Registration:  Registration will commence one hour prior to the start of each event, and end fifteen minutes prior to the start of that same event. 

Cancellation/Limited Seating:  LIPC reserves the right to cancel a competition before the start of the first hand.  LIPC also reserves the right to limit the number of entrants allowed to participate in a competition.

Seat assignments:  Seats will be randomly assigned at the time of registration.  Seating assignments will not be changed or exchanged unless approved by a Floor Manager.  Every effort will be made to accommodate those players who possess some form of disability.

Discrepancies and Disputes:  ALL discrepancies and disputes will be settled by a Floor Manager.  When making a decision, the Floor Manager will do so based on the rules of the game.  However, they will also on a rare occasion be required to make a decision which is in the best interest and fairness of the game.  This may require them to make a ruling that is not consistent with the technical interpretation of a rule.  The decision of a Floor Manager is final.  By taking a seat you are agreeing to abide by these rules and to honor any rulings made by a Floor Manager.

Disruptive/Abusive Behavior:  Disruptive and/or abusive behavior towards any player or event personnel will not be tolerated and will be subject to disqualification.

English Only:  English is the only language allowed during the competition, regardless of whether a player is in a hand or not.  A player who fails to comply once a warning has been issued will be subject to disqualification.

Spectators:  Spectators are allowed in the tournament area as a courtesy and are in no way allowed to disrupt, distract, or influence the play of a game.  At no time will a spectator be allowed to either occupy a seat at an active table or sit behind another player.  Floor Managers reserve the right to restrict access to the tournament area.

Promotional Materials:  The dissemination of promotional materials in and around our events is strictly prohibited without the expressed consent of LIPC Rentals Inc, and our host.  Any person or player found doing such, will be immediately ejected from the event.

Soft Play:  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, regardless of his/her relationship to that person.

Slow Play Policy:   Once a reasonable amount of time has passed any player may request that another player be placed on a clock.  A player who has been placed on a clock will be granted 60- seconds followed by a 10-second count down to make a decision.  If the player fails to render a decision by the time the countdown is complete, he/she will have their hand declared dead and will forfeit all rights to that pot.

Unprotected Hands:   If a dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and he/she will not be entitled to have any of his/her bets returned.  In the event a player raises and no one has acted behind them, his/her raise will be returned.

Cellular Phones:  A player who wishes to use a cellular phone or similar device must step away from the table when doing so.

All-in Showdown:  After a player has gone all-in and all the betting is completed, the remaining players will be required to show their hand (turn all of their cards face up).  A player should not expose his/her cards until directed to do so by the dealer.

One Player to a Hand Policies: 

1. A player is not allowed to make comments about the content or value of another player’s hand.

2. A player is not allowed to make comments about the content or value of their hand.  In addition, a player is not allowed to advise/recommend how another player should act on their hand.  Examples:  “I got you beat, get out” or “I got a straight, get out”.

3. A player is not allowed to either ask for and/or receive assistance on the play of their hand.

4. Any player may assist in the reading of a hand, once the action is completed and the hand has been turned face-up at the showdown.

5. Once a hand has been completed, requests to view burn cards or cards from the deck (rabbit-hunting) will not be honored.

Deck Changes:  Deck change requests from players will not be honored.  Decks will be changed periodically throughout an event.

Exposing Cards:  Any player, who deliberately exposes or discloses his/her cards prior to the completion of action, will be required to play the remainder of the hand with their cards face-up.  A player who intentionally releases their cards causing them to go off of the table may be subject to disqualification.

Tournament Chip Policies:

1. LIPC tournaments are played using non-value chips and are used solely to determine the outcome of each competition.  They have NO cash value.

2. Tournament chips must be kept in plain view at all times with larger denominational chips stacked in front of smaller denominational chips.

3. Players will not be permitted to play out of a chip rack.

4. Each player will be required to give an accurate count of his/her chips, when asked to do so by another player or event personnel.

5. When asked by event personnel, players will be required to color-up their chips.

6. At no time will a player be allowed to conceal tournament chips on their person or inside of an object.  Any player doing so will forfeit all of his/her concealed chips.  These chips will be removed from play.

7. At no time will a player be permitted to remove tournament chips or other items from a playing area.

8. Only LIPC Tournament chips are allowed on the table.  However each player will be allowed to use a maximum of one foreign chip as a card protector.

9. In the event a player is disqualified his/her chips will be removed from play.

Level Changes:  If the end of a level has been announced, the new blinds will apply to the next hand.  A hand begins with the first riffle.

Consolidating Tables:  Whenever there are enough open seats, a table will be broken.  Each player at the table to be broken will be randomly assigned to a new table/seat.

Balancing Tables:  When moving a single player from one table to another, the player from the larger table who is about to be the first player to act (left of the big blind) will be moved.  He/she will be moved to the best available seat at his/her new table.

Moving to a New Table:

1. Players are obligated to promptly move to their new table/seat.

2. Players must carry all chips in a chip tray and leave their chips in plain-view at all times during any table/seat change.

3. A new player will be dealt-in immediately, unless their seat is between the dealer button and the small blind.

4. A new player will assume any benefit or obligation associated with their new seat assignment including coming in on the small blind, big blind, or the dealer button.

5.  Players who intentionally dodge their blinds when moving to a new table will forfeit the amount of the missed blinds. The missed blinds will be placed into the next pot as dead money.

Absent Players:

1. If a player is absent from the table they will be dealt in and all antes, forced bets and blinds will be posted as required.

2. A player’s hand will be immediately declared dead if they are not in their seat when it is their turn to act.

3. In board games, the big blind’s hand will be declared dead if they are not seated when it is their turn to act, prior to the flop.

Button Rules:

1. There will be a random draw to determine which seat the dealer button will start in.  The seat that receives the highest card by suit (spade, heart, diamond, club) will determine where the dealer button will start.  One table will be selected from the competition to perform the random draw, which will determine the button placement at each table. 

2. Once there are only two players remaining in a competition the dealer button will go to the player who last paid the big blind.  The small blind will then be posted on the dealer button, and the big blind will be dealt first. 

Ties During Regular Play:  Whenever two or more players are eliminated at the same table the prizes will be awarded according to the number/value of chips that each player started the hand with.  In the rare event that both players began the hand with the same amount of chips and were simultaneously eliminated, the player who makes the better hand will be awarded the higher place but will combine and split any prizes that would have been awarded.  Players who are eliminated at separate tables will be assigned a finishing place based on the order in which they were eliminated.  In the event it is impossible to determine the order in which they were eliminated all of the players involved will split the prize money and/or points involved equally.

Odd Chip Rule:  The odd chip between two high hands will go to the player who is seated closest to the left of the button.

Color-up and Race:  Each denomination of chip will be completely removed from play when they are no longer required.  This will be accomplished first by evenly exchanging (coloring-up) the chips to be removed.  In the event players are left with an odd chip(s) after being colored-up they will then be required to participate in a “race”.  The race will determine which player(s) will receive/win an additional chip.  Beginning with the first player to the left of the dealer (one seat) they will be consecutively dealt one card face up for each of their odd chips.  The dealer will bring in all of the odd chips for a final color-up.  If the dealer has an odd number of chips remaining after the “final color-up” of a “race”, the odd number of chips will be “chipped-up” to the next highest denomination of chip in use.  Chips will then be awarded to the player(s) who received the highest cards by suit.  Each player will only be eligible to win one chip.  A player cannot be raced out of a tournament.

Verbal Declarations:

1. Verbal declarations as to the content of a players hand are not binding, however any player who deliberately miscalls their hand, will be subject to disqualification.

2. Verbal declarations and hand gestures to either bet, check, fold, or raise in turn are binding.

3. Any player who deliberately acts out of turn may be subject to disqualification.

Showing Hands:

1. Any player who is actively involved in a hand may request to see any hand that has been called, even if the opponent’s hand has been mucked.  However, this is a privilege and may be revoked at anytime by an Floor Manager if being abused.

2. If a player shows his/her cards to an active player during a deal, any player at that table has the right to see those exposed cards.  Cards shown during or after a deal to a player not in the pot should be shown to all players when the deal is finished.

3. If everyone checks (or is all-in) on the final round of betting, the player who acted first is the first to show the hand.  If there is wagering on the final round of betting, the last player to take aggressive action is the first to show their hand.  A player holding a probable winner is encouraged to show their hand without delay.

Bets and Raises in “No Limit Games”: 

1. A player is allowed at any time to bet their entire stake. 

2. The minimum bet after the flop is the amount of the big blind. 

3. A player who wishes to raise will be required to put out the amount of the raise in one motion or they may state the amount of the raise. 

4. If you state the amount, you may make more than one motion. 

5. There are no restrictions on the number of raises. 

6. A raise must be equal to or greater than the proceeding bet or raise.

7. If a player is facing a bet and he/she throws in an oversized chip it will be restricted to a call unless the player declared a raise.

8. If a player is not facing a bet and he/she throws in an oversized chip the amount of the bet will be held to the size of the chip, unless the player indicates otherwise. 

9. If a player announces raise and and throws in an oversized chip and/he she does not indicate the amount of the raise it will be declared equal to the value of the chip.

10. A player is not permitted to call a short all-in big blind, unless they are heads-up.  All players will retain their right to fold and the first active player who wishes to play the hand will be required to come in for the full amount of the big blind or come in for a full raise.

Misdeals:

1. If an existing player is not dealt-in a misdeal will be declared, provided it is discovered prior to the commencement of the first round of betting.

2. If any down card is exposed by the dealer, a misdeal will be declared.

All-in:  A player is entitled to receive action on their entire stake, regardless of the amount of chips they may have.  Therefore a player cannot be forced out of contention based solely on their inability to either ante, post a blind, or to make a full bet or raise.  A player who has put all of their chips into play is said to be “all-in”.  The excess amount of the current betting round, which was not covered by the all-in player and any monies from subsequent betting rounds, will be placed in a side pot.

Side Pots:  Whenever there are three or more active players in a hand and one or more of them has gone all-in, a side pot(s) will be formed.  The side pot(s) will contain the excess portion of the current betting round that was not covered by the all-in player and any additional monies from subsequent betting rounds.  All-in players will only be eligible to win the pot(s) that they have contributed to.  All side pots will be awarded and/or split separately.

Table Rules:  In an effort to maintain our equipment in presentable condition, LIPC enforces a no smoking, eating, or drinking policy while players are seated at our tables.  LIPC will permit the use of resealable beverage containers for those players who choose to utilize them.

Re-Buys/Add-Ons: Events that will allow re-buys and/or add-ons will have specific rules governing such at that particular event. The following rules regarding Re-Buys/Add-Ons will always apply:

1. Players may not purchase additional chips during a hand.

2. In order for newly purchased chips to play in a hand, players must announce their intention to purchase the re-buy prior to the hand being dealt.

3. At no time will a player be permitted to “sit-out” a hand after losing an all-in bet.

4. It is the sole responsibility of a player to make the dealer aware of his/her intention to purchase a re-buy.

5. Once a player has been dealt-out he/she will have been eliminated from the competition.

All LIPC Rules & Regulations will apply, except when specifically noted.

Revised 9/07