Rules
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF POKER (IFP) RULES FOR TOURNAMENT PLAY
IFP Rules Committee:
David Flusfeder (UK/US) Chairman
Devanir Campos (Brazil)
Roy Houghton (UK)
Thomas Kremser (Austria)
James McManus (US)
2nd Edition: 17 January 2012
GENERAL RULES
1. TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AND FLOOR PEOPLE: Floor people are to consider sportsmanship and fairness as the top priorities in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The Tournament Director’s decisions are final.
2. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: English will be used in international play along with the local or native language.
3. OFFICIAL TERMINOLOGY OF TOURNAMENT POKER: Official terms are such straight-forward and unambiguous declarations as: bet, raise, call, fold, check, all-in, pot (in pot-limit only). Regional terms may also meet this standard. The use of non-standard language is made at the player’s risk and may result in an outcome – and a ruling – contrary to what the player intended. It is the responsibility of players to make their intentions clear.
4. COMMUNICATION DEVICES: Players may not talk on the phone while at the poker table. Players who do so may incur a penalty and have their hand killed. House rules apply to all other forms of electronic devices. Players wishing to talk on a cell phone must be at least one table length away from their assigned table during the communication.
SEATING AND MOVING
5. RANDOM AND CORRECT TOURNAMENT SEATING: Tournament and satellite seats will be randomly assigned. A player who started the tournament in the wrong seat with the correct chip stack amount will be moved to the correct seat along with his or her current total chip stack.
6. SPECIAL NEEDS: Accommodations for players with special needs will be made when possible.
7. AT YOUR SEAT: A player must be sitting at his or her seat by the time all players have been dealt complete initial hands to have a live hand. Players must be sitting at their seats to call time.
a. Players must remain at the table if they still have action pending on a live hand. If a player leaves the table before he or she has acted on the hand, a penalty may be enforced when the player returns to the table.
8. ABSENT PLAYER: An absent player will be dealt in and maintain his/her obligation for blinds, antes and forced bets. An absent all-in hand will be automatically mucked and the player will be eliminated. The player will be entitled to any prize monies that finishing position may award.
9. DEAD STACKS: At close of registration, any unsold seat’s starting stack will be removed and the chips taken out of play.
10. BREAKING TABLES: Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibilities of the new position. They can get the big blind, the small blind, or the button. The only place they cannot get a hand is when occupying an empty seat between the small blind and the button. If the moved player is placed in that position, he or she will have to wait to play until the button has passed him/her.
11. BALANCING TABLES:
a. In flop and mixed games when balancing tables, the player who will be big blind next will be moved to the worst position, including taking a single big blind when available, even if that means the seat will have the big blind twice. Worst position is never the small blind. In stud-only events, players will be moved by position (the last seat to open up at the short table is the seat to be filled). The table from which a player is moved will be as specified by a predetermined procedure. Play will halt on any table that is 3 or more players short.
b. In mixed games (example: HORSE), when the game shifts from hold’em to stud, after the last hold’em hand the button is moved exactly to the position it would be if the next hand was hold’em and then frozen there during the stud round. The player moved during stud is the player who would be the big blind if the game was hold’em for that hand. When hold'em resumes the button for the first hand will be at the position where it was frozen.
12. DODGING BLINDS: Players who intentionally dodge any blind when moving from a broken table will incur a penalty.
13. TRANSPORTING CHIPS: Players may not hold or transport tournament chips in a manner that takes them out of view. Players who do so will forfeit the hidden chips and may be liable for disqualification. The forfeited chips will be taken out of play.
14. MULTI-DAY TOURNAMENTS: In a tournament that continues over multiple days, the clock will be stopped within the last 15 minutes before the end of the final level of the day and the last three to seven hands will be announced instead. The time will be decided by the Tournament Director and the number of hands decided randomly by an active player in the tournament.
15. FINAL TABLE: When the final table is reached, players must have a random redraw for seats.
THE TABLE
16. RANDOM DRAW FOR THE BUTTON: The starting position of the dealer button starting position will be randomly drawn.
17. DEAD BUTTON: Tournament play will use a “dead button” - If the player who was to have the button is eliminated, the button will go to the vacant seat and the blinds posted as if there had been no elimination.
18. BUTTON IN HEADS-UP: In heads-up play, the small blind is on the button and acts first pre-flop and last on all subsequent 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 takes the big blind twice in a row.
19. SINGLE BIG BLIND: If the player who was to post the small blind is eliminated, there will be a single big blind (no player can post the same blind twice).
20. CARDS VISIBLE: Players must keep their cards in view at all times, on the table. Cards should not be completely covered by players’ hands or concealed by a card protector.
21. CHIPS VISIBILITY: Players’ chips must be visible at all times. Higher denomination chips must be clearly displayed at the front or top of the player’s chip stack. Players are entitled to a reasonable estimation of an opponent's chip count; thus chips should be kept in countable stacks. The IFP recommends clean stacks in multiples of 20 as a standard. Tournament directors will control the number and denomination of chips in play and may color up at their discretion. Discretionary color-ups are to be announced.
22. FOREIGN OBJECTS: There are to be no foreign objects on the table except for a maximum of one card protector per player. Electronic devices are not permitted to be placed on the table.
ACTION
23. NEW HAND AND NEW LIMITS: When time has elapsed in a round and a new level is announced by a member of the tournament staff, the new level applies to the next hand. A hand begins with the first riffle. If an automatic shuffler is being used, the hand begins when the green button is pressed.
24. DISPUTED POTS: The right to dispute a hand ends when a new hand begins.
25. ACTION IN TURN: Verbal declarations of action or physical declarations of action made with an intentional movement of chips are binding. Players must act in turn at all times.
26. ACTION OUT OF TURN: Action out of turn, whether the declaration is verbal or physical, will be binding if the action to that player has not changed. A check, call or fold is not considered action-changing. If a player acts out of turn and the action changes, the person who acted out of turn may change his or her action by calling, raising or folding and may have his/her chips returned. Players may not intentionally act out of turn to influence play before them. Violators will receive a penalty. An out-of-turn fold is binding.
27. ACCIDENTALLY KILLED/FOULED HAND: Players must protect their own hands at all times. If a dealer kills a hand by mistake, or a hand is fouled, the player will have no redress and is not entitled to a refund of bets. If the player initiated a bet or raise and has not been called, the uncalled bet or raise will be returned to the player.
28. NON-STANDARD FOLDS: Folding in turn when facing a check or folding out of turn are both binding folds and may be subject to penalty.
29. SUBSTANTIAL ACTION: Substantial Action is defined as either: A) any two actions in turn, at least one of which must involve putting chips in the pot (i.e. any 2 actions except 2 checks or 2 folds); or B) any combination of three actions in turn (check, bet, raise, call, or fold).
30. ACCEPTED ACTION: Poker is a game of alert, continuous observation. It is the caller’s responsibility to determine the correct amount of an opponent’s bet before calling, regardless of what is stated by the dealer or players. If a caller requests a count but receives incorrect information from the dealer or players, then places that amount in the pot, the caller is assumed to accept the full correct action and is subject to the correct wager or all-in amount. As with all tournament situations, Rule 1 may apply at the TD’s discretion.
BETTING AND RAISING
31. MAKING A BET: A bet can be announced verbally or made physically, with a movement of chips. In the event of a player making a verbal and a physical declaration, whichever occurs first will be binding. Any chips that are moved in a significant forward motion, whether or not they touch the table, will be deemed a bet.
32. RAISING A BET: In no-limit or pot-limit, a raise must be made by:
a. Placing the full amount in the pot in one motion; or
b. Verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot; or
c. Verbally declaring “raise” prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion. It is the player's responsibility to make his intentions clear.
33. NUMBER OF ALLOWABLE RAISES: There is no cap on the number of raises in no-limit and pot-limit play. In limit events there will be a limit to one bet and three raises, even when heads-up, until the tournament is down to 2 players.
34. USE OF A SINGLE OVERSIZED CHIP: Anytime when facing a bet or blind, placing a single oversized chip in the pot is a call if a raise isn’t first verbally declared. To raise with an oversized chip, the raise must be declared before the chip hits the table surface. If raise is declared (but no amount), the raise is the maximum allowable for that chip. When not facing a bet, placing an oversized chip in the pot without declaration is a bet of the maximum for the chip.
35. USING MULTIPLE CHIPS OF THE SAME VALUE: When facing a bet, unless a raise is first declared, multiple same-denomination chips is a call if removing one chip leaves less than the call amount. Example of a call: preflop, blinds are 200-400: A raises to 1200 total (an 800 raise), B puts out two 1000 chips without declaring raise. This is just a call because removing one 1000 chip leaves less than the amount needed to call the 1200 bet. Placing mixed denomination chips in the pot is governed by the RAISE REQUIREMENTS rule, #37.
36. STRING BETTING: Chips placed in the pot in multiple movements, without a prior verbal declaration, will be considered a string bet, and only the chips committed in the first movement will be allowable and will follow the raising and betting minimum value rules. Dealers will be responsible for calling and rejecting string bets and raises.
37. RAISE REQUIREMENTS: A raise must be at least the size of the largest previous bet or raise of the current betting round. If a player puts in an amount of chips that is 150% or more of the previous bet, then he or she will be required to make a full minimum raise.
a. An all-in bet of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted in that same betting round. Players left to act may still reraise the original bet.
38. NON-STANDARD AND UNCLEAR BETTING: Players use unofficial vocabulary and gestures at their own risk. These may be interpreted to mean other than what the player intended. Also, whenever the size of a declared bet can have multiple meanings, it will be ruled as having the smallest legitimate value. (Example: “I bet five”. If it is unclear whether “five” means $500 or $5,000, the bet stands as $500.)
39. POT SIZE AND POT-LIMIT BETS: Players are entitled to be informed of the pot size in pot-limit games only. Dealers will not count the pot in limit and no-limit games. Declaring “I bet the pot” is not a valid bet in no-limit but it does bind the player to making a bet. Players may ask the dealer to spread the pot for them to enable them to see it more clearly.
40. RAISE VALUE: Players are not entitled to be informed the raise size (difference between last bet and current raise) by the dealer, in other words, how much more is the call. Dealers will not put the bets into the pot, leaving only the raise amounts in front of the players, until the betting round has ended.
41. ALL-IN BETTING: Players betting all-in must clearly declare their action and/or move an obvious amount of their entire chip stack forward. An all-in bet commits a player’s entire chip stack to the hand. Discovered or hidden chips will be committed to the pot.
POTS AND SHOWDOWNS
42. SHOWDOWN ORDER: In a non-all-in showdown, at the end of the final round of betting, the player who made the last aggressive action in that betting round must show first. If there was no bet in the last round, the player to the left of the button shows first and so on in a clockwise direction. In stud, the player with the high board must show first. In razz, the lowest board shows first.
43. FACE-UP FOR ALL-INS: When one or more players is all-in and all betting action by all the players in the hand are complete, the dealer will instruct the players to turn their cards face-up.
44. UNCONTESTED SHOWDOWN: At showdown, when all opponents have mucked their hands, the last live hand wins the pot.
45. PLAYING THE BOARD AT SHOWDOWN: A player must show all hole cards when playing the board in order to get part of the pot.
46. KILLING A WINNING HAND: Dealers cannot kill a winning hand that was tabled and was obviously the winning hand. Players are encouraged to assist in reading tabled hands if it appears that an error is about to be made or has been made.
47. ASKING TO SEE A HAND AT SHOWDOWN: Except where house policy requires a hand to be shown or provides an express right to see a hand on request, asking to see a hand is a privilege granted at the TD’s discretion to protect the integrity of the game (suspicion of invalid hand, collusion, etc). This privilege is not to be abused. A player who mucks his hand face down at showdown without fully tabling it loses any rights he may have to ask to see any hand.
48. DECLARATIONS AT SHOWDOWN: Verbal declarations as to the contents of a player’s hand at showdown are not binding. Even if the player has miscalled the hand, the value of the cards tabled speak for themselves. However, any player deliberately miscalling his or her hand may be penalised.
49. VALID HAND: The winning player must have the correct number of cards in an unfouled deck to win the pot.
50. AWARDING ODD CHIPS: In Hi/Lo games the odd chip goes to the high hand. In flop games when there are 2 or more high hands or 2 or more low hands, the odd chip(s) will go to the left of the button. In stud, the odd chip goes to the high card by suit.
51. SIDE POTS: In the event of a side pot or pots, each pot must be dealt with separately, starting with the most recent side pot and ending with the main pot. Each side pot will be split separately.
52. FOLDED HANDS: A hand is considered folded upon being touched to the “muck”: the burn cards, the board, or the discard pile while face down, either by the player or the dealer. Utilizing Rule #1, the Floor Person may retrieve a technically mucked hand and declare it live if he or she believes there is good cause to do so and the correct hand is clearly retrievable.
53. DEAD HANDS IN STUD: In stud poker, if a player picks up the upcards while facing action, the hand is dead.
GENERAL PROCEDURES
54. DECK CHANGES: Deck changes will be on the dealer push or level changes or as prescribed by the house. Players may not ask for deck changes unless they find cards that have been damaged or marked.
55. CALLING FOR A CLOCK: Once a reasonable amount of time has passed and a clock is called for by any player sitting at the table, the player to act will be given a maximum of one minute to make a decision. If action has not been taken before time expires, there will be a 10-second countdown followed by a declaration to the effect that the hand is dead. If the player has not acted before the declaration, the hand is dead.
56. CHIP RACE: When it is time to color-up chips, they will be raced off with a maximum of one chip going to any player. The chip race will always start in the No.1 seat. Chips will be changed to the next higher denomination in play and an odd number of chips will be rounded up (50% or more) or down (less than 50%). A player cannot be raced out of a tournament: a player who loses his remaining chip(s) in a chip race will be given one chip of the smallest denomination still in play. Players are encouraged to witness the chip race.
57. ELIMINATED PLAYERS: Players eliminated on the same hand at different tables will “tie” for that finishing position and prize money. Players eliminated on the same hand at the same table will have their finishing position determined by chip count at the start of the elimination hand: the player who had the lower chip count going into the hand will be considered to have been eliminated first. Eliminated players must vacate their seats immediately. No one not in the tournament may sit at or by a tournament table.
58. RABBIT HUNTING: No ‘rabbit hunting’ is allowed. After the pot is awarded, the dealer will gather the cards in preparation for the next hand. Rabbit hunting is defined as showing any further cards that would have been dealt or revealed if the hand had not ended.
59. REBUYS AND ADDONS: In re-buy tournaments, if a player is eligible to re-buy, he or she may re-buy as long as it is done before the next hand is dealt. If the player announces the intent to re-buy without immediately receiving chips, that player is playing chips behind and is obligated to make the re-buy. The re-buying player must present the funds before receiving the chips.
60. TOURNAMENT PAYOUTS: The tournament staff must have the payout structure readily available to all players.
61. HAND-FOR-HAND: As tournaments near the “money”, the tournament director may dictate hand-for-hand play as the method of determining player placement, in which each hand is begun simultaneously at all tables. (The tournament director may also dictate that each street be dealt simultaneously.) If a player is “all-in” and facing a showdown while playing hand-for-hand, the hand will be stopped, and continued when all the hands on other tables are finished.
62. DEAL-MAKING: If the tournament rules permits deal-making between remaining players at the final table, players may choose to discuss a new arrangement for the disposal of prize money. Agreement must be unanimous. If a deal is reached, players must immediately inform the tournament director. Any player who attempts to constrain, coerce or force another disagreeing player will receive a penalty and the deal will be deemed void.
DEALING/DECK IRREGULARITIES
63. FOULED DECK: The hand will be declared void if at any time during the hand, the deck is discovered to have:
a. Too few or too many cards;
b. Cards with different colored backs;
c. Two or more cards of the same suit and rank.
Any player knowing or noticing that the deck is fouled has an obligation to bring this immediately to the attention of the dealer. A player using this information for advantage will be subject to a penalty or disqualification. A player intentionally fouling the deck will be disqualified.
64. MISDEAL: If a misdeal is declared, all bets will be returned to players, and the action voided. Once substantial action has occurred (see above, Rule 28), a misdeal cannot be declared and the hand must be played out. Misdeal situations include but are not necessarily limited to:
a. The first or second card of the hand are dealt up or exposed through dealer error.
b. Two or more hole cards have been exposed by the dealer.
c. Two or more ‘boxed’ cards are found.
d. Two or more extra cards have been dealt.
e. An incorrect number of cards have been dealt to a player.
f. Any card is dealt out of its proper sequence (except an exposed card that may be used as the burn card).
g. A player’s initial card has been mixed with another player’s card.
h. The dealer button was at the wrong position.
i. The first card is dealt to the wrong seat.
j. Cards have been dealt to an empty seat or to a player not entitled to a hand.
k. A player who is entitled to a hand has been dealt out.
l. The deck is discovered to have been fouled.
65. BOARD IRREGULARITIES: please refer to Appendix 1.
ETIQUETTE, ETHICAL PLAY AND PENALTIES
66. ONE PLAYER TO A HAND: Players are obligated to protect other players in the tournament and maintain the fairness of the action at all times. Therefore, players, whether in the hand or not, may not:
a. Disclose contents of live or folded hands,
b. Advise or criticise play at any time,
c. Read a hand that hasn't been tabled.
The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced.
67. EXPOSING CARDS: A player who exposes his or her cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand.
68. CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS: Conditional statements regarding future action are non-standard and strongly discouraged; they may be binding and/or subject to penalty at the TD’s discretion. (Example: “if – then” statements such as "If you bet, then I will raise”.)
69. CHECKING “THE NUTS”: Poker is a game of aggressive action. If on the last round of betting the last player to act checks or calls the best possible hand for the board being played, that will be considered a form of soft play and a penalty may be enforced.
70. PENALTIES AND DISQUALIFICATION: A penalty may be invoked if the player violates any rules or behaves in an unethical and unsportsmanlike way. Penalties available to the tournament director include verbal warnings, “missed hand” penalties, and disqualification. Except for a one-hand penalty, missed hand penalties will be assessed as follows: The offender will miss one hand for every player, including the offender, who is at the table when the penalty is given, multiplied by the number of rounds specified in the penalty. For the period of the penalty, the offender shall remain away from the table but will continue to be dealt in. Tournament staff can assess a 1-hand penalty, 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-orbit penalties or disqualification. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties.
71. ETHICAL PLAY: Poker is an individual game. Actions, statements or conduct detrimental to the progress of fair competition, whether intended or not, are considered unethical and unsporting. The TD will prioritise the competitive integrity of the tournament and, therefore, punish any contestant who cheats or acts unethically or illegally.
Cheating is defined as deliberately breaking the rules of the tournament to gain an advantage. Cheating may include, but is not limited to, collusion, theft of chips, transfer of chips between participants in the same tournament or separate events, marking cards, substituting replacement cards or use of any other unauthorised methods or equipment.
Collusion is defined as the agreement between two or more competitors to share information and play together to achieve an advantage in the tournament. Collusion includes, but is not limited to, chip dumping (passing chips), soft play, sharing information about cards with another competitor, sending or receiving signals to/from another competitor, using electronic or other aids to exchange information.
72. BEHAVIOR AND ETIQUETTE: In order to maintain a congenial environment for all players, the TD may, at his or her sole discretion, penalise, suspend or disqualify a participant who acts in the following ways, but not limited to:
Acting out of turn intentionally and/or repeatedly.
Intentionally folding and/or placing cards in the muck out of turn, including leaving the
table before it is his/her turn to act.
Intentionally and/or repeatedly miscalling hands at the showdown.
Intentionally and/or repeatedly exposing hole cards with action pending in the table.
Intentionally and/or repeatedly slowing down the tempo of the game by taking too long to act.
Violating the "one player to a hand" rule, including discussion about a hand with a competitor or observer while the hand is in progress.
Revealing mucked cards while a hand is being played.
Any form of soft play, including verbal or clear agreement to "check all the way" when a third player is all-in.
Directing or controlling the action of another player.
Intentionally and/or repeatedly splashing chips into the pot.
Throwing cards off the table, at the dealer, or at another player in an aggressive and/or abusive manner; intentionally and/or repeatedly destroying or damaging cards or damaging; damaging any property of other players; or damaging the property of the organisers of the event.
Adopting abusive and harassing behavior, including excessive celebrations.
Wearing any clothing or other materials that carry words or images that display derogatory, offensive, racist, illegal or aggressive messages.
Using masks or objects that hide the identity of a player.
Intentionally and/or repeatedly touching the cards or chips of another competitor.
Verbally or physically attacking other competitors, members of the tournament staff or spectators.
Displaying signs of alcohol intoxication, drunkenness or use of other substances that jeopardises the smooth running of the tournament or causes disrespect to other competitors, staff or spectators.
Displaying unsocial conditions of hygiene, including excessive body odour or dirt that jeopardises other players’ right to a pleasant and safe environment.
73. DRESS CODE: In official IFP events, players may not wear hats (except for religious reasons), hoods or sunglasses or any garment or device that obscures any part of the face. Smart-casual attire is required: shorts and sleeveless tops, and open shoes, such as sandals and flip-flops, are not to be worn. Players may not use any device to insulate themselves from the sounds of the game, including but not limited to ear-plugs, personal stereos and noise-cancelling headphones.
APPENDIX 1 – BOARD IRREGULARITIES
i. Board Errors on the flop
Prematurely exposed cards
All flopped cards and burn card(s), excluding discards, will be returned to the deck. The cards will be reshuffled. After betting round is completed, the dealer will shuffle the cards, cut the deck, burn a card, and deal a new flop.
No burn card – no player has acted
The TD will try to reset the flop in the correct way, if this is not possible, all flopped cards will be returned to the deck, excluding discards. The cards will be reshuffled. The dealer will cut the deck, burn a card, and deal a new flop.
No burn card – at least one player has acted
The flopped cards must stand; and betting continues. The subsequent cards should be those that would have come as if no error had occurred. The dealer will burn two consecutive cards before dealing the turn.
Too many burn cards – no player has acted
All flopped cards will be returned to the deck. The deck, excluding discards, will be reshuffled. The dealer will cut the deck, burn a card, and deal a new flop.
Too many burn cards – at least one player has acted
The flopped cards must stand; and betting continues. The subsequent cards should be those that would have come as if no error had occurred. The dealer will deal the turn without burning a card.
Too many board cards – no player has acted
If the dealer accidentally deals four cards on the flop and the additional card is 100% identifiable, the additional card will be deemed an exposed burn card and play will continue. After the betting round is completed, the dealer will deal the turn card without burning a card.
If the flop cards are not 100% identifiable, all four flopped cards will be turned face down and shuffled among themselves. A new flop will be dealt using three of the four exposed cards, the additional card will be treated as an exposed burn card and play will continue
ii. Board Errors on the Turn
Prematuredly exposed cards
The exposed card will be put to one side and once the betting round is be completed, the dealer will shuffle the remaining deck with the exposed turn card and deal a new turn card.
No burn card – no player has acted
The turned card will be deemed an exposed card and used as the burn card. The subsequent cards will be used as if no mistake had been made.
No burn card – at least one player has acted
The turn card must stand. The dealer will burn two consecutive cards before dealing the river.
Too many burn cards – no player has acted
If the correct turn card is 100% identifiable, then that should be replaced for the exposed card. After the betting round is complete, the dealer will deal the river without burning a card.
If the turn card is not 100% identifiable, then the burn cards and exposed card will stand. After the betting round is complete, the dealer will deal the river without burning a card.
Too many burn cards – at least one player has acted
The burn cards and turn card must stand. After the betting round is complete, the dealer will deal the river without burning a card.
Too many board cards – no player has acted
If the correct turn card is 100% identifiable, then that should be used; the exposed extra card will be used as the burn card for the river. After the betting round is completed, the dealer will deal the river card without burning a card.
If the correct turn card is not 100% identifiable, the exposed turn cards will be shuffled with the deck and a new turn card will be dealt without burning another card.
Too many board cards – at least one player has acted
If the correct turn card is 100% identifiable, then that should be used; the exposed extra card will be used as the burn card for the river. After the betting round is completed; the dealer will deal the river card without burning a prior card.
If the correct turn card is not 100% identifiable, the exposed turn cards will be shuffled with the deck and a new turn card will be dealt without burning another card.
iii. Board Errors on the River
Prematurely exposed cards
The exposed river card will be taken out of play and betting completed. After the betting round is completed, the dealer will reshuffle the deck, including the exposed river card but excluding burn cards and discards. The dealer will then cut the deck and deal a new river card without burning a card.
No burn card – no player has acted
The exposed card will be used as the burn card. A new river card will be turned.
No burn card – at least one player has acted
The river card must stand
Too many burn cards – no player has acted
If the correct river card is 100% identifiable, it will be revealed and the incorrectly turned river card will be deemed an exposed card and discarded.
If the correct river card is not 100% identifiable, the burn cards and river will stand.
Too many burn cards – at least one player has acted
The burn cards and river will stand.
Too many board cards – no player has acted
If the correct river card is 100% identifiable, it will be revealed and the incorrectly turned river card will be deemed an exposed card and discarded.
If the correct river card is not 100% identifiable, the dealer will reshuffle the deck, including the exposed river cards, but excluding the burn cards and discards. The dealer then cuts the deck, burns a card and deals the river card.
Too many board cards – at least one player has acted
If the correct river card is 100% identifiable, it will be revealed and the incorrectly turned river card will be deemed an exposed card and discarded.
If the correct river card is not 100% identifiable, the dealer will reshuffle the deck, including the exposed river cards, but excluding the burn cards and discards. The dealer then cuts the deck, burns a card and deals the river card.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The IFP committee studied pre-existing rulebooks to compile this set of rules. The very well thought-through, and tested, TDA (Tournament Directors Association), WSOP (World Series Of Poker), EPT (European Poker Tour), BSOP (Brazilian Series Of Poker), APSA (Austrian Pokersport Association) and FIDPA (Fédération Internationale de Poker Association) sets of rules were drawn upon, to create what we hope is the most comprehensive and authoritative tournament rulebook available. Some original wording from those rules was used and proper credit should be given to their authors.