PANAMA-GBS • BALLERS POKER TOURNAMENT RULES (Texas Hold’em)
1. Game Rules – When applicable, all rules are the same as standard Texas Hold’em casino tournament rules, with the exception of the Specialty Tournament Rules as stated in section 19 of this rules and regulations. In an instance of a discrepancy, the pit boss will be first to make a decision, followed by the tournament director.
2. Tournament Directors – The Panama-GBS • Ballers Poker Tournament is hosted by RAAM Social in partnership with Panama-GBS and X-Caliber Productions, collectively the Tournament Directors.
3. Entrance Fees – All entrance fees must be paid before play begins and are $500 USD per player.
4. Seat Assignment – Seats will randomly be assigned. As players enter, they will be served a welcome drink, and draw a random number for their seat assignment. The seat cannot be changed until the round is over or a tournament director tells you otherwise. All players must leave their seats immediately after being eliminated from an event. Table sponsors will have a reserved seat at
start of tournament at the table they sponsored. The seat assignment number will also be used for the lucky draws throughout the tournament.
5. Starting Stacks – $10,000 Tournament chips (No Cash Value) will be set at each table prior to the players taking their seat. Starting stack is subject to change.
6. Additional Buy-ins / Cash-outs – Players cannot cash out or buy-in at any point during the tournament. Cash games will be available for players that are knocked out of the tournament and will commence following the completion of the first round of play. Standard casino rules apply.
7. Tournament Format – The tournament will have 3 rounds of play with a cap of 100 players. Each round (with the exception of the Final Table) will have a 1.5hr Time limit, Speed rounds will begin with 15 min left in the Tournament Round, meaning that all players must anti-up with a Small Blind amount, and blinds will increase after each round of play. If at the end of the speed rounds more then allotted players remain at the table, then the remaining chips will be equally divided among the players that are scheduled to advance to the next round. See bracket chart for more details.
Round 1 (100 Players) 10 tables / 10 players per table with top 4 players from Round 1 advancing to Round 2 with their chips in hand. Table play stops when only 4 players remain at the table.
Round 2 (40 Players) 4 tables / 10 players per table with top 2 players from Round 2 advancing to the Final Table with their chips in hand. Table play stops when only 2 players remain at the table.
Round 3 – Final Table (8 Players) 1 table / 8 players will play for the championship. Table play stops when only 1 Player remains at the table.
8. Blind & Ante Levels – Starting blinds (Round 1) will be $50/$100 and increase each interval. Blind will increase after each full round (increase will be equal to the starting amount). Round 2 will start at $100/$200 and Final round will start at $500/$1000. If the time limit for the round If the blinds increase and your dealer has already cut the cards, the blinds will increase on the next hand.
9. Heads up (Final Table) – When two players are left you have reached heads up play. In this scenario the small blind is the button and acts first before the flop but last on all ensuing streets. It is up to you to know the basic poker rules when playing in a tournament. Not properly educating yourself can cause you to unknowingly commit an infraction and get penalized or even disqualified.
10. Breaking Tables – As players are eliminated the tournament director will start breaking tables in a pre-determined order. If your table breaks, you will be assigned randomly to an empty seat at one of the remaining tables. Rounds will not start until all players have moved onto the next round. Players are permitted to enjoy the VIP reception until the following Round begins.
11. The Deal – The deal proceeds exactly as it does in a standard game. The two players to the left of the button are the small blind and the big blind. After each hand the button moves one seat to the left. The button is determined in the first hand completely randomly.
12. Absent Players – All players must be dealt into the hand and their blinds/antes forced into the pot whether they are at the table or not. If the player is not present by the time his second card is dealt, his hand will be ruled dead. If a paid entrant is absent at the start of an event, an effort will be made to locate and contact the player. If the player requests the chips be left in place until arrival, the request will be honoured. However if the player can not be contacted, and/or game begins and
player is not present at start of tournament, then his chips will be forfeited and divided among the advancing players.
A player must also be at his seat when the first card is dealt on the initial deal or he will have a dead hand. “At your seat” means within reach of your chair. This rule is not intended to condone players being out of their seats while involved in a hand.
13. All-in Bets – A player who declares himself all in plays for all of the chips in front of him. If the other player has more he is only entitled to an amount equal to his own stack. The same goes for an all-in player that has less than his required blind. He is only entitled to what he put in.
14. All-in confrontations – When two players are all in and the action is completed, both hands must be exposed face up before the rest of the board is run.
15. Calling the Clock – A player can request the dealer to force a player to choose an action in a set amount of time (At the dealers discretion, the dealer can ask for a final answer providing up to 30 seconds from the time of the request). If the player fails to act in that time, his or her hand is folded. Only a players seated with chips in play can call the clock.
16. Multiple Busts – If two players go broke on the same hand the player with the greater amount of chips at the start of the hand finishes in the higher position. (This is in the case that multiple players go all-in and the chip leader wins the hand)
17. Showing Cards – Intentionally exposing a card is illegal in tournament play and a hand can be ruled dead as well as a chip penalty can be issued equivalent to the big blind.
18. Inappropriate play- Inappropriate play such as swearing (in a threatening manner) and or throwing cards is punishable by a penalty, and subject to removal of the tournament by the Tournament Director or Pit Boss. Showing cards from a live hand during the action injures the rights of other players still competing in an event, who wish to see contestants eliminated. A player may
not show any cards during a deal (unless the event has only two remaining players). If a player deliberately shows a card, that hand may be ruled dead and the player penalized.
19. Specialty Tournament Rules
Knockout Chips – A player will receive a knockout chip for every player they eliminate from the tournament. Chips will be used to draw a random prize (no limits are set on how many knockout chips are provided (A total of 99 chips will be issued for 100 players). The player with the most Knockout Chips at the end of the tournament will win a special prize as the “Knockout Champion”.
Trash Talking – Since this is a friendly game, trash talking and nagging is permitted within limits, or as long as the players are in accord and Trash Talking is meant as a source of comic relief. Dealer, Pit Boss, and/or Tournament Director can stop Trash Talking at anytime. Should a player continue to do so, the player will be faced with a penalty (equal to the big blind) for every infraction or face the potential of removal from the tournament.
Side Bets – Players are allowed to side bet for a single shot of alcohol only (no cash). Table hostess will be responsible to provide the looser with the shot (will be a house mixed shot).
Tournament Draw – Following the completion of each Round, the Tournament Director will draw prizes for random players prior to the next round commencing.
