1. Suit Up Poker League considers the best interests of the game and fairness as our top priority in the decision making process. The Tournament Director has the final decision on all rulings; HOWEVER, they do NOT have authority to override any of the rules contained in this document.

2. It is 100% FREE to players! There are NO fees, NO buy-ins, NO cover charges, and NO drink or food minimums. There is NO risk of losing anything, but plenty to gain. Gambling is strictly prohibited. 

3. All players are welcome to play for FREE. The TOP 50 players at each tournament will receive points. Top 3 Finishers receive Bonus Points based on number of players. 

4. Players must be at least 18 years of age. Many venues require 21 & up. 

5. Players in Suit Up Poker tournaments are prohibited from involving betting or gambling in any way, shape or form. Players are not permitted to place any form of currency on the table at any time. There are NO exceptions to these rules. Violators will be asked to leave immediately and banned from all future Suit Up Poker events. Chips used by Suit Up Poker have no value as currency. **NO LAST MAN STANDING OR YOU WILL BE BANNED FROM THE LEAGUE** 

6. Chip starting stack will be 8,500 (10 x 100’s, 5 x 500’s, and 5 x 1,000’s) for 7 p.m. games. The 9:30 p.m. game starting stack will be 13,500 (10 x 100’s, 5 x 500’s, 5 x 1,000’s and 1 x 5,000). Late players will start with a reduced number of chips. See RULE #7. 

7. Late players will ONLY be able to join a tournament already in progress if the player arrives BEFORE the start of the fifth blind level (500/1,000). Late players will start with a reduced number of chips. A total of 2,500 chips will be removed from the starting stack during the first three blind levels of play. If seated after the official starting time, but before the beginning of the first blind change, player will start with 8,000 chips. If seated after the first blind change, but before the second blind change, player will start with 7,500 chips. If seated after the second blind change, but before the third blind change, player will start with 7,000 chips. If seated after the third blind change, but before the fourth blind change, player will start with 6,500 chips. After the start of the fifth blind level (500/1,000) NO new players will be seated. NO EXCEPTIONS! 

8. Late players are only allowed to enter the tournament during the first four blinds levels. No player will be seated after the start of the fifth blind level (500/1,000) to ensure a quality tournament for all players.  

9. During the break, the Tournament Director will color up by removing the lower denomination chips. Any odd number amount of chips will be rounded up to speed up play.  Players are required to stack their chips in stacks of ten prior to leaving the table for break.

10. To determine the first dealer position of each table, table #1 will deal for high card. The player with the highest valued card will start the deal. In the event two or more players draw the same valued card, suits are used to determine the dealer in the descending order of Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs. 

11. The deal will rotate clockwise.

12. Any player away from the table for a TOTAL of 20 minutes during any game will have their chips removed and their finishing position noted at the time of removal from the game. When a player is absent from the table for any reason, their blind will be posted by the dealer from the absent players stack. A players hand is folded if they are not sitting at the table when the last card of the hand is dealt. Blinds are posted for all missing players. (The dealer will always deal to the chips, not the players) 

13. When time has elapsed in a round and a new round is announced, the new blinds apply to the next hand. A hand has begun with the first riffle.

14. Players must keep their highest denomination chips visible at all times. 

15. All chips must be visibly displayed at all times. Players may not have chips in their pockets at any time.  Players are not permitted to have "dirty" stacks.  Players are entitled to a reasonable estimation of an opponent's chip count; thus chips should be kept in countable stacks.  We recommend clean stacks in multiples of 20 as a standard.  However tall your stacks are, they should be uniform and easy enough for opponents to count simply by looking at them.  Higher denomination chips always should be visible and not hidden behind lower chip denominations.

16. Players are obligated to post their blinds before any cards are dealt. 

17. Players not at their seat when the last card is dealt during the initial round of dealing will have a dead hand. This includes the blinds which will be posted by the dealer. 

18. New players are dealt in immediately unless they are seated in the Small Blind position. If seated in the Small Blind, player must wait until the deal passes them to enter the game. If a player is seated in the Big Blind position, the player must post the Big Blind and be dealt in the hand. 

19. Tournament play will use a dead button. A player may come in and be the dealer at any time. 

20. An absent player is always dealt a hand. The dealer will submit their blinds from the player’s chips. Players at the table cannot play another players hand if absent. 

21. If the first or second card off the deck is exposed on the deal, the dealer will place it back into the deck, reshuffle and re-cut the cards. If any other card is exposed during the deal due to dealer error, it will be replaced as follow: If a down card is flashed or exposed, it cannot be kept. After completing the hand, the dealer replaces the card with the top card on the deck, and the exposed card becomes the burn card. 

22. If the cards are flopped before the betting round is complete, or if the flop reveals too many cards, the board cards are mixed with the remainder of the deck. The burn card remains on the table. After shuffling, the dealer cuts the deck and deals a new flop without burning a card.

23. If the dealer turns the fourth street card before the betting round is complete, the card is taken out of play and the betting is completed. The dealer then burns and turns what would have been the fifth street card in the place of the fourth card. After this round of betting, the dealer reshuffles the deck, including the card that was taken out of play, but not including the burn cards or discards. The dealer then cuts the deck and turns the final card without burning a card. If the fifth street card is turned up prematurely, the deck is reshuffled and dealt in the same manner. 

24. If the dealer mistakenly deals the first player (Small Blind) an extra card (after all players have received their hands), the card will be returned to the deck and used for the burn card. If the dealer deals more than one extra card, it is a misdeal. 

25. Play will halt on any table that has four or fewer players. 

26. Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibility of the position. A dead button situation may occur. 

27. When two players are left at the table, the dealer will always be small blind. 

28. The current dealer is the only player allowed to touch the discard/muck pile. No player is allowed to turn over any cards in the muck pile, or view un-played cards (“Rabbit Hunting”) 

29. If a player does not have enough chips to call a bet or place a blind, that player can go “ALL IN.” The minimum bring-in is the size of the big blind. The minimum bet remains the same amount on all betting rounds. If the big blind does not have sufficient chips to post the required amount, a player who enters the pot on the initial betting round is still required to enter for at least the minimum bet (unless going all-in for a lesser sum) and a pre-flop raiser must at least double the size of the big blind. At all other times, when someone goes all-in for less than the minimum bet, a player has the option of just calling the all-in amount. If a player goes all-in for an amount that is less than the minimum bet, a player who wishes to raise must raise at least the amount of the minimum bet. Odd chips go to the player to the left of the button. 

30. When a player goes ALL-IN and the bet is called by one player, the remaining player will turn cards face up for the showdown and continue the hand. 

31. Any player may go ALL-IN during their turn. All-Ins should be announced as such to the dealer. Player should then place their chips in front of them for the dealer to count out and verify the total. In the event that more than one player goes All-In for differing totals, a side pot or side pots will be made. Players can only win amounts equal to their stake in the hand. Whenever a player or players are All-In and all other possible betting action is done, all players reveal their cards. Any player calling an All-In or being called must show their cards. If a player lacks sufficient chips to post a blind, that player is All-In and a side pot will be established for any remaining players. If two or more players are eliminated during the same hand, the player who entered the hand with more chips finishes in the higher position. 

32. Once a player has lost all of his/her chips they are required to leave the table. 

33. If two or more players are eliminated on the same hand, the player with the most chips at the start of the hand will finish in the higher position. If both players have the same amount of chips, then the player with the higher hand will finish in the higher position. 

34. The dealer is responsible for placing the muck cards in the muck pile. If at any time, a player’s hand is purposely thrown in the muck pile, the cards are dead and cannot be played in that hand. 

35. No player is allowed to turn over any of the burn or muck cards at any time during the hand. 

36. Cards must remain above the table at all times, cards must be visible at all times and must not be shown to players who are no longer in the hand while the hand is still live. Cards are not permitted to be shown to spectators. 

37. One player to a hand. Players are obligated to protect the other players at all times. Therefore, players shall:a. Not disclose contents of live or folded hands.b. Not advise or criticize play before or after the action is complete.c. Not read/announce the board. Not announce a potential hand, or identify potential hands of any player in or out of the hand. 

38. No player or spectator may give advice on how to play a hand. Once there is an all-in, there is to be no talk other than from the dealer or players involved in the hand and only when it is their turn to act.

39. Any wager must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise in that round, unless a player is going all-in. 

40. A verbal statement denotes your action and is binding. If in turn you verbally declare a fold, check, bet, call, or raise, you are forced to take that action. This rule applies even if the player was not aware of the previous raise. It is the players responsibility at all times to be aware of the state of the hand. 

41. Rapping the table with your hand is a pass. 

42. Deliberately acting out of turn will not be tolerated. A player who checks out of turn may not bet or raise on their turn to act. A player who has called out of turn may not change his wager to a raise on his turn to act. 

 43. If you put a single chip in the pot that is larger than the bet, but do not announce a raise, you are assumed to have only called. For example, if blinds are $200/$400 and a player places a $1,000 chip in front of them without saying anything, then that player has merely called the $400 bet.

44. All wagers and calls of an improper low amount must be brought up to the proper size if the error is discovered before the betting round has been completed. No one who has acted may change a call to a raise because the wager size has been changed. 

45. Please adhere to all poker etiquette. This includes splashing the pot, information about your hand, and string bets. Repeated infringements will not be tolerated. Penalties will be applied. 

46. The only player that may touch the chips in the pot is the acting dealer. If you need change, leave the chip/chips in front of you until all betting has ceased. Only the dealer is permitted to give change from the pot. Players can either exchange chips with another player or verbalize their bet and get their change from the dealer once the betting has ceased for that round. Players are not permitted to take change from another players bet. Players who do not follow instruction will receive one (1) warning from the Tournament Director. Should they persist, they will be railed for a full round. Further breaches will result in their removal from the game.

47. The English-Only rule will be enforced during the play of hands. 

48. No “string bets.” Players must state their intentions (Call, Check, or Raise) before placing chips in front of them. You MUST place all chips required to satisfy your intentions in one motion. You may not go back into your chips multiple times. 

49. No “splashing” the pot. You are to place your chips in a stack in front of you, and then push the chips to the center after the dealer has stated the “pot is right.” 

50. All cards will be turned face up when no additional betting action is possible. 

51. Dealers cannot kill a winning hand that was tabled and was obviously the winning hand. 

52. Submitting cards to the MUCK automatically forfeits the hand in any situation, even if the hand is face up. The winning hand must be shown. 

53. Players must remain at the table if they still have action pending on a hand. 

54. In a situation when a players chooses or is required to show their cards, including playing the board, a player must show both cards to earn any part of the pot. There is no circumstance that a player is permitted to show only one card. 

55. If a player folds, and exposes one card in the process, the player’s second card must also be exposed to all players and both cards left on the table face up. If a player folds both cards face up, both cards must also be exposed to all players and left on the table face up. Repeatedly folding cards face up may result in a tournament disqualification.

56. If a player shows their cards to one or more players at the table, they are required to show their cards to all players at the table. This is known as the “Show One, Show All” rule. 

57. When heads up, the small blind is on the button and acts first. When beginning heads up play the button may need to be adjusted to ensure that no player takes the big blind twice in a row. 

58. A player who is last to act may not under any circumstances check with the Nut Hand. Any player found guilty of this offense will be removed from the game and their chips forfeited.

59. As players are eliminated and tables need to be balanced, the Tournament Director will assign players their seat at the new table. The Director will always try to ensure that players are not disadvantaged by a move. The TD is there for a reason. Players do not tell hosts where they are going to sit. 

60. Etiquette violations will not be tolerated. Examples include unnecessarily touching other players cards or chips, delay of the game, and excessive or abusive chatter. Players are required to act in turn. Repeated etiquette violations may result in tournament disqualification. 

61. Players are required to conduct themselves in a professional manner and be respectful of the establishments that host tournaments, other players, as well as Directors. Behavior that is disruptive and/or not in the best interest of the league such as sharing or pooling chips, colluding, cheating, and/or behaving in an inappropriate, disrespectful or abusive manner will result in the immediate disqualification from the tournament and permanent loss of participation in future Suit Up Poker League events. 

62. A disqualified player will have their chips removed from play. 

63. The Tournament Director reserves the right to ask any player to leave the table and the tournament. The hosting establishment always reserves the right to ask anyone to leave their place of business at any time. 

64. Suit Up Poker League as well as the current venue reserves the right to cancel, change or alter an event at any time due to unforeseen or extenuating circumstances. 

65. At NO time, at any Suit Up Poker event is currency of any kind allowed on the poker table. Any violation of this rule will result in immediate expulsion from the tournament. 

66. Cell phones are not to be used for calls, texting or playing games during any tournament. If you must make or take a phone call, or send a text message, you must get up from the table and your hand will be considered dead. Players will receive one warning. Further usage will result in player being removed from the game.