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Rules

• Objectives & General Overview
• Conditions to Follow to Become a Member
• Code of Good Conduct
• Poker Ethics
• Game Rules for Regular Tournaments
• Game rules for Sit n’Go’s
• Mega Tournaments
• Draws
• Game Rules for Major LTPQ Tournaments
• Tournament Director’s Decisions & Procedures

Objectives & General Overview

This document is the official guide surrounding the rules and standards of operation for the tournaments of the LTPQ. This document is written objectively to ensure that all events of the LTPQ are fair and that all members have an equal access to the rules and politics of the League.

It was mainly written to show that the first goal for each event of the League is to HAVE FUN socially, between friends who have the common priority to have a good time, thus differentiating it from the seriousness of CASH GAMES, them being GAMBLING activities.

All decisions coming from LTPQ’s officials are made with the only goal to be as fair as possible for all members; this is the reason why all decisions are unequivocal and final.

This document is subject to change, always keeping in mind to better serve the members.

In this document, the terms “LTPQ” and “League” are used to identify the Quebec Poker Tournament League.

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Conditions to Follow to Become a Member

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Code of Good Conduct

The management of each establishment pledges to maintain a pleasant environment for all members of the League, but can’t be held responsible for the actions of each member.

We have established a code of conduct that gives us the right to prohibit participation in the League’s events, to any player that break the following rules:

1. Collusion between players or other forms of cheating.
2. Any verbal or physical threat towards players or staff members.
3. Any profanation of the premises or use of obscene language.
4. Interfering the flow of the game, by arguing, yelling or by making excessive noises.
5. Throw, bend or voluntarily damage the cards.
6. Stealing chips leads to an automatic banishment of the member from all activities of the League as well as the loss of all accumulated points giving rights to future events.

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Poker Ethics

The following actions are not tolerated and are subject to a warning, suspension or expulsion for the guilty.

1. Voluntarily act before your turn.
2. Voluntarily throw your chips in the pot.
3. Two players who agree to check down when a third player is all-in.
4. State the hand of another player before his cards are exposed on the table.
5. Disclose the cards of a player before the hand is finished. Disclose the already discarded cards of a player before the hand is finished.
6. Show your cards to other players or spectators before the hand is over.
7. Voluntarily slow down the game.
8. Stack your chips so that your cards are not visible by all players.
9. Make statements that could influence the game, whether the player is in the action or not.
10. Play or accumulate points in place of another player.
11. Use of a cell phone at the table.

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Game Rules for Regular Tournaments

For the beginning of the League, the members have to accept that the game rules might differ lightly between associate establishments of the League.

During its first year, thanks to your suggestions and in collaboration with each associated establishment, Gestion Poker Tour will be able to establish a set of standard rules so that, during its second year, the League will be able to offer its members a favourable rules structure for everyone.

Until then, we ask for your collaboration and appeal to your tolerance, because the main goal of each associated establishment is to offer you a pleasant gaming environment, while giving you the opportunity to have fun between friends.

Rest assured that Gestion Poker Tour’s main goal is to standardize the League as soon as possible.

Venue Rules:

1- For a tournament to be validated. it must be announced at least 48 hours in advance on the tournaments calendar page.
2- For the tournament results to be validated, they must be entered within 24 hours of the tournament.

Help for Tournament Directors.

To insure the league’s uniformity and scoring fairness, all tournaments must be played according to the blinds structure set forth by the league, and this, without any variance. Same goes for sit n’go’s.

The starting stack for all tournaments (daily, monthly and district) will be 12,000 units: 10 blacks, 06 reds, 03 yellows and 01 green for a total of 20 chips per player (the exact number to fill one chip-rack’s row).

To standardize the way the League’s tournaments are played, the following points will have to be applied in their entirety by the Tournament Directors.

Flow of the tournament:

At each level, all participating players must have the opportunity to have the Dealer button as well as have the obligation to pay the big blinds. To do so, the League has adopted the "DEAD BUTTON" METHOD.

The Big Blind is put in by the player whose turn it is to play and the Small Blind and Dealer button are moved accordingly, even if it means that the Small Blind or the Dealer button are in front of an empty seat, giving the dealing privilege to the same player on consecutive hands.

According to this method:

If the player who put in his Big Blind is eliminated and not replaced, the BB button is placed in front of the next player still in the game, immediately to the left of the player who just got eliminated and the other 2 buttons marked SB and Dealer are moved accordingly. Consequently, there will not be a SB for this deal. On the next deal, we first move the BB button to the next player still in the game and we move the other 2 buttons accordingly. So it is the same player that will deal again.

When the Small Blind is eliminated and not replaced, we have to first move the Big Blind to the next player still in the game and the other 2 buttons move accordingly. The same player will deal again.

When only 2 players are left at the table, the player that has the Dealer button puts in the Small Blind and the player in front of him, the Big Blind. The player with the Small Blind is first to talk before the flop and last after the flop.

Moving a player:

As soon as a table is unbalanced compared to the other ones (usually 2 empty seats), it is always the player who is next Big Blind from the table that has the most players that will move to another table. This player will sit at an empty seat which is closest to the left of the Big Blind, at the table where there are the least players.

The player who was moved must assume the responsibility of his new position. The only position where a player has to wait until the next hand to play is when he gets moved to the position between the Small Blind and the Dealer button.

Breaking a table:

As soon as the total number of players eliminated is a multiple of the total number of players per table for the tournament, the last table of the tournament must be broken. Ex.: at 10 players per table, we will break a table as soon as 10 players are eliminated. Then, after another 10 players are eliminated, another table will be broken and so forth until a final table is reached.

When breaking a table, the tournament Director will give a card to each player and, beginning with the player having the highest card; will assign a new table and new seat to each player. The players must assume the responsibilities that come with their new position, even if that means having to pay the Big Blind two hands in a row. The only position where a player has to wait until the next hand to play is when he gets moved to the position between the Small Blind and the Dealer button.

Dealer errors:

Conscious that the league tournaments are not tournaments with dealers, and that each player has to deal in turn as best as they can, the rules concerning dealer errors have been reduced to their simplest form in order to avoid any delay of the game and worthless discussions. The rules that follow are the same for the Stage Tournaments.

• A player’s card that is face-down is exposed because of dealer error; there is a misdeal and we start over. Beware: players must protect their cards at all times. If they are exposed following their own negligence, they have no recourse.

• A player receives less than or more than 2 cards face-down ; if the incident is discovered before 2 players act, there is a misdeal and we start over. If the incident is discovered after 2 players act, the player at fault cannot participate in this hand and, where appropriate, also loses his blind.
• The Dealer forgets to burn a card before the flop, the turn or the river and immediately turns the top card face-up; the card will be shown to all the players and will therefore become the burn card. The next card will be the one used.

• The flop has too many exposed cards or the flop cards are exposed before the betting round has been completed; all the flop cards are picked up and reshuffled in the deck with the exception of the burnt card. The burnt card stays burnt and no other card will be burnt before the new flop is laid out.

• The fourth card (the turn) is turned face-up before the betting round has been completed; the card is out of play. At the end of the flop betting round, the next card is burnt and the subsequent one becomes the turn card. After the turn betting round, the Dealer will reshuffle the deck, including the card that was out of play, but not the burnt card or the cards already discarded by the players. Then, no card is burnt and the top one is turned face-up for the river.

• The fifth card (the river) is turned face-up before the betting round has been completed; the card is out of play. The Dealer will reshuffle the deck, including the card that was out of play, but not the burnt card or the cards already discarded by the players. Then, no card is burnt and the top one is turned face-up.

• If a card with a different back surface (Ex.: different color) appears during a hand, it will be considered out of play and will be replaced by the next card.

• If a card appears face-up in the deck, it will be considered out of play and will be replaced by the next card.

• One or more cards missing from the deck will not invalidate the result of a hand.

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Betting

Players are responsible for their own chips, which they must display so that they can, at any time, assess their total value. When making change, it is done between players and not with the pot. The Dealer supervises the making of change.

Players must act in turn. A player must verbally announce his intentions and is bound by them. If, when in turn, a player verbally announces to fold, check, bet or raise, he must honour his word. Check-raising is allowed.

NO-LIMIT rules

The number of raises during each betting round is unlimited. All initial bets must be equal to or more than the amount of the Big Blind (except where one bets all his chips). The raise must always be equal or more than the previous raise.

Initial bet before the flop: the initial bet must always be equal to or more than the Big Blind. If it is more, it becomes a raise and must follow the rules of a raise before the flop.

Initial bet after the flop: the initial bet must always be equal to or more than the Big Blind.

Raise before the flop: the first raise is always equal to or more than the Big Blind. Every following raise for this round of betting must be equal to or more than the previous raise.

Exemple 1: blinds 100/200, the first player who wants to raise must place at least 400 in front of him (200 to follow plus 200 to raise which is the amount of the big blind). The next player who wants to re-raise must place at least 600 in front of him (400 to follow the previous bet plus 200 to raise which is the amount of the previous raise).

Exemple 2: blinds 100/200, the first player who decides to raise put 1000 in front of him (200 to follow and 800 to raise). The next player who wants to re-raise must place at least 1800 in front of him (1000 to follow the previous bet plus 800 to raise which is the amount of the previous raise).

Raise after the flop: the first raise is always equal to or more than the initial bet of the round which must be equal to ore more than the big Blind. Every following raise for this round of betting must be equal to or more than the previous raise.

Exemple 1: blinds 100/200, after the flop, the first player bets 600 in the pot. The first player who wants to raise must place at least 1200 in front of him (600 to follow and 600 to raise which is the amount of the initial bet). The next player who wants to re-raise must place at least 1800 in front of him (1200 to follow the previous bet plus 600 to raise which is the amount of the previous raise).

Exemple 2: blinds 1000/2000; after the flop, the first player to act pushes all in with only 1500. the first player who wants to raise must place at least 3500 in front of him (1500 to follow plus 2000 more which is the amount of the big blind). The next player who wants to re-raise must place at least 5500 in front of him (3500 to follow the previous bet plus 2000 to raise which is the amount of the previous raise).

String bet:

The reason for this rule is to prevent a player from announcing a call, therefore getting some information from the reaction of the other players, and then deciding to add more chips, effectively changing his bet to a raise.

Everybody knows the classic scene, seen numerous times in the movies: An older player, cigar in mouth, is sitting at a poker table. It’s his turn to talk. Another player already placed a bet of $10,000. Surrounded by a cloud of smoke, the older player checks his cards, sits back and announces... "I call the $10,000 ... and raise $50,000".

This is called a string bet and it is illegal. It’s ok in the movies, but not at the casino. We cannot call and raise on the same action. We can either call or raise but not both at the same time. As soon as the older player declared "I call $10,000", he verbally announced his decision to call before announcing his decision to raise.

The rule stipulates that a player must verbally announce his intentions and be bound by them. He must honour his word. It is not permitted to call and raise just as it is to fold and raise. Only one action is allowed when it is your turn to talk.

Placing your raise in the pot:

There are even rules on how to put your chips in the pot when you are raising. The player must announce his intention to raise by stating the amount of his raise or by pushing all the raising chips in one forward motion, to avoid a string bet. Here are the 2 possible situations:

• The player can announce the amount of his raise verbally - « I raise of 2,000 » - He can then push his chips forward in the pot in many motions, 5 chips of 100, then 2 chips of 500 and finally, 1 chip of 1000. Once the raise amount is attained, his turn to talk is over. He cannot add another 1000 chip at the end; it would then become a string bet.
• If a player verbally announces a raise without indicating the amount, or even doesn’t announce anything but instead pushes his chips straight into the pot - he must put all his raising chips in the pot in one forward motion. He cannot make more than one forward motion while pushing his chips.

Definition of a forward motion: All the chips that a player pushes past the white line are considered to be part of the bet and belong to the pot. Each player has a personal space at the table, directly in front of their position. He can stack his chips and move them around like he sees fit, but as soon as he pushes his chips in a forward motion; the chips are then considered as being part of the pot.

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Verbal statement:

When a player makes a verbal statement in an acting position, he is bound by this statement. However, if the statement is made out of position, he might or might not be bound.

Explanation: if the player whose turn it is to act checks, then the player at fault can only check. If the player bets an amount less than or equal to what the player at fault announced, the latter can only call or fold. If the player bets more than what the player at fault announced, then the latter can call, raise or fold. If there is abuse, he could get a penalty.

Exposed cards:
A player, who, before the end of play, exposes involuntarily his cards to other players or anyone else, will receive a friendly warning but his hand will not be declared dead.

Showing your cards: A player who before the end of play shows voluntarily one or his two cards to an other player still in play will have his hand declared dead and will receive immediately a penalty.

Presence at the table:
The cards of the player who is not sitting in his seat when the 2^nd card his dealt to the Dealer will be automatically mucked.

Latecomers:
It is at the complete discretion of the venue and its Tournament Director to accept latecomers. However, the following rules must be honoured: latecomers are accepted only for the duration of the first blind level (20 minutes) and 1,000 chips must be removed from their starting stack.

Player who leaves:
A player who needs to leave the tournament for any reason will see his chips removed from play and will get the points based on his rank of elimination.

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Game rules for Sit n’Go

• Number of players required to play a sit n’go : minimum 8, maximum 10.
• The sit n’go’s must be played according to the blind structure already established, without any variance.
• Seats must be assigned randomly.
• No latecomer will be accepted once the sit n’go has started.
• All players registered for the sit n’go must physically be present at the table on the first deal.
• A player may only leave the table for the duration of one blind level, else his chips must be withdrawn from the sit n’go.
• Note: at 11 players or more, it becomes a regular daily tournament. The blind structure to use must then be the one for an 8 to 20 player tournament. Up to 14 players, the tournament will be tallied according to the sit&go points table. At 15 players or more, it will be tallied like a regular tournament, providing that it was announced 48 hours in advance on the tournament calendar page.

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Mega Tournaments

A Mega Tournament must be announced at least 2 weeks in advance, follow a pre-determined blind structure and be held on a FRIDAY or SATURDAY exclusively.

The winner of a Mega Tournament will get a free pass to the current Regional Tournament, as long as he/she subscribed to the scoring system and that there was at least 75 players registered in the tournament (one extra free pass will be awarded for every additional 25 players).

Please note: no free passes will be awarded if a Mega Tournament does not follow these criterias.

Note: There is no restrictions concerning the distance between the venues.

See the "Mega Tournaments" section via the "Where to Play" tab for the complete listing of the Mega Tournaments.

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Draws

The draws during the Daily Tournaments, Sit’n Go’s and Mega Tournaments are automated by the League. 

A random electronic draw is done between all the players registered for the tournament. To obtain his free pass to the monthly tournament, the player must have subscribed to the GPT scoring system.

Quarterly, a draw will be done by the league for a free pass for the next Stage Tournament. The draw will be made among all of the league’s members.

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Game Rules for Major LTPQ Tournaments

The international rules will be in effect for all major League tournaments.

1. THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR’S DECISION IS FINAL
2. CHIP RACE
   When it is time to color-up smaller denomination chips, each player shall receive the equivalent in chips of the new higher denomination. For any chips left of the smaller denomination, the player shall receive one chip of the higher denomination.
3. ODD CHIP
   When there is a split pot between two players, the odd chip will be given to the player closest and to the left of the dealer.
4. SIDE POTS
   When a player is ALL-IN and other players are still in play, it will be necessary to make a side pot. These pots are not to be mixed together, they must stay separate. The players only have access their own pots.
5. CALLING FOR CLOCK PROCEDURES
   Once a reasonable amount of time has passed and a clock is called for, a player will be given one minute to make a decision. If action has not been taken by the time the minute is over, there will be a 10-second countdown. If a player has not acted on his hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be dead.
6. DEAD BUTTON
   When a player is transferred from one table to another, he cannot come in as dealer. He has to wait for the next hand.
7. EXPOSED CARDS
   A player who, before the end of the hand, involuntarily exposes his cards to other players or other people will receive a friendly warning but his hand will not be declared dead.
8. SHOWING CARDS: A player who before the end of play shows voluntarily one or his two cards to another player still in play will have his hand declared dead and will received immediately a penalty.
9. PRESENCE AT THE TABLE
   A player who is not sitting at the table when the second card is dealt to the dealer will see his hand thrown away.
10. RAISE
    Any player that, by mistake, puts in a raise of less than 50% of the previous bet, will see his raise cancelled and will be required to put in the same amount as the previous player. If the raise is equal or more than 50%, he will then be forced to complete his raise.
11. FACE UP
    When one or more players are all-in, and that all actions are completed, all players must show their cards.
12. ONE CHIP BET
    Before the flop, when a player bets only one high value chip without saying anything, it means a call. After the flop is dealt, the bet automatically becomes the value of the chip.
13. 1 PLAYER PER HAND
    When a player is active in a hand, he cannot ask the advice of other people or his hand will be declared dead.
14. BUTTON POSITION
    A draw will determine the button position.
15. RANDOM SEATS
    Seats will be randomly assigned.
16. SPOKEN LANGUAGES
    French and English are the only 2 languages permitted at the table.
17. CELL PHONES
    A player who wants to use a cell phone must step away from the table.
18. FOREIGN CHIPS
    Only one chip is allowed as a card protector.
19. DECK CHANGES
    Only the director can determine when the cards should be changed.
20. NEW BLINDS
    When time has elapsed in a round and a new round is announced, the new limits apply to the next hand. A hand has begun with the first riffle.
21. HIGHEST CHIPS VISIBLE
    Players must keep their highest denomination chips in front, visible to all players at all times.
22. VERBAL DISCLOSING OF CONTENT
    A player who makes a misstatement as to the content of his hand may be penalized, especially if the misstatement is voluntary.
23. RABBIT HUNTING
    When a hand is over, it is forbidden for the dealer to show the next cards.
24. DODGING BLINDS
    A player who intentionally dodges his blind(s) when moving from a broken table will forfeit the blind(s) and/or incur a penalty. The money will be put into the next pot and will be considered dead money.
25. CHIPS VISIBLE All chips must be visibly displayed at all times. Players may not have tournament chips in their pockets at any time. A player who has chips in his pocket will forfeit the chips. The forfeited chips will be taken out of play from the tournament.
26. MOVING PLAYERS
    In order to balance the number of players at each table, the player to be transferred will be the one who will be in the big blind position on the next hand.  This player will sit at an empty seat which is closest to the left of the Big Blind, at the table where there are the least players.
27. BROKEN TABLE
    When a table is broken, the tournament director will deal a card to each player and starting with the player who was dealt the highest card, will distribute a new table and seat position to each player. Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibilities of the position, even if that means being big blind twice in a row. The only place they cannot get a hand is between the small blind and the button.
28. PROTECTING YOUR CARDS
    It is the responsibility of each player to protect their cards. If a dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to his money back. (Protect your cards at all times)
29. CARDS FACE-UP
    The dealer cannot kill a hand that was face-up on the table. 
30. VERBAL DECLARATION
    When a player makes a verbal declaration in his turn of play, he is binded by the said declaration. However, if he speaks out of turn, he might or might not be binded. If there is abuse, a penalty can be awarded.
31. TALKING DURING A HAND
    Players, whether in the hand or not, may not discuss the hands until the action is complete. Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Discussing cards discarded or hand possibilities is not allowed. A penalty may be given for discussion of hands during the play.
32. RAISE
    When raising, a player must either put the amount of the raise out in one motion or state the raise amount. By stating the raise amount, a player can put the chips in the pot in more than one movement.
33. PENALTIES
    Penalties available for use by the Tournament Director are:
    - Verbal warnings: 10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes away from the table.
    - Disqualification: the disqualified player’s chips are removed from tournament play.
    - Suspension: the suspended player will see his access to other events revoked for a certain period of time, determined by the Tournament Director.
34. CANCELLATION
    At its discretion, management reserves the right to cancel or modify any events in the best interest of the players.
35. MANAGEMENT HAS TO, AT ALL TIME, CONSIDER THE BEST INTEREST AND FAIRNESS OF THE GAME FOR ALL PLAYERS. SOME EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MIGHT SOMETIME ARISE CAN DICTATE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION TO WHAT WAS TECHNICALLY INTENDED.

THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR’S DECISION IS FINAL

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Tournament Director’s Decisions & Procedures

Decisions

1. The Tournament Director’s decisions are final.
2. The Tournament Director reserves the right to apply a ruling in the spirit of justice, even though it can differ from the standard rule.
3. Any mistake must be raised with the Tournament Director, as fast as possible. If not, it might be impossible to correct it.
4. If an incorrect decision is imposed by the Tournament Director, the establishment’s owner or Gestion Poker Tour cannot be held responsible.
5. If, by mistake, a pot has not been awarded to the right player, mention of it must be made before the next hand begins. In the case where the pot’s chips are mixed in with the player’s chips, the Tournament Director will have to reconstruct the play to establish, as precisely as possible, the amount that this player will have to give back to the winning players.

Procedures

1. The Tournament Director is the one that determines the beginning and the end of the tournament.
2. All cash bets are strictly forbidden and the guilty players will be banned from the League.
3. All chips must stay on the table at all times and, when changing tables, the chips must be visibly displayed at all times and, under no circumstances, be hidden from other players.
4. No player can play or accumulate points in place of another player.
5. When a player must leave the table, the other players will protect his chips.
6. All chips must be visible, with the biggest denomination chips in front of all others.
7. The chip racks are given only to carry the chips from one table to another. The must be taken away as soon as the player is sitting in his new seat.
8. The cards must be in full view of all players.
9. It is forbidden to look at already discarded cards.
10. The players must not slow down play by lack of civism, either by talking on a cell phone, reading or by any other activity.
11. When playing, speaking a different language other than French or English is strictly forbidden.

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