Winter Poker League 2013
RULES

First off, welcome Sharks and Donkeys!


This league is organzied and ran (poorly) by Tim B.
Tim believes the league rules are subject to change based on his frame of mind and exceedingly poor play.
Let's keep it simple and let him continue to believe he is in charge.
Jack G. is glad to field any questions.
  1) Hold em Rules
  2) Software
  3) Costs
  4) Dates
  5) Attendance
  6) Subs
  7) Chips
  8) Blinds
  9) Prizes
10) High Hand & Bounties
11) League Website & Email
12) Dealer Button
13) Two Decks
14) Bystanders
15) Raises
16) Winning a Hand
17) Show and Tell
18) Checking It Down
19) Busting Out
20) Cell Phones
21) Disputes
22) Pizza

1) Hold em Rules
This year we'll be using Roberts’s Rules of Poker for all tournament rules.
As it is not practical (nor should it be necessary) to list all of the rules for Texas Hold Em, any rules not specifically spelled out are implied.
Email the group with additions, questions or challenges to these rules.

2) Software
The Tournament Director 2 software is being used to administer and track our league play.
:::PROPOSED CHANGE 2013:::Tournament Director 3?:::

3) Cost
Initial league cost is $110.00 to be paid before February 16th.
$100 will be applied to the league prize pool.
The other $10 will be applied towards supplies (plates, cups, napkins, etc.)
Any remaining funds will be split between Tim for the software, Paul for the use of his home, and Jack for administering the web site.

Game night cost is $60.00 each league night.
$20 will be applied to each game, all of which will be paid out at the end of that game.
$5 will be applied to the High Hand pot.
$2.50 per game will be applied to the Bounty pot.
$10 will be applied to your game cost for the final night.

Players must be "current" with their fees to play.

Our goal in collecting an extra $10 each night towards the last night is to make sure everyone attends the final night. your cost will only be $10 for the final evening, as you will have $40 in credit from the previous 4 nights. We feel that this will be an incentive to play, despite your league standings.

First night costs will be $170. $110 league plus $60 for the night.

4) Dates
Game dates are: Feb 16, Mar 2, March 16, March 30, and April 13.
Two tournament games will be played on each of these dates.

5) Attendance
Please try to make it here on time. This year we will start play promptly at 5pm.
If you are going to be late please call so we know you are coming, you will be blinded in.
Games are structured for 3 1/2 hours of gameplay.
Late players will settle up at first break, so as to not inconvenience Paul while he is playing.

6) Substitutes
If you can’t make it a sub can play in your spot.
Your sub will be responsible for that night’s tournament money, and the points they earn will go towards your total.
It is up to you to get a sub to play for you.
If you need help finding a sub, don’t wait to the last minute to let the league know. No sub, no points for the night.
League players may not act as substitutes for other players.

7) Chips
We are starting each game with 5000 in chips.

Denominations are:

Higher-denomination chips must be placed where they are easily visible to all other players at the table.

8) Blinds

Round Time Small Blind Big Blind Ante
1 20 minutes 25 50
2 20 minutes 50 100
3 20 minutes 100 200
BREAK 8 minutes Settle all money for the night.
4 15 minutes 200 400
5 15 minutes 300 600 25
6 15 minutes 400 800 50
7 15 minutes 500 1,000 100
BREAK 8 minutes *CHIP UP
8 12 minutes 1,000 2,000 200
9 12 minutes 2,000 4,000 400
10 10 minutes 3,000 6,000 600
11 10 minutes 5,000 10,000 1,000
12 10 minutes 10,000 20,000 2,000

*At the second break, white chips will be exchanged for reds.
Odd amounts of whites (1-3) will be chipped up to a red.
All whites off of the table at this time.

9) Prizes (*subject to change based on participation and decisions made on Feb 16)
Games and tournament both pay out the first four or five positions.
Tournament position will be determined by the total points awarded from each game.

Positions not filled by subs will affect the prizes for the night.
High hand and Bounties will be reduced by the proportion of players absent.
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EXAMPLES: 20 players. $5 per night for High Hand & $2.50 per game for Bounties.

If only 18 players are present (including subs), the High Hand only pays $90 for the night (18 times $5),
and Bounties are $45 per game (18 times $2.50).
In the case of an odd number of players, the first game bounty will be lowered by $2.50 and the second game bounty increased.
e.g. 19 players 19 times $2.50 equals $47.50 per game. First game bounty pays $45.00. Second game bounty pays $50.00

Game and league payouts are based on the following percentages:
20 or more players pays 5 places, otherwise we are only paying 4 places.

20 or more players: First 45%, Second 25%, Third 15%, Fourth 10%, Fifth 5%.
19 or less players: First 50%, Second 25%, Third 15%, Fourth 10%.

This year we have a calculator to show everyone the payouts.

PAYOUT CALCULATOR

In the event of a tie in points (league standings), the tournament tie-breaker will be number of hits.
Hits are worth 1/100 of a point.
Number of players is yet To Be Determined.
Payouts are based on the number of players.
Shortages that occur due to absent players will be deducted from lowest payouts.
 i.e. 5th place payouts would be affected first until depleted, then 4th place, etc...

Points are awarded based on placement in each game.
First place awards 30 points, and decreases by 1 point per position away from first place.

      e.g. 11th place receives 20 points.
If we have 23 players, last place/first out/23rd place would be awared 8 points. Absent players without substitutes are not awarded any points.
Substitutes are allowed.
Players receive full points scored by their substitutes.

10) High Hand and Bounties
High Hand is for the night.
You must have 4 of a kind or better and the hand must be called down to the river to qualify.
The highest hand between both games will win the prize money.
Keep track of your kicker for high hands!
If no one qualifies for the night, the money will carry over to the next night's play.
In the case that the final night doesn't meet the minimum requirement, highest hand wins the prize money.
We'll start tracking lesser high hands in Week 4.

Bounty money will be paid out nightly to whoever takes out the previous games winner.
If the bounty is on your head, you may collect the bounty by winning that game.
Week 1 the bounty will be on last year's tournament winner, Paul.

11) League Website & Email
League emails can be sent to Poker1@Gershon.cc
Any emails sent to this address will be sent to all members of the group if they have provided their email address to the league. Feel free to email any comments, suggestions, or trash talking.
If you know you will need a sub, this is a great way to get the word out.

You can check your stats for the league at Winter Poker League 2013
The site will be updated after the final game of the night.

My website is NOT optimized for mobile devices, and some devices have trouble with the site. My apologies.

12) Dealer Button
The dealer button remains in position until the appropriate blinds are taken.
Players must post all blinds every round.
Because of this, last action may be given to the same player for two consecutive hands by the use of a "dead button."

13) Two Decks
In an effort to see as many hands as possible, we would like to try playing with two decks this season.
The person to the right of the dealer will shuffle the deck not in use.
When a hand is over, the player to the right of the new dealer will cut the shuffled deck.
The table can agree to use one deck if they so choose.

14) Bystanders
The dictionary definintion of "bystander" is as follows:
 A person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part

The league defintion is:
 A person who, already being out of the hand, needs to keep the hell out of the hand.

As a bystander, your input in not required or appreciated.
It is not fair to the players who are still in the game, even if you are just fooling around.

15) Raises
String bets are not allowed.
Speak the fact that you wish to raise or take enough chips out past your cards in one motion to call the bet and make the raise in one movement.

The 1 chip rule: If you put a single chip in the pot that is larger than the bet, but do not announce a raise, you are assumed to have only called.

16) Winning a Hand
To win any part of a pot that is called, a player must show all of his cards face up on the table.
Both cards must be showed whether or not they were used to make the final hand played.

Cards speak for themselves.
The dealer assists in reading hands, but players are responsible for holding onto their cards until the winner is declared.
Verbal declarations as to the contents of a hand are not binding.
Deliberately miscalling a hand with the intent of causing another player to discard a winning hand is unethical and may result in forfeiture of the pot.

Show one, show all.
Players are entitled to receive equal access to information about the contents of another player's hand.
After a deal, if cards are shown to another player, every player at the table has a right to see those cards.
During a deal, cards that were shown to an active player who might have a further wagering decision on that betting round must immediately be shown to all the other players.

17) Show and Tell
Do not divulge the contents of a hand during a deal even to someone not in the pot!
This elimnates any possibility of the information being transmitted to an active player.
Making statements or taking action could unfairly influence the course of play, whether or not the offender is involved in the pot.
Do NOT reveal the contents of a folded hand before the hand is complete.

18) Checking It Down
Agreeing to check a hand down when a third player is all-in is unfair to the player who’s all in.
Please don’t do it.

19) Busting Out
When you are eliminated from play, you must leave the table.
Advise Jack, Tim, or Paul, so we can mark you out of the computer.
This year we are going to ask that you write your name on the busted sheet on the wall.
The sheet is a safeguard to ensure we haven't missed someone in the software.

20) Cell Phones
Cell phone use is not permitted at the table.
Please leave the table if you feel the need to text or make calls.

21) Disputes
Any disputes will be referred to Tim B. or Jack G. for interpretation.

22) Pizza
For anyone who is hungry, pizza money will be collected during the first break.

To contact the group, email Poker1@Gershon.cc

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