Tournament Rules

1. The Tournament Director (TD) and floor people are to consider the best interests of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision–making process. Unusual circumstances can, on occasion, dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The Tournament Director's decision is final.
   
   
2. When it is time to color–up chips they will be raced off with a maximum of one chip going to any player. The chip race will always start in the No.1 seat. A player cannot be raced out of a tournament: a player who loses his or her remaining chip(s) in a chip race will be given one chip of the smallest denomination still in play. Players are encouraged to witness the chip race.
   
   
3. The odd chip(s) will go to the high hand. In flop games when there are two or more high hands the odd chip(s) will go to the left of the button. When hands have identical value, the pot will be split as evenly as possible.
   
   
4. Each side pot will be split separately.
   
   
5. Once a reasonable amount of time has passed and a clock is called for, a player will be given a maximum of one minute to make a decision. If action has not been taken before time expires, there will be a 10–second countdown. If a player has not acted by the time the countdown is over, the player's hand will be dead.
   
   
6. Tournament play will use a dead button. At the beginning of each Single Table Tournament (STT) round and on the final day, a draw for the button will be held on each table.
   
   
7. At the beginning of each STT round, each player will be allocated a set and same amount of chips which bears no relation to the buy–in. The appropriate starting amount of chips will be place on the table for each 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 blinds will be put into the pot.
   
   
8. All betting will be in a clockwise order and must be in turn.
   
   
9. A penalty MAY be invoked if a player exposes any card with action pending, throws a card off the table, violates the one–player–to–a–hand rule, or similar incidents take place. Penalties WILL be invoked in cases of soft play, abuse, or disruptive behaviour. Penalties available to the Tournament Director include verbal warnings and 'missed hand' penalties. A missed hand penalty will be assessed as follows: The offender will miss one hand for every player, including the offender, who is at the table when the penalty is given multiplied by the number of rounds specified in the penalty; for the period of the penalty the offender shall remain away from the table. Tournament staff can assess one–, two–, three–, or four–round penalties or disqualification. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties. A severe infraction of the rules may result in a player being eliminated from any round of the ECOSTT or any side event. In this instance the player will not be entitled to any prize money.
   
   
10. A player must be at his or her seat by the time all players have been dealt complete initial hands in order to have a live hand. Players must be at their seat to call time.
    
    
11. All cards will be turned face up once a player is all–in and all betting action is complete.
    
    
12. If a player puts in a raise of 50% or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he or she will be required to make a full raise. The raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed. An all–in bet of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted.
    
    
13. A single oversized chip will be considered a call if the player does not announce a raise. If a player puts an oversized chip into the pot and states raise but does not state the amount, the raise will be the maximum allowable up to the size of that chip. After the flop, an initial bet of a single oversized chip without comment will constitute the size of the bet. To make a raise with a single oversized chip a verbal declaration must be made before the chip hits the table surface.
    
    
14. Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, players, whether in the hand or not, may not:
    – Disclose contents of live or folded hands
    – Advise or criticize play before the action is complete
    – Read a hand that hasn't been tabled
    – The one–player–to–a–hand rule will be enforced.
    – Tournament seats will be randomly drawn for each round of the ECOSTT and all side events, and will not be transferable. A change of seat is not allowed.
    
    
15. The English language will be used throughout the ECOSTT and side events.
    
    
16. A player may not use a cellular phone, text–messaging device, a laptop, or other communication device at the table.
    
    
17. Deck changes will be on the dealer push or level changes or as prescribed by the house. Players may not ask for deck changes. Decks will be changed if there is a damaged card.
    
    
18. When time has elapsed in a round and a new level is announced by a member of the tournament staff, the new level applies to the next hand. A hand begins with the first riffle. Blinds will be raised at regularly scheduled intervals.
    
    
19. A player may not miss a hand.
    
    
20. Players must keep their higher denomination chips visible at all times.
    
    
21. Verbal declarations as to the content of a player's hand are not binding; however, any player deliberately miscalling his or her hand may be penalised.
    
    
22. No rabbit hunting is allowed.
    
    
23. A player who intentionally dodges (a) blind(s) when moving from a broken table will incur a penalty.
    
    
24. All chips must be visible at all times. Players may not hold or transport tournament chips in any manner that takes them out of view. A player who does so will forfeit the chips and will face disqualification. The forfeited chips will be taken out of play.
    
    
25. Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibilities of the position. They can get the big blind, the small blind, or the button. The only place they cannot get a hand is between the small blind and the button.
    
    
26. When balancing tables, players will be moved from the big blind to the worst position (which is never the small blind). The table from which a player is moved will be as specified by a predetermined procedure. Play will halt on any table that is three or more players short.
    
    
27. There is no cap on the number of raises in no–limit games. A raise must be at least the size of the previous raise.
    
    
28. If a dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to a refund of bets. However, if a player had raised and the raise had not yet been called, the raise will be returned to the player.
    
    
29. Dealers cannot kill a winning hand that was tabled and was obviously the winning hand. Players are encouraged to assist in reading tabled hands if it appears that an error is about to be made.
    
    
30. Verbal declarations in turn are binding. Action out of turn may be binding and will be binding if the action to that player has not changed. A check, call, or fold is not considered action changing.
    
    
31. A player who exposes his cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand.
    
    
32. In no–limit or pot–limit a raise must be made by (1) placing the full amount in the pot in one motion; or (2) verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot; or (3) verbally declaring 'raise' prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion.
    
    
33. Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties, which may include forfeiture of chips and/or disqualification. Chip dumping will result in disqualification.
    
    
34. Players are entitled to be informed of the pot size at any time.
    
    
35. When heads–up, the small blind is on the button and acts first. When beginning heads–up play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure that no player takes the big blind twice in a row.
    
    
36. Repeated etiquette violations will result in penalties. Examples include unnecessarily touching other players cards or chips, delay of the game , and excessive chatter. Players are required to act in turn.
    
    
37. At the end of the last round of betting, the player who made the last aggressive action in that betting round must show first. If there was no bet the player to the left of the button shows first and so on clockwise.
    
    
38. Players must remain at the table if they still have action pending on a hand.
    
    
39. String raises will not be allowed. Dealers will be responsible for calling string raises.
    
    
40. A player must show both cards when playing the board in order to get part of the pot.
    
    
41. Points will be allocated to each player at the end of each Round of STT's. The leader board will be displayed after each round once every player's points have been allocated.
    
    
42. The 18 players with the most points after Round 4 of the ECOSTT Gibraltar 2010 will automatically qualify for the Final Day. In the event of a draw, the player with the highest placed finishes overall will go through. Should this also be a draw, the second and third finishes will be taken into account.
    
    
43. The Tournament Director's decision is final regarding any queries over point scoring for the ECOSTT.
    
    
44. Private agreements by remaining players regarding distribution of the prize pool are not condoned. However, each tournament event must be played until completion.
    
    
45. Microgaming Poker Network reserves the right to cancel any event, or alter it in a manner which is fair to the players.
    
    

Main Source: Poker Tournament Directors Association

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