BSE™ Tournament Rules
Event Directors (ED) –The best interest of the game
and fairness are the top priority for the EDs. The ED must follow the official
rules, but circumstances may require that exceptions be made in the interest
of fairness. An ED’s decision is final.
Table Etiquette – We strive for a safe and fun environment
at our tournaments. In order to make this a pleasurable experience
for all Members we ask that everyone adhere to the following: Table
talk (talk involving the hand or players in the hand) should be limited only
to those in the hand. Do not ask advice on how to act on your hand. Do
not give advice on how to act on a live hand. If you are not in the
hand, do not comment on the hand until the hand is complete. Do not
act out of turn. Do not engage in activities that distract or slow
down the game. Do not disrespect the other Members present at your
table. If there is a conflict at the table, inform the ED immediately
for assistance. Cheating is neither allowed nor tolerated. Notify
the ED of any inappropriate behavior immediately so that suitable action
can be taken.
Seating – EDs will assign seats to all members signed
in prior to the start of a tournament. Members joining the tournament
after it starts will be assigned an available seat by the ED and will be
dealt in immediately, except in the following situations. If a member sits
down in the Small Blind or the dealer position they must wait until the deal
passes. As Members get out, each table can play down to five players. Four
players or less cannot play hands. The ED can combine tables at their
discretion. Only Members playing in the tournament may sit at the tables
during an event.
Drawing for Dealer – Members will draw for the dealer
position at the commencement of the tournament, at the start of the final
2 tables and at the start of the final table. The member drawing the highest
card will start the deal. Card ranks are as follows in order of highest to
lowest: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2. The
suits rank in descending order of, spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs.
Missing Player – Once seated, players walking away
from the table must be dealt in and post blinds if in a blind position. If
the member is not back by their turn at action, the hand must be mucked (folded).
Chips from any Member wishing to withdraw mid–tournament must be removed
from play.
Dealer Responsibilities – The dealer must shuffle
cards and cut the deck before dealing out the hands. Any player in the hand
may call for a reshuffle before the cards have been dealt, if concerned
about the preparation of the cards. Once dealt, the remaining cards can only
be handled by the dealer. To assure that burn cards conceal the live
cards before they are placed on the board, the dealer must not “set
the board” by placing all the cards out at once. This means that the
dealer may not discard burn cards or put out any board cards until all action
necessary has taken place. The dealer must ensure that the burn cards
and muck pile are kept separate until the hand is completed. Only the
dealer may handle the chip pot, muck cards, and burn cards. The dealer
must take care to safeguard the interests of all players in the hand. Dealer
responsibilities will rotate clockwise.
Playing Chips – League members arriving prior to tournament
start time receive 4,000 in chips and play until one player wins all the
chips. Members arriving late will be deducted chips at five
(5) times the big blind at the time. Members are allowed in up until the
end of the break. Those arriving during break will be deducted chips according
to blinds after break. All chips must be kept visible and on the table at
all times. A Member in a hand may be requested a chip count at any
time from any of the other players in the hand.
Changing Chips – If a Member does not have the correct
change when taking action, they should try to make change from their neighbor
first. In case change is not available, the Member should state their
action (Check, Call, Raise) first, then put out their chip(s). Only
the dealer is allowed to touch the chips in the pot and can provide change
from the pot after all action is complete.
Coloring Up – All remaining odd chips at color up
will be rounded up to the next chip denomination when coloring up. Look
to EDs for help in this matter.
Blinds – The "blind" is a fixed amount
of chips put into the pot by certain positions, prior to the hand being dealt,
to force action. In Texas Hold–em, two positions are forced to post
blinds: the player to the left of the dealer (Small Blind) and the player
to the left of the Small Blind (Big Blind). Blinds increase throughout
the tournament so our events finish in a timely fashion. When a blind
raise is announced, it takes effect on the next new deal. A new deal starts
when the next dealer receives the cards. Straddle blinds are not allowed.
Dead Positions – To ensure forced
action, a big blind must be posted on every hand. Therefore, if a player
in the big blind gets out, in the next hand the Small Blind position is “dead” and
only the big blind is posted. If a player in the Small Blind gets out,
in the next hand there is a “dead” dealer position and the previous
dealer must deal again. The blinds are posted as usual.
Hole Cards – Players should protect their hole cards
at all times. Cards must always remain visible during play. A Member
will lose all of their chips in the pot if their unprotected hand is inadvertently
killed (mucked).
Mucked Cards – A hand must be declared dead (mucked)
when: a Member folds, a Member declares they are folding, a Member throws
their hold cards forward causing the player after them to take action, a
Members cards touch the muck pile or touch another Members hand (in which case
both hands would be declared dead), or if a Member exposes one or both of their
cards to players in the hand, with action still pending after them. Once
a player’s hole cards are considered dead and mucked, all the player’s
chips in action on that hand are lost. The current dealer is the only
player allowed to touch the muck pile and no other players are allowed to see
any cards in the muck pile.
Misdealt / Exposed Cards – If two or more cards are
exposed while dealing hole cards, it is considered a misdeal. The cards must
be reshuffled and re–dealt. If only one card is exposed the dealer should
continue to deal all the hole cards, then replace the exposed card with a new
card and the exposed card becomes the first burn card. If the flop, turn,
or river cards are exposed too early, the card(s) and the respective burn card
must be reshuffled along with the rest of the deck, the deck re–cut,
and the necessary cards re-dealt. If a burn card gets exposed, it remains the
burn card and must be shown to all Members at the table. If a Member
at the table intentionally exposes their hand to one player, they must show
their hand to all the players at the table - Show one, show all.
One Player to a Hand – All game decisions
about the play of each hand must be made by one player without assistance.
This means, for example, that a player may not ask for advice from any other
player or non-player during the play of the hand, nor should anyone offer such
advice.
Betting – No splashing the pot, No string bets. Members
are to place their bets in front of them, and push the chips to the center
after all action has been completed. Members must state their action
(Call / Check / Raise) before putting out their chips and then place all chips
required to satisfy their intentions in one motion. If intentions are
not stated, then any single chip put out will be considered a call and any
change necessary will be provided by the dealer when all action is complete.
If multiple chips are put out, this will be considered a raise for the total
amount put out.
Pre–Flop Action – Minimum pre–flop CALL
must be equal to the big blind. Any pre–flop RAISE must at least
double the big blind. A Re–RAISE must be equal to or greater than
the previous raise (not bet).
Post Flop Action – Minimum first bet must be equal to
or greater than the big blind and the first raise must at least double the
first bet, unless player is all in. A Re–RAISE must be equal to
or greater than the previous raise (not bet).
All–In – If a Member’s All–In bet
does not complete a RAISE, the remaining players may CALL the All–In. Once
a player’s All–In is called and no other betting action remains,
all those in play must turn their cards face up. If however, there are additional
raises, then they must at least complete the RAISE. At showdown both cards
from the winning hand must be shown to win the pot.
Heads Up – When the last two Members remain, the player
to post the Big Blind will do so, and the Small Blind will deal. The Small
Blind acts first before the flop and second after the flop.
Side / Split Pots – Since a player cannot win more than
they have in the pot, when a Member lacks enough chips to cover bets, they
are only entitled to the amount of chips they have in the pot. Thus,
Side Pots will occur for Members with remaining chips. In order to accurately
calculate side pots, all Members in the hand should put out there bets in front
of them and let the dealer divide the chips. The dealer should start
by taking the smallest bet on the table and matching it from all player(s)
in the hand, and repeat the step with the next smallest remaining bet(s), until
all bets have been satisfied. In case of an uneven split pot, the extra chip
goes to the winning player seated closest to the left of the dealer.
Called Hands – Any player in the hand may request to
see any hand that has been called. Besides in an All-In situation, the
player being called should be the first one to show both their cards. All
others in the hand have the option of mucking their hands. However, only
shown winning hands have the right of claiming any part of a pot with more
than one player in the hand.
Photo Finishes – When two (or more) Members get out
on the same hand, the player with the most chips in the hand will get the higher
finishing position. If Members have equal amounts of chips, they tie for the
higher position.
Poker Hands – Ranked highest to lowest: