The Big O Texas Hold'Em Poker League

The Big O Texas Hold'Em Poker League
League & Tournament Rules

All players are expected to read and understand these rules before playing.

1.	All players start with an equal amount of chips and continue play until one player remains and accumulates all of the chips. Note: With the introduction of the "Gimme a Miller" and "Gimme 5" cards in January 2006, it is possible for players to start the tournament with additional green (100) or blue (500) chips.
2.	Players are obligated to take their "Blinds" (a "blind" is a fixed amount of money, determined by the size of the game that is automatically put into the pot in hold-em tournaments, prior to the hand being dealt, to force action). Blinds are raised consistently throughout the tournament according to the blind structure.
3.	The Dealer button remains in position until the appropriate blinds are taken. Players must post blinds every round.
4.	If a player in the small blind is eliminated, the button moves to the empty position and the player immediately to the right of the button deals the hand for the missing player. If the player in the big blind is eliminated, the small blind position is dead and only the big blind is posted. This ensures that all players post the big blind every round.
5.	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.
6.	The lowest denomination of chip in play will be removed from the table when it is no longer needed in the blind structure. All lower denomination chips that are of sufficient quantity for a new chip will be changed up directly. The remaining odd chips will be rounded up to the next chip denomination.
7.	The small blind (SB) is the position immediately to the left of the dealer button and the big blind (BB) is the player to the immediate left of the SB (It is possible for a player to take two BB in a row. For example, if he had just had the BB at his table which just broke down and then was seated in the BB at his new table.).
8.	When two players remain, the player due to assume the BB will do so and the SB will inherit the button.
9.	An absent player is always dealt a hand, and will put up all blinds.
10.	If a player is not present when it is time to act, the hand is mucked (folded). This is includes situations in which live blind is not present to act, since the absent player cannot exercise the option to raise.
11.	If a player is accidentally dealt a card face up (or a card is seen by someone else at the table), the dealer continues to deal the hole card to all players. The dealer then replaces the seen card with a new card and the seen card becomes the first burn card (or no action is taken if agreed upon by all players and the hand will be re-dealt).
12.	If a player lacks sufficient chips for a blind or a forced bet, the player is entitled to action on whatever amount of chips remain. In this situation, a side pot could occur for players with the remaining chips.
13.	All hands will be turned up whenever a player is all-in and the betting action is complete.
14.	When a player loses all of his chips, they are eliminated from play unless approved for more chips by the floor manager.
15.	If two or more players are eliminated on the same hand the player who started the hand with the most chips will be awarded the higher finishing position.
16.	Tournaments will continue until one player wins all the chips. A 3-hour time limit may be applied, if so, the player with the most chips wins.
17.	Players' chips must remain on the table at all times, unless you are reassigned to another table.
18.	All cards must remain above the table-top during play.
19.	Raises must be equal to or greater than that of the previous bet.
20.	One player per hand. Once the player is eliminated from a session, they must vacate their seat.
21.	Poker etiquette is expected from all players. Inappropriate behavior like throwing cards/chips that go off the table, arguing, excessive cursing, cheating, etc. may result in the player being evicted from the tournament and the facility and may not be allowed to play in the future tournaments.
22.	Management retains the right to cancel any event or alter it in a manner fair to all players.
23.	All participants are prohibited from placing any form of currency on a session table, as state law prohibits this. There will be no exceptions to this rule and violators will be asked to leave immediately.
24.	There will be no gambling what so ever on any hands or outcomes of the tournaments. Any violation will result in the player to be evicted from the current tournament, the facility and all future tournaments.
25.	The floor manger's decision is final on all disputes.

Hand Rankings

(Ranked from lowest to highest)
	High Card A hand without a pair, straight, or flush, valued only by its highest card.
	Pair Two cards of the same rank.
	Two Pair Two cards of one rank and another two cards of another rank.
	Three of a Kind Three cards of the same rank.
	Straight Five cards in a sequence, but not in a single suit.
	Flush All five cards are in the same suit, but not in a sequence.
	Full House Three cards of the same rank and two cards of another rank.
	Four of a Kind Four cards of the same rank.
	Straight Flush All five cards in sequence and in the same suit.
	Royal Flush Ace, King, Queen, Jack & 10, all of the same suit.