Common Rules

Broken Tables

As players are eliminated tables are broken in a preset order with players from the broken tables assigned to empty seats at other tables. They can be seated in big blind. The only place they cannot get in a hand is between the small blind and the button. Any table that loses 50% of players will be required to redraw for deal. The number of players at each table is a maximum of eight and a minimum of five.

Participation

Games-R-Us considers the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in our decision making process during all tournaments. By participating in any event; you agree to abide by the rules of Games-R-Us.

Assigned Seating / Signing In

Players signing in at any location will be completed by the Tournament Director. Each player will be assigned a table number.

To ensure the best interest of the game and fairness, as well as avoiding any type of collusion Games-R-Us assigns seating at each one of our locations. Family members, couples, etc. are not permitted to seat at the same table. In the case of any family member, couple, etc. that makes it to the final table each party will be required to sit directly opposite of one another.

No Outside Advertising

Outside advertising is absolutely not permitted at any Games-R-Us location during any active or unactive tournaments.

The following will be considered as Outside Advertising:

Advertising for other competitor leagues (free roll, etc)

Illegal cash games or home games

Any type of merchandise for any other competior league (hats, t-shirts, tank tops, card protectors, and etc).

Any player found disregarding this policy will receive one verbal warning, second offense chips will be pulled from play & the player will be asked to leave the tournament.

Any player receiving multiply warnings regarding Games-R-Us "No Outside Advertising" policy will automatically be permanently banned from all Games-R-Us events.

Players Out Same Time

If two or more players go out at the same time, the player starting with the larger amount of chips finishes in the higher tournament place. If two or more players go out with the same amount of chips the player with the best hand finishes in the higher tournament place.

Misdeals

A misdeal may be declared if the following have occurred. (1) The first or second card off the shoot has been dealt face up or exposed through dealer error or if (2) two or more cards have been exposed by the dealer (3) two or more extra cards have been dealt in the starting hands (4) an incorrect number of cards has been dealt to a player except the top card may be dealt if it goes to the player in proper sequence, any card has been dealt out of proper sequence except an exposed card may be replaced by the burn card, the button was out of position, the first card was dealt to the wrong position, cards have been dealt to any empty seat or a player not entitled to a hand, a player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. Once action begins, a misdeal can not be called. Action is considered to occur when two players after the blinds have acted on their hands.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Although this point of etiquette is commonly ignored it is generally improper to ask the winning player what his hand was in an uncalled hand. In poker you are supposed to pay to see the other players' cards. If it is another player asking you what you had in that situation, you are under no obligation to tell.

Giving Lessons

Appointing yourself a poker instructor and giving lessons at the table is not something you want to do. Most people will consider it to be a form of bragging about how good a player you are or criticism of how poorly they play. Assuming you actually know what you are talking about a few people may actually listen to what you say and learn something. If you're a good player why give away your secrets?

Collusion

Player collusion is a form of cheating and must never be allowed. Collusion occurs when two or more players openly act together to influence the play of a hand. Obvious examples would be when one player says to another something like "I think if you and I keep betting and raising we can get he/she to fold" or "If we all check, he/she won't be able to keep raising us". Of course there are some much less obvious or more subtle methods of collusion. Whenever a player says something that is intended to influence others to play a hand in some type of coordinated fashion you and the other players should speak up and stop it. In a tournament, when one player is all-in and two or more other players are also in the hand, it is customary for the others to check rather than bet. They each know that playing that way will increase the chances of eliminating the all-in player. As long this happens without any prompting or comment it is perfectly alright. However, it would never be permissible for a player to "remind" the others about this tactic.

Food / Alcohol

No player is permitted to bring in any outside food or alcohol at any Games-R-Us location.

Language "English" Only

English is the only language permitted at the table during any active hand.

Age Requirement

All players must be a minimum of 18 years of age to participate at any Games-R-Us location. Many venues require 21 & up. Tournament Directors own the right to request for valid identification. If valid identification can not be provided

Half Bet Rule / Side Bet / String Bet

If a player puts in a raise of 50% or more of the previous bet, the player will be required to make a full raise. The raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed. Each side pot is required to be split, as a separate pot. The main pot and side pots will not be mixed together before they are awarded. No string betting is permitted. Players will be required to announce a raise and put the amount of raise out in one motion or state your raise amount. If a player states the amount, you may make more than one motion.

Registration / Membership

Any player that has never played with Games-R-Us will be required to register prior to the start of each event. New members will be required to provide the Tournament Director their first and last name, phone number & email address. Any player refusing to register with the league will not be permitted to participate.

Tournament Directors

Any Tournament Director with Games-R-Us reserves the right to make decisions for the best interest of the game, as for the players. Tournament Director rulings are final.

Late Players

Players arriving after the official start time at any location may enter into the tournament. Once blinds hit 200/400 after the first break, no player may enter into the tournament once blinds 200/400. Any player arriving after start time will be docked accordingly based on the time of arrival 5x the big blind in fairness to the game.

Showdown / Heads Up

Players must show both hole cards to win any part of a pot. Cards speak for themselves. It is the player’s responsibility for holding on to their hands until the winner is declared. Verbal declarations pertaining to the strength or weakness of a player's hand are not binding. Deliberately miscalling your hand with the intent of causing another player to discard a winning hand will result in forfeiture of the pot. Players may not ask advice or show their hand to any player or spectator. In heads up play the small blind is on the button.

Determining Dealer

Before the first cards are dealt, each player will draw a random card from the deck mixed in a pile face down on the table. This card will determine where the dealer button starts by assigning the person who has drawn the highest card the dealer. Ties during this process will be decided by suit in descending order spade, heart, diamond and club. The dealer button will then be rotated after each hand in a clockwise rotation.

Top-Sixteen

Once we are down to the final Top-Sixteen, players will be required to redraw for deal. It is the responsibility of each player when knocked out of the tournament to see the Tournament Director for their Top-Sixteen points. The final two tables are required to play hand for hand. Slow playing is not permitted. When earning points at each location the player’s points are only for where they play at unless otherwise notified. No player may ever transfer points or chips to another player.

Actions

You should always be paying attention to the action at the table and act only when it is your turn. Do not announce your action before it is your turn. Prematurely disclosing your intention may give you or another player an unfair advantage. There are only four actions you can take during a poker hand: check, bet, raise, and fold. When it is time to take your action just verbally announce what you are doing. Keep in mind that your verbal declaration is binding. As already mentioned, you want to announce verbally each of your actions, that way there is no ambiguity of what you are doing. There are, however, some situations in which a non-verbal action signals your intention: Tapping the table in front of you with your hand/fingers will be taken to mean you "check". If you move chips into the pot without announcing a raise it will be taken to mean you are just calling. Throwing your cards away means you have folded. It is still preferable to make a verbal declaration along with these actions.

New Players

New players entering into the table are dealt in immediately, unless they sit down in the small blind or button position. In these two cases the player must wait until the button passes to be active in the hand.

Calling Time

If a player is not present when it becomes your turn to act, your hand will bemucked. Any player who takes excessive time to call a hand my have time called on them. If time is called on a player that player has one minute to decide if they want to play the hand or fold. If the player has not acted by the end of the minute the player has ten seconds to make a decision. If the player has not acted by the time the count down is over, the player's hand will be dead.

Show One Show All / All In / Burn Cards / Card Protection

After a hand no player is permitted to show cards to one player only, Show one Show all. Players who are all in are required to turn cards face up once a player is all in and all action is complete. Burn cards need to be separate from folded cards. It is the player responsibility to protect their cards at all times.

Verbal Warning / Rail / Chips Pulled

Players who do not follow the rules will receive one verbal warning, second incident will be on the rail for 20-minutes (blinded out & may not be permitted to sit at the table), third time chips will be pulled from play and will be asked to leave the event.

Other Unethical Behavior

Occasionally a player will miscall his hand and state he has a better hand than he actually does. It's a mistake that anyone could make once in a while. But deliberately miscalling a hand in order to try to get the other players to fold should never be done. Always make a player who claims to have the best hand show it. Never muck your hand until you see you are beaten.

Non-Smoking At The Poker Table

Games-R-Us will no longer permit any player to smoke any type of tobacco, including E-Cigs (Electronic Cigarette) at the poker table. Players must be six feet away from all tables before smoking or vaping any device at non-smoking and smoking away from the table venues.

Splashing / Mucking / Rabbitting

Players are not permitted to splash the pot. Any bet, call, or raise should be placed in front of the players cards until the round of betting has ended and then pushed into the center of the table. Players are not allowed to go back into the burn pile once cards have been folded or mucked. No rabbit hunting is permitted at the table.

Dealer Button / Dealer Shuffling

Players must post all blinds every round. Dealers are required to shuffle a minimum of 3x, no more than 5x and must cut the deck themselves. Only the dealer is permitted to handle the chips in the pot, while the hand is in progress.

Handling Cards

When you are dealing the cards you must do in a manner that protects the identity of the cards. Hold the deck in your hand close to the table surface and slightly tilted away from you so no one can see the bottom card. Deal the cards close to the table surface as well, so that on once can see a card, as it is dealt. Never play with the deck in the midst of a hand or do anything that others might think is intended as trying to peek at the upcoming cards. As the dealer it is your obligation to pay attention and deal the cards properly. Do not bend, fold, cut, or mark the cards in anyway. Don't take out your anger of losing by ripping up or throwing the cards.

Chips / Odd Chips / Visible Chips / Insufficient Chips / Color Up

All players start out with the same amount of chips. Chips must remain visible to all players at all times. A player may make change with a neighbor. If a neighbor is unable to make change, the player must state his intention (check, bet, or raise) and put down the chip or chips he has. If the player only wishes to call but has only a higher unit chip than necessary to call, he will place that chip or chips in the pot and receive change after the hand. After the hand is complete the dealer will distribute the correct amount of chips to each player. The odd chip will go to the high hand. When there are two or more high hands or two or more low hands, the odd chip will go to the left of the button. If a player lacks sufficient chips for a blind or a forced bet the player is entitled to get action on whatever amount of chips remain. When coloring up though out the event only the Tournament Director are permitted to color up the tables. Players are not permitted to color up any other players chips, nor remove chip trays from a table.

Players Knocked Out

In the event of any player that is knocked out of the tournament may not directly sit at any active live table. No player is permitted giving advice, providing feedback and etc to any players that are at any active table during the tournament.

Raising

Any player may raise during any active hand. The first initial player must announce their raise. The next player to act may raise the initial first raiser, which must be double the raise. Any other active player in the hand may make the third & final raise at which point must be double the second raise. Only three raises will be permitted during a active hand.

Profanity or Obscene Language

Excessive use of profanity or obscene language, causing a disturbance by arguing, shouting or making excessive noise is not allowed and those caught engaging in these acts will be subject to penalties or removal from the event.

Currency On The Table

Players are not permitted to have any type of cash on any Games-R-Us table, under no circumstance at any time. This includes money coins of any type being used as a card protector holder.

Walked Tabs

Games-R-Us will no tolerate any player walking their tab at any location. Any player found intentionally walking their tab will automatically banned from all Games-R-Us locations.

Disrespectful

The sole purpose of all Games-R-Us events is to provide our players with a pleasant, fun, friendly & professional tournament at each of our locations. Players are expected to adhere to Games-R-Us policies at all times. We will not tolerate any player being disrespectful to our Tournament Directors, other players (on or off the table) or to our locations staff members.

Disclaimer: Games-R-Us will make every attempt to maintain a fun, friendly & pleasant environment for our players. We will not be held accountable for the conduct of any player who does not adhere to all of Games-R-Us policies. We may deny any player from participating at any Games-R-Us event that violates our policies. All events hosted by Games-R-Us are free participation, no purchase necessary. Games-R-Us adheres to all TABC and state laws.