Rulebook

Tournament Fees, Rebuys, and Add-ons

• Tournament Buy-in Tiers:
  • Online Tournaments: $10 Buy-in (30,000 Starting Chips)
  • Live Regular Tournaments: $25 Buy-in (30,000 Starting Chips)
  • Big Money Tournaments: $50 Buy-in (60,000 Starting Chips)
  • Championship Tournament: $75 Buy-in (30,000 Base Starting Chips + Earned Bonus Chips)
• Withholdings: For all live tournaments, a portion of the total prize pool (Buy-ins, Rebuys, and Add-ons) is withheld: 10% is allocated to the season-ending Championship Pot, and 1% is allocated to the League Kitty (used for cards and operational supplies).
• Rebuys: When active, players may purchase a rebuy ($15 for 30,000 chips) at their discretion until the designated rebuy cutoff (approximately 2 hours).
  • Eligibility: A player must have 15,000 chips or fewer to purchase a rebuy.
  • Restrictions: Rebuys are strictly prohibited in the Championship Tournament. Rebuy chips do not count toward Chip Leader points.
  • Knockout Points: If a player is knocked out and chooses to rebuy, the opponent who won the pot is still awarded the Knockout Point. The rebuying player then becomes eligible to yield an additional Knockout Point if they lose their new stack.
• Add-ons: When active, any active player may purchase one single add-on ($15 for 30,000 chips) strictly at the rebuy cutoff break. Add-ons are prohibited in the Championship Tournament and do not count toward Chip Leader points.

Payouts and Deals

• Simultaneous Eliminations: If multiple players are eliminated in the exact same hand, the player who began the hand with the highest chip count will be awarded the higher finishing position and payout.
• Payout Structures:
  • Online Tournaments: The top 15% of the field is paid.
  • Live Tournaments: Payouts are determined by the field size and tournament type according to the following table:

    Field Size	Regular Tournaments	Tag Team Tournaments	Championship
    6-7 Players	2 Spots (65% / 35%)	N/A	3 Spots (50% / 30% / 20%)
    8-11 Players	3 Spots (50% / 30% / 20%)	N/A	4 Spots (50% / 25% / 15% / 10%)
    12-17 Players	4 Spots (50% / 25% / 15% / 10%)	2 Spots (65% / 35%)	5 Spots (45% / 25% / 15% / 10% / 5%)
    18-24 Players	5 Spots (45% / 25% / 15% / 10% / 5%)	3 Spots (50% / 30% / 20%)	6 Spots (40% / 25% / 15% / 10% / 7% / 3%)

• Deals (Chops): If a tournament is running excessively long, players currently "In The Money" may negotiate a deal to split the remaining prize pool.
  • A deal must be unanimously agreed upon by all remaining players.
  • If a deal is struck, the tournament immediately ends. Players are awarded league points based only on what they had earned up to that exact moment (meaning no "Winner" Bonus Points are awarded).
  • Exception: Deals are strictly prohibited in the Championship Tournament.

Attendance and Penalties

• Late Arrivals: Players who RSVP'd but arrive late will have their chips put into play at the start of the tournament. The dealer will post all appropriate blinds and antes for the absent player. If the player does not arrive by the start of the first blind level following the rebuy cutoff (approx. 2 hours), their remaining chips are permanently removed from play, and they forfeit their entry.
• Cancellations and No-Shows: Players may cancel their RSVP without penalty up to one (1) hour before the tournament begins. Players who fail to show up receive zero league points.
  • The No-Show Penalty: If a player fails to attend a scheduled tournament for which they RSVP'd twice in a single season, they will be banned from participating in any further tournaments for the remainder of the season, including the Championship.

Clocks, Blinds, and Structures

• The Tournament Clock: The clock is not paused when a blind level expires. The new blind level takes effect on the very next hand. (A hand is considered officially concluded once the winner has been determined). The clock is only paused for scheduled breaks, Tournament Director dispute resolutions, games that require a paused clock and excessively long all-in situations.
• Dynamic Blind Lengths: To ensure tournaments end at a reasonable hour, the Tournament Director may dynamically shorten the length of the blind levels based on the remaining field size:
  • 6+ Players: Normal Round Length
  • 5 Players: Reduced by 20%
  • 4 Players: Reduced by 40%
  • 3 Players: Reduced by 60%
  • 2 Players (Heads Up): Reduced by 80%
• Big Blind Ante (BBA): The player in the Big Blind will post a single ante for the entire table, equal to the exact value of the current Big Blind, regardless of how many players are seated.
  • The Ante is "dead" money and is pulled into the main pot prior to the deal.
  • If a short-stacked player does not have enough chips to cover both the Big Blind and the Ante, the Big Blind is posted first, followed by the Ante.
  • A player may win the entirety of the dead Ante regardless of their starting chip stack.

Table Management

• Seating: Initial seating is determined by random draw using seat cards. When a table breaks, players are randomly redrawn to their new seats.
• Balancing Tables: If the player count between any two tables differs by two or more, the player scheduled to be the next Big Blind at the highly populated table will be moved to the open seat at the less populated table. If this move places them in the Small Blind position, they will sit out for one hand.
• The Dead Button: The "Dead Button" rule is utilized to ensure fair posting of blinds.
  • If the Big Blind busts: The button moves to the Small Blind. The player to the left of the eliminated Big Blind assumes the new Big Blind. There is no Small Blind for that hand. On the next hand, the button moves to the empty seat (dead button), and the two active players to its left post the standard blinds. (This results in the same player begin on the dealer button twice in a row).
  • If the Small Blind busts: The button does not move (dead button). The former Big Blind now posts the Small Blind, and the player to their left posts the Big Blind. (This results in the same player begin on the dealer button twice in a row).
• Coloring Up: When a lower denomination chip is no longer needed in the blind structure, they are removed from play. All smaller chips are exchanged for larger denominations. Any remaining "odd" smaller chips are automatically rounded up to the nearest larger chip (no chip races).
  • Chip Values: Red (5), Blue (10), Green (25), Black (100), Purple (500), Yellow/Orange (1,000), White/Pink (5,000), Brown (25,000).

Table Personnel and Etiquette

• The Dealer: The player who draws the designated "Dealer" seat card acts as the primary dealer for that table and will be seated in the middle of the table. (New players, exempted players or the designated dealer from the previous tournament may request a redraw if they pull this card). The Dealer must always cut the deck after it has been shuffled.
• The Shuffler: The player seated on the Button is responsible for shuffling. If the designated Dealer is on the button, they may assign the shuffle to another player. Cards must remain strictly on the felt during shuffling. *Auto-Shuffler: If an automatic shuffler is used, the player seated closest to the device will assist the Dealer by passing the decks.
• The Chipmaster: The player seated directly opposite the designated Dealer acts as the Chipmaster. They are solely responsible for potting bets, making change, and pushing pots to the winner. No other players are permitted to handle the main pot or any chips other than their own individual bets.

Heads Up Tournaments

• Format: Heads Up format is triggered for fields of 8 or more players. The field is divided evenly into two pools.
• Round Robin & Bracket: Players will play a round-robin format against every other player in their designated pool (e.g., in an 8-player field, 2 brackets, everyone plays 5 matches, 3 pool play and semi-final/final). The top two point-earners from each pool advance to the primary Championship Bracket. The subsequent placements advance to tiered secondary brackets. Any ties for placement are resolved by a single tie-breaker heads-up match.

Wild Wild West (Core Side Game)

The Wild Wild West (WWW) is a bounty-based side game. Many other side games (3-Card Poker, Redrum, etc.) use this payout structure to distribute their respective pots.

• Bounty Designations:
  • The Bullseye: The primary bounty target. By default, this is the winner of the previous tournament.
  • The Outlaw(s): Secondary bounty targets. By default, these are players who finished "In the Money" (ITM) during the previous tournament. The number of Outlaws is equal to the number of payout spots from the current tournament, minus the winner.
• Vacancy & Absence Rules:
  • If the Bullseye is absent, a random draw among present Outlaws determines the new Bullseye.
  • If an Outlaw is absent, a random draw among all present non-bounty players determines the replacement Outlaw.
  • If there are more returning ITM players than designated Outlaw spots, a random draw determines which players lose their Outlaw status for the current game.
• Payouts:
  • Outlaw Bounty: Eliminating an Outlaw pays 2x the side game buy-in (e.g., a $5 buy-in pays a $10 bounty).
  • Bullseye Bounty: Eliminating the Bullseye awards the entire remainder of the WWW pot.
  • Self-Bounty: If a Bullseye or Outlaw wins the current tournament, they claim their own bounty.

Variant Side Games

3-Card Poker

Players earn points by forming 3-card poker hands when the board "activates."

• Activation: The game triggers whenever the community cards total exactly three (e.g., specific card combinations totaling 3). Multiple activations can occur on one board.
• Gameplay: Upon activation, a player who scoops the pot receives three cards.
• Scoring: Straight Flush (40), Trips (30), Straight (6), Flush (4), Pair (1).
• Reroll Chips: An Ace-High hand awards a "Reroll Chip," which can be used during a future activation to swap one card for a new one from the deck.
• Conclusion: The game ends at the Bubble. The point leader becomes the Bullseye; runners-up become Outlaws.

Redrum (The Shining Game)

A card-collection game using three dedicated "Redrum" decks per table.

• Activation: Occurs whenever a Jack or a Five appears on the community board (e.g. Jack Nicholson!). For every Jack or Five shown, a player who scoops the pot triggers one "Redrum Series."
• The Series (Discard/Collect/Redrum):
  • Discard: Players have a 7-card hand limit. Before collecting new cards, a player must discard down to 5 cards.
  • Collect: The player draws two cards from the Redrum deck.
  • Redrum (The Pass): If both drawn cards are Red, all players discard one Red card. If both are Black, all players discard one Black card.
• Redemption: Players may redeem hands for points at any time before/after a series.
  • Scores: 5-of-a-Kind (30), Straight Flush (20), Quads (15), Full House (10), Flush (8), Straight (7), Trips (5), Two-Pair (3), 4-Flush/Bobtail (2), Pair (1).
  • Penalty: Redeeming fewer than 5 cards results in -1 point.
• Conclusion: The game ends at the Bubble. The point leader becomes the Bullseye; runners-up become Outlaws.

Golden Chip

A "hot potato" style game where chip possession determines bounty winners.

• The Start: A number of Golden Chips are issued to the Big Blinds at the start of the tournament.
• Movement: When a player holding a Golden Chip posts the Big Blind Ante, that chip is placed in the pot. The winner of the main pot claims the chip. (In split pots, the chip goes to the winner closest to the left of the button).
• Outlaw Phase: Golden Chips equal to the number of Outlaws are distributed evenly to the Big Blinds (and when there are uneven number of Outlaws randomly). Whoever holds a Golden Chip at the Rebuy Cutoff wins an Outlaw payout.
• Bullseye Phase: After the cutoff, all chips are removed except one, which resets at the Big Blind (if there are multiple tables, a random draw determines which table the Golden Chip starts at). Whoever holds this final chip at The Bubble wins the Bullseye payout.

Pissing Contest

A race to scoop pots with pocket pairs, progressing sequentially through four specific tier groups, with bonuses for holding a randomly assigned suit.

• Gameplay & Groups: At the beginning of each game, randomly assign one of the four suits (♠, ♥, ♣, ♦) to each of the four groups. Everyone begins the game hunting for Group 1. Players must scoop pots using a pocket pair from the currently active group to score.
  • Group 1 (1 pt): A-A
  • Group 2 (2 pts): K-K, Q-Q, J-J
  • Group 3 (3 pts): T-T, 9-9, 8-8, 7-7
  • Group 4 (4 pts): 6-6, 5-5, 4-4, 3-3, 2-2
• Progression & Scoring:
  • Table Ascension: The active group applies to all players. Once any player successfully scoops a pot with a pocket pair from the current group, that player claims the points, and the active group advances to the next tier for the everyone. After a player claims Group 4, the rotation resets back to Group 1.
  • Suit Bonus: Whenever a player scoops to claim a group, they earn +1 bonus point if one of the cards in their winning pocket pair matches that group's randomly assigned suit for the current game.
• Conclusion: The game ends at the Bubble. The point leader becomes the Bullseye; runners-up become Outlaws.

Underdog

A point-based game using four randomly generated target hole-card combinations.

• Target Hands & Base Scoring: Players earn points by scooping a pot with a hole-card combination that matches the ranks of one of the four drawn target hands:
  • Tier 1 (1 pt): An Ace + Any Random Card
  • Tier 2 (2 pts): One card from [K, Q, J] + One card from [A, K, Q, J]
  • Tier 3 (3 pts): One card from [T, 9, 8, 7] + One card from [A, T, 9, 8, 7]
  • Tier 4 (4 pts): One card from [6, 5, 4, 3, 2] + One card from [A, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2]
• Exact Match Bonus: In addition to the base points, players earn +1 bonus point for each card in their winning hand that is an exact match (matching both rank and suit) to the drawn target hand. (Maximum of +2 bonus points per scoop).
• Conclusion: The game ends at the Bubble. The point leader becomes the Bullseye; runners-up become Outlaws.

Burn the Bitch

A "High Card" gamble against the burn pile.

• Setup: All players start with one (1) point.
• Activation: Triggered whenever a Queen (The Bitch) appears on the board.
• The Challenge: The winner of the main pot may choose to "Burn the Bitch." They expose their hole cards and compare their best hand against a hand formed using the available burn cards.
• Risk/Reward: Winning the comparison earns +1 point. Losing the comparison results in -1 point.
• Conclusion: The game ends at the Bubble. The point leader becomes the Bullseye; runners-up become Outlaws.

Schedule and Formation

The Dead Money Poker Club will host a sanctioned Ring Game under the following circumstances:

• On dates where no formal tournament is scheduled.
• When a scheduled tournament fails to meet the minimum attendance requirement of six (6) players.

Stakes and Buy-in

• Game Format: No-Limit Texas Hold’em. (Dealer's Choice)
• Blinds:$0.05 (Small Blind) / $0.10 (Big Blind).
• Initial Buy-in: $10.00 (Fixed).
• Rebuys: A player may only purchase a rebuy ($10.00) if their current stack has been completely depleted (zero chips remaining).

Ring Game Chip Values

To maintain clarity between Ring Games and Tournament play, the following cash denominations are assigned to the club’s chip set: Red ($0.05), Blue ($0.10), Green ($0.25), Black ($1.00), Purple ($5.00), Yellow ($10.00)

General Conduct

Standard Dead Money Poker Club etiquette and "Dead Button" rules apply to all Ring Games. Unlike tournaments, players in a Ring Game may "cash out" and leave the table at their own discretion, provided they are not currently involved in an active hand.

Bet Sizing and Limits

• No Cap: There is no limit to the number of raises permitted in any given betting round.
• The Minimum Bet: The minimum bet size on any street is always equal to the current Big Blind (the "bring-in"), unless a player is going all-in for less.
• Short Big Blind: If the player in the Big Blind does not have enough chips to post the full amount, any player wishing to enter the pot or raise pre-flop must still wager at least the standard, full minimum bet/raise amount (unless going all-in themselves).

Raise Sizing and Re-opening the Action

• The Full Raise Rule: Any raise must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet or raise in that same betting round.
  Example: Player A bets 100. Player B wants to raise. Player B must raise by at least 100 more, making the total wager 200.
• Short All-ins: If a player goes all-in for an amount less than a legal minimum raise, opponents facing the all-in may simply call the short amount. However, if an opponent wishes to raise, they must raise by at least the standard minimum legal amount.
• Re-opening the Action: A player who has already acted on their hand cannot raise a subsequent all-in wager if that all-in was less than a full, legal raise.
• Cumulative Short All-ins: If multiple short all-ins occur, and their combined total equals or exceeds the amount of a full legal raise, the betting action is officially re-opened for players who had previously acted.
• Limit Rules Do Not Apply: The Limit Poker concepts of "completing the bet" or the "half-the-size rule" for re-opening action are strictly not used in No-Limit play.

Verbal Declarations and Physical Actions

• Verbal Precedence: A wager is not binding until the chips are released into the pot, unless the player makes a verbal declaration. If there is a discrepancy between a player's verbal statement and the physical chips pushed forward, the verbal statement strictly governs the action.
• The Oversized Chip Rule: Betting a single oversized chip or bill without a verbal declaration is automatically ruled a call of the previous bet (this includes acting on the pre-flop Big Blind). To raise using a single oversized chip, the player must announce "Raise" before the chip hits the felt.
• Underbetting: If a player attempts to bet or raise less than the legal minimum without saying "all-in," and they possess enough chips to make a legal wager, they will be forced to increase their wager to the exact minimum legal size.

Errors and Misunderstandings

• Short Calls: If a player's call is short due to a counting error, they must surrender the remaining chips to correct the amount and make the pot whole, even if the bettor has already shown down a winning hand.
• Gross Misunderstanding: Because No-Limit bet sizes vary wildly, the Tournament Director may offer protection to a player who acts based on a clear, gross misunderstanding of the bet size, provided no damage has been done to the hand.
  Example: Player A bets 300, Player B raises to 1,200. Player C tosses in 300 and says "Call," clearly unaware of Player B's raise. Player C may be allowed to retract the 300 and reconsider.
• The 80% Rule: As a standard rule of thumb, a claim of "misunderstanding the bet amount" will be rejected if the calling player has already pushed 80% or more of the correct call amount into the pot. Furthermore, players should not show down their hands until the calling chips are reasonably verified.

The Pot-Limit Maximum

In Pot-Limit games, a player may never bet or raise an amount that exceeds the current total size of the pot.

Calculating a Pot-Sized Raise

To determine the maximum allowable raise, the dealer must calculate the size of the pot after the active player's hypothetical call is added to it.

• Example Calculation: The main pot contains 100. Player A bets 50. Player B wishes to raise the maximum. Player B's required "call" (50) is added to the pot (100 + 50 + 50 = 200). Player B may now raise the pot by 200, making their total physical wager exactly 250.

The Pre-Flop Maximum (Opening Bet)

To streamline the first action of the hand, the maximum opening raise pre-flop is always exactly 3.5 times (3.5x) the Big Blind.

• This mathematical shortcut accounts for the Small Blind, the Big Blind, the active player's call, and the resulting pot-sized raise.
• Once the initial pre-flop opening wager is placed, standard Pot-Limit calculation rules apply for all subsequent action.
• Example: In a 50/100 blind structure, the maximum opening wager is 350.

Overbets and Corrections

If a player physically pushes forward a wager that exceeds the legal pot-limit maximum, the wager is binding up to the legal limit. The dealer will immediately reduce the bet to the maximum allowable size and return the surplus chips to the bettor's stack as quickly as possible.

The Oversized Chip Rule (Pot-Limit)

If a player is opening the betting round (meaning they are not facing a prior bet) and they toss in a single chip or bill that is larger than the current pot size without making a verbal declaration, it is automatically ruled a pot-sized bet.

• Note: If the player is facing a prior bet, placing a single oversized chip without a verbal declaration defaults to the standard Ring Game/Tournament rule and is ruled a simple call.

Structured Betting Increments

In Fixed-Limit poker games, the size of all bets and raises is strictly locked to predetermined amounts based on the current betting round:

• Early Rounds (Pre-Flop and Flop): All initial bets and subsequent raises must be exactly equal to the amount of the current Small Bet.
• Late Rounds (Turn and River): All initial bets and subsequent raises must be exactly equal to the amount of the current Big Bet.

The Betting Cap

• Maximum Raises: There is a strict limit on aggressive action in any single betting round. Action is permanently capped at a maximum of exactly four (4) raises per round (e.g., Initial Bet → 1st Raise → 2nd Raise → 3rd Raise → 4th Raise [Cap]).
• Capping the Action: Once the fourth legal raise has been placed, the dealer will declare the pot "capped." Any remaining active players facing the capped wager only have the option to call or fold; absolutely no further raises are permitted for the remainder of that specific betting round.

Definition and The Kill Button

A "Kill Pot" occurs when a player is required to post a designated over-blind, which proportionally increases the betting limits for that specific hand. A physical "Kill Button" is used to track consecutive wins and indicate which player is currently on a streak.

Triggering a Kill (The "Leg Up")

A player must win two consecutive pots to trigger a Kill.

• The First Leg: Winning a single pot earns a player the Kill Button (referred to as having "one leg up"). There is no minimum pot-size requirement for this first qualifying win.
• The Second Leg: If the player holding the Kill Button wins the very next hand, they must "kill" the subsequent pot.
  Condition: To qualify as the second leg, the pot of this second win must contain at least one full bet that is not part of the standard blinds.

Playing a Kill Pot

• The Kill Blind: The player required to kill the pot must post the designated over-blind. This kill blind is "live" money and is considered part of the active pot.
• Order of Action: During a Kill hand, the "killer" acts in their proper turn based strictly on their seated position (acting immediately after the player to their direct right).
• Consecutive Kills: If a player who posted the kill blind wins that same Kill Pot, they retain the button and must kill the next consecutive hand as well.

Split Pots and Player Absence

• Splitting with a Leg Up: If a player with "one leg up" splits the following pot, they do not lose their streak; they retain their "leg up" status for the next hand.
• Splitting as the Kill: If the player who actively posted the kill blind splits that pot, they remain the active Kill and must post the kill blind again for the next hand.
• Absence: If a player leaves the table while holding a "leg up," they retain that status upon returning to the game.

The Neutral Button

The Kill Button is reset to a neutral state (belonging to no player) under the following conditions:

• It is the very first hand of a new game.
• The winner of the previous pot has permanently quit the game.
• The previous pot was a split pot, and neither of the winning players currently held the Kill Button.

Hi-Lo Split Pot Exception

In Hi-Lo split games, the two-consecutive-win rule is bypassed if a player scoops the entire pot (winning both the High and the Low halves). Scooping immediately triggers a Kill for the next hand, provided the total scooped pot was equal to or greater than five times (5x) the size of the Big Blind.

Governing Authority Note: For any ruling, procedure, or situation not explicitly covered within this Dead Money Poker Club rulebook, the official rules of the Poker Tournament Directors Association (TDA) shall strictly apply.

The Deal and Order of Play

• The Blinds: The player immediately to the left of the Dealer Button posts the Small Blind. The player immediately to the left of the Small Blind posts the Big Blind.
• The Deal: Beginning with the Small Blind, each active player is dealt exactly two cards face-down (Hole Cards / Pocket Cards).
• Pre-Flop: The first betting round begins with the player seated immediately to the left of the Big Blind (Under the Gun).
• The Flop: The dealer burns one card and deals three community cards face-up. The second betting round begins with the first active player to the left of the button.
• The Turn: The dealer burns one card and deals one community card face-up. The third betting round begins with the first active player to the left of the button.
• The River: The dealer burns one card and deals the final community card face-up. The fourth and final betting round begins with the first active player to the left of the button.
• Conclusion: Following the final betting round, players enter the Showdown. The pot is awarded, and the Dealer Button is advanced one position clockwise.

Pot Management and Wagering

• Bet Placement: Bets must be placed clearly in front of the bettor and remain there until the betting round is entirely complete. The dealer will ensure all bets are the proper amount.
• Scooping the Pot: The dealer shall not scoop bets into the main pot until the betting round has officially closed.
• Pot Placement: The main pot shall be positioned in the center of the table, safely to the side of the community board. Any side pots must be kept separate and placed as close as possible to the specific players involved in them.
• Short Big Blind All-In: If a player goes all-in for an amount less than the required Big Blind, all subsequent betting action is treated as if the player had posted the full Big Blind amount (meaning the next player to act must still call the full Big Blind amount to enter the pot).

Board Management: Community and Burn Cards

• The Layout: The five community cards must be placed face-up in the center of the table in a strict, sequential order: The Turn card is placed directly to the right of the Flop, and the River card is placed directly to the right of the Turn.
• The Burn: Before dealing the Flop, Turn, and River, the dealer must lightly tap the table and "burn" the top card of the deck.
• Burn Card Placement: Burn cards are placed face-down in the center of the table, slightly tucked under the edge of the main pot. Each subsequent burn card is stacked directly beneath the previous one. Burn cards must remain completely separate from the muck until the pot has been awarded.

The Showdown

• Requirement to Win: To win any portion of the pot at showdown, a player must table all of their hole cards face-up.
• Order of Showdown:
  • If all players check (or are all-in) during the final betting round, the player who acted first (closest to the left of the button) must show their hand first.
  • If there was aggressive wagering on the final betting round, the last player to take aggressive action (the last bettor or raiser) must show their hand first.
• Cards Speak: "Cards speak for themselves." While the dealer assists in reading the hands, players are ultimately responsible for protecting and holding onto their cards until the dealer officially declares a winner.
• Tie-Breakers and Kickers: Standard five-card poker rankings apply (Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Trips, Two Pair, Pair, High Card). If players share the same ranked hand, the highest unpaired side cards (kickers) determine the winner. Suits are never used to break a tie for winning a pot.
• Odd Chips: In the event of a perfectly tied split pot, any indivisible odd chip is awarded to the winning player seated closest to the left of the button.

Heads-Up Play (Two Players Remaining)

• The Transition: When a tournament reduces from three players to two, the dealer must determine which player was due to be the next Big Blind. That player assumes the Big Blind. The other player simultaneously assumes both the Small Blind and the Dealer Button.
• The Deal: The first card off the deck is dealt to the Big Blind (the non-button player).
• Order of Action: Pre-flop, the Small Blind/Button acts first. Post-flop (on the Flop, Turn, and River), the Big Blind acts first.

Objective and Dealing

Omaha operates using the exact same fundamental sequence and betting rounds as standard Texas Hold'em (Pre-flop, Flop, Turn, and River), with one primary exception: every active player is dealt exactly four (4) hole cards face-down prior to the first betting round, rather than two.

Hand Construction (The "2-and-3" Rule)

To construct a valid five-card poker hand at showdown, a player must use exactly two (2) of their hole cards combined with exactly three (3) community cards from the board.

• No Exceptions: A player may never use just one hole card and four board cards, nor may they use three hole cards and two board cards.
• Playing the Board: Because of this strict requirement, it is absolutely impossible for a player to "play the board" (using four or five of the community cards as their final hand) in Omaha.

Betting Rounds

The betting structure mirrors Texas Hold'em entirely. Wagering occurs pre-flop, on the Flop (the first three community cards), on the Turn (the fourth community card), and on the River (the fifth and final community card).

The Showdown

To claim any portion of the pot at showdown, a player must table all four (4) of their hole cards face-up. Even though only two cards play, exposing all four is mandatory so the dealer and the table can clearly verify the hand and ensure a fair reading of the board.

The Split Pot

Omaha is frequently played as a High-Low split game. At showdown, the total pot is divided equally (50/50) between the player with the best traditional "High" hand and the player with the best qualifying "Low" hand.

Independent Hand Construction

The strict "2-and-3" hand construction requirement remains in effect. However, players evaluate their High and Low hands completely independently of one another. A player may use one combination of two hole cards and three community cards to construct their High hand, and use a completely different (or the exact same) combination of two hole cards and three community cards to construct their Low hand.

The Low Qualifier (8-or-Better)

To be eligible to win the Low half of the pot, a player's hand must meet the strict "8-or-better" qualification.

• The Requirement: A qualifying Low hand must consist of exactly five unpaired cards of different ranks, all of which must be ranked eight (8) or lower.
• The Ace: In Omaha High-Low, the Ace is a versatile card. It serves as the highest-ranking card for constructing a High hand, and simultaneously serves as the lowest-ranking card (acting as a "1") for constructing a Low hand.

Unqualified Lows and Scooping

It is common for the community board to not provide at least three qualifying low cards, making a low hand impossible, or for no active player to successfully construct a qualifying Low hand. If there is no qualifying Low hand at showdown, the Low half of the pot is voided. In this scenario, the player holding the best High hand "scoops" (wins) the entire, undivided pot.

Objective and Initial Play (Omaha Phase)

Irish Hi begins exactly like standard Omaha Hi. Every active player is dealt four (4) hole cards face-down. The pre-flop betting round and the Flop (dealing the first three community cards) follow standard Omaha procedures.

The Discard Phase (The Transition)

The defining mechanic of Irish Hi occurs immediately upon the conclusion of the second betting round (post-flop). Before the Turn card can be dealt, every active player must choose exactly two (2) of their four hole cards and discard them face-down into the muck.

• Penalty: Any player who fails to discard down to exactly two hole cards prior to the Turn being dealt will have their hand declared dead.

Completion of the Hand (Texas Hold'em Phase)

Once all active players have successfully discarded down to two hole cards, the game permanently transitions to standard Texas Hold'em rules for the remainder of the hand. The Turn and the River are dealt and bet exactly as they are in Hold'em.

Hand Construction and Showdown

Because the game transitions to Texas Hold'em after the flop, the strict Omaha "2-and-3" rule is voided at showdown.

• Players construct their final five-card hand using any combination of their two remaining hole cards and the five community cards.
• This means a player can use only one hole card, or even "play the board" (using all five community cards and zero hole cards) to form their winning hand.

The Deal and Betting Structure

Seven-Card Stud is played with a maximum of five betting rounds. The best five-card poker hand at showdown wins the pot.

• The Initial Deal (3rd Street): Each active player is dealt exactly two cards face-down (hole cards) and one card face-up. This is followed by the first betting round.
• Subsequent Streets: Players are dealt three additional face-up cards (4th, 5th, and 6th street), with a betting round following each.
• The River (7th Street): The final card is dealt face-down, followed by the fifth and final betting round.
  Note: Even if a player is all-in, their final 7th street card is always dealt face-down.
• Fixed-Limit Increments: In fixed-limit games, the "small bet" applies to the first two betting rounds (3rd and 4th street). The "large bet" applies to the final three betting rounds (5th, 6th, and 7th street).

The Bring-In (3rd Street)

The first round of betting is initiated by a forced bet known as the "Bring-In."

• Determining the Bring-In: The player displaying the lowest-ranking face-up card by suit must post the forced Bring-In bet.
• Bring-In Options: The player posting the Bring-In may choose to post the minimum forced amount, or they may choose to "complete" the bet to the full size of the small betting limit.
  Note: Completing the bet does not count as a raise.
• Short Stacks: If the designated low-card player is all-in for only the ante, the first player to their left acts first. If they have enough for the ante but only a portion of the forced Bring-In, that portion is wagered, and all subsequent players must enter the pot for at least the normal minimum structure amount.
• Dealer Error (Wrong Bring-In): If the wrong player is designated as the low card and posts the Bring-In, the action will be corrected to the true low card only if the next player in sequence has not yet acted. If significant action has occurred, the incorrect wager stands, action continues normally, and the true low card has no further obligations.

Subsequent Betting (4th through 7th Street)

• Initiating Action: On all betting rounds following 3rd street, the player displaying the highest-ranking combination of face-up cards acts first.
• Ties: If two or more players display the exact same high hand on board, the tie is broken by position: the player who received their cards first (closest to the dealer's left) acts first.

The 4th Street Open Pair Exception

In fixed-limit games, if any player is dealt an "open pair" (a visible pair showing on their 4th street up-cards), the betting limits temporarily unlock.

• The Option: Any active player has the option to bet either the small limit OR the large limit. (Example: In a $5-$10 game, a player may bet either $5 or $10).
• Establishing the Limit: If the larger limit is bet, all subsequent raises for that betting round must be in increments of the larger limit. If the first player checks, all subsequent players retain the same sizing options.

Card Management and Dead Hands

• Misdeals: If a player's first or second hole card (the initial down-cards) is accidentally exposed during the deal, a misdeal is immediately declared. A card dealt off the table is treated as an exposed card.
• Premature Dealing: If the dealer burns and deals one or more cards before a betting round is fully completed, those prematurely dealt cards must be eliminated from play.
• Card Etiquette: Deliberately rearranging or changing the physical order of your up-cards is strictly prohibited, as it unfairly misleads opponents.
• Folding: Picking up your up-cards when facing a wager constitutes an automatic fold, and the hand is dead. If a player folds when there is no active wager (e.g., facing a check), that seat may mistakenly continue to receive cards; however, the hand is officially killed as soon as it faces a bet.

Running Out of Cards

In an 8-handed game, it is mathematically possible to run out of cards before 7th street.

• The Scramble: If there are not enough cards remaining in the deck to deal everyone their final card, the dealer will take the remaining stub (excluding the very last card), the burn cards, and any eliminated cards. These are scrambled, cut, and burned to deal the remaining down-cards.
• The Community Card Exception: If the dealer determines that, even after scrambling, there are still not enough cards to give each active player a fresh down-card, no cards will be dealt to individual players. Instead, the dealer will burn a card and deal a single "Community Card" face-up in the center of the table. This card plays in every active player's hand. The player who is now "high" on board using this community card initiates the final round of betting.

Objective

Seven-Card Stud Low (commonly known as Razz) follows the exact same dealing procedures and betting rounds as standard Seven-Card Stud. However, the objective of the game is inverted: the pot is awarded to the player who constructs the lowest-ranking five-card poker hand at showdown.

Hand Rankings (The Lowball System)

Hand evaluation in Razz utilizes the "California" lowball system:

• The Ace: Aces are strictly evaluated as the lowest possible card. Consequently, a pair of Aces is considered the lowest (and therefore best) pair.
• Straights and Flushes: Straights and flushes have absolutely no ranking value in Razz. They do not "count against" a player's low hand.
• The Nuts: Because straights do not count and Aces are low, the best possible winning hand is 5-4-3-2-A (commonly referred to as the "Wheel" or "Bicycle").

The Bring-In (3rd Street)

Because the objective is to have the lowest cards, the forced Bring-In penalty is inverted. The forced Bring-In bet on the first betting round is assigned to the player displaying the highest-ranking face-up card by suit.

Subsequent Betting (4th through 7th Street)

On all betting rounds following 3rd street, the action is initiated by the player displaying the lowest-ranking (best) combination of face-up cards on their board.

The Open Pair Rule (Voided)

Unlike standard Fixed-Limit Stud High, an open pair showing on 4th street does not affect or unlock the betting limits. The smaller betting limit strictly remains in effect for the first two betting rounds, regardless of whether a player pairs their door card.

The Split Pot and Qualifier

Seven-Card Stud High-Low is a split-pot game. At showdown, the pot is divided equally between the best traditional "High" hand and the best qualifying "Low" hand.

• The 8-or-Better Qualifier: To be eligible to win the Low half of the pot, a player must present a qualifying hand consisting of exactly five unpaired cards of different ranks, all of which are ranked eight (8) or lower.
• The Ace: The Ace is fully versatile at showdown; it acts as the highest possible card for a High hand, and the lowest possible card (a "1") for a Low hand.
• Unqualified Lows: If the board runs out in a way that no active player can present a qualifying 8-or-better Low hand at showdown, the player with the best High hand scoops the entire, undivided pot.

Hand Construction

Players evaluate their High and Low hands completely independently. A player may use any five of their seven total cards to construct their best High hand, and may use any five cards (the exact same five, or a completely different combination) to construct their best Low hand.

• Note: Just like in Razz, straights and flushes do not count against or affect the value of a qualifying Low hand.

The Bring-In (3rd Street)

The forced Bring-In bet on the first betting round is posted by the player displaying the lowest-ranking face-up card by suit.

• The Ace Exception: Strictly for the purpose of determining the Bring-In on 3rd street, the Ace is evaluated as a High card, not a Low card.

Subsequent Betting (4th through 7th Street)

On all betting rounds following 3rd street, the action is initiated by the player displaying the highest-ranking combination of face-up cards on their board.

• Ties for Action: If two or more players display the exact same high hand on board, the tie is broken by position: the player seated closest to the dealer's left (clockwise) acts first.
• All-In High Hand: If the player displaying the highest-ranking board is already all-in, the action simply skips them and proceeds clockwise to the next active player, exactly as if the all-in player had checked.

Odd Chips and Split Pots

In the event of a perfectly tied split pot where there is an indivisible odd chip, the odd chip is always awarded to the player winning the High half of the pot.

Objective

2-7 (Deuce-to-Seven) Triple Draw is a five-card, fixed-limit lowball game. It utilizes the same Small Blind and Big Blind structure as Texas Hold'em. The objective is to construct the worst possible traditional poker hand at showdown.

Hand Rankings (Deuce-to-Seven System)

Hand evaluation in 2-7 Triple Draw is completely different from Razz or Stud 8:

• The Ace: Aces are strictly evaluated as High cards. They are never treated as a low "1".
• Straights and Flushes: Straights and flushes do count against a player. If a player holds a straight or a flush, it severely damages the low value of their hand.
• The Nuts: Because Aces are high and straights/flushes count against you, the best possible winning hand is 7-5-4-3-2 of mixed suits.

The Sequence of Play

The game consists of four distinct betting rounds and three drawing phases, occurring in the following sequence:

• Initial Deal: Five cards face-down to each player.
• Round 1 (Pre-Draw): First betting round (Small Bet limit).
• First Draw
• Round 2: Second betting round (Small Bet limit).
• Second Draw
• Round 3: Third betting round (Big Bet limit).
• Third Draw
• Round 4 (Post-Draw): Final betting round (Big Bet limit), followed by Showdown.

The Draw Mechanics

• Action Order: During a draw phase, the active player seated closest to the left of the Dealer Button acts first.
• Card Exchange: A player must clearly indicate how many cards they wish to discard. A player may choose to discard any number of cards from their hand (from one to all five), or they may choose to draw zero cards (known as "standing pat").
• Dealing the Draw: The dealer will collect a player's discards into the muck before dealing their replacement cards.

Fixed-Limit Betting Structure

As a fixed-limit game, the minimum bet size doubles during the second half of the hand. Bets and raises during the first two betting rounds are made in increments of the small bet. Bets and raises during the final two betting rounds (after the second draw) are made in increments of the large bet.

Deck Depletion (The Reshuffle)

Because players can draw up to five cards each across three drawing rounds, it is common to run out of cards in the deck.

• If the deck is depleted, the dealer will pause the action, gather the muck and all previous burn cards, and shuffle them to create a fresh deck.
• Exception: The dealer will strictly exclude the discards from the current active drawing round when reshuffling, ensuring that a player can never accidentally draw the exact same cards they just discarded.

Objective and Initial Deal

Pineapple follows the exact same sequence, board layout, and betting structures as standard Texas Hold'em. The sole difference at the start of the hand is that every active player is dealt exactly three (3) hole cards face-down, rather than two.

Pre-Flop and The Flop

The first round of betting (pre-flop) proceeds normally with players holding all three of their hole cards. The dealer then burns a card and deals the standard three-card Flop, followed by the second round of betting.

The Discard Phase

The defining mechanic of this game occurs immediately following the conclusion of the second (post-flop) betting round. Before the dealer can burn and deal the Turn card, every active player must choose exactly one (1) of their three hole cards and discard it face-down into the muck.

• The Requirement: Players must be reduced to exactly two (2) hole cards.
• Penalty: Any player who fails to discard their third hole card prior to the Turn being dealt will have their hand immediately declared dead.

Completion and Showdown

Once all active players have successfully discarded their third card, the game permanently reverts to standard Texas Hold'em rules for the remainder of the hand.

• The Turn and River are dealt and bet exactly as they are in Hold'em.
• At showdown, players construct their best five-card poker hand using any combination of their two remaining hole cards and the five community cards.

Objective

"Triple Flop" is a variant of standard Texas Hold'em. The game utilizes standard Hold'em betting structures, blinds, and hand construction rules, with the sole modification being how the community board is dealt.

The Community Board (The Six-Card Board)

Instead of the traditional 3-1-1 rollout (Flop, Turn, River), the dealer will deal a total of six (6) community cards on a single board, dealt in three sequential, two-card pairs:

• The First Flop: The dealer burns one card and deals two (2) community cards face-up.
• The Second Flop: The dealer burns one card and deals two (2) additional community cards face-up.
• The Third Flop: The dealer burns one card and deals the final two (2) community cards face-up.

Betting Rounds

The game maintains the standard four rounds of betting, which occur sequentially:

• Pre-Flop (Players hold 2 hole cards)
• Post-First Flop (2 community cards showing)
• Post-Second Flop (4 community cards showing)
• Post-Third Flop (6 community cards showing)

Hand Construction and Showdown

Because the board consists of six community cards instead of five, players have a total of eight (8) available cards to choose from (2 hole cards + 6 community cards).

• At showdown, players construct their best traditional five-card poker hand using any combination of their two hole cards and the six community cards.
• Standard Texas Hold'em tie-breaking rules and kickers apply.

Objective and Initial Deal

Cincinnati Hold'em is a variant of Texas Hold'em. It utilizes standard Hold'em blinds, hand rankings, and general gameplay mechanics, but features a modified dealing sequence and community board layout.

• At the start of the hand, every active player is dealt exactly four (4) hole cards face-down, rather than two.

The Community Board and Betting Rounds

Instead of the traditional Flop-Turn-River rollout, the community board consists of exactly four (4) cards, dealt individually. Because the board is dealt one card at a time, this game features five (5) distinct betting rounds:

• Pre-Flop: Players hold four hole cards. (First betting round).
• First Street: The dealer burns one card and deals one (1) community card face-up. (Second betting round).
• Second Street: The dealer burns one card and deals one (1) additional community card face-up. (Third betting round).
• Third Street: The dealer burns one card and deals one (1) additional community card face-up. (Fourth betting round).
• Fourth Street: The dealer burns one card and deals the final one (1) community card face-up. (Fifth and final betting round).

Hand Construction and Showdown

Because this game strictly operates under Texas Hold'em hand construction rules, the Omaha "2-and-3" rule does not apply.

• Players have a total of eight (8) available cards to choose from (4 hole cards + 4 community cards).
• At showdown, players construct their best traditional five-card poker hand using any combination of their four hole cards and the four community cards (e.g., you may use 1 hole card and 4 board cards, 2 hole cards and 3 board cards, etc.).
• Note: To claim any portion of the pot at showdown, a player must table all four (4) of their hole cards face-up so the dealer can accurately verify the winning hand.

Objective

Double Board Hold'em operates using the exact same hole cards, betting structures, and general mechanics as standard Texas Hold'em. The primary variation is that the dealer will run two separate, independent community boards simultaneously, creating a split-pot game.

Dealing the Twin Boards

The dealer will deal two distinct community boards (commonly placed one above the other: Board Top and Board Bottom). The dealing sequence occurs as follows:

• The Flops: The dealer burns one card and deals a standard three-card Flop for Board 1, then immediately deals a three-card Flop for Board 2. (Followed by the second betting round).
• The Turns: The dealer burns one card and deals one Turn card for Board 1, then immediately deals one Turn card for Board 2. (Followed by the third betting round).
• The Rivers: The dealer burns one card and deals one River card for Board 1, then immediately deals one River card for Board 2. (Followed by the final betting round).

Betting Mechanics

All four betting rounds (Pre-flop, Flop, Turn, and River) occur exactly as they do in standard Hold'em.

• Single Pot: All bets go into one central pot. Players are betting on the strength of their hand across both boards simultaneously; a player cannot restrict their bet to only one of the boards.

Hand Construction and Isolation

At showdown, players must construct two separate five-card poker hands: one for Board 1, and one for Board 2.

• No Mixing: Players may use any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards on a single board. However, community cards from Board 1 may never be combined with community cards from Board 2 to form a hand.

Pot Distribution and Scooping

At showdown, the total pot is divided equally (50/50). Half of the pot is awarded to the player with the best traditional high hand on Board 1, and the other half is awarded to the player with the best traditional high hand on Board 2.

• Scooping: If the same player holds the winning hand on both Board 1 and Board 2, they "scoop" (win) the entire undivided pot.
• Odd Chips: In the event of an indivisible odd chip during the 50/50 split, the odd chip is awarded to the winning player seated closest to the left of the Dealer Button.

Objective and Initial Deal

Double Entendre operates under the standard betting structures and community board layout of Texas Hold'em. The variation begins at the deal, where every active player is dealt exactly three (3) hole cards face-down.

• The first round of betting (pre-flop) proceeds normally with players holding all three of their hole cards.

The Flop and The Declaration Phase

The dealer burns and deals the standard three-card Flop, which is immediately followed by the second round of betting.

• The Declaration: Immediately after the post-flop betting round concludes, and before the Turn card is dealt, every active player must permanently identify one of their three hole cards as their "Common Card" (or Pivot Card).
• Marking the Card: To maintain game integrity, players must physically segregate this Common Card (e.g., by placing a chip on it, or turning it horizontally while keeping it face-down) so it cannot be secretly switched later in the hand.

Hand Construction (The Two Hands)

By designating a Common Card, the player essentially creates two distinct two-card Hold'em starting hands to play for the single main pot:

• Hand 1: The Common Card + Unmarked Card A.
• Hand 2: The Common Card + Unmarked Card B.
• The Restriction: Unmarked Card A and Unmarked Card B are strictly isolated from one another. They may never be combined to form a two-card starting hand.

The Showdown

Following the Declaration Phase, the Turn and River are dealt and bet exactly as they are in standard Texas Hold'em.

• At showdown, players must table all three of their hole cards.
• A player evaluates their two distinct hands independently. They will play the absolute best five-card poker hand generated by either Hand 1 or Hand 2 to compete for the single, undivided pot.

Objective and Initial Deal

Rocky Mtn is an action-heavy variant of Texas Hold'em. It utilizes standard Hold'em blinds, betting limits, and community board layouts.

• The game begins with every active player being dealt exactly five (5) hole cards face-down.

The Betting and Discard Phases

The defining mechanic of Rocky Mtn is that players must progressively discard their hole cards as the hand develops. The first betting round (pre-flop) proceeds normally with players holding all five cards. Discards occur strictly after the last three betting rounds:

• Phase 1 (Pre-Flop): After the initial pre-flop betting round concludes, and before the Flop is dealt, every active player must discard exactly one (1) hole card face-down into the muck. (Players now hold 4 cards).
• Phase 2 (Post-Flop): The dealer deals the three-card Flop, followed by the second betting round. After betting concludes, and before the Turn is dealt, players must discard one (1) hole card. (Players now hold 3 cards).
• Phase 3 (Post-Turn): The dealer deals the Turn card, followed by the third betting round. After betting concludes, and before the River is dealt, players must discard one (1) final hole card. (Players now hold 2 cards).

The Penalty for Failure to Discard

The dealer must ensure all active players have successfully discarded the correct number of cards before burning and dealing the next street. Any player who fails to discard down to the required number of hole cards prior to the next community card(s) being dealt will have their hand immediately declared dead.

The River and Showdown

Following the third and final discard phase, all remaining active players will hold exactly two (2) hole cards.

• The dealer burns and deals the River card.
• The fourth and final betting round proceeds normally. (No discards occur after the River bet).
• At showdown, players construct their best traditional five-card poker hand using any combination of their two remaining hole cards and the five community cards.

Objective

River of Blood operates using the exact same hole cards, betting structures, and general mechanics as standard Texas Hold'em. The hand proceeds normally through the Pre-Flop, Flop, Turn, and River betting rounds.

The River Condition (The Trigger)

The defining mechanic of this variant occurs strictly on the River. The dealer burns and deals the standard 5th community card (the River), followed by the standard fourth betting round.

• Once the River betting round is complete, the dealer must check the suit of the River card.
• If the River card is a Spade, Club, or Diamond, the hand immediately proceeds to a standard showdown.
• If the River card is a Heart, the "Blood" mechanic is officially triggered.

The Blood Card (6th Street)

When triggered by a Heart on the River, the dealer will extend the community board.

• The dealer burns one card and deals a 6th community card face-up, known as the Blood Card.
• This immediately initiates an additional (fifth) round of betting for all remaining active players.
• Note: The board is strictly capped at 6 community cards. If the Blood Card is also a Heart, it does not trigger a 7th card.

Hand Construction and Showdown

At showdown, players construct their best traditional five-card poker hand using any combination of their two hole cards and the available community cards.

• If the Blood Card was triggered, players have a total of eight (8) available cards to choose from (2 hole cards + 6 community cards) to build their 5-card hand.

Triggering and Tournament State

A special Omaha Hi "Bomb Pot" will be played at the very start of the tournament, and subsequently at the exact conclusion of every blind level.

• The Clock: During a Bomb Pot hand, the tournament clock must be completely paused.
• The Standard Button: The standard Dealer Button is frozen in place and does not move during a Bomb Pot hand.

The Bomb Pot Button

Position and dealing order for this specific hand are determined by a separate, dedicated "Bomb Pot Button."

• Initial Placement: For the first Bomb Pot of the tournament, this button is assigned to the player currently seated in the Big Blind.
• Movement: The Bomb Pot Button advances one position clockwise after each Bomb Pot hand is completed.
• Eliminations: If the player designated to receive the Bomb Pot Button for the next round is eliminated prior to that round, the button simply skips the empty seat and advances to the next active player clockwise when the next special hand is triggered.

Posting and The Deal

• The Ante (Posting): Prior to any cards being dealt, every active player at the table is strictly required to post an amount equal to exactly one (1) current Big Blind into the center pot.
• The Deal: Every player is dealt four (4) hole cards face-down, per standard Omaha Hi rules.
• No Pre-Flop Action: There is absolutely no pre-flop betting round.

Post-Flop Action and Showdown

• The Flop: Immediately after the hole cards are dealt, the dealer burns and deals the standard three-card Flop face-up on the board.
• Betting Commences: Betting action begins immediately post-flop, starting with the first active player seated to the left of the Bomb Pot Button.
• Standard Omaha Rules: The Turn, River, and Showdown proceed according to standard Omaha Hi mechanics, including the strict "2-and-3" hand construction rule.

Tournament Integration

• Eliminations: Standard Dead Money Poker Club rules apply for any players eliminated during a Bomb Pot hand (e.g., Knockout points, WWW Bounties, etc., are awarded normally).
• Termination: Bomb Pot hands will permanently cease for the remainder of the tournament the moment play reaches The Bubble.

Objective and Triggering

"Squid Game" is a specialized, multi-board Texas Hold'em variant. It strictly follows the operational mechanics of the Omaha Hi Bomb Pot, including the paused tournament clock, the frozen standard Dealer Button, and the use of the rotating "Bomb Pot Button."

• Timing: A Squid Game hand is triggered at the very beginning of the tournament and subsequently at the exact conclusion of every blind level.

Posting and The Deal

• The Ante (Posting): Prior to the deal, every active player is strictly required to post an amount equal to exactly one (1) current Big Blind into the center pot.
• The Deal: Every active player is dealt two (2) hole cards face-down, per standard Texas Hold'em rules.
• No Pre-Flop Action: There is absolutely no pre-flop betting round.

Multi-Board Play and Betting

The dealer will deal three (3) completely separate and independent community boards.

• The Action: Betting occurs simultaneously across all three boards (meaning a single bet applies to the entire multi-board pot). Action begins with the first active player to the left of the Bomb Pot Button.
• The Sequence: The dealer deals three Flops, followed by the first betting round. Then three Turns, followed by a betting round. Finally, three Rivers, followed by the final betting round.

Board Elimination (The "Squid" Mechanic)

The defining feature of this variant occurs immediately after all three River cards have been dealt.

• The Elimination: The dealer must evaluate the three River cards. The board displaying the lowest-ranking River card is officially "killed" (eliminated from play) and is completely voided from awarding any share of the pot.
• Suit Tie-Breakers: If two or more River cards tie for the lowest rank, standard suit rankings are strictly used to break the tie and determine the eliminated board. Suits rank from highest to lowest: Spades (Highest) → Hearts → Diamonds → Clubs (Lowest).
  (Example: If the River cards are the 2 of Spades, 2 of Clubs, and Jack of Hearts, the board with the 2 of Clubs is immediately killed).

Showdown and Pot Distribution

At showdown, players construct their best five-card Texas Hold'em hand for each of the two surviving boards independently. Cards from different boards may never be mixed.

• The Split: The total pot is divided equally (50/50) between the winning hand of Surviving Board 1 and the winning hand of Surviving Board 2. (A player winning both boards "scoops" the entire pot).
• Odd Chips: In the event of an indivisible odd chip during the split, it is awarded to the winning player seated closest to the left of the active Bomb Pot Button.

Objective and Format

"Money Heist" operates strictly under standard Texas Hold'em rules. However, the tournament is played exclusively as a Freezeout; absolutely no rebuys, add-ons, or re-entries are permitted at any time during the event.

Establishing "The Bank"

Prior to dealing the first hand, the Tournament Director will establish a separate, external "Bank" of non-player chips.

• Bank Sizing: Unless specifically altered by the Tournament Director for a special event, the standard Bank will be funded with an amount of chips equal to exactly 50% of the total starting chips in play.
• Example: If a tournament begins with 8 players who each receive a 3,000 starting stack, there are 24,000 total chips in play. The global Bank will be funded with exactly 12,000 chips

Table Distribution and Consolidation

• Initial Distribution: In multi-table tournaments, the total global Bank is not kept at a central desk. Instead, it is physically divided and placed directly on the active tables, distributed proportionally based on the exact number of players seated at each respective table at the start of the tournament.
• Combining Tables: As players are eliminated and tables are broken to consolidate the field (e.g., combining down to a final table), any chips remaining in the broken table's Bank must be transferred and directly added to the Bank of the receiving table.

Heisting Chips (The Bonus Payout)

Players can extract bonus chips from their table's Bank by successfully executing a "heist" during standard gameplay.

• The Trigger: A player successfully heists the Bank if they win the entirety of a pot (scooping the main pot and any applicable side pots) and their winning hand includes a pocket pair in their hole cards.
• The Payout: Upon the dealer verifying the winning pocket pair at showdown (or if the player tables the pair after an uncontested fold), the dealer will award the winning player a bonus payout directly from the table's Bank equal to five times (5x) the current Big Blind.
• Split Pots: If a pot is split or chopped in any way, the heist mechanic is voided for that hand.

Bank Depletion

Chips may only be removed from the Bank through successful heists.

• Partial Payouts: If a successful heist is triggered, but the table's Bank currently holds less than the required 5x Big Blind payout, the winning player simply receives the exact remainder of the Bank.
• Conclusion of the Heist: Once a table's Bank is completely depleted (zero chips remaining), the heist mechanic permanently concludes for that specific table. Play then continues as a standard Texas Hold'em freezeout for the remainder of the tournament.

Objective and Altered Mechanics

"Mushroom" operates under the standard rules and hand construction of Texas Hold'em. However, during the "Mushroom Phase" (the period of the tournament before the money bubble bursts), traditional Big Blind Antes (BBA) are strictly suspended.

Posting the Mushroom

• The Button Post: Prior to the cards being dealt for each hand, the player currently occupying the Dealer Button is required to post an amount equal to exactly one (1) current Big Blind.
• The Placement: This post is placed directly onto or next to the Dealer Button. This separate, accumulating pile of chips is officially designated as the "Mushroom."

The Short-Stack Exception

If the player on the button begins the hand with a critically short stack—defined as having a total chip count equal to or less than twice the current Big Blind (2 BBs or fewer)—they are exempt from posting the full Big Blind amount to the Mushroom.

• Instead, the short-stacked player must post exactly half (50%) of their total remaining chip stack into the Mushroom.
• If this results in a fraction, the amount is rounded down to the smallest chip denomination currently in play.

Claiming and Accumulating the Mushroom

• Eligibility: The Mushroom bonus can only be won by the player seated in either the Small Blind or the Big Blind.
• The Win Condition: To successfully claim the accumulated Mushroom chips, the Small Blind or Big Blind must win the current hand outright< (scooping the entire main pot and any applicable side pots).
• Accumulation (Rolling Over): If a player in any position other than the blinds wins the hand, or if the hand results in a split/chopped pot, the Mushroom is not awarded. The chips remain on the button, and on the subsequent hand, the next player to receive the button will add their required post to the continually growing Mushroom.

In The Money (ITM) Transition

• Conclusion of the Phase: Once the tournament field is exactly one elimination away from the payouts (officially reaching the "Money Bubble"), the Mushroom mechanic permanently concludes.
• Returning to Standard Play: The player on the button is no longer required to post to the Mushroom. Standard Big Blind Ante rules immediately go back into effect starting with the very first hand of bubble play and continue for the remainder of the tournament.
• Leftover Mushroom Chips: If there are any unclaimed Mushroom chips remaining on the board at the exact moment the tournament reaches the bubble, those chips are immediately pushed into the main pot of the first bubble hand as dead money.

Objective and Setup

The "Stand Up" game is a supplementary proposition game played concurrently with standard Texas Hold'em tournament play.

• The Tokens: Prior to dealing the first hand of the tournament (or the start of a designated Stand Up round), the dealer will issue exactly one (1) non-value "Stand Up" token to every active player at the table.

Clearing the Token (Getting out of Jeopardy)

The objective of the game is to clear your token as quickly as possible.

• The Win Condition: To successfully clear a Stand Up token, a player must win a main pot outright (scooping the entire pot without a split or chop). This can be achieved either by winning at showdown or by forcing all opponents to fold.
• Surrendering: Upon a qualifying win, the winning player immediately surrenders their Stand Up token to the dealer, successfully removing themselves from jeopardy.

The Penalty Phase (Last Man Standing)

Normal tournament play continues hand after hand, with players progressively clearing their tokens.

• The proposition game concludes strictly when there is only one (1) player remaining at the table who still holds a Stand Up token.
• This final player is designated the "Last Man Standing" and is immediately assessed the table penalty.

The Penalty Payout

The Last Man Standing must pay a penalty directly out of their current tournament chip stack.

• The Amount: The losing player must pay an amount equal to exactly two times (2x) the current Big Blind to every other active player currently seated at their table.

Edge Cases (Eliminations and Short Stacks)

• Mid-Game Elimination: If a player is eliminated from the tournament entirely while still holding a Stand Up token, their token is simply removed from play. The proposition game continues among the remaining players at the table until only one token remains.
• Short Stack Penalty: If the Last Man Standing does not possess enough tournament chips to cover the full 2x Big Blind penalty for the entire table, they must distribute their remaining chip stack as evenly as possible among their tablemates. The dealer will distribute these remaining chips starting with the player seated in the Small Blind and proceeding clockwise until the losing player's stack is depleted.

Objective and Team Formation

"Tag Team" is a cooperative Texas Hold'em variant played in pairs. Teams of exactly two (2) players are established prior to the start of the tournament, either through voluntary player selection or a random draw.

Phase One (Individual Play)

For the initial portion of the tournament (the exact duration of which is predetermined by the Tournament Director), teammates operate entirely as individual players.

• Separate Stacks: Each teammate is issued their own standard starting chip stack and plays their own independent hands.
• Seating: Whenever table balancing and active player counts allow, the Tournament Director will ensure teammates are strictly seated at separate tables during Phase One.

Phase One "Bust-Outs"

If a player loses their entire individual chip stack prior to the Phase Two cutoff, they have "busted" their individual portion of the game.

• Team Continuity:: The team itself remains active as long as at least one teammate still possesses chips.
• The Waiting Period: An individual who busts their stack must wait for the Phase Two cutoff to rejoin their partner. They are not permanently eliminated from the tournament; they are merely sidelined until the team merge occurs.

Phase Two (The Merge and Team Play)

At the designated "Cutoff" point (e.g., the end of Level 6), Phase One concludes and a total table redraw occurs.

• Combining Stacks: Surviving teammates will permanently merge their remaining individual chip stacks together to form a single, unified team stack.
• Mandatory Team Participation: At this point, both teammates are back in active play. Even if one teammate busted their individual stack in Phase One, they must return to participate in the rotation.
• The Tag Mechanic: From this point forward, teammates must alternate playing the team stack. Teams are required to swap which teammate is physically sitting at the table and playing the hands at the exact conclusion of every blind level.

Timeouts and Table Communication

To maintain the integrity of the "One Player to a Hand" rule, strict communication limits are enforced during Phase Two.

• Timeout Tokens: Each team is issued exactly two (2) "Timeout" tokens at the start of Phase Two.
• Using a Timeout: The actively seated player may surrender one token to temporarily halt the action and step away from the table to privately confer with their teammate regarding a current hand.
• Strict Silence: Aside from the official use of a Timeout token, absolutely no communication, signaling, or strategic advice is permitted between teammates while the active player is involved in an ongoing hand.

Absenteeism

Standard Dead Money Poker Club absentee rules apply. If the officially designated active teammate is not physically present in their seat when the first card of the deck is dealt, their hand is immediately ruled dead.

League Points and Prize Distribution

• Leaderboard Points: Any tournament points earned during Phase One are awarded strictly to the individual player who earned them. Points earned during Phase Two (after the merge) are divided equally (50/50) between the two teammates.
• Prize Pool Distribution: Any monetary winnings earned by the team are split equally (50/50) between both teammates.

Objective

The Nybble is a specialized variant of Fixed-Limit Texas Hold'em. While it uses standard Hold'em hand rankings and blinds, it features a unique community board rollout and a "Scaling Limit" betting structure.

The Community Board (The 1-2-3 Rollout)

Instead of the traditional 3-1-1 distribution, the dealer delivers a total of six (6) community cards across three post-flop streets:

• The Flop: One (1) card is dealt face-up.
• The Turn: Two (2) additional cards are dealt face-up.
• The River: Three (3) final cards are dealt face-up.

Scaling Betting Structures

The betting unit (the size of a bet/raise) and the maximum number of allowable raises per round are determined strictly by the number of cards dealt on that specific street:

• Round 0 (Pre-Flop): With zero (0) cards dealt to the board, there are zero (0) raises permitted. To remain in the hand, players may only call the Big Blind (limp) or fold.
• Round 1 (Flop): With one (1) card dealt to the board, all bets and raises are exactly one (1) unit. The betting round is capped at one (1) raise.
• Round 2 (Turn): With two (2) cards dealt to the board, all bets and raises are exactly two (2) units. The betting round is capped at two (2) raises.
• Round 3 (River):With three (3) cards dealt to the board, all bets and raises are exactly three (3) units. The betting round is capped at three (3) raises.

Operational Rules for Each Street

• Round 0 (Pre-Flop): No raising is permitted. Action is limited to calling the blind or folding.
• Round 1 (Flop - 1 Unit): Action is capped at a single raise.
  (Example: $Bet → Raise → Call$).
• Round 2 (Turn - 2 Units): Action is capped at two (2) raises.
  (Example: $Bet → Raise → Re-raise → Call$).
• Round 3 (River - 3 Units): Action is capped at three (3) raises.
  (Example: $Bet → Raise → Re-raise → Final Raise → Call$).

Hand Construction and Showdown

At showdown, players construct their best five-card poker hand using any combination of their two hole cards and the six community cards available on the board (2 hole cards + 6 community cards = 8 total available cards).

Objective and Distribution

"Power Poker" is a Texas Hold'em variant that incorporates consumable, special-ability "Power Plaques." Upon buy-in, each player is issued a predetermined set of physical plaques. Once a plaque is used, it is surrendered to the dealer and removed from the player's inventory.

General Plaque Mechanics

Unless a specific plaque’s description dictates otherwise, the following universal rules apply:

• Deployment Timing: A plaque may only be played during a player’s legal turn to act. If a plaque specifies a betting round, it must be used during or before that round.
• One-per-Hand Limit: A player is strictly prohibited from playing more than one plaque of the same type in a single hand.
• The Bubble Expiration: All Power Plaques strictly expire and are removed from play the moment the tournament reaches the "Money Bubble" (defined as being exactly one elimination away from the payouts). At this point, any remaining plaques in player inventories are collected by the dealer and declared dead.
• Non-Transferability: Plaques cannot be gifted, traded, or sold. They only change hands through the "Executioner" rule.

The Power Plaque Library

• Run It Again: Deployed before any cards are mucked. The dealer runs a second, separate community board. The pot is split 50/50 between the winners of the two boards. If multiple players play this plaque, only one additional board is dealt.
• Goldschlager: Deployed on the player's action. The player may discard one or two hole cards and receive an equal number of replacements from the deck.
  Constraint: This cannot be used if any of the player's cards have been exposed.
• Black Widow: Deployed on the player's action (provided no opponent is all-in). One hole card is designated a "Bug." It is a limited wild card that can only represent an Ace>, or be used to complete a Straight, Flush, or Straight Flush.>
• Show One, Show All: Deployed on the player's action (provided no opponent is all-in). The player receives a third hole card but must immediately expose one of their three cards face-up for the rest of the hand. At showdown, they may use a "3-and-2" or "2-and-3" combination to form their hand.
• River of Blood: Deployed only if the River card is a Heart (provided no opponent is all-in). The dealer deals a separate, three-card "Super Flop" available only to the player(s) who played the plaque. This triggers one additional betting round.
• Shopgrifting: Deployed on the player's turn. The player retracts their most recent bet/raise and folds.
  Constraint: This must be used before the dealer "scoops" the bets into the main pot.
• Double Entendre: Deployed on the player's action (Pre-flop or Flop). The dealer deals the player a third hole card face-down.
  • The Pivot: After the Flop betting round concludes, the player must "mark" (place a chip on or turn sideways) one card as the Common Card.
  • Hand Construction: This Common Card creates two distinct two-card hands (Common+Card A and Common+Card B).
  • The Restriction: Card A and Card B may never be combined.
  • Showdown: At showdown, the player evaluates both hands independently and plays the best five-card result for the pot.

Succession and Elimination (The Executioner Rule)

When a player is eliminated in a contested hand, their unused plaques are looted by the survivor.

• The Executioner: The player who wins the pot and causes the elimination immediately claims all unused plaques held by the eliminated player.
• Split-Pot Successions: If multiple players eliminate a single opponent in a split pot, the plaques are divided as evenly as possible. Any indivisible "odd" plaques are awarded to the winner seated closest to the left of the Dealer Button.
• Collusion Warning: Secretly passing plaques to other players is treated as severe collusion. Such acts result in the immediate confiscation of the plaques and potential disqualification.

The Mother’s House Protocol (House Rules)

We are here for a good time, but respect for the host and the venue is non-negotiable.

• Respect the Sanctuary: Treat this house as if it were your mother’s house. If you wouldn’t disrespect her home, don’t disrespect ours. If you don’t have a mother, or don't respect yours, please make believe for the duration of the tournament.
• Substances & Conduct: No smoking, illicit drugs, or excessive foul language.
• Intoxication: If you arrive intoxicated, you will be denied entry without a refund. If you become excessively intoxicated during play, you will be asked to leave and may be barred from future invitations.
• Refreshments: The host does not provide food or drink. This is a BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverage) and BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) environment.
• The "BYOC" (Chair) Policy: Our standard seating has weight and comfort limitations. If you are a person of larger stature, we kindly ask that you bring your own reliable chair to ensure your comfort and prevent damage to house furniture.
• Cleanliness: You are responsible for your own trash. Leave your seat cleaner than you found it.

Poker Etiquette & Prohibited Conduct

The following actions are considered improper and are grounds for penalty:

• Information Integrity: Do not "read" a hand for a player at showdown before it is tabled. Do not speak about another player’s hand while the pot is active (even if you have folded).
• Table Talk: Do not divulge the contents of your hand (folded or active) during a deal. This prevents information from being unfairly transmitted to an active player.
• Splashing the Pot: Do not deliberately shove or "splash" your chips into the center. All bets must be placed in a clean, countable stack in front of you.
• The "Check-Down" Rule: Two or more players may not agree to check a hand down when a third player is all-in. This is considered soft play and a form of collusion.
• Slow-Rolling & Stalling: Needlessly stalling the action to "clock" a level or slow-rolling a winning hand at showdown is strictly discouraged.
• Card Handling: Release folded cards in a low line of flight toward the muck; do not throw them at the dealer or the chip rack.
• Show One, Show All: If you show your cards to one player at the table (active or not), you must show them to the entire table. All players are entitled to equal information.

Betting & Card Handling

• Verbal is Binding: Any verbal declaration (e.g., "Call," "Raise," "All-in") is physically binding. If your verbal declaration conflicts with the chips you push forward, the verbal declaration takes precedence.
• No String Bets: All chips for a bet or raise must be moved into the betting area in a single motion. You may not go back to your stack for more chips unless you have verbally declared the total amount first.
• Felt Integrity: Cards must remain over the felt at all times. Do not bring cards to the rail, into your lap, or up to your chest to view them.
• Shuffling: When shuffling the deck, the dealer must keep the cards on the table. Cards must never be brought to the rail or into the lap during the shuffle.

Technical Procedures (Misdeals & Errors)

• Defining a Misdeal A misdeal results in all chips being returned to the original players and the hand being re-dealt. A misdeal occurs if:
  • The first or second card of the deal is exposed.
  • More than one card is flipped during the initial deal.
  • The first card is dealt to the wrong position.
  • Cards are dealt to an empty seat or a player not entitled to a hand.
  • The Action Limit: Once "substantial action" begins, a misdeal cannot be called. Substantial action is defined as two players acting on their hands (beyond the blinds/forced bets).
• Premature Board Cards
  • The Flop: If the flop is dealt before betting is complete, it is taken back and reshuffled with the remainder of the deck. The burn card stays. A new flop is dealt without an additional burn.
  • The Turn/River: If the 4th or 5th card is dealt prematurely, it is removed from play for that round. Betting is completed. The dealer then burns and deals what would have been the next card in the sequence. Once betting is finished, the premature card is shuffled back into the deck (excluding burns/muck), and the final card is dealt without a burn.

Acting Out of Turn

Acting out of turn is a serious disruption. The following penalties apply:

• The Raise Restriction: Any player who acts out of turn is prohibited from raising when the action correctly returns to them. They may only call or fold.
  • Exception: If the betting has been raised by another player after the out-of-turn action but before it returns to the offender, the restriction is lifted, and they may re-raise.
• Chip Retrieval: Any chips moved forward out of turn will be pulled back until it is the player's legal turn to act.
• Persistence: Habitual out-of-turn action will result in a forced 8 hand sit-out (penalty hands) or disqualification.