ROBERT’S RULES OF
POKER
VERSION 10
“Robert’s Rules Of Poker” is
authored by Robert Ciaffone, better known in the poker world as Bob Ciaffone, a
leading authority on cardroom rules. He is the person who has selected which
rules to use, and formatted, organized, and worded the text. Nearly all these
rules are substantively in common use for poker, but many improved ideas for
wording and organization are employed throughout this work. A lot of the rules
are similar to those used in the rulebook of cardrooms where he has acted as a
rules consultant and rules drafter. Ciaffone authored the rulebook for the
Poker Players Association (founded in 1984, now defunct), the first
comprehensive set of poker rules for the general public. He has done extensive
work on rules for the Las Vegas Hilton, The Mirage, and Hollywood Park Casino,
and assisted many other cardrooms. Ciaffone is a regular columnist for Card
Player magazine, and can be reached through that publication. This rulebook
will be periodically revised, so suggestions are welcome.
Poker rules are widely used and
freely copied, so it is impossible to construct a rulebook without using many
rules that exist as part of a rule set of some cardroom. If such a rule is
used, no credit is given to the source (which is unlikely to be the original
one for the rule).
The goal of this rulebook is to
produce the best set of rules in existence, and make it generally available, so
any person or cardroom can use it who so desires. The purpose is the betterment
of poker.
The general philosophy used in
this rulebook is to make the rules sufficiently detailed so a decision-maker
will know what the proper ruling is in each situation. A rule should do more
than produce the right ruling. It should be stated so the decision-maker can
refer to specific language in the rulebook, to have the ruling is accepted as
correct.
The author has strongly supported
uniform poker rules, and applauds the work done in this direction by the
Tournament Director’s Association (TDA). Nearly all the rules herein are
compatible with the TDA rules, although there are some slight differences in
wording.
This rulebook may be copied or downloaded by anyone,
provided it is not sold for profit without written permission from the author,
and the name “Robert’s Rules of Poker” is used or credited. Excerpts of less
than a full chapter may be used without restriction or credit. People are
welcome to use these rules, and even put their own business name on them, but
this does not give a person or business any rights other than to use the rules
in their own establishment, or to make copies available to someone else with
the same restrictions applied to the recipient as stated here. Anyone may make
copies of these rules and distribute them at no charge to recipients as a
business promotion without obtaining permission.
THIS IS THE OFFICIAL
RULEBOOK FOR OUR CARDROOM
Welcome to the
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
(1) PROPER BEHAVIOR
.........................1
Conduct
Code 1
Poker
Etiquette 1
Tobacco Use 2
(2) HOUSE POLICIES
...............................3
Decision-Making 3
(3) GENERAL POKER RULES
................8
The Buy-In 8
Misdeals 8
Dead Hands 9
Irregularities 9
Betting and Raising 11
The Showdown 13
Ties 14
(5) HOLDEM
............................................19
(6)
(7)
(8) SEVEN-CARD STUD ...........................23
(9) SEVEN-CARD STUD LOW (RAZZ) ..26
(11) LOWBALL
............................................28
Ace-to-five
Lowball 30
(12) DRAW HIGH
.......................................33
The Joker 34
(13) KILL POTS
..........................................35
(14) NO-LIMIT
AND POT-LIMIT ...........37
Pot-limit 40
(15) TOURNAMENTS
...............................41
(16) EXPLANATIONS
...............................45
GLOSSARY ........................................48
Management will attempt to
maintain a pleasant environment for all our customers and employees, but is not
responsible for the conduct of any player. We have established a code of
conduct, and may deny the use of our cardroom to violators. The following are
not permitted:
Collusion with another player
or any other form of cheating.
Verbally or physically threatening any patron or
employee.
Using profanity or obscene
language.
Creating a disturbance by
arguing, shouting, or making excessive noise.
Throwing, tearing, bending, or
crumpling cards.
Destroying or defacing
property.
Using an illegal substance.
Carrying a weapon.
The following actions are
improper, and grounds for warning, suspending, or barring a violator:
Deliberately acting out of
turn.
Deliberately splashing chips
into the pot.
Agreeing to check a hand out when a third
player is all-in.
Reading a hand for another player at the
showdown before it has been placed faceup on the table.
Telling anyone to turn a hand faceup at the
showdown.
Revealing the contents of a
live hand in a multihanded pot before the betting is complete.
Revealing the contents of a
folded hand before the betting is complete. Do not divulge the contents of a
hand during a deal even to someone not in the pot, so you do not leave any
possibility of the information being transmitted to an active player.
Needlessly stalling the action
of a game.
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).
Stacking chips in a manner that
interferes with dealing or viewing cards.
Making statements or taking
action that could unfairly influence the course of play, whether or not the
offender is involved in the pot.
Using a cell phone at the
table.
(These rules are for an establishment that does not completely bar smoking.)
The seat on each side of the dealer is a nonsmoking seat.
Cigar or pipe smoking is not allowed in the cardroom.
Smoking by a guest or spectator is not allowed.
1. Management
reserves the right to make decisions in the spirit of fairness, even if a
strict interpretation of the rules may indicate a different ruling.
2. Decisions
of the shift supervisor are final.
3. The
proper time to draw attention to a mistake is when it occurs or is first
noticed. Any delay may affect the ruling.
4. If
an incorrect rule interpretation or decision by an employee is made in good
faith, the establishment has no liability.
5. A
ruling may be made regarding a pot if it has been requested before the next
deal starts (or before the game either ends or changes to another table).
Otherwise, the result of a deal must stand. The first riffle of the shuffle
marks the start for a deal.
6. If a pot has been incorrectly
awarded and mingled with chips that were not in the pot, and the time limit for
a ruling request given in the previous rule has been observed, management may
determine how much was in the pot by reconstructing the betting, and then
transfer that amount to the proper player.
7. To
keep the action moving, it is possible that a game may be asked to continue
even though a decision is delayed. The delay could be to check the overhead
camera tape, get the shift supervisor to give the ruling, or for some other
good reason. In such circumstances, a pot or portion of it may be impounded by
the house while the decision is pending.
8. The
same action may have a different meaning, depending on who does it, so the
possible intent of an offender will be taken into consideration. Some factors
here are the person’s amount of poker experience and past record.
9. A
player, before he acts, is entitled to request and receive information as to
whether any opposing hand is alive or dead, or whether a wager is of sufficient
size to reopen the betting.
1. Only
one person may play a hand.
2. No one is allowed to play another player’s
chips.
3. Management will decide when to start or
close any game.
4. Collections
(seat rental fees) are
paid in advance. In all
time-collection games, the dealer is required to pick up the collection from each player before dealing. A player not wishing to pay collection may play one courtesy hand in stud, and may play until the blind in button games, provided no one is waiting for the game. If there is more than one
person on the list for that game when the collection becomes due, everyone must
pay collection. A new player is
not required to pay
if there is either no
list or only one
person waiting.
5. Cash
is not allowed on the table. All cash should be changed into chips in order to play. If a player seems unaware of this rule and tries to play unnoticed cash that was on the table during a pot, the dealer may let the
cash play if no one in the
pot objects, then have all the cash changed into chips after the hand. Any chips from another cardroom are not permitted on the table, do not play in the game, and when found will be treated similarly to unnoticed cash. [See Section 16 – “Explanations,” discussion #5, for more
information on this rule.]
6. Money and chips may be removed for security
purposes when leaving the table. The establishment is not responsible for any
shortage or removal of chips left on the table during a player’s absence, even
though we will try to protect everyone as best we can. All removed funds must
be fully restored when returning to the game.
7. If you return to the same game within one
hour of cashing out, your buy-in must be equal to the amount removed when
leaving that game.
8. All games are table stakes (except
“playing behind” as given in the next rule). Only the chips in front of a player at the start of a deal may play for that hand, except for chips not yet received that a player has
purchased. The amount
bought must be announced
to the table, or only
the amount of
the minimum buy-in
plays. Awareness of the amount being in play for
each opponent is an important part of
poker.
All chips and money
must be kept in plain view.
9. "Playing behind" is allowed only
for the amount of purchased chips while awaiting their arrival. The amount in play must be announced to the table, or
only the amount of the minimum buy-in plays.
10. Playing out
of a rack is not
allowed.
11. Permission is required before taking a seat
in a game.
12. Playing over without permission from the floorperson is not allowed. A playover box is required. Permission from the absent player is not necessary.
13. Pushing bets (“saving” or “potting out”) is
not allowed.
14. Pushing an ante or posting for another person
is not allowed.
15. Splitting pots will not be allowed in any
game. Chopping the big and small blind by taking them back when all other
players have folded is allowed in button games.
16. Insurance propositions are not allowed.
Dealing twice (or three times) when all-in is permitted at big-bet poker.
17. The
game's betting limit will not be changed if two or more players object. Raising
the limit is subject to management approval.
18. Players
must keep their cards in full view. This means above table-level and not past
the edge of the table. The cards should not be covered by the hands in a manner
to completely conceal them.
19. Any player is entitled to a clear view of an
opponent’s chips. Higher denomination chips should be easily visible.
20. Your chips may be picked up if you are away
from the table for more than 30 minutes. Your absence may be extended if you
notify a floorperson in advance. Frequent or continuous absences may cause your
chips to be picked up from the table.
21. A lock-up in a new game will be picked up
after five minutes if someone is waiting to play. No seat may be locked up for
more than ten minutes if someone is waiting to play.
22. A
new deck must be used for at least a full round (once around the table) before
it may be changed, and a new setup must be used for at least an hour, unless a
deck is defective or damaged, or cards become sticky.
23. Looking
through the discards or deck stub is not allowed.
24. After
a deal ends, dealers are asked to not show what card would have been dealt.
25. A player is expected to pay attention to the
game and not hold up play. Activity that interferes with this such as reading
at the table is discouraged, and the player will be asked to cease if a problem
is caused.
26. A non-player may not sit at the table.
27. In
non-tournament games, you may have a guest sit behind you if no one in the game
objects. It is improper for a guest to look at any hand other then your own.
28. Speaking a foreign language during a deal is
not allowed.
SEATING
1. You
must be present to add your name to a waiting list.
2. It
is the player’s responsibility to be in the playing area and hear the list
being called. A player who intends to leave the playing area should notify the
list-person, and can leave money for a lockup. The lockup amount is $20.
3. When
there is more than one game of the same stakes and poker form, and a must-move
is not being used, the house will control the seating of new players to best
preserve the viability of existing games. A new player will be sent to the game
most in need of an additional player. A transfer to a similar game is not
allowed if the game being left will then have fewer players than the game being
entered.
4. A
player may not hold a seat in more than one game.
5. The
house reserves the right to require that any two players not play in the same
game (husband and wife, relatives, business partners, and so forth).
6. When
a button game starts, active players will draw a card for the button position.
The button will be awarded to the highest card by suit for all high and
high-low games, and to the lowest card by suit for all low games.
7. To
avoid a seating dispute, a supervisor may decide to start the game with one
extra player over the normal number. If so, a seat will be removed as soon as
someone quits the game.
8. In
a new game, the player who arrives at the table the earliest gets first choice
of remaining seats. If two players want the same seat and arrive at the same
time, the higher player on the list has preference. A player playing a pot in
another game may have a designated seat locked up until that hand is finished.
Management may reserve a certain seat for a player for a good reason, such as
to assist reading the board for a person with a vision problem.
9. To
protect an existing game, a forced move may be invoked when an additional game
of the same type and limit is started. The must-move list is maintained in the
same order as the original waiting list. If a player refuses to move into the
main game, that player will be forced to quit, and cannot play in the must-move
game or get on that list for one hour.
10. In
all button games, a player going from a must-move game to the main game may
play until due for the big blind. The player must then enter the game as a new
player, and may either post an amount equal to the big blind or wait for the
big blind. In all stud games, a player may play only one more hand before
moving.
11. You
must play in a new game or must-move game to retain your place on the list, if
with your playing there would be three or fewer empty seats.
12. A
player who is already in the game has precedence over a new player for any seat
when it becomes available. However, no change will occur after a new player has
been seated, or after that player’s buy-in or marker has been placed on the
table, unless that particular seat had been previously requested. For players
already in the game, the one who asks the earliest has preference for a seat change.
13. In
all button games, a player voluntarily locking up a seat in another game must
move immediately if there is a waiting list of two or more names for the seat
being vacated, except that the player is entitled to play the button if a blind
has already been taken. Otherwise, a player may play up to the blind before
moving. In a stud game, a player changing tables may play only the present hand
if someone is waiting for the seat being vacated, or one more hand when no one
is waiting.
14. When
a game breaks, each player may draw a card to determine the seating order for a
similar game. The floorperson draws a card for an absent player. If the card
entitles the absent player to an immediate seat, the player has until due for
the big blind in a button game to take the seat (two hands in a stud game), and
will be put first up on the list if not back in time.
THE
BUY-IN
1. When you enter a game, you must make a full
buy-in. At limit poker, a full buy-in is at least ten times the maximum bet for
the game being played, unless designated otherwise.
2. You are allowed to make only one short
buy-in for a game. Adding to your stack is not considered a buy-in, and may be done
in any quantity between hands.
3. A player coming from a broken game or
must-move game to a game of the same limit may continue to play the same amount
of money, even if it is less than the minimum buy-in. A player switching games
voluntarily must have the proper buy-in size for the new game. A player
switching games is not required to buy in for any more than the minimum amount.
MISDEALS
1. Once
action begins, a misdeal cannot be called. The deal will be played, and no
money will be returned to any player whose hand is fouled. In button games,
action is considered to occur when two players after the blinds have acted on
their hands. In stud games, action is considered to occur when two players
after the forced bet have acted on their hands.
2. The
following circumstances cause a misdeal, provided attention is called to the
error before two players have acted on their hands.
(a) The
first or second card of the hand has been exposed by a dealer error.
(b) Two
or more cards have been exposed by the dealer.
(c) Two
or more boxed cards (improperly faced cards) are found.
(d) Two
or more extra cards have been dealt in the starting hands of a game.
(e) 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.
(f) Any
card has been dealt out of the proper sequence (except an exposed card may be
replaced by the burncard).
(g) The
button was out of position.
(h) The
first card was dealt to the wrong position.
(i) Cards
have been dealt to an empty seat or a player not entitled to a hand.
(j)
A player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. This player must be
present at the table or have posted a blind or ante.
1. Your hand is declared dead if:
(a) You fold or announce that you are folding
when facing a bet or a raise.
(b) You throw your hand away in a forward
motion causing another player to act behind you (even if not facing a bet).
(c)