1.
Floormen (FL) – Floormen (FL) will take their decisions with priority to
fairness and the best interest of the game. For cases not covered by
the present rules the Technical Rules of Casino Austria AG for Texas
Hold'em / Omaha and Seven Card Stud shall be applied instead. Unusual
circumstances may demand decisions where a broader interpretation of
the rules will be used, always in the interest of fairness. Decisions of the
management or management representatives (tournament officials) are
final.
2.
Language – While playing for a pot, only English and German may be
spoken.
3.
Remaining Seated – Every seat with a valid table stake receives cards. If
a player leaves his seat, he continues to receive cards until he would
assume the big blind position. At this time the player will get a “missed
blind” button and from this point on will no longer receive cards. In
order to have a live hand, players must be seated by the time the
cards have been dealt.
4.
Limits – Before starting the game, the type of limit is fixed in
accordance with the players: Split Limit / Pot Limit / No Limit. The
limit determines the size of possible bets and the number and size of blinds
or antes. In Pot Limit and No Limit variants a “live straddle” is possible, i.e.
the player to the left of the big blind (BB) before the cards are dealt can
optionally bet twice the size of the BB. A live straddle is considered an
additional blind. The minimum raise in this case will be twice the size of
the live straddle.
5.
Pot Size – In No Limit variants the dealer may at no time provide
information about the pot size.
6.
Buy-In – In order to join a game, a player must place visibly at
least the minimum buy-in in chips visibly on the table. In order to
receive a hand, the player must be able to place at least the
respective BB or ante. The buy-in usually corresponds to 20 BBs or
10 upper split limits. FL can on demand determine a higher buy-in.
7.
Blinds – If a player misses a BB, his place will be marked with a “missed
blind” button. If the player also misses the next round, his place will
receive a second “missed blind” button. At the point in time the player
would receive the third “missed blind” button, his seat becomes free. FL
and dealer will count his table stake at the table and give it back to the
player the moment he returns. A player that has missed one or more
BBs can either wait to re-enter the game in the BB position (without
payment) or he has to pay one SB (small blind) and one BB. This
payment can be effected in any position. The BB is considered a bet,
whereas the SB is added to the pot as dead blind. In the case a player reenters the game between button and SB-position, he solely pays one SB
and one BB (the other players won´t play anything for this hand) and for
the next hand receives the button. If a player has only missed the SB, he
receives a “missed small blind” button and must pay one SB on reentering. This payment is not considered a bet, but is added to the pot as
dead blind. In Pot Limit variants, all blinds paid in this manner count
among the pot. A player entering the game in the first initial round doesn´t
have to pay a blind unless it is his turn, if his place has not yet been in
the BB position. A player coming from a broken table or having been
requested to change tables by the FL doesn´t have to pay blinds for
entering the game. If a player moves two or more places (occupied
by active players) away from the button in a clockwise direction, the
player must pay one BB.
8.
Straddle – One additional straddle is possible in the pot limit and no
limit variants. Live straddle, winner straddle as well as button straddle is
permitted. If several players want to take advantage of this, live
straddle takes precedence over winner straddle, and this in turn takes
precedence over button straddle.
9.
Raise (1) – If, without announcement, a player puts in an increase of
50% or more over the previous bet, but less than a complete raise, this
action is considered as raise and the player must increase his bet to the
minimum raise. An all-in bet of less than a complete raise does not
reopen the betting round for those players who have already acted. A bet
using a single chip of larger than the previous bet is only interpreted as
raise, if this is announced before. The announcement “raise” must take
place before the bet. The raise corresponds to the value of the chip.
If, assuming blinds of € 30/60, a player before the flop or following a
previous bet puts in two € 50 chips without announcement his action is
considered as call even though two chips are involved.
10. Raise (2) – In No Limit variants there are no raise limits. The minimum
raise always corresponds to the previous raise. In Limit variants there is a
maximum of three raises per betting round. If a heads-up situation occurs
before the third raise, the number of raises is no longer restricted.
11. Raise (3) – In Pot Limit and No Limit variants, there are 3 possibilities
for placing a valid raise:
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The amount is placed in one motion.
The exact amount is announced before being placed.
The player announces “raise”, places the amount for the call and
then the raise in one motion.
If a player moves an uncounted amount of chips over the betting line, his
bet is the full amount of all these chips.
If a player bets a large amount of chips, these chips will only be counted by
the dealer, if the bet is called or if he is asked to do so by another
player.
12. Bets – All bets must be divisible by the respective ante or SB and can be
made using any valid Casinos Austria AG value chips. The player receives
any resulting odd chips back. (With the exception of blinds 2,5/5: in that
case the bets have to be multiples of the big blind) Betting an oversized
chip without comment before the flop is interpreted as call; after the flop,
the bet corresponds to the value of the chip. If a player announces “raise”
and bets an oversized chip, the raise is equal to the value of the chip.
The announcement “raise” has to take place before the chip reaches the
table. “String bets” are not permitted, i.e. a player may not place a bet and
then take further chips from his table stake to increase his bet. If a player
stays with an insufficient bet, because he has failed to notice a raise, the
player must complete his bet (a raise is not permitted) or otherwise loses
all claims to his bets and the pot.
13. Indivisible Chips – In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, if a pot needs to be
split between two or more players due to parity of hands, the odd chips go
to the player closest to the button according to the betting order. In Seven
Card Stud, the odd chips go to the player with the highest card (including by
suit) in his hand. The pot is only split down to the lowest value chip still
in play.
14. Side Pots – All side pots are split separately.
15. High Value Chips – Must be easily visible to all players.
16. Showing further cards after the end of the game – The dealer will not
show any further cards after the end of a game.
17. Misdeal – A misdeal occurs if:
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two or more additional cards were dealt;
the first card was dealt to the wrong player;
a player didn´t receive cards;
in stud games, if one of the hole cards is revealed;
in flop games, if the first or second card is revealed.
In case of 2 or more actions having taken place before the mistake is
noticed, the affected player's hand is declared invalid and the game
continues regularly.
18. Unprotected Hands – If the dealer collects an unprotected hand, the
player does not get back his bets placed up to that point. Exception: In the
case that a player has raised and his raise has not yet been called by
anyone, he receives his raise back.
19. Obligation to Attend – Players involved in a hand must remain seated.
20. Binding / non-binding announcements – If it is a player's turn, his
verbal announcements are mandatory. Announcements made out of turn
are binding if the situation has not changed in the meantime. Check, call
or fold are not considered as changes. Announcements out of turn are not
binding if the previous betting situation has changed. A raise is considered
as change.
21. Comments by Players – Comments on the value of a hand are not
binding. Intentionally false comments can be penalized.
22. Revealing of Hole Cards (1) – If a player at the wrong time reveals one
or more of his hole cards, he will from that point on only play a passive role
in the game. The player may neither bet nor raise. His hand remains valid.
23. Revealing of Hole Cards (2) – If a player reveals a hole card to an
opponent, he must on demand reveal the card to all other players (“show
one, show all”).
24. Showdown (1) – The player who has taken the last active action (bet or
raise) must show first. If, after the dealer has called for the showdown,
there is only one player left to lay claim to the pot (the other players
pass), this player wins the pot without a showdown. Players that do not
lay claim to the pot or players that do not have opponents with a valid
hand do not need to reveal their hand (unless requested to do so by the FL
under suspicion of collusion). The winning hand must reveal all hole cards,
reveal all seven cards respectively.
25. Showdown (2) – If the dealer by mistake collects an obviously winning
hand after the showdown, the hand nonetheless wins the pot. In the
interest of fairness, all players are asked to immediately report any
misunderstandings or obvious mistakes to the dealer.
26. Showdown (3) – When “playing the board” a player must show his hole
cards in order to be able to claim any portion of the pot.
27. Run it twice – This option is possible if the following conditions are
met:
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None of the players can bet any more.
All players have agreed to "run it twice".
The turn and river card cannot have been dealt yet.
Before dealing the turn and river card, the croupier must have been
asked by at least one player to wait to continue dealing to ensure the
opponent agrees to run it twice..
If every player has added at least 100 big blinds to the pot, it is possible
to deal the turn and the river card twice.
Run it twice applies to both the main pot as well as all side pots.
Run it four times: (ONLY with 2 players) If every player has added at
least 100 big blinds to the pot, it is possible to deal both the turn and
the river card 4 times. (This option is only possible if there are enough
cards remaining in the deck).
28. Consideration – Players are obliged to show consideration towards the
game and the other players, even when not involved in the game. They must
not pass on information about active or passed cards, analyze the game
or make the hand of an opponent known before the showdown. Players are
obliged to protect their hand in a way that they may not be seen by anyone.
29. Table Stake – Players may not remove any chips from their table stake,
unless leaving the game. Increasing the table stake is possible between
hands, but never during an actual hand. If a player leaves the game with a
table stake higher than the minimum buy-in of the table, the player may
only re-enter with a smaller table stake at this or similar tables (same
variant and limit) after four hours. Cash does not count among the table
stake. If a player wishes to buy in or to increase his table stake using bank
notes, the dealer must immediately change them to chips.
30. Table Changes / Table Balance – Even though there are multiple tables
with the same limit and different numbers of players, no table balancing
will take place. A player may not move to another table with the same limit
without permission of the FL. If the second table with the same limit is
opened as a “must move” table, the first player on the “must move” list
must switch to the first table if a place becomes free there, or otherwise
stop to play.
31. Breaks – Every player may on every day of play interrupt his game for
60 minutes without losing his place. To use this option, the player must
inform the FL about his intention to take a break. If the player fails to
do so, his place will become free by the time it receives the third
“missed blind” button (see item 7).
32. Deck of Cards – A deck of cards can be exchanged at any time by the
management or management representatives. Players may not request a
new deck.
33. Electronic devices – Mobile telephones and similar means of
communication may not be used as long as a player is participating in a
hand. The hand of a player who violates this rule can be declared invalid.
At no time are electronic devices permitted on the table. They can be
placed in a handbag or on a side table, but never on a poker table (this
means all parts of the table including the edge of the table). Management
or a representative of management can prohibit the use of electronic
devices without stating any reasons.
34. Etiquette violations – In the case of repeated etiquette violations
management reserves the right to exclude a player from the game in the
interest of the casino, guests or other players. Examples of such violations
include the touching of opponents' cards or chips, delaying the game,
acting out of turn, revealing hole cards during the course of a game or
other inappropriate behavior.