DECISION-MAKING
1. Management reserves the right to make decisions in
the spirit of fairness, even if a strict interpretation
of the rules may indicate a different ruling.
2. Decisions of the shift supervisor are final.
3. The proper time to draw attention to an error or
irregularity is when it occurs or is first noticed. Any
delay may affect the ruling.
4. If an incorrect rule interpretation or decision by
an employee is made in good faith, the establishment has
no liability.
5. A ruling may be made regarding a pot if it has been
requested before the next deal starts (or before the game
either ends or changes to another table). Otherwise, the
result of a deal must stand. The first riffle of the shuffle
marks the start for a deal.
6. If a pot has been incorrectly awarded and mingled
with chips that were not in the pot, but the time limit
for a ruling request given in the previous rule has been
complied with, management may determine how much was in
the pot by reconstructing the betting, and then transfer
that amount to the proper player.
7. To keep the action moving, it is possible that a
game may be asked to continue even though a decision is
delayed for a short period. The delay could be needed
to check the overhead camera tape, get the shift supervisor
to give the ruling, or some other good reason. In such
circumstances, a pot or portion thereof may be impounded
by the house while the decision is pending.
8. The same action may have a different meaning, depending
on who does it, so the possible intent of an offender
will be taken into consideration. Some factors here are
the person’s amount of poker experience and past
record.
PROCEDURES
1. Management will decide when to start or close any
game.
2. Collections (seat rental fees) are paid in advance.
In all time-collection games, the dealer is required to
pick up the collection from each player before dealing
the first hand. A player not wishing to pay collection
may play one courtesy hand in stud, and may play until
the blind in button games, provided no one is waiting
for the game. If there is more than one person on the
list for that game when the collection becomes due, everyone
must pay collection. A new player is not required to pay
if there is either no list or only one person waiting.
3. Cash is not permitted on the table. All cash should
be changed into chips in order to play. If a player appears
unaware of this rule and attempts to play unnoticed cash
that was on the table during a pot, the dealer may let
the cash play if no one in the pot objects, then have
all the cash changed into chips after the hand. Any chips
from another establishment are not permitted on the table,
do not play in the game, and if discovered will be treated
similarly to unnoticed cash. [See Section 16 – “Explanations,”
discussion #5, for more information on this rule.]
4. Money and chips may be removed for security purposes
when leaving the table. The establishment is not responsible
for any shortage or removal of chips left on the table
during a player’s absence, even though we will try
to protect everyone as best we can. All removed funds
must be fully restored when returning to the game.
5. If you return to the same game within one hour of
cashing out, your buy-in must be equal to the amount removed
when leaving that game.
6. All games are table stakes (except “playing
behind” as given in the next rule). All chips and
money must be kept in plain view. Chips may be removed
for security purposes when leaving the table, but must
be fully restored upon return. If you return to the same
game within one hour of cashing out, your buy-in must
be equal to the amount removed when leaving that game.
7. "Playing behind" is allowed only for the
amount of purchased chips while awaiting their arrival.
The amount in play must be announced to the table, or
only the amount of the minimum buy-in plays.
8. Playing out of a rack is not allowed.
9. Only one person may play a hand.
10. No one is allowed to play another player’s
chips.
11. Permission is required before taking a seat in a
game.
12. Playing over without permission from the floorperson
is not allowed. A playover box is required. Permission
from the absent player is not necessary.
13. Pushing bets (“saving” or “potting
out”) is not allowed.
14. Pushing an ante or posting for another person is
not allowed.
15. Splitting pots will not be allowed in any game.
Chopping the big and small blind by taking them back when
all other players have folded is allowed in button games.
16. Insurance propositions are not allowed. Dealing
twice (or three times) when all-in is permitted at big-bet
poker.
17. The game's betting limit will not be changed if
two or more players object. Raising the limit is subject
to management approval.
18. Players must keep their cards in full view. This
means above table-level and not past the edge of the table.
The cards should not be covered by the hands in a manner
to completely conceal them.
19. Any player is entitled to a clear view of an opponent’s
chips. Higher denomination chips should be easily visible.
20. Your chips may be picked up if you are away from
the table for more than 30 minutes. Your absence may be
extended if you notify a floorperson in advance. Frequent
or continuous absences may cause your chips to be picked
up from the table.
21. A lock-up in a new game will be picked up after
five minutes if someone is waiting to play. No seat may
be locked up for more than ten minutes if someone is waiting
to play.
22. A new deck must be used for at least a full round
(once around the table) before it may be changed, and
a new setup must be used for at least an hour, unless
a deck is defective or damaged, or cards become sticky.
23. Looking through the discards or deck stub is not
allowed.
24. After a deal ends, dealers are asked to not show
what card would have been dealt.
25. A player is expected to pay attention to the game
and not hold up play. Activity that interferes with this
such as reading at the table is discouraged, and the player
will be asked to cease if a problem is caused.
26. A non-player may not sit at the table.
27. In non-tournament games, you may have a guest sit
behind you if no one in the game objects. It is improper
for a guest to look at any hand other then your own.
28. Speaking a foreign language during a deal is not
allowed.
SEATING
1. You must be present to add your name to a waiting
list .
2. It is the player’s responsibility to be in
the playing area and hear the list being called. A player
who intends to leave the playing area should notify the
list-person, and can leave money for a lockup. The lockup
amount is $20.
3. When there is more than one game of the same stakes
and poker form, and a must-move is not being used, the
house will control the seating of new players to best
preserve the viability of existing games. A new player
will be sent to the game most in need of an additional
player. A transfer to a similar game is not allowed if
it makes the game being left shorter-handed than the game
being entered.
4. A player may not hold a seat in more than one game.
5. The house reserves the right to require that any
two players not play in the same game (husband and wife,
relatives, business partners, and so forth).
6. When a button game starts, active players will draw
a card for the button position . The button will be awarded
to the highest card by suit for all high and high-low
games, and to the lowest card by suit for all low games.
7. In a new game, the player who arrives at the table
the earliest gets first choice of remaining seats. If
two players want the same seat and arrive at the same
time, the higher player on the list has preference. A
player playing a pot in another game may have a designated
seat locked up until that hand is finished. Management
may reserve a certain seat for a player, as to assist
in ease of reading the board for a person with a vision
problem, or some other good reason.
8. To avoid a seating dispute, a supervisor may decide
to start the game with one extra player over the normal
number participating. If so, a seat will be removed as
soon as someone quits the game.
9. In order to protect an existing game, a forced move
may be invoked when an additional game of the same type
and limit is started. The must-move list is maintained
in the same order as the original waiting list . If a
player refuses to move into the main game, that player
will be forced to quit, and may not play in the must-move
game or get on that list for one hour.
10. You must play in a new game or must-move game to
retain your place on the list , if by your playing there
would be three or fewer empty seats.
11. In all button games, a player going from a must-move
game to the main game may play until due for the big blind
. The player must then enter the game as a new player,
and may either post an amount equal to the big blind or
wait for the big blind . In all stud games, a player may
play only one more hand before moving.
12. A player who is already in the game has precedence
over a new player for any seat when it becomes available.
However, no change will occur after a new player has been
seated, or after that player’s buy-in or marker
has been placed on the table, unless that particular seat
had been previously requested. For players already in
the game, the one who asks the earliest has preference
for a seat change.
13. In all button games, a player voluntarily locking
up a seat in another game must move immediately if there
is a waiting list of two or more names for the seat being
vacated, except that the player is entitled to play the
button if a blind has already been taken. Otherwise, a
player may play up to the blind before moving. In a stud
game, a player changing tables may play only the present
hand if someone is waiting for the seat being vacated,
or one more hand when no one is waiting.
14. When a game breaks, each player may draw a card
to determine the seating order for a similar game. The
floorperson draws a card for an absent player. If the
card entitles the absent player to an immediate seat,
the player has until due for the big blind in a button
game to take the seat (two hands in a stud game), and
will be put first up on the list if not back in time.
