TREPS Rulebook
Listed below are the official TREPS rules. Many of these rules were borrowed from the Poker Tournament Directors Association rule book, and are considered the benchmark for sanctioned professional poker tournaments.
Event Directors
Event Directors are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision making process. Unusual circumstance can dictate that the technical interpretation of the rules be ignored in the interest of fairness. The Event Director's decision is final.
The Dealer
The player with the button is responsible for shuffling the cards and dealing the next hand. The player to the right of the button has the option of cutting the cards before they are dealt. A non-player is may act as all-time dealer if all players at the table agree.
The Button
At the beginning of the tournament or when a new table is formed, the dealer button will be awarded by high-card. Players are then seated by descending card value counter-clockwise from the dealer button.
Forced Bets ("Blinds")
A small blind is posted by the player to the immediate left of the dealer button. A "big" blind is posted by the player to the left of the small blind. The big blind may be the same amount as the small blind during the first round of the tournament.
Raising
The minimum raise shall be at least the amount of the previous raise. For example, if one player raises the action from 50 to 100, the next minimum raise cannot be any less than 50 (for 150 to go). If a player puts in a raise of 50 percent or more of the previous bet, he will be required to make a full raise, which will be exactly the minimum allowed.
String Bets
A player is not allowed to make string bets. When raising, a player must either put the amount of the raise out in one motion, or state the raise amount. If the raise amount is unannounced, then the amount of chips that enters the pot will be the only raise allowed. The exception would be if they verbally declare simply "raise" and put the exact amount of chips out to call the initial bet, then the player will be allowed to go back for more chips.
Verbal Declarations
Verbal declarations are binding as to a players action ("All-in", "Fold", "Call", "Raise") while in turn. A declaration of a raise requires the player to make the minimum raise. Action out of turn may be binding, at the event director's discretion.
Showing Hands
The player who is "called" is required to show their hand first. other players in the hand will only be required to show if they declare their hand beats the hand shown. In any event, players shall be required to show all of their hole cards.
Odd-Chips
In the event an odd-number of chips result in a split pot (for example, a single 10 chips), it will be awarded to the winner on the dealers left. Side pots Each side pot will be split as a separate pot.
Face up
All cards will be turned face up once a player is all-in and all action is complete.
One player
The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced on all live hands. Players not involved in a hand may not discuss the hand while it is in play (e.g. guessing at a player's holding, announcing hand possibilities based on the board, revealing what was folded, etc.)
Show one show all
If a player reveals her hand to another player at the table, any other player at the table may request to see the hand as well.
Discussing strategy
Players are not allowed to discuss strategy while at the table.
Misdeal
Any deal that doesn't change the odds (accidentally skipping a player, etc) will not be considered a misdeal. Should a card become exposed during the deal, it can (and should) be used as one of the burn cards.
Rabbit Hunting
Rabbit hunting is not permitted unless all participants in a hand agree.
Table Presence
A player must be at the table by the time all players before them have acted, or their hand will be folded. Players must be at the table to call time.
Card Visibility
Players are to keep their cards in plain view (and protected) at all times when they are in a hand.
Chip Visibility
Players must keep all of their chips visible at all times, especially their highest denomination chips. Should a player take chips off the table and store them off the table (e.g. in their pocket) those chips are forfeit, and no longer will be in play.
Unprotected Hands
If a third-party dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to his chips back. An exception would be if the player had just raised, and had not been called yet, he would be entitled to his raise back. If a player-dealer kills a hand, the event director has the final say.
Killing Winning Hand
Dealers cannot kill a winning hand that was turned face up and was obviously the winning hand.
Random Seats
Tournament seating will be randomly assigned.
Foreign chips
There will be no foreign chips on the table except for a maximum of one card cap per player.
Deck Changes
Decks will rotate with the dealer button. Players may not ask for a deck change unless there are obvious signs of marking, intentionally or not (i.e. bent corner).
Calling the Clock
Once a reasonable amount of time has passed while waiting for a player to act, they can be given one minute to make a decision, with a final 10 second countdown. Anyone at the table may request a clock, whether they are in a hand or not. If the player has not acted on his hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be folded.
Small Blind is Eliminated
The player who was the big blind now posts the small blind and the player to his left posts the big blind. The button does not move and the player who was the button will be the button once again.
Big Blind is Eliminated
The player to the left of the eliminated big blind now posts the big blind and there is no small blind for that hand. The button moves to the player who was the small blind. On the following hand, the button does not move and the two blinds are posted normally.
Chip-Race
The lowest denomination of chip in play will be removed from the table when it is no longer needed in the blind or ante structure. All lower-denomination chips that are of sufficient quantity for a new chip will be changed up directly. The method for removal of odd chips is to deal one card to a player for each odd chip possessed. Cards are dealt clockwise starting with the 1-seat, with each player receiving all cards before any cards are dealt to the next player. The player with the highest card by suit gets enough odd chips to exchange for one new chip, the second-highest card gets to exchange for the next chip, and so forth, until all the lower-denomination chips are exchanged. A player may not be eliminated from the event by the chip-change process. If a player has no chips after the race has been held, he will be given a chip of the higher denomination before anyone else is awarded a chip. If an odd number of lower-denomination chips are left after this process, the player with the highest card remaining will receive a new chip if he has half or more of the quantity of lower-denomination chips needed, otherwise nothing.
Moving Players
In tournament games, players will be moved from the big blind at the table being broken to the big blind at the open table.
Cheating
Anyone caught cheating will be disqualified from the game and will be required to leave immediately.
Cussing
Cussing is allowed as long as it is not directed at another player or otherwise deemed offensive by another player.
Cell Phone
A player who wants to use a cellular phone must step away from the table
Smoking
Smoking is only permitted in the designated outdoor areas unless otherwise stated.
Discussing a Folded Hand
Do not reveal the contents of "what you could've had" (I.E. "If I had called a 5x BB raise pre-flop with my 9-2, I would've made 9s full") while action is in play, as it can effect the outcome of the hand.
Penalties
A penalty may be invoked if a player exposes a card with action pending, plays their hand out of turn intentionally, attempts to look at another players live cards is abusive, or violates any other TREPS rules as outlined here on a regular basis.
