Basic Rules

There is a $15 cover charge to cover all of the house’s expenses for hosting the event. Each person is responsible for paying that each time they come. Membership fee is $35 for the year, due by March.

Big Dick

The host of the evening’s events is the Big Dick (BD.) The BD is the official rule and time keeper. In the case that any situation arises and a decision must be made relating to rules, the BD will make a decision and that decision is final.

Draw for position

Each table will begin with a deck spread out, and each player will draw a card randomly before play begins. The player who draws the high card is the opening dealer and has choice of seat at the table and each subsequent card takes the next spot to the left respectively. In the case of a draw of equal weight, those players re-draw for placement.

Each player starts with the designated stack of chips ($10,000). After a player has gone Full Tilt (lost all of their chips), they must wait a minimum of one hand before they may come back in. The player must re-buy within 30 minutes of going Full Tilt. The one time buy in must be used by 10:30 p.m. If you go Full Tilt in a hand that began at 10:30 p.m. the re-buy option is up to the BD. Buying back into the game costs 1 point from the night’s overall point score and is for a total of $8,000 in chips.

Play begins at 7:00pm and blinds will start out at $100/$200. Blinds raise at 8:00pm to $200/$400 and again at 10:00pm to $400/$800. At 11:00pm players color up and blinds begin at $500/$1000 and double after the first and second eliminations. If at any time after 11:30pm, there are only three players, blinds are raised to $400/$800 and doubled every four rounds thereafter.

Poker Royalty

Poker Royalty applies to the first and second place winners of the previous month. The first place winner from the previous month will start with $12,000 and second place winner will start with $11,000. This royalty can only be claimed on consecutive nights. If the player does not show up for the following poker night, they forfeit the royalty. January royalty is from December’s game.

Bounty

If a player knocks out the previous month’s winner before 9:00pm, they receive $1000 in chips. If the knock out occurs between 9:00pm and 11:00pm, the player receives $500.

Knock-Out Bonus

The player who accumulates the most knock-outs during an evening will be awarded a bonus of $2000 in chips the following month only.

Random Pot Odds

Twice during the evening (once between 8:00pm-9:00pm and again between 9:30pm and 10:30pm) a full blind will be added to the pot by the house. A random timer will be used. The intent is to refocus the game and increase action.

Showing up after 8:30pm results in the late player receiving only $6,000 as a starting stack. After 10:00pm, a person is not allowed to join the game.

When betting, the minimum bet is the big blind. All raises must be at least double the current bet.

Midnight Rule

At midnight (or if all parties agree to earlier) the blinds will increase to a minimum of $8K/$16K (or double if already at $8K/$16K, whichever is greater) and go around the table one time. The chip leader at the end of the round is the night’s winner.

In the case of a split pot. If there is are any remaining chips that cannot be divided equally it goes to the person that is closest to the dealer button or on the dealer button from clock wise.

Format of Play

The dealer must ask the person to the right to cut the deck. That player can choose to cut or not. If the person is not asked to cut, it can be considered a misdeal and the dealer must begin the hand over.

All cards, including pocket cards are to be visible at all times. Pocket cards must be in front of the chip stacks.

Breaks

Anyone can leave the table but they will be dealt in and automatically folded if they are not in their chair by the time the play moves to them, including those on a blind. Blinds will be paid.

If there is a need for multiple tables, players will draw a card from the host’s deck. The color of the card will determine the assigned table. The high card will be the Little Dick (LD) and will have choice of seat, be opening dealer and assume the BD’s responsibility for their respective table, with deference to the BD for disputed calls.

If a player brings a friend, that player will receive a chip bonus of $500. If the friend comes back on consecutive nights then on the second night both will receive a $1000 chip bonus.

Suicide

If a player must leave for any reason before they are out of chips, they can surrender them to the house and accept the place out in which they leave, regardless of chip count.

All phones/iPods/Tablets are to be put on vibrate. Device use is prohibited at the table. If a device is needed to be used, they will need to walk away from the table. When a player is called out for distracting usage on the third offense, that player is deducted $1000 in chips to be put in the current or next pot at the discretion of the BD.

Deck washing is allowed at all times. A Deck Swap is allowed with a second, unless a veto is called. A vote is taken. A majority is required for a veto. The deck (whether new or old) must remain in play for one full round before a new swap can be called. Three swaps are allowed before 11:00pm. A veto vote counts as a swap. At 11:00pm, the rule resets.

RSVP

All players are invited through Facebook and expected to RSVP through Facebook to provide the host with needed head-count for dinner and refreshments. Any RSVP prior to 5:00pm the Wednesday before play will be awarded a one point bonus. Attendance after failure to RSVP will result in a one point deduction. An RSVP in the affirmative results in responsibility for the $15 cover, whether the player shows or not.