Big Blind should be the minimum bet. Ante is half of the Small Blind. We actually don't play that the small is half though. Due to our chip value and amount of chips that we have and given how many players we have. For us, Ante=$1 S.B.=$2 and BB=$3. The chip value and quantities we play with seem to work perfectly for the legth of play we want. All of this is described in "Suggesstions Sections" of the PDF.

If you are wondering why I use value and amount of chips per player that I do, it is because I purchased two 500 count chip packages for our weekly limit game originally which has a $20 buy-in, 50 blue 150 red and 300 grey (they were out of white) per package. This allows us to have 20 players utilizing all 1,000 chips. For our limit game the value is 30-.25, 15-.50, 5-$1 for a perfect $20 worth of chips for 20 guys. So that is what I had to work with.

Unfortunetly this computer does not have Acrobat installed so I will update the file first thing tomorrow. Thanks for pointing it out JKeats.

Oh and FYI with 12 people a no-limit tournament using the amount chips and values I use lasts about 6-7 hours. Which I find to be perfect one day No-Limit play.

[ORGrinder]

kewl deal... thanks for the info.

i found something else i had a question on. when you talk about how you open the tourney by going over some of the main rules... you mention that "the winner has the right to see anyone elses hand"

why do you do this? my understanding was that it's general practice for the losers to be able to simply muck their hands if they call and lose... the only individual obligated to how their hand is the individual being called. giving the winner the option of seeing the losers hands, so it seems to me anyway, gives them a TON of power insomuch as they can learn to judge when and with what a person bluffs with.

again... not an argument with your rules... just a question so that i can adjust my game appropriately.

:D

[K-rug]

That should read, any hand of anyone at Showdown. Consistant with Rule 5 under The Showdown. That's one of those rules that came down to a vote amungst our players. Those who voted yes reasoned that by virtue of being the winner they essentially "own the cards that were played." They originally wanted to view the muck and I talked them into only those who played at Showdown. I by the way voted "No". My reasoning is that once your hand is dead, well, it's dead. Unfortunetly, several of the "founders" of the game overruled me.

However, that being said, one would think that after every hand the winner would instantly go through every hand in the muck. Honestly, it hardly ever happens. Mostly because a good winner knows how to read a player and doesn't need to know what they have based on how the person plays and any tells that they have. So while I do not agree with it, those who voted yes rarely get a chance to see the cards anyway. If you know what I mean. So I guess it doesn't bother me. But I still don't agree with it. I planned to bring it up again prior to our next tournament.

Keep the questions coming. I am happy to explain the way we do things.

[ORGrinder]

kewl deal... thanks for the info. i'm with you on that one. a dead hand is a dead hand. should be losers porogative (spling?) to show or not regardless of the situation... unless, i suppose, colusion is suspected but that's not a normal circumstance.

[K-rug]

Another thing under the example things to say is number nine. Basically, if things end on the flop or 4th street to instruct the dealers not to show 4th or 5th street. The situation came up in our tournament. Basically, two guys went head to head all-in and flipped their cards up. It ended on 4th street. There was absolutely no way that the other person could have won. The loser a "founder" of our game wanted to see 5th street. We said no and cited the rule. He argued what does it matter. We responded that the hand was over on 4th street 5th street would not have changed this. He wasn't arguing that he lost. He just wanted to see 5th street out of curiosity. He must have been fishing for something. We said no. He got mad. It was in the rules so it ended.

Needless to say this "founder" voted yes to the rule you cited above and is the overall money loser out of everyone that has ever played over the history of our weekly game. He won one tournament because he was catching cards and took an early chip lead. Needless to say the next tourny he didn't do so well. Just another example of needing to have things documented and your rules straight.

[ORGrinder]

ya... in a big tourney like that... rules are for sure a must. from the wording, i'm guessing you have ppl sign this or something when they register? if not, i'd start. LOL. in this day-and-age, i wouldn't put it past someone to sue... even if it's just small claims... because a rule "screwed" them over.

as for the 4th and/or 5th street thing... i could go either way on that one. since it's not like BJ or something where you play a shoe until all cards have been used... and instead the deck is shuffled each time, seems to me that it would be kinda fun at times to see what the next card "would have been" had you stayed in. my caviat (spling?) would be that you have to show your hole cards. it's one thing to fold on a heads up... flip your cards to show everyone why you gave it a go, and ask to see the turn and/or river... it's completely different to NOT show your cards and ask... i would say no in that case.

[ballbp]

I have to disagree JKeats. I'm a big believer in no "chasing the rabbit" as it's called. If someone has bet and you don't call, that's it hand over, no more cards. Only time a beaten hand sees to the river is if both players are all-in and have flipped their cards. Just my rule here. Oh by the way, I'm a stickler about splashing the pot too.

[K-rug]

I agree. Once the hand is dead it is dead.

Splashing the pot. Bah...

We had (stress the word had) this guy that would literally wind up and throw the chips in like a pitcher. You could never tell how much he actually bet. When he was delt his cards he would cup them and bend them almost in half. In fact we have to throw away a deck once. Fortunetly, I am 6'4" 225 and my roommate is 5'11", 250lbs, benches 350lbs and is a former Rugby player. After explaining the rules to him and warning him several times. It was the first time we had to exercise our muscle and he hasn't been back sense. Nor do I expect him to be. It just ruins the play for everyone. After all, besides winning money it is all about fun. If everyone isn't having fun because of one person. Something needs to happen.