Tournament Rules
The following rules are in place to help ensure our patrons an enjoyable and fun tournament. They are not meant to be all inclusive and may be changed as needed to protect the integrity of the tournament. Any suggestion as to how to improve the tournament should be forwarded to the Tournament Director and will receive proper consideration.
1. This is a no limit Texas Hold'em tournament to be held each Wednesday.
2. Cypress Bayou Casino and Shorty's reserves the right to continue, cancel, or modify the tournament at it's sole discretion.
3. Tournament play does not qualify for the Bad Beat Jackpot.
4. Registration will be each Wednesday from 4:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. exclusively for those playing live games. Live play may pre-qualify anytime before 4:00 P.M. Pre-qualified customers will receive first consideration at 4:00 P.M. based on length of play, but must be playing on a live game when registration begins at 4:00 P.M. Open registration will be from 6:00 P.M. until 6:30 P.M for all others.
5. Call-ins will be accepted for live play only. Call-ins will not be accepted for tournament registration. Call in positions will be held for one hour only. No exceptions.
6. A valid Club Cypress account is mandatory in order to participate in the tournament.
7. The tournament will start with a maximum of 60 players. Once 60 players have been registered, the Tournament Director or designated assistant will sign up additional players as alternates. If less than 20 players have registered by 6:30 P.M., the tournament may be cancelled and all money refunded.
8. Alternate players will be allowed to enter the tournament only before "first break." An alternate may enter the tournament when any starting player is "busted out" of the tournament or when there is an open seat on any of the tournament tables. If a player has not claimed their seat after 20 minutes of tournament play, their seat will be given to an alternate player. All tournament entry fees collected from the player that did not show will be forfeited and their tournament chips will be removed from tournament play. In the event that there are no alternates left, the seat will remain open until blinded off. Alternate players must pay the initial buy in of $40 and one re-buy of $20 to be allowed into the tournament.
9. Poker Tournament Supervisors will make decisions based on the rules of the game. However, their top priority will be to protect the integrity and fairness of the game. This could cause them to make a ruling that might contradict the technical interpretation of a rule. By accepting a seat in this tournament, each player is agreeing to honor all rulings made by the tournament Supervisors.
10. Tournament seats will be assigned by random drawing. Once a player has drawn their seat assignment, they will not be permitted to draw again or exchange seat assignments with another player.
11. Players will be required to provide valid photo identification in order to collect their tournament winnings.
12. Spectators will not be permitted to sit at an active table, or to sit behind the tournament players.
13. Any and all disruptive, or abusive behavior will not be tolerated.
14. Players are expected to vigorously play their hands at all times. A player should never check in an effort to keep from eliminating, or winning chips from another player. Failure to comply with this policy may result in disqualification from the tournament and forfeiture of all rights there in.
15. Players may not request a deck change or new set-up. Decks will be changed every 20 minutes.
16. Requests to view burn cards or cards from the deck will not be honored.
17. Any player may make a reasonable request to have another player "placed on the clock." After the request is made, the dealer will call for a Tournament Supervisor who will inform the player that has been placed on the clock that they have 60 seconds in which to act on their hand. After 50 seconds the Supervisor will announce that there are 10 seconds left to act and will start a 10 second count down. If the player has not acted by the end of the 10 second count down, that player must check if there is no bet to them. If there is a bet to them, their hand will be declared dead. No exceptions.
18. In multi-player pots, all betting must be completed before anyone can expose their hand. If a hand is exposed before the dealer calls for such action the hand may be ruled dead and all chips placed in the pot by that player will be forfeited. In hands with only two players and one or both players are "all-in," both hands must be exposed in order for action to continue. Please wait for the dealer to call for your action.
19. Players are not allowed to purchase chips during a hand. Chips may be purchased between hands and it is the sole responsibility of each player to make the dealer aware of their intent to purchase chips before any cards are dealt. At no time is it allowed for a player to "sit-out" a hand. If a player has gone "all-in" and has not announced to the dealer their intent to purchase chips before the first card for that hand is dealt, that player will be dealt out and eliminated from the tournament.
20. If two or more players are eliminated from the tournament in the same hand, their prize position , if any, will be determined by the value of chips that each player had to start the hand.
21. When there is a split pot, the odd chip will go to the player seated closest to the left of the dealer button when the hand was started. Any odd chip should be broken down to the lowest chips in play at the time.
22. Players are not permitted to reveal the contents of their hand or make statements that might have an influence on the outcome of a hand. Players are also not permitted to make specific comments about the content of another player's hand or action, make specific comments about the content of their hand, advise other players how they should play their hand or what action to take, or to ask for or receive advice or assistance as to how to play their hand.
23. Tournament chips are non-value chips and are used solely to determine the outcome of the tournament. Players must keep all of their tournament chips in plain view at all times with the largest denomination being the most obvious. Players will be required to give an accurate count of their chips when requested by another player, the dealer, or a Tournament Supervisor. At no time will a player be permitted to conceal tournament chips on their person, or inside of an object. Players will never be permitted to remove tournament chips from the tournament area. Any player doing so will forfeit all of the concealed chips and the chips will be removed from play. Only Shorty's tournament chips will be permitted on the table with the exception of one foreign chip per player used as a card protector.
24. When it is determined by a Tournament Supervisor that there is an adequate number of open seats, the Tournament Supervisor will combine tables. Players that are being moved to a new table will draw for new seat assignments. Once a player has drawn their seat assignment they will not be permitted to draw again or exchange their seat assigment with another player.
25. If and when the Tournament Supervisor needs to balance tables, the player selected to move to the short handed table will be the player who would be required to post the big blind for the next hand. The player will be assigned the seat due to pay the big blind on the new table if that seat is available. If the seat is not available, they will be placed in the first open seat in front of the big blind.
26. Players are required to move promptly to their new seat assignments. Players who intentionally dodge their blinds will forfeit the amount of the missed blinds. The missed blind or blinds will be placed into the next pot as dead money. A new player will assume all benefits and obligations associated with their new seat assignment including coming in on the small blind, big blind or dealer button. The only seat that cannot be occupied immediately is the seat located between the dealer button and the natural small blind. If there is a dead button,it will be moved in such a manner as to allow the maximum number of players to be dealt in.
27. All players must be dealt-in each hand. If a player is absent from the table and has chips at the table, they must receive cards and are responsible for their blinds. A player's hand will immediately be declared dead if they are not at the table when it is their time to act. The dealer will not wait for the player to return to the table. No exceptions.
28. It is each player's responsibility to protect their hand at all times. If the dealer kills an unprotected hand, regardless of whether it was face up or face down, the player will have no redress and will not be allowed to take chips out of the pot. Chips that have crossed the betting line are considered to be part of the pot. The exception to this rule is if a player raised and no one has acted behind them. In this case their raise may be returned.
29. The minimum bet after the flop is the amount of the big blind. When it is their time to act, a player is permitted to go "all-in" at any time. In "no-limit" games there are no restrictions on the number of raises. Once a player has stated the amount of the raise, prior to putting any money in the pot, they may make more than one motion to the pot. A player who says raise, but does not indicate the amount of the raise will be permitted to put out the amount of the call and will then be restricted to putting out the raise in one motion. If a player puts an oversize chip into the pot without stating "raise," or the amount of the bet/raise, they may only make the minimum bet. If a player puts an oversized chip into the pot and states "raise" without stating the amount of the raise, they may only raise by the minimum amount.
