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Charity Poker Tournament to benefit ACT4ME

(Texas Hold'em)

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Buy-In (before the tournament day): $100 dollars = 1,500 in chips

Buy-In (tournament day):  $125 dollars = 1,500 in chips

Add-on (tournament day): $ 50 dollars =  500 in chips

Re-buy: $125 dollars (within first hour) = 1,500 in chips

Re-buy: $100 dollars (after first hour)  = 1,500 in chips

 

SUMMARY

 

This tournament will have a captain at each table that will play the tournament and will be the official dealer, there will also be a "button" that indicates that dealing will start to the left of that button. These rules mention the terms "dealer" and "button".

 

1. In case of differences between two or more players, the organizers of the tournament shall always have the last word, which will strictly comply with the tournament rules, even if in that particular table all the players had agreed to play in a different manner.

2. The chips of ALL players enter the game from the start of the tournament, even if the player is late.

3. No player may take more than one minute to call or fold.

4. Cards are dealt to the left of the dealer.

5. Each table will have a captain, who will be responsible for solving any controversy, if no satisfactory conclusion is agreed, the organizers must be called to give a final decision.

6. The captain of each table may play and be the dealer even if the button moves in each hand.

7. The tables will be balanced at each break. the organizers will be in charge of balancing the tables, using the following criteria:

          i.     The player to be moved will be selected at random.

          ii.     The table where the player to move will be selected will be chosen at random among the tables with the highest number of players.

8. There will be a 5-minute break between each blind change to balance the tables.

9. Misdeals, the following are basic forms to consider a hand a MISDEAL

(When a MISDEAL is considered, cards must be shuffled and dealt again to all the players)

          i.         If the first card dealt is face up

          ii.        If two or more cards are accidentally face up

          iii.       A player or the board is dealt too many cards

          iv.      The dealer starts at the wrong position or deals with no sequence (empty chair)

          v.       The dealer gives less than the two usual cards (hole cards)

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The following situations are NOT considered MISDEALS:

          i.        If a card is accidentally face up when dealing to the players, dealing will continue and the firs card to burn will be given to that player.

          ii.       If a player exposes his/her card or drops a card, the hand continues

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10. The players may not receive any help, each player must play his/her hand on his/her own.

11. The chips of a player that wants to leave the tournament may NOT be given or donated, if this situation occurs, the chips of this player will continue in the game.

12. If a player leaves the table, his/her 2 cards will be dealt and when it is his/her turn to bet the decision to fold will be taken and the cards will given to the dealer, who will make a "fold". If this player gets a "blind", the dealer will take this player's chips to put out the blind, this in front and with the authorization of the table; when the player comes back, s/he will be informed of this action.

13. Chips must always be in view. Hiding them is not allowed.

14. Neither the  players nor the observers may see the remaining deck or the burn cards at any time of the game.

15. All re-raises must at least double the big blind.

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DEALING

 

    Before the tournament starts, each player will choose a card from the deck and the player with the highest card will start the button, who in this tournament will be referred to as the dealer even though s/he doesn't actually deals the cards, the table captain will ALWAYS deal. Please note that the captain of the table WILL play. In this rules of our tournament we refer to the dealer, but it actually refers to the player with the button, the captain of the table is the official dealer.

 

    If two or more players tie, the highest card will be that of the suit of spades. The dealer will have a button to identify him/her as "dealer button".

    The dealer will deal the first card face down "Holecard" or "pocket card" to the first player to his/her left and will continue dealing to the left.

    At the end of each hand, the player to the left of the dealer will be the new dealer for that hand, and the button identifying the dealer will be moved.

    The player to the right of the dealer must shuffle and cut the deck.

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HAND RANKING (from the stronger to the weaker)

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1.     Royal Flush: Ace, king, queen, jack and 10, of the same suit.

2.     Straight Flush: A hand that contains five cards in sequence, all of the same suit.

3.     Poker or "four of a kind“: Four cards of the same rank.

4.     Full: Three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of another rank.

5.     Color: Five cards of the same suit, but with no sequence.

6.     Flush: Five cards in sequence.

7.     Three of a kind: Three cards of the same rank.

8.     Two Pair: Two cards of the same rank plus two cards of another rank.

9.     One pair: Two cards of the same rank.

10.   High Card: The highest card (Ace is the highest)

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BUY INS AND RE BUYS

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Each player will pay $100 US dollars and will receive a value of 1,500 in chips.

There can be unlimited* re-buys of $100 US dollars to receive 1,500 in chips, only after a player has finished his or her chips.

No money is allowed on the table and cannot be substituted with chips.The game ends when a player gets all the chips.

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NOTE: THE EXACT DISTRIBUTION OF CHIPS PER PERSON WILL BE DETERMINED AT THE TOURNAMENT, SINCE A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF CHIPS ARE REQUIRED.

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* Unlimited means unlimited but there are some exemptions where certain players won't be allowed to buy more re-buys if the tournament director feels their are engaging in unfair advantages.

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ADD ONS

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Each player has the opportunity to pay $50 US dollars more in cash when signing in to receive 500 in extra chips, this opportunity ends once the tournament starts.

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SEATING

 

    Each player will be seated according to a random drawing. Upon arrival, each participant will take a slip of paper that will tell his/her table, A, B, C, D, E, F, or G. That will be his/her seating during the tournament until s/he is eliminated or advances to another table.

    Up to 10 players will be seated at each table.

    A single player may be moved to another table to keep the tables balanced. This will be done between level changes. The table with the most players will draw high cards with the high card moving to another table and placed in any available seat ahead of the big blind.

    The ten finalists will be combined at one table and be seated by another random drawing.

    The ten finalists will begin play with the next level of limits and blinds above the last level in play prior to combining the tables.

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THE BLINDS

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    Texas Hold'Em uses a structured betting system for the blinds. Since this is a tournament, there is NO LIMIT.

 

1. Each hand shall have the following mandatory blind bets:

a "Small Blind" or  small mandatory bet.

i.     This bet is always half of the Big Blind.

ii.    This bet will be placed by the player to the left of the dealer.

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b. "Big Blind" or large mandatory bet.

i. This mandatory bet should always be twice as much as the "small blind".

ii. It is placed by the player to the left of the player who places the "small blind".

 

2. The two blinds must be in front of the players that placed them and always before the dealer starts to deal the hand.

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3. To ensure that the big blind is not lost by the next player, if the player with the small blind is eliminated, the button and/or dealer will not move in the next hand,

i. e. the dealer will be the same player, this may benefit all players.

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4. Blind information to be used in this tournament will be available on tournament day

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After the signal designating the end of a betting level, the blinds of the next level will apply on the next deal.

    There will be a short break between levels as needed. Maximum 5 minutes.

    Each hand will have four rounds of betting. Since this is a no limit tournament, the maximum amount a person may bet or raise is the chips s/he has. The minimum bet or raise is the amount of the initial bet. Each hand starts anew. For example, if a player bets $50 on the flop, to raise it, the next player should raise a minimum of $50, or more if s/he wants. As you can see, the initial bet was $50 so this is the minimum raise. The next betting round starts from zero. There is a bet before the flop  (big blind), so this is the minimum raise.

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THE BETS

 

    Each hand starts with two blinds, ensuring every hand is worth something.

    The player to the left of the dealer posts the SMALL BLIND, which represents half of the minimum bet for the level.

    The player to the left of the small blind posts the BIG BLIND, which represents the minimum bet for that level.

    The blinds shall remain in front of the players until  conclusion of the pre-flop betting. The dealer will rake the blinds and all other bets into the pot once the round finishes.

    All bets must be stacked in front of the player. The dealer will verify the bets and rake them to the center pot at the end of each round of betting. Tossing chips into the pot is not allowed.

    Each player can bet up to four times per betting round. This includes one bet and three raises. Once a player has reached the four-bet s/he may either call or fold only.

    The players must verbally declare their bet (call, check, raise with amount, or fold).

    Players may not disclose or turn their holecards during a live hand, even if folded. This injures the rights of players who are still competing.

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ALL-IN

 

If a player cannot cover a blind, s/he must use all remaining chips and post a short blind and declare All-in. Both blinds and each called bet (not including raises) from the pre-flop round will go into a main pot. All raises from the pre-flop round and all bets from additional rounds will be placed into a side pot. The All-In player will not be able to bet for the remainder of the hand and should he win the hand he will win only the amount from the main pot, with the side pot going to the next best winning hand. If s/he does not win the hand s/he is eliminated from the tournament and the winning hand receives both pots.

    If more than one player goes All-In during a hand additional side pots will be created using the same rules as above. A player may only win a pot equaling his all-in bet and the called bets from following players. The All-In player can only win other players what s/he bet.

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TIME LIMITS

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    Each player must play his/her hand within 30 seconds.

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PLAYING ETIQUETTE

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    The captain of the table is responsible for raking the blinds and other bets into the center pot once each betting round ends.

    Each player must stack his/her bet in front of him/her. Please, don't toss chips into the center pot.

    Each player must verbally declare his/her bet to be taken into account.

    Players may not disclose or turn over their holecards during a live hand, even if folded.

    Each player has a maximum of 30 seconds to play his/her hand, otherwise s/he may be eliminated as if s/he had folded, provided that s/he has been informed to make a decision. This rule is a courtesy to other players.

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HOUSE RULES

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    Host should be made aware of any problems when they occur and all play must stop with all cards and chips remaining as-is until a resolution is reached.

    Each player must play and call his own hand. No assistance may be given by other players or spectators.

    Should a player need to briefly leave the game, all play will stop. Another player may not play for the absent player.  A mandatory blind is posted, which s/he must replace when s/he comes back. Cards are dealt as long as it is a blind, and they are automatically taken. It is not blind, that seat may be skipped.

    All cards must remain in full view and are not allowed beyond the edge of the table.

    Chips must not be hidden and must remain visible on the table with the higher denominations in clear view.

    Looking through discards or remaining deck cards is not allowed at any time.

    The dealer of each hand will be responsible for verifying all bets, raking bets into pot and awarding the pot to the winning player.

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PLAYERS COURTESY

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1. The captain of the table is responsible for raking the blinds and other bets into the center pot once each betting round ends.

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2. Each player must stack his/her bet in front of him/her. Tossing chips into the center pot is not allowed.

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3. Each player must verbally announce their bet to be taken into account. If player calls an amount but posts a lesser amount, the amount announced is what counts.

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4. Players may not disclose or turn over their hole-cards during a live hand, even if folded.

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5. The usual is for each player to play his/her had within 30 seconds, but the maximum time a player will have to play his/her hand is 1 minute, otherwise that player may be eliminated as if s/he had folded, provided that s/he was informed to make a decision. This is a courtesy to other players.

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PRIZES

The 4th Act4Me Charity Poker Tournament will give more than $5,000 dollars in prizes, the first eight places of the tournament will receive a prize .

The first three places will also receive a  trophy.

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