House Rules
Last Updated: 01-29-2016
Please review our house rules Below
Ontario Poker Room
HOUSE RULES
The House Rules for the Ontario Poker Room are a combination of poker rules outlined by the Poker Tournament Directors Association and Robert’s Rules of Poker. All rules are relevant to both tournaments and cash games except where otherwise noted. The Ontario Poker Room House Rules do have some rule variations from the two mentioned rule books that are deemed better for our player-dealt games. Failure to follow any poker rules can result in warnings, penalties, disqualifications and/or dismissals.
GENERAL
1 - Player Responsibilities
Players are expected to protect their hands, make their intentions clear, follow the action, act in turn, defend their right to act, keep cards visible, keep chips correctly stacked, remain at the table with a live hand, speak up if the see a mistake being made, follow “one player to a hand”, show one, show all, and practice good sportsmanship. Failure to do so may result in penalties or suspensions.
2 - Floor decisions
Fairness and the best interest of the game is the top priority in floor decisions. On occasion, a floor ruling may be made in this spirit as opposed to a strict interpretation of the rules. The experience level of the player may be a factor when giving a warning versus a penalty. Floor decisions are final. When problems occur, the floor must be called immediately. The right to dispute a hand ends when the next hand begins.
3 - Dealing/Dealers
In accordance with the Oregon Social Gaming Ordinance, all games are dealt by players. All able bodied players should take a turn at dealing. Dealer turns are one hour and/or 3 levels in a tournament. When taking their turn, players must complete the full shift. Players 70 years old and older are exempt from dealing. New players who are visiting the Ontario Poker Room for their first time will be exempt from dealing.
Dealer change -
Tournaments: Players who draw the deal will deal for 1 hour and/or 3 levels of play. At the end of that time, players will rotate clockwise to bring in a new dealer.
Cash games: Players will deal 1 hour and then high card for a new dealer.
If a player would like to volunteer for another hour, (either cash games or tournaments) they should ask the table if they want them to continue to deal. If 2 or more players wants a dealer change, then the dealer change will proceed according to the above procedure. If only 1 player is requesting a dealer change, that player will move into the dealer position.
ACTION
4 - Betting
Betting must be equal to the amount of the big blind. Players are strongly encouraged to verbally declare their intentions when acting on their hand. This minimizes confusion and helps the game run smoothly. Verbal declarations of action are binding. It is the responsibility of the players to make their intentions clear. Action terms in poker - check, bet, raise, and fold - are simple, unmistakable and time honored. When players use non standard betting terms (eg. “same bet”) or ambiguous terms (eg. “I bet five” when it could be 500 or 5000) do so at their own peril. If confusion occurs, the bet will be the minimum allowed.
5 - Calling and Raising
A call must be the size of the current big blind (or straddle in cash games). A raise must be at least the size of the current bet or raise in the round. If a player puts out chips without a verbal raise declaration that would equal 50% of a minimum raise or less, it stands as a call. If they put out more than 50% of the amount needed to raise, the raise will be the minimum amount. In pot limit and no limit games, a player going all in for less than the minimum amount needed for a full raise will not reopen the betting for players who have already acted.
6 - Non verbal actions: Nonverbal bets and raises must be done in a single motion of putting chips into the pot (no string bets). Moving chips to the middle signifies a call or raise. If the amount of chips pushed forward is not enough for a call, players must add enough to make a standard call. If the amount pushed forward is more than a call but not enough for a standard raise (2x the amount bet), then the action will follow the guidelines outlined in rule 5 above. The Ontario Poker Room does not use a “betting line”.
7 - Incorrect Calls
The amount of that can be bet or raised in no limit poker is a wide range. Players must follow the action at all times as this is in their own best interest and the interest of the game. On occasion, a player may make an under call not realizing a previous player had made a raise. In a social poker game such as ours (without professional dealers to announce the action), these players will be allowed to pull their chips back and reconsider their action. When the same player makes this same mistake repeatedly, they may be required to leave the chips in the pot and only consider calling the raise. The decision of when this will occur will be made by the floor person.
8 - Single Chip Rule / Multiple Chip Calls
If a player moves forward a single chip without saying raise, than it stands as a call. To raise with a single chip, the raise must be announced before the chip is put in. If a player pushes out multiple chips without stating raise and every chip is needed to make the call, it stands as a call.
Example: Blinds are 200-400. Player A raises to 1200 (a raise of 800). Player B puts out two 1000 chips without saying anything. This is a call because the removal of one chip would leave less than the amount needed to call.
9 - Raises
Raises must be the same size or greater than the previous bet or raise on the current betting round. Incorrect raise amounts: if the amount is greater than 50% of a correct raise, the player must complete a minimum raise; if less, than it is a call. An all in raise that is less than the full raise amount does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted and is not facing a full raise when the action gets back to them.
10 - Chip Stacks
Players should keep their chips stack in reasonable order and with the larger denomination chips plainly visible.
11 - Showdown
The cards speak at showdown to determine the winner. Cards must be properly tabled to “speak” (see rule 13). Deliberately miscalling a hand may result in a penalty. All cards in a player's hand must be turned up to win a showdown. Any player, in the hand or not, should speak up if they feel a mistake is being made in reading properly tabled hands or awarding the pot.
12 - All Ins
Tournaments: If there is no further betting action (all in) all cards should be turned face up without delay before the remainder of the board cards are dealt.
Cash games: players may elect to show their cards or not. However, to win a showdown the hand must be properly tabled unless other players have mucked their cards.
13 - Tabling Hands
Players must properly table their cards to win a showdown - face up, on the table, and all cards. The dealer cannot kill a hand that was properly tabled. Players should protect their hands when tabling it and waiting for it to be read and/or the pot to be awarded.
14 - Mucked Hands
Hands moved forward, released, and are face down are mucked hands and no longer live.
15 - Showdown order
If there is action on the final betting round, the player with the last aggressive action must show their hand first. If there is no action on the final betting round, the player who would be first to act must table their hand first.
16 - Playing the board
When playing the board, a player must table all their cards to be awarded their portion of the pot.
17 - Button in Heads Up:
In heads-up play, the small blind is on the button and acts first pre-flop and last on all other betting rounds. The last card is dealt to the button. When beginning heads-up play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player has the big blind twice in a row.
ERRORS
18 - Misdeals
Misdeals include but are not limited to:
- 2 or more boxed cards (cards face up) on the initial deal. A single boxed card is simply shown to all players and then added to the muck.
- first card is dealt to the wrong seat
- cards are dealt to a seat not entitled to a hand or cards are not dealt to a seat that is entitled to a hand
- any 2 down cards are exposed by the dealer.
Players may be dealt 2 consecutive cards on the button.
If a misdeal is declared, all chips are returned to players, the button does not move, and the hand is played again.
19 - Substantial action
If substantial action has occurred, the hand cannot be a misdeal and will continue.
Substantial action has occurred if, within a reasonable time:
- any two players have acted which includes at least one player putting chips into the pot.
- and three players have acted with or without players putting chips into the pot.
20 - Board Card Errors
Players should call for the floor when board card errors occur to help rule consistently on these situations. Board card errors will be corrected in the most logical fashion possible. If a logical solution is not readily apparent, the cards in question will be returned to the stub, reshuffled, and a new board dealt.
Examples:
1) Flop is dealt without burning a card. If it is readily apparent as to which card should have been the burn card, that card will be turned over in the burn position and the remainder of the board dealt. If it is not readily apparent as to which card was the burn card, all cards are returned, reshuffled, and a new board is correctly dealt.
2) Four cards are dealt on the flop. If it is readily apparent as to which card was the fourth card, that card will used in its proper place as the burn card for the turn. If it is not apparent, all four cards are returned to the stub, reshuffled, and redealt. The flop burn card will remain in that position as it is a card correctly dealt.
3) The turn card is prematurely dealt before the flop action is completed. In this situation, the last burn card is burned and the card that would have been the river card is now used as the turn card. The prematurely exposed turn card is now reshuffled into the deck and a new river card is dealt (without burning again as 3 cards are already burned).
PLAYERS
21 - Ethical Play
Poker is an individual game. All players should compete against all other players at all times. Soft play will result in warnings, penalties, and potentially disqualification in tournaments and dismissal in cash games. Collusion between players will result in disqualifications and/or dismissal. If a player is disqualified during a tournament, their remaining chips are removed from play.
Deal Making in Cash Games
With an all in, players are allowed to run the remaining board more than once.
Players are not allowed to bet other players out of a hand and then pull back chips from the pot, check it down, or chop the pot.
22 - One Player to a Hand
When a player has a live hand and/or chips behind, they not allowed to discuss their hand or show their hand to anyone else.
23 - Discussion of live hands
Tournament: Players should not disclose the contents of their hand or speculate on the contents of their opponent's hand at any time during a live hand. If players do not have a live hand, the should not speculate on the contents of other hands while the hand is in play.
Cash games: Players may discuss or speculate the contents of their hand or their opponent’s hand in heads up situations only. If more than 2 players have live hands, the contents of the hands should not be discussed. If players do not have a live hand, the should not speculate on the contents of other hands while the hand is in play.
24 - Exposing cards
Tournament: Players should never expose their cards with action pending and/or chips behind.
Cash games: Players may purposely expose their cards in heads up situations only.
A player who does so accidentally in tournaments or cash games does not have a dead hand but repeated offenses will result in a penalty.
25 - Eligible for a Hand / Action
Players who are in a hand should remain at the table until their hand is dead. When players leave the table during a hand, their hand is dead. Players who leave the table with a live hand are, in essence, acting out of turn and players who do so repeatedly are subject to penalty.
Tournaments: If a player is not in their seat when the last card is dealt, that player’s hand is dead.
Cash games: Players who are not in their seat should not be dealt cards.
26 - Player Awareness and Protecting Hands
Players should protect their hands at all times. If the dealer accidentally kills a hand that is not protected, than the player has no recourse. Players should also be aware of their hands at all times and alert the dealer when a problem has occurred. For example, when significant action has occurred and a player realizes their hand has the too many cards, their hand is dead.
27 - Asking to see a hand
Players who do not have possession of their cards at showdown or have mucked their cards at showdown lose their rights to ask to see any hand. If there was a river bet, any player who called has a right to see the last aggressor’s hand upon request. If there is no river bet, a player who has tabled his hand may request to see their opponent's hand.
28 - Calling the Clock:
Players are responsible to act in a timely manner. Large pots warrant using a longer time for decisions. Once a reasonable amount of time has passed, players may call the clock in order to limit the amount of time a player has to make their decision. At that point, the player will be given 60 seconds with the final 10 seconds being counted down.
29 - Rabbit Hunting
Rabbit hunting, or dealing out the board even though the hand is ended, is prohibited in tournaments. It is strongly discouraged in cash games.
30 - Cell Phones/Electronic devices
When holding a live hand, players may not be using their devices (listening to music on headphones is OK). When not in a hand, using your device is allowed. However, when talking on a cell phone, players should be away from the table. Repeated failure to do so may result in penalties. When playing audio on their device, players should use headphones (not speakers).
TOURNAMENTS
31 - Registration for tournaments
Players must register in person for a tournament. Players can have another person register them in a tournament if it is during the registration period. Once a player has registered, their chip stack will be put in play and blinded off until the person arrives. Players arriving during the registration period will be given a full chip stack.
The registration period for all tournaments unless otherwise specified will last through the first hour or first 3 levels (whichever is longer) and the break. If a tournament is full, an alternate list will be generated. Players need to arrive during the registration period to be placed on the alternates list. Alternates will be seated through the end of the first level after the registration period as seats become available. If no seat is available by the end of that level, the tournament is closed.
32 - Seating for Tournaments
Players are seated randomly by the tournament software for the beginning of the tournament with three exceptions. One - players who volunteer to deal will be put in the dealer seats. Two - Married couples will be seated at different tables to start the tournament. However, should table breaks and/or seat moves put them at the same table, they will proceed in those seats. Three - After the tournament has started: new players will be seated at the lowest number table that will achieve balanced tables. If all tables are balanced, the next player will be seated at table 1.
33 - Breaking Tables for Tournaments
Players from a broken table will be assigned new seats at random. They can get any seat and be dealt in at any seat including the blinds and button. They will not be dealt in if their new seat is between the small blind and button.
34 - Changing Levels
When a new level begins, it is effective on the next new hand. A new hand begins after the pot from the previous hand has been pushed to the winner.
35 - Color ups:
When coloring up chips, players chip amounts will be rounded up to the lowest denomination chip still in play.
36 - Re-buys:
Players must declare if they want a rebuy immediately if losing their chips. If they need to step away from the table for a moment, their new chip stack will be put on the table for the next hand.
37 - Add ons:
Players must have chips in order to do the add on. Therefore, if a player loses all their chips on the last hand, they must re-buy before they can do the add on.
CASH GAMES
38 - Buy ins
Cash games will have a buy in range - for example $30-$300 in 1/2 No Limit Hold’em. Players below the maximum buy in amount may fill their stack up to the maximum (+/- a small amount for simplification of cash/chip transactions). Short buys are not allowed. If a player moves tables in the same game and same stakes, they must take their full stack with them to the new table. Players who change games and/or stakes (eg moving from 1/2 NLHE to 2/5 NLHE) may buy in for a new amount at the new game. Players are not allowed to remove any chips in their stack from the game until they cash out completely (with the exception of small amounts for purchasing drinks and snacks). Players who leave a game and later wish to return on the same day must buy-in for the same amount they cashed out previously.
39 - Breaks
Players who have been in the game for more than 1 hour and who wish to take a break may leave for up to 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, if a player is waiting for a seat, they will be picked up and their name added to the bottom of the waiting list. Players who have been in a game for less than 1 hour and leave the table will be picked up after 10 minutes.
Third man walking
Players can get up from their seats. However, if two players have already left their seats for an extended time, a third player may leave his or her seat only temporarily. The third player is called the Third Man Walking and needs to return before 10 minutes. If they do not and other players are waiting, the third person walking will be picked up.
40 - Straddles
Both under the gun and button straddles are allowed in cash games. The straddle will be equal to twice the big blind and is the new minimum betting amount for the first betting round. Straddles are live - the player who posted the straddle will have last action and can raise. Multiple straddles are allowed and are live. Straddles must be posted before the last card is dealt and before players have looked at their hand. Button straddles take precedence over under the gun straddles.
41 - Cash Game Offerings
Players are allowed to ask for an interest list for any traditional poker game. Players are not allowed to change the game played or the stakes in a current game. For example, starting a hold’em game and then changing the game to 7 card stud. Such changes can occur by starting an interest list.
42 - Missed Blinds
When players miss blinds in cash games they must post the blinds or wait until the big blind reaches them in order to be dealt back in. Do not post blinds for players who are not at the table -- let them wait until they can receive cards to post their blinds.
43 - Cash Game Interest Lists
Players will be added to the interest list for cash games on a first come, first serve, in person basis. Players phoning in cannot be put on list. Once a player has come in and been put on the list, players may leave on the poker room while waiting for the game to start or a seat to come open. They will be sent a text message when the seat is open and, if others are waiting, they will have 10 minutes to take their seat. If they do not take their seat in time, the seat will be given to the next person and they will be moved to the bottom of the list.
44 - Balancing Cash Tables
When more than one table is running in a given game, every effort will be made to keep all games running with a priority give to the first table started or the “main game”. Players at the secondary table will be given the option to move to the main game in the order that they were seated at their table. If no player elects to move, a must move situation will be enforced based on the order that players arrived.
The House Rules for the Ontario Poker Room are subject to change at any time. Every effort will be made to notify all players if a rule change occurs. Players are encouraged to be on the Ontario Poker Room email list as this will be the best way to notify players of any changes.