Tournament Poker Rules

The TDA has developed the following tournament poker rules,which supplement the standard or 'house rules' of a card room/casino. If there is a conflict between these rules and the rules and regulations of the applicable gaming agency, the gaming agency rules apply. TDA Rules Payout Chart.

Tournament Directors Association Poker Rules
Tournament Poker Rules
Charity Poker Tournament Rules
Wsop Tournament Rules 2018

By participating in a tournament, you agree to abide by the rules and behave in a courteous manner. A violator may be verbally warned, suspended from play for a specified length of time, or disqualified from the tournament. Chips from a disqualified participant will be removed from play.
The poker tournament rules and policies contained herein represent the complete understanding between the player and the site with respect to the player's activities at any tournament, except as otherwise specified in any poker tournament rules pertaining to a particular tournament, as posted on the website.

Tournament Directors Association Poker Rules

The following rules will apply to all tournaments unless otherwise stated.

Registration

Sit & Go tournaments start as soon as the required number of players takes a seat. Players choose their seats on a first-come-first-served basis.
Players will be allowed to unregister from a Sit&Go tournament as long as not all the seats have been filled.
Multi-table tournaments start at predetermined times. Players will be randomly seated.
Late registration is available in selected multi-table tournaments. Registration is considered closed when any of the following occurs:
- The level specified in the 'Tournament info' window in the Lobby is reached.
- The tournament's maximum capacity is reached.
- When the tournament has awarded the first prize rank.
- At the end of Add-On and Rebuy period.
Players will be allowed to unregister from a multi-table tournament up to 5 minutes before the tournament start time providing registration is still open. Players who register less than 5 minutes before the tournament start time will not be able to unregister.

Rules

All players in tournaments will be forced to post all blinds and/or antes. Players who are not present and ready to play will be blinded/anted off.
There will be a five-minute break every hour in all scheduled tournaments, unless otherwise stated.
Players moved to a new table will be dealt in to the game as soon as possible.
In general, each player will post a small blind and a big blind every round. Collapsing tables and moving players mean it is possible that any of the following may occur at any time:
1. A player may be forced to post the big blind more than once per round.
2. A player may be positioned with the button for more than one hand.
3. A player may skip one or both blinds in a round.
Since these are basically random occurrences, no player will receive any long-term advantage, and the rule is necessarily fair for all players.
In tournaments, seats are randomly assigned prior to start.
With the exception of rebuy tournaments, a player is eliminated when he loses all of his chips.
In limit tournaments (fixed betting), there will be one bet and three raises in each betting round. When only two players remain, there is no limit on the number of raises. In pot-limit and no-limit tournaments, there are no limits on the number of raises.
When two players remain, the player due to assume the big blind will do so, and the small blind will inherit the button. The small blind or button will act first prior to the flop and second after the flop.
If two (or more) players from the same table are eliminated on the same hand, the player who started the hand with the most chips will be awarded the higher finishing position.
Tournaments will, at pre-determined times, go into 'hand-for-hand' mode. This allows tables to play the exact same number of hands at critical times.
When tournament is running hand-for-hand, and two or more players are eliminated on the same hand (from the same table or from different tables), then the player who started the hand with the most chips will be awarded the higher finishing position.
Players are expected to follow established poker etiquette. Any players who abuse proper etiquette may be disqualified from the tournament.
Soft playing is not allowed in tournaments. Soft playing happens when a player does not bet his hand to its full potential with the expressed intent of helping another player advance further in the tournament.
Players who do not act on their hand in time ('time out') will be automatically folded.

Cancellation policy

Single Table Sit & Go tournaments, Multi Table Sit & Go tournaments & Multi-table tournaments: if a tournament is cancelled for technical reasons, the following refund policy will take effect:
1. If the tournament has not yet started:
  - All registered players will be refunded their buy-in and entry fee
2. If the tournament has started but registration for the tournament is still open (ie the tournament is still in the late registration period)
3. If the tournament has started and the registration period for the tournament has closed:
4. In extraordinary circumstances where the quality of our service is severely degraded, such as may happen due to the occurrence of an Act of God, a terrorist attack, fire, or malicious DDoS attack, we reserve the right to cancel tournaments and refund players their buy-in and entry fee only for tournaments where the actual prize pools may be less than guaranteed prize pools. In such an event we will refund all players their buy-in and entry fee, including those players who were eliminated at the time of cancellation.
Sit & Go Hero tournaments. If a tournament is cancelled for technical reasons, the following refund policy will take effect:
1. If the tournament has not yet started
  - All players will be refunded their buy-in and entry fee
2. If the tournament has started
  - Eliminated players at the time of cancellation will not be refunded their buy-in or entry fee.
  - Players still in the tournament will be refunded the amount that would have been awarded to the next player to be eliminated from the tournament. 50% of the remaining prize pool will be distributed equally between the remaining players, and 50% will be distributed on a percentage basis according to each player's chip count. The pre-determined bounty amount will form part of the total prizepool if this has not already been won. The remaining players will NOT be refunded their entry fee.
A Sit & Go Hero tournament will be deemed as started only when the first card is dealt.
Rebuy tournaments: With each rebuy and add-on, the total chips in the tournament will increase. The total chips in rebuy tournaments will be equal to the sum of all players 'player's starting chips (including extra starting chips, if any)' plus the sum of chips given to all players through a rebuy request plus the sum of chips given to all players through an add-on request. The total chips in the tournament will continue to accumulate as and when players make a rebuy request and the final number will be calculated only when the add-on period is over.

If a tournament crashes during the add-on period, the exact count of total chips in the tournament at the time of crash (including the chips added into the tournament as a result of rebuy and add-on requests) will be used to distribute the balance of the prize pool money.

Where a Satellite tournament is offering a guaranteed prize; the guaranteed prize is only guaranteed and paid out if the late registration period closes after the specified number of blind levels. If the tournament completes while late registration is still open, only monies collected will be distributed in prizes to players in the form of tickets, tournament dollars and/or cash, which will be based on how the prize structure is configured.
The tournament disconnect protection and cancellation policy applies to all tournaments.
We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule tournaments at any time, for any reason, with or without notice. We reserve the right to amend our poker tournament rules and policies at any time without notice. Such amendments will take effect as soon as they are listed in the 'Tournament Rules' section of the website. It is the player's sole responsibility to review the tournament rules and policies before entering a tournament.
The poker tournament rules and policies contained herein represent the complete understanding between the player and the site with respect to the player's activities at any tournament, except as otherwise specified in any poker tournament rules pertaining to a particular tournament, as posted on the website.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, all use of the website by a player is governed by the Terms and Conditions of use. In the event of any dispute, these Terms and Conditions of use will apply.

Last modification date: 30/10/2018

Tournament directors association poker rules

Tournament Poker Rules

Charity Poker Tournament Rules

Whenever possible, all rules are the same as those that apply to live games.
Initial seating is determined by random draw or assignment. (For a one-table satellite event, cards to determine seating may be left faceup so the earlier entrants can pick their seat, since the button is assigned randomly.)
A change of seat is not allowed after play starts, except as assigned by the director.
The appropriate starting amount of chips will be placed on the table for each paid entrant at the beginning of the event, whether the person is present or not. Absent players will be dealt in, and all chips necessary for antes and blinds will be put into the pot.
If a paid entrant is absent at the start of an event, at some point an effort will be made to locate and contact the player. If the player requests the chips be left in place until arrival, the request will be honored. If the player is unable to be contacted, the chips may be removed from play at the discretion of the director anytime after a new betting level has begun or a half-hour has elapsed, whichever occurs first.
A starting stack of chips can be placed in a seat to accommodate late entrants (so all antes and blinds have been appropriately paid). An unsold seat will have such a stack removed at a time left to the discretion of the director.
Limits and blinds are raised at regularly scheduled intervals.
If there is a signal designating the end of a betting level, the new limits apply on the next deal. (A deal begins with the first riffle of the shuffle.)
The lowest denomination of chip in play is removed from the table when it is no longer needed in the blind or ante structure. All lower-denomination chips that are of sufficient quantity for a new chip will be changed up directly. The method for removal of odd chips is to deal one card to a player for each odd chip possessed. Cards are dealt clockwise starting with the No. 1 seat, with each player receiving all cards before any cards are dealt to the next player. The player with the highest card by suit gets enough odd chips to exchange for one new chip, the second-highest card gets to exchange for the next chip, and so forth, until all the lower-denomination chips are exchanged. If an odd number of lower-denomination chips are left after this process, the player with the highest card remaining receives a new chip if he has half or more of the quantity of lower-denomination chips needed, otherwise nothing.
An absent player is always dealt a hand, and is put up for blinds, antes, and the forced bet if low.
A player must be present at the table to stop the action by calling 'time.'
A player must be at his seat when the first card is dealt on the initial deal or he will have a dead hand. “At your seat” means within reach of your chair. This rule is not intended to condone players being out of their seats while involved in a hand.
As players are eliminated, tables are broken in a pre-set order, with players from the broken tables assigned to empty seats at other tables.
The number of players at each table is kept reasonably balanced by the transfer of a player as needed. With more than six tables, table size is kept within two players. With six tables or fewer, table size is kept within one player.
In all events, there is a redraw for seating when the field is reduced to three tables, two tables, and one table. (Redrawing at three tables is not mandatory in small tournaments with only four or five starting tables.)
A player who declares all in and loses the pot, then discovers that one or more chips were hidden, is not entitled to benefit from this. That player is eliminated from the tournament if the opponent had sufficient chips to cover the hidden ones (A rebuy is permitted if allowable by the rules of that event). If another deal has not yet started, the director may rule the chips belong to the opponent who won that pot, if that obviously would have happened with the chips out in plain view. If the next deal has started, the discovered chips are removed from the tournament.
If a player lacks sufficient chips for a blind or a forced bet, the player is entitled to get action on whatever amount of money remains. A player who posts a short blind and wins does not need to make up the blind.
All players must leave their seats immediately after being eliminated from an event.
Showing cards from a live hand during the action injures the rights of other players still competing in an event, who wish to see contestants eliminated. A player may not show any cards during a deal (unless the event has only two remaining players). If a player deliberately shows a card, that hand may be ruled dead and the player penalized.
Inappropriate behavior like throwing cards that go off the table may be punished with a penalty such as being dealt out for a length of time. A severe infraction such as abusive or disruptive behavior may be punished by eviction from the tournament.
The deck is not changed on request. Decks change when the dealers change, unless there is a damaged card.
In all tournament games using a dealer button, the starting position of the button is determined by dealing for the high card.
The dealer button remains in position until the appropriate blinds are taken. Players must post all blinds every round. Because of this, the button may stay in front of the same player for two consecutive hands.
New players are dealt in immediately unless they sit down in the small blind or button position. In these two cases, they must wait until the button passes.
In heads-up play with two blinds, the small blind is on the button.
At stud, if a downcard on the initial hand is dealt face up, a misdeal is called.
If a player announces the intent to rebuy before cards are dealt, that player is playing behind and is obligated to make the rebuy.
All hands are turned face up whenever a player is all in and betting action is complete.
If two (or more) players go broke during the same hand, the player starting the hand with the larger amount of money finishes in the higher tournament place for point and cash awards.
Management is not required to rule on any private deals, side bets, or redistribution of the prize pool among finalists.
Private agreements by remaining players in an event regarding distribution of the prize pool are not condoned. (However, if such an agreement is made, the director has the option of ensuring that it is carried out by paying those amounts.) Any private agreement that excludes one or more active competitors is improper by definition.
A tournament event is expected to be played until completion. A private agreement that removes all prize money from being at stake in the competition is unethical.
Management retains the right to cancel any event, or alter it in a manner fair to the players.

Wsop Tournament Rules 2018

The rules above are from 'Robert Rules of Poker' which is authored by Robert Ciaffone, better known in the poker world as Bob Ciaffone, a leading authority on cardroom rules.