World Tavern Poker - TournamentRules

	The list of rules below are enforceable by the Tournament Director and/or The World Tavern Poker. Breaking of the rules can result in a 10 minute penalty (stepping away from the table for 10 minutes), elimination from the Tavern and possibly elimination from the League! REMEMBER! Rules are different from casino to casino and tournament to tournament. Please do not think that because you played at Caesars in Las Vegas means that those rules apply to every game. Please be respectful of these rules and the Tournament Directors.
General Rules
	No Gambling
	This rule is taken very seriously. Any Tavern or Player caught wagering cash, property, or anything of value will immediately be terminated from the league. NO EXCEPTIONS!
	Discrepancies
	In the case of a discrepancy, the Tournament Director's ruling Is FINAL! Mis-Deal - Any card flipped over during the initial deal is an automatic mis-deal. If cards are dealt out of order, attempt to fix them. Anyone who has not yet looked at their cards can call a mis-deal if they do not feel the cards were dealt correctly.
	Cheating
	First, anyone caught cheating in a Free Tournament is a loser and cheating will not be tolerated. If you suspect someone of cheating, let the Tournament Director know. Their ruling on the situation is final.
	Age Requirements For Regular Tournaments
	WTP strongly recommends that no one under the Age of 18 be allowed to compete in World Tavern Poker weekly Tournaments.
	Age Requirements For Regional/National Championships
	No one under the age of 21 will be permitted to play in the Regional or National Championships. The reason for this is simple, the National Championship is held at a Casino, thus you need to be 21 to play.
	Sitting At The Table
	ONLY Players, still in the tournament, may be seated at a Tournament.
	Threatening
	At no time can any player or spectator threaten another player.
During Play
	Leaving Early
	If a player has to leave the tournament early the chips are taken off the table and given to the Tournament Director. THEY CANNOT SPLIT THE CHIPS AMONGST THE PLAYERS!
	Only 5 Cards Play
	Each player has 7 cards from which to play (2 hole cards and 5 community cards). The BEST 5 Cards play! So for example, if there is JQKA on the board, and both players have a 10, it is a split pot.
	If 2 Players Go Out At The Same Time
	The player that had more chips at the beginning of the hand receives the higher finishing position. Once in a while, both these players will have the same number of chips at the beginning of the hand (this happens very rarely). In this instance, one hand will be played face up between these players to determine the higher position.
	No Splashing The Pot
	Every player must place their chips in front of them until all players have acted. Then all chips are moved to the center of the table. No Chopping The Blinds If you're not sure what this means, don't worry :).
	Turning Up Your Cards - Exposing Your Card(s)
	All hands will be turned faceup whenever a player is all-in and the betting action has been completed. If a player accidentally exposes one of their cards before all players have acted, they must turn up both (this is to prevent players purposely doing this to throw off another player). If a player is exposing his/her cards purposely, it is up to the Tournament Director if they would like to give a warning, and then eliminate the player from the tournament if it continues. AGAIN, this is up to the Tournament Director.
	Playing Heads Up
	When playing heads up, the Dealer is always the Little Blind, and first to act pre-flop, but last to act after the flop.
	Combining Tables
	When moving to a new table, attempt to sit in a similar position to the dealer. If 2 or less players move to a new table and sit in one of the Blinds, they have the option of sitting out until the deal passes them. If 3 or more move to a new table, first ace will determine the new dealer position.
	Equal Players/Table
	The Tournament Director will attempt to keep the number at each table equal. This is not always possible and you cannot stop play because of it. Also, please don't bug the Tournament Director every time you lose a player.
	Blind Schedule
	Blinds will go up either every 20 - 30 minutes depending on the number of players in the tournament. Each round, every player must pay both Little and Big Blinds. Consult the Table Rule Cards for specific situations for this.
	Mucking Your Cards
	If you throw your cards into the "muck" (folded cards pile) then your hand is folded UNLESS you are already ALL IN and your cards can be safely retrieved.
	Extra Chip In The Pot
	In the case of a split pot, there may be an extra chip left. This chip goes to the first player to the left of the dealer.
	Not Enough Chips To Cover The Blind
	In the case a player does not have enough chips to cover the blind, they are considered “All In” and cannot win any more from each player than they have in their stack. For example, if a player has only 500 points left and the blinds are 1,000/2,000, they are all in and can only win 500 points from each player left in the hand.
	Leaving The Table
	If a player leaves the table during play to use the bathroom, get a drink, etc… they are dealt in the hand. If they have not returned by the time it is their turn to act, their cards are mucked and their blinds placed in the pot.
	Note: When players are in the Big Blind and everyone checks around, they also check. They do not have to return until it is their turn to act after the flop.