2015 League Rules

WHEN START:
March 6th, 2015 and every Fridays. The starting time will be at 8:30 p.m. and takes about 4 hours to finish.

HOW MANY WEEKS:
We will have 2 sessions in one season. The 1st session will be 24-week game schedule, starting on March 6th and ending on August 21st, 2015. The Finals will be on August 21st. 2nd Season will start after the League Finals following week depending on cancellation of the league. If a particular player decides to play in all 24 games, we will eliminate the lowest 3 games. There will be no SUBSITUTION TO REPLACE YOU FOR ONE GAME!!

OVERALL TOURNEY (FINAL NIGHT):
All players who have played at least once in our League are eligible to play in the Final Tournament. For Who showed up between 15 to 21 games each player’s points will be multiplied by 50 (rounded up to the nearest 25) and receive that amount in chips. For who showed up between 8 to 14 games each player’s points will be multiplied by 30( rounded up to the nearest 25) for less than 7 games each player’s points will be multiplied by 10 (rounded up to the nearest 25) If there are 54 players in our league then we will have 7 tables and the top 7 point leaders will be seated at Seat #1 in each table. If a person doesn’t show up that night, he/she will be placed in Seat #3 and the chips will go in the pot during Small Blinds and Big Blinds until the half-hour mark and then the chips will go in at the highest amount of Big Blinds that time in every hand until the chips run out.

PLAYING YOUR HOLE CARDS
You are required to show both of your cards in a showdown and if you only showed one card, the other card automatically goes into the muck. If you have both cards together and one of the cards is face up and the other one is face down, the “facing down” card is automatically into the muck. If you had both cards together (face up), and then lay it down, sliding the top card sideways, that is acceptable.

COMMUNICATION DEVICES
Using cell phones, pagers, or any other communicable devices during the league is PROHIBITED. If you need to make a call or answer message, you can do so but you have to leave your table first and then making call. After the completion of the call, you may return to the table and play the next available hand.

POINTS SYSTEM:

Depending on the number of players playing that night… For example, if 20 players show up on one Friday, the 1st place will earn 20 points, 2nd place gets 19 points, all the way to the 20th person getting 1 point.

We also give out bonus points to the final table (8 players), 1st place will get 8 extra points, all the way down to the 8th place finisher getting one point.

We will still have the “Bust-Out” chips but the points will be different than last year. You will get 1 point for busting a player out and 2 points for busting out this season’s weekly champions. For the first week, all chips are worth one point and in the 2nd week, if that 1st week champion plays in that night, his/her chip is worth 2 points.

In order to win the Royal Flush pot, you have to have a showdown between yourself and 1 or more player(s). If everyone else folded and you are the only one left, you CANNOT win this points. The points will be carried from week to week, and continue throughout the season.

If you plan on coming to that night and will be late, please give us a call at PAD VP 412-246-8040 or e-mail me at JSJPoker71@gmail.com That way we will put your chips at a particular table and the blinds will be put in accordingly. If you are not there within 1 HOUR, The Chips will be taken away. If u show up before 1 hour without informing me you will play and u owe the blinds into the pot. Depending how long it takes u to get there.

MEMBERSHIP:
I encourage all of you to be a member of the Pittsburgh Association of the Deaf Club. If you are not a member of PAD and you win prize, some of the prize will be allocated to cover the PAD membership fee.



BLINDS:
The blinds will increase every 20 minutes and we will follow the list below:

1st 20 minutes - 25-50
2nd 20 minutes - 50-100
3rd 20 minutes - 100-200
10 Minutes Break
5th 20 minutes - 200-400 Antes 25
6th 20 minutes - 300-600 Antes 50
7th 20 minutes - 400-800 Antes 75
10 Minutes Break Remove White Chips
7th 20 minutes - 500-1000 Antes 100
8th 20 minutes - 1000-2000 Antes 200
9th 20 minutes - 2000-4000 Antes 500
10 Minutes Break Remove Blue & Red Chips
10th 20 minutes - 4000-8000 Antes 1000
11th 20 minutes - 5000-10000 Antes 2000
12th 20 minutes - 10000-20000 Antes 5000
Download Excel file to view Poker Blinds


Preface

Thank you for interest in the Pittsburgh Deaf Poker League (PDPL). The rules outlined in this document are to ensure the integrity of the tournament. By participating in any tournament, you agree to abide by the rules and behave in a courteous manner. A violator may be verbally warned, suspended from play for a specified length of time, or disqualified from the tournament. Chips from a disqualified participant will be removed from play and the entry fee will not be refunded.

About The Pittsburgh Deaf Poker League

The Pittsburgh Deaf Poker League started in September 2005, By Jeff Janaszek, Val Wojton, Chris Noschese, Tom Brown. Design webmaster David Fulmer. Started that to get those people to enjoy playing poker and have good times.

The Tournament Directors

The Tournament Director(s) are responsible for the handling of the poker clock, seating, distributing chips, collecting the buy-in and coloring-up chips. Some of these tasks may be delegated to any dealer/player. In the case of disputes and rule interpretations, the Tournament Director(s) will have final authority. If the dispute directly involves the Tournament Director(s), a third-party will be appointed to resolve the dispute.

Conduct Code

The house will attempt to maintain a pleasant environment for all players, but is not responsible for the conduct of any player. We have established a code of conduct and may deny play to anyone who violates it. Any player which has been disqualified will not have the entry fee refunded. The following is not permitted: 1. Collusion with any other player or any type or form of cheating. 2. Verbally or physically threatening anyone. 3. Intoxicated players will be asked to leave. 4. Creating a disturbance by arguing, shouting, or making excessive noise. 5. Throwing, tearing, bending, or crumpling playing cards. 6. Destroying or defacing property. 7. Stealing or taking any chips which are not yours. 8. Violation of House Rules (varies from home to home) - See the House Rules section of this document.

Poker Etiquette

The following actions are improper and grounds for warning, suspending, or barring a violator: 1. Making statements or taking action that could unfairly influence the course of play, whether or not the offender is involved in the pot. 2. Showing cards to non-players or eliminated players. 3. Deliberately acting out of turn. 4. Splashing chips into the pot. 5. Agreeing to check a hand out when a third player is all-in. 6. Reading a hand for another player at showdown before it has been placed face-up on the table. 7. Revealing the contents of a live hand in a multi-handed pot before the betting is complete or revealing the contents of a folded hand before the hand is complete. 8. Needlessly stalling the action of a game. 9. Deliberately discarding hands away from the muck. Cards should be released in a low line of flight, at a moderate rate of speed (not at the dealer's hands or chip-rack). 10. Stacking chips in a manner that interferes with dealing or viewing cards. 11. Any player or dealer who see an incorrect amount of chips put into the pot, or an error about to be made in awarding a pot, has an ethical obligation to point out the error. Please help us keep mistakes of this nature to a minimum. 12. Using a Hand Held Pager or Cell Phone at the table. If you need to use your phone please step away from the table.

Coloring Up Chips

During tournament breaks the Tournament Director(s) will remove lower domination chips out of the tournament in exchange for higher domination chips. Chips that cannot be changed-up will remain in play.

PDPL Tournament Rules

The Pittsburgh Deaf Poker League tournament rules below are to be used in conjunction with Robert's Rules of Poker. When there is a discrepancy between these rules and Robert's Rules of Poker, these rules shall take precedence. Some of these rules may be covered in other sections of this document.

Player Deals:
Players are allowed to make deals as long as no players are left out.

Card Visibility:
Players have to keep their cards in view at all times.

Discussing Hands:
Players are not allowed to discuss hand while the hand is in play.

Deck Changes:
Players are allowed to ask for deck changes.

String Bet:
String bets are not allowed. When raising, a player must either put the amount of the raise out in one motion or state the raise amount. If the raise is unannounced then the raise must be made in one motion. If the raise is announced but no amount is announced, "I raise", then the amount of the raise must be in one motion. If both the raise and the amount are announced, "I raise 600", then the player can make several motions to put chips into the pot since there is no question about the details.

Splashing:
Splashing the pot is not allowed. Please stack your chips after you have made you have verbally stated your raise and push them into the center of the table.

Cheating:
Anyone caught cheating will be kicked out of the game.

Unprotected Hands:
It is a player's responsibility to protect his/her hand.

Calling Time:
Once a reasonable amount of time has passed and a clock is called for, a player will be given 30 seconds to make a decision. If action has not been taken by the time a minute has passed, a ten second countdown will be started. If a player has not acted on his/her hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be dead.

Sitting Out:
A player may sit out, provided his/her blinds are posted.

Verbal Declarations:
If a player verbally announces a move then he/she will be required to play according to his/her verbal declaration - even if he/she has not moved his chips.

Showing Hands - When All-In:
All cards will be turned face up once a player is all-in and all action is complete.

Showing Hands - Who Shows First At The Showdown:
If everyone checks, then everyone must show their hand - in the order according to the button. If there is betting on the final round, then the player who puts in the final bet has to show first and the callers show next - in line with the button.

Showing Hands - Showing Your Cards to Others:
You are not allowed to show your cards to another person - even if they are not involved in the current hand. If you show your cards to one player then you need to show them to all players, whether it is during a hand or after.

Showing Hands - Just Showing One:
You must show both cards in order to win the pot unless the pot is uncontested.

Killing Hands of Absent Players:
A player must be at the table at the end of the showdown in order to have the hand considered live. If the dealer does not kill the hand, it will still be considered dead. If the absent player is in the blind, the blind will be posted and the hand is considered dead.

Rabbit Hunting:
When a player wins a pot without a showdown, some players want to know if they would have won had they stayed in the hand longer. To "rabbit hunt" means to ask the dealer to expose what cards would have come if the player decided to play his hand. Generally, these players want to see if they would have hit their straight, flush, etc. Rabbit hunting is prohibited.

Dead Button:
If the big blind busts out and is not replaced by a player from another table, the button moves to the player who posted the small blind and the player to the left of the former big blind assumes the big blind. There is no small blind for that hand. On the following deal, the button moves to the now empty seat (the seat vacated by the eliminated big blind player) and the two players to the left post the normal blinds. This will result in the same player being the dealer two hands in a row.

Minimum Raise:
The minimum amount of a raise must be the amount of the previous raise, not the amount of the previous bet. If the blinds are 100 and 200 and the opener raises to 600, the minimum re-raise is now 400.

Side Pots:
A player can only win from each player as many chips as he/she bets. This is called a main pot. A side pot is created with any subsequent bets

All-In on a Blind:
The blinds are 500 and 1,000. The player who is going to post the big blind has 400 in chips. Another player raises to 1,000 and the small blind calls. There is a main pot of 1,200 (400+400+400) and a side pot of 1,200 (600+600).

Seating:
Each table will seat a maximum of 8 players and will be distributed evenly between all the tables. A player may be chosen, at random, to move from one table to another, so that the tables can be balanced. Seating at the final table is determined randomly.

Arriving Late:
Any player that has confirmed to get into a tournament will have to right to have his/her stack on the table and be blinded down and has the right to join the tournament before an hour has expired. After one hour from the set start time said player's remaining chips will be removed from the table.

Drawing for the Button:
Players will be dealt one card each and the highest card gets the button - first Ace wins.

Tournament Ties:
If two or more players go all-in and get knocked out then the player with the most chips will place higher than the player with the lesser chips. If both have an equal number of chips then they will finish in a tie.

One Player to a Hand:
Only one person may play a hand.

Less Than A Full Raise:
Less than a full raise (when all-in) does not reopen the betting to a player who already has acted.

Misdeal While Dealing:
When a card is accidentally turned up during the deal the hand will be declared a misdeal. The player whose card was turned up does not have the right to keep that card. Under no circumstances will the burn card replace a player's hole card.

Robert's Rules:
For rules concerning misdeals, irregularities, dead hands, and other formats/games, please see Robert's Rules of Poker, Version 7.