Official Rules - 2017
1. LEAGUE DEFINITION.
a. Big Slick Poker Circuit plays exclusively tournament style No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em. Each season, there are ten open entry tournaments, a Satellite to AZ State Championship tournament and one invitation-only League Championship Tournament to conclude the season.
b. The location of each tournament will vary based on rotating hosts.
c. Tournament clock, seating, betting schedule, tournament points, knockouts, payouts and Power Rankings will be managed using Dr. Neau Tournament Manager software.
d. BUYING IN TO ANY TOURNAMENT ASSUMES THAT THE PLAYER HAS READ AND AGREES TO ALL RULES CONTAINED IN THESE OFFICIAL RULES.
2. LEAGUE DIRECTOR.
a. League Director will be Kurt Alderson. The League Director will be the ultimate decision-maker for all disputes in any tournament and each league season.
b. In the event that the League Director is not available for any tournament, a replacement Director will be appointed for the tournament(s) he is unavailable.
3. GOVERNING RULES OF PLAY.
a. Governing rules of poker play will be Poker Tournament Director's Association 2015 Rules V1.0 (August 20, 2015) and a copy will be available for reference at all league tournaments. Poker TDA 2015 rules can also be read online, here.
4. TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE.
a. Entry Fee.
i. Entry to each regular season tournament will be $60 for each player.
ii. $50 of each entry will be allocated to each tournament prize pool, while the remaining $10 of each entry will be retained and allocated to the League Championship Tournament prize pool.
iii. No re-buys are allowed.
iv. Refer to section 10 for entry into the Satellite to AZ State Championship tournament and section 11 for entry into the League Championship tournament.
b. Add-Ons.
i. One optional add-on of 2,000 tournament chips may be purchased for $10 only at the first break of each regular season tournament.
ii. Add-ons are only available to players with chips during the first break. Eliminated players may not purchase add-ons.
iii. All proceeds from the add-ons purchased at a tournament will be added to the prize pool for that tournament.
iv. Add-ons will not be available for purchase at the Satellite to AZ State Championship tournament or the League Championship Tournament.
c. Seating.
i. All players are required to pay the tournament entry fee before they receive their seat assignment and tournament chips.
ii. Seat assignments are randomly selected using the Dr. Neau Tournament Manager software and will be available prior to the start of each tournament.
iii. The player sitting in seat one at all tables will begin the tournament with the Dealer button.
iv. Considerations for players with handicaps (visual impairment or otherwise) will be made prior to randomly seating all other players.
d. Start Time.
i. Registration for all tournaments will begin at 6:00pm on the scheduled tournament date.
ii. All tournaments will start promptly at 7:00pm on the scheduled tournament date.
e. Late Entries.
i. If a player is unable to arrive before the tournament starts, he or she must notify the League Director as soon as possible. His or her chips will be collected for the applicable blinds and hands folded until the player arrives (blinded out).
ii. If a player has announced his or her tardiness and is unable to join the tournament before the first break has completed, his or her remaining chips will be removed from the table and he or she will not be allowed to enter the tournament.
iii. Players will not be allowed to enter the tournament after the first break has completed.
f. Alternates.
i. Once a tournament has 30 players confirmed, a wait list will be started. Players on the wait list are encouraged to arrive at the tournament during the registration period as they may be seated in the tournament.
ii. Alternate players will be seated in the tournament under two conditions. 1) If a confirmed player cancels their reservation to the tournament or doesn't show up, or 2) If a player is eliminated within the first three blind levels of a tournament.
ii. All regular season tournaments may contain a maximum of 32 players (30 players and 2 alternates seated within the first hour when players are eliminated).
g. No Shows.
i. If a player confirms their attendance to a tournament and does not inform the tournament director that they cannot attend and fails to show up (no show), that player will automatically be placed on the wait list the next time they confirm for a tournament.
ii. A player that has previously no-showed and is on the wait list can be removed from the wait list by showing up to a tournament for which they have confirmed, whether they are seated as an alternate or not.
iii. The No Show rule will roll over to following seasons if necessary (ex. If a player no-shows in Tournament 10, they will remain on the wait list through the following season).
h. Chip Count.
i. Players will begin each regular season tournament and the Satellite to AZ State Championship tournament with 13,000 tournament chips.
ii. Players will begin the League Championship tournament with 20,000 tournament chips. For all other information related to the League Championship tournament, refer to section 11.
j. Dealers.
i. The player starting each hand with the Dealer button will be responsible for ensuring all blinds are posted and the cards are properly shuffled prior to the cards being dealt.
ii. Only the player with the Dealer button will be allowed to have his or her hands in the pot to make change, chop or award a pot to the winning player(s). No other players are permitted to have their hands in the pot at any time.
k. Betting Schedule.
i. All tournaments, including the Satellite to AZ State Championship and League Championship Tournament, will use the following betting schedule.
| LEVEL | SMALL | BIG | DURATION | LEVEL | SMALL | BIG | DURATION | ||
| 1 | 25 | 50 | 20 min. | 13 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 20 min. | ||
| 2 | 50 | 100 | 20 min. | 14 | 4,000 | 8,000 | 20 min. | ||
| 3 | 75 | 150 | 20 min. | 15 | 6,000 | 12,000 | 20 min. | ||
| BREAK - ADD-ONS | 15 min. | B R E A K | 5 min. | ||||||
| 4 | 100 | 200 | 20 min. | 16 | 8,000 | 16,000 | 15 min. | ||
| 5 | 200 | 400 | 20 min. | 17 | 10,000 | 20,000 | 15 min. | ||
| 6 | 300 | 600 | 20 min. | 18 | 12,000 | 24,000 | 15 min. | ||
| B R E A K | 10 min. | 19 | 15,000 | 30,000 | 15 min. | ||||
| 7 | 400 | 800 | 20 min. | B R E A K | 5 min. | ||||
| 8 | 600 | 1,200 | 20 min. | 20 | 20,000 | 40,000 | 15 min. | ||
| 9 | 800 | 1,600 | 20 min. | 21 | 25,000 | 50,000 | 15 min. | ||
| B R E A K | 10 min. | 22 | 30,000 | 60,000 | 15 min. | ||||
| 10 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 20 min. | 23 | 40,000 | 80,000 | 15 min. | ||
| 11 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 20 min. | B R E A K | 5 min. | ||||
| 12 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 20 min. | 24 | 60,000 | 120,000 | 15 min. | ||
| B R E A K | 10 min. | 25 | 80,000 | 160,000 | 15 min. | ||||
|
After Level 25, blinds will continue to escalate as necessary. |
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m. Table Balancing and Consolidation.
i. Table balancing will be managed by the Dr. Neau Tournament Manager software using the 'Random' method.
ii. New players to a table as a result of balancing tables are dealt in immediately unless they are seated in the small blind or button positions, where they must wait until the button has passed the player on their immediate left.
iii. Tables will be consolidated when each remaining table contain can 10 players (40 total players, 30 total players, 20 total players, 10 total players).
iv. When combining into the final table of a tournament, including the Satellite to AZ State Championship, all players will be re-seated randomly without consideration for blind positions at previous tables.
5. LEAGUE POINT SYSTEM.
a. Tournament Point System.
i. Players finishing in the top two-thirds of a tournament are awarded points for their performance in accordance with the formula below. Point value is rounded up to the nearest whole number.
A = Number of players in tournament
B = Player's tournament finish
C = Tournament buy-in
D = Number of eliminations (bounties)
| 10 x |
( |
Sqrt A | x | ( | 1 + ( Sqrt C ) - ( B x 5 ) |
) ) |
+ ( 10 x D ) |
| Sqrt B |
ii. Players finishing in the bottom one-third of a tournament receive ten points.
iii. If held, the Satellite to AZ State Championship tournament awards no points and is not counted in the Power Rankings toward qualifying for the League Championship Tournament.
b. League Point System (Power Rankings).
i. Players will accumulate points throughout the regular season from each tournament they attend based on the formula above (5a-i).
ii. The final Power Rankings will reflect the finishing order of the League Championship tournament (disregarding point totals), then follow point totals starting with the 11th place finisher.
6. ELIMINATIONS.
a. The Dr. Neau Tournament Manager software tracks all eliminations in every tournament.
b. When a player is eliminated, the eliminating player is awarded with ten points in addition to their point total for their tournament performance, with the exception of the Satellite to AZ State Championship, which awards no points.
7. TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE.
Tournament 1: Saturday, January 14, 2017
Tournament 2: Saturday, February 11, 2017
Tournament 3: Saturday, March 11, 2017
Tournament 4: Saturday, April 8, 2017
Tournament 5: Saturday, May 6, 2017
Tournament 6: Saturday, June 3, 2017
Tournament 7: Saturday, July 1, 2017
*Satellite to AZ State Championship: Saturday, July 29, 2017
Tournament 8: Saturday, August 19, 2017
Tournament 9: Saturday, September 16, 2017
Tournament 10: Saturday, October 14, 2017
Championship Tournament: Saturday, November 11, 2017
*Refer to section 10 below for more information regarding the Satellite to AZ State Championship.
8. TOURNAMENT HOSTING.
a. All players are encouraged to host a tournament. Players that host a tournament in their home are rewarded with a discount into the regular season tournament they host.
b. Tournament host will provide food for tournament players. The tournament host will receive a $40 credit to aid in food costs.
c. It is highly recommended to host at least two consecutive tournaments to help reduce wear and tear of the tables and chairs while transporting between tournaments.
d. Food will not be provided at the Satellite to AZ State Championship, therefore no host credit will be given for hosting this tournament.
9. PAYOUT SCHEDULES.
a. All regular season tournaments will use the following payout schedule.
| 5 players or less (Pays 1): | 1st: 100% | ||||
| 6-8 players (Pays 2): | 1st: 70% | 2nd: 30% | |||
| 9-14 players (Pays 3): | 1st: 50% | 2nd: 30% | 3rd: 20% | ||
| 15-23 players (Pays 4): | 1st: 50% | 2nd: 25% | 3rd: 15% | 4th: 10% | |
| 24-32 players (Pays 5): | 1st: 45% | 2nd: 23% | 3rd: 15% | 4th: 10% | 5th: 7% |
| All payouts will be rounded to the nearest $5 increment. | |||||
b. The Championship Tournament will use the following payout schedule.
| 10 players (Pays 4): | 1st: 50% | 2nd: 25% | 3rd: 15% | 4th: 10% |
| All payouts will be rounded to the nearest $5 increment. | ||||
c. Refer to Section 10 below for information on payouts in the Satellite to AZ State Championship tournament.
d. Cash Chops.
i. Cash chops will be allowed in all regular season tournaments only when there are only two players remaining.
ii. Cash chops must be mutually agreed upon by both players before money is awarded.
iii. If a cash chop agreement is made between the two remaining players, those two players must play out the remainder of the tournament to determine points and victory.
iv. Chopping points is not permitted.
10. SATELLITE TO AZ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
a. A satellite tournament will be played where the prize will be the cash equivalent for entry into the AZ State Championship Tournament at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, AZ. Refer to Section 7 above for date.
b. Entry into the satellite tournament is $110 per player.
c. A maximum of 50 players may participate in this satellite tournament. No alternates will be seated in the tournament if any players are eliminated within the first three blind levels.
d. Format.
i. A 50 player, multi-table tournament will be played and tables will be combined into a single table through player eliminations.
ii. Eliminations will be tracked using the Dr. Neau Tournament Manager software only to aid in table balancing and consolidation. No points will be awarded for eliminations.
iii. The tournament will end when only 5 players remain. Those 5 players will be awarded with $1,100 in cash.
iv. In the event that the tournament runs with less than 50 players, the tournament will conclude when there are only enough players remaining that can be rewarded with a full $1,100 prize. Prizes will be made in as many increments of $1,100 as possible, with the remaining cash going to the player that is last to be eliminated before the full prizes are awarded. Example: A tournament with 48 players will award four $1,100 prizes and 5th place will receive the remainder of the prize pool ($880).
e. Winning players will receive a cash prize and are solely responsible for registering for and playing in the AZ State Championship tournament.
11. LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT.
a. Only the players finishing in the top ten in the Power Rankings after the conclusion of the ten regular season tournaments will be invited to play in the League Championship Tournament.
b. For those players invited to play in the League Championship Tournament, entry is free.
c. If a player in the top ten in the Power Rankings is unable to attend the League Championship Tournament, their seat is forfeited and no compensation will be provided to the absent player.
d. Players that have been invited and are unable to attend must notify the League Director as soon as reasonably possible so an alternate may be invited in their place.
e. If a player that has been invited to the League Championship Tournament is unable to attend, a replacement player will be invited, beginning with the eleventh place finisher and continuing down the Power Rankings until all ten seats are filled.
f. If two or more players are tied in the Power Rankings and it is unclear which player will be invited to the League Championship Tournament, the following tie-breaking procedures will decide.
i. If points are tied, the player with more knockouts in the season will be invited.
ii. If knockouts are tied, the player with the higher net earnings for the season will be invited.
iii. If the net earnings are tied, the player that attended more tournaments in the season will be invited.
iv. If two or more players are still tied, a play-in tournament will be held among tied players where the winner will be the player invited.
g. The prize pool for the League Championship Tournament will be the combined amount of the $10 retained from each player entry fee from each of the ten regular season tournaments.
i. A maximum of 15% of the League Championship Tournament prize pool will be retained and used to purchase award trophies, subscription fee for the Dr. Neau Tournament Manager software, website costs and miscellaneous expenses (additional chips or cards, tables, chairs, etc.).
ii. Because there is no entry fee to the League Championship Tournament, $40 will be taken from the Championship Tournament prize pool and given to the host to help with the cost of food.
h. Refer to Section 5b-ii for how finishing order of the League Championship tournament affects the final Power Rankings.
12. LEAGUE AWARDS.
a. At the conclusion of the League Championship Tournament, two trophies will be awarded:
i. The Player of the Year trophy will be awarded to the player with the most points after the conclusion of the League Championship Tournament.
ii. The League Champion trophy will be awarded to the player that wins the League Championship Tournament.
13. RULE CHANGES.
a. The rules listed in these Official League Rules are the only governing rules for the Big Slick Poker Circuit. Any rules not listed in these Official League Rules are not applicable.
b. Once the first hand has been dealt in a league season, no rule changes will be permitted for the remainder of that season.
c. Any proposed rule changes, additions or deletions will be noted for consideration for future league seasons.