LOHG Poker League - Texas Hold'em
1. The LOHG League tournaments are each $60 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker, no re-buys, no add-ons. A typical January-December season will consist of 12 monthly league tournaments for which cash and points will be distributed. Point awards and current standings can be found at the LOHGPoker League Blog [http://lohgpoker.blogspot.com] (the “LOHG Website”). The default date for each monthly game will be the third Friday of the month.
2. Host: League players will rotate as the host of the monthly league games. The current hosting schedule can be found on the LOHG Website. In the event of a conflict, hosts may trade dates or alter the game date to be held on any Friday within his designated month. Hosts shall provide dinner and beverages (beer, soda) for the tournament at his own cost, and is responsible for procuring enough tables and chairs for the tournament. The host will announce the date and location of that month's game at least two weeks before the tournament date.
3. Players: The maximum number of players at any one tournament will be at the discretion of the host. Although seating capacity may vary, no table shall have more than 10 players at one time. Guest players are allowed at the discretion of the host, but no guest shall be admitted to the exclusion of LOHG players who appear on the “Hosting Schedule” posted on the Blog that RSVP’d at least 24 hours prior to the tournament.
4. Start time: Each monthly tournament will begin at 8:00 p.m. with social time prior to the game as determined by that month's host.
5. Chips: The starting stack is $3,000 (typically 12X$25[green], 12X$100[black], 3X$500[purple]). After the third round, during the first break, green $25 chips are removed from play. Black $100 chips will be removed in later rounds, and yellow $1000 chips introduced as play progresses. Official LOHG League chips will be used for the tournaments. LOHG League chips will not be used for any cash games or side tournaments occurring at the monthly LOHG League tournament.
6. Tournament Format:
$25/$50 25 mins
$50/$100 25 mins
$100/$200 25 mins
(15 min. break – change out green $25 chips – round up to nearest $100)
$200/$400 25 mins
$300/$600 25 mins
$500/$1000 25 mins
(* at time of Final Table, 10 minute break – color up unnecessary smaller chips, no rounding.)
$1000/$2000 20 mins
$2000/$4000 20 mins
$3000/$6000 20 mins
$5000/$10,000 until completed
7. Blinding Out/Absent Players: Players that RSVP “In” for the tournament but who are not present at the start time will be issued a seat assignment and will be blinded out through the first round. If a player notifies the Host, any Dealer or the Tournament Secretary (Scott Brown) prior to the start of the game that they will be late, they will be blinded out until the end of the break after the third round, and if not present at that time, their chips will be removed and they are out for that tournament. Any player not seated by the time the second card is dealt to the button will be folded regardless of whether or not they are a blind. If a player leaves the table for any reason while cards are in play, his hand will be folded and he will be blinded out until he returns.
8. Dealing: For tables with a dedicated Dealer, the Big Blind will shuffle and the Dealer will cut, unless the Dealer is the Big Blind, in which case the Button will shuffle. If a table elects to rotate the deal, then the Dealer will shuffle and offer the cut to the player to the right of the Dealer.
9. Balancing Tables: If the number of players differs by two or more between the tables, the tables will be balanced. The table with the most players will lose the player in the same position relative to the button as the last player lost at the table with the fewer remaining players. If the player moving tables is the next small blind, the table losing the player will have a dead small blind for one hand. The clock may be stopped in the event the player to move is involved in a hand at the time of balancing the tables.
10. Final Table: When the number of active players reaches 10, the clock will be stopped and the Final Table will be formed (see “Format” for chip exchange). Seat positions will be redrawn. Once the players are seated, the clock will resume where it left off and play will continue. Note: due to the redrawing of seats, it is possible that a player who posted a blind prior to the final table will have to post again upon resuming play.
11. Cash Game: Upon the discretion of the Host, voluntary cash games may be played when players and a table are available. Unless the Host specifically states otherwise, cash games should end when the tournament completes. The cash game should use the LOHG cash game chips, with a single designated banker responsible for cash and chip management.
12. Pot Draw for Expenses: $2 of each player's buy-in will be removed from the cash pool each month to pay for the trophy and any other LOHG League expenses (such as LOHG League poker chips, cards, etc.) An accounting of the draw, balance and expenses reimbursed is available from the Tournament Secretary.
13. Misdeals: The following constitute misdeals: First or second card of the hand has been dealt face up, two or more cards are dealt face up, two or more extra cards are dealt prior to the flop, button is out of position, or cards have been dealt to an empty seat (unless blinding an absent player out, until the second card is dealt to the button at which time the hand will be folded).
14. Dead Hands: Your hand is declared dead if you fold or announce that you are folding, throw your hand away in a forward motion, throw your cards into another players hand or turn your cards face up without announcing a call (or signaling a call by placing chips into the pot (i.e., past the unmarked “bet line,” determined at the dealer's discretion)).
15. Player Action or Error: a card that is flashed by a player will play. A verbal statement prior to a player‟s chip movement 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. Rapping the table with your hand is a “check”. A player who checks out of turn may not bet or raise (but may call) when it is his proper time to act. A player who bets or calls by releasing chips into the pot is bound by that action. However, if you are unaware that the pot has been raised, you may withdraw that money and reconsider your action, provided that no one else has acted after you. An action or verbal declaration out of turn is binding if there is no bet, call or raise by an intervening player after the infraction has been committed. Putting a bet plus an amount less than a full raise is considered the same as a minimum raise and must be completed to the full minimum raise.
16. Dealer Error: If the dealer prematurely deals any board cards before the betting is complete, those cards will not play, even if a player who has not acted decides to fold. A card that is flashed by the dealer is treated as an exposed card and will not play. When dealing, one card exposed will be replaced with the first card after all dealing is complete, with the exposed card being the first burn card.
17. Payouts: All buy-in money after the pot draw for expenses shall be distributed as winnings as follows:
less than 20 players:
1st Place: 50%
2nd Place: 30%
3rd Place: 20%
20 to 29 players:
1st Place: 45%
2nd Place: 25%
3rd Place: 20%
4th Place: 10%
30 to 39 players:
1st Place: 40%
2nd Place: 24%
3rd Place: 16%
4th Place: 12%
5th Place 8%
Players may “chop” the cash winnings in any manner agreed to by all the remaining players, but must play out the rest of the tournament to determine proper point distribution. Players may not negotiate point distribution, which is fixed pursuant to the then-current point distribution table available on the LOHG Website.
18. League champion: The yearly LOHG League champion will be determined as the player with the highest point total after the December game. In the event a monthly tournament is cancelled throughout the year, the LOHG tournament year will resume the following month with the winner still determined as the highest point holder after the last tournament of the calendar year. In the event of a tie, the champion will be determined by a heads up tournament between the tied players of the same format as the monthly tournament, but with each level lasting 15 mins.
19. Miscellaneous rules and Poker Etiquette:
Good Sportsmanship is expected at all times.
Helping other players is not permitted.
Teaming is not permitted.
Sharing chips is not permitted.
Players should refrain from discussing hands during play.
Players are to keep their cards in full view, above the table and not covered by the hands.
Chips should be in clear view with higher denomination chips fully visible.
After the play, “show one, show all.”
Placing a single chip in the pot that is larger than the bet without announcing a raise is considered a call.
String bets are not allowed, but if you announce “raise”, you may take as many motions as you like to complete the raise.
Cards speak (read) for themselves.
Odd chips in a split pot will go to the player[s] who will be the big blind the soonest.
Players are expected to pay attention to the game and not hold up play.
All tournament chips are to remain at the table at all times.
Players are encouraged to observe the “coloring up” of their chips. If they chose to not be present, they waive any complaint, including alleged miscalculation of the chip exchange.
Players are to refrain from distracting activities during the game, such as speakers, singing, bad singing, talking on the phone, singing, texting or singing.
Players should RSVP promptly, and timely notify the host or the Tournament Secretary of any change to their attendance status.
Players should not RSVP “in” then not show up for the tournament without notifying the host or tournament secretary.
LOHG League tournaments are private, by invitation only, to be held at private residences with no rake, fee or vigorish. All players have equal chances of winning.
