1. All players must be a minimum of 21 years of age.
  2. No person may play without first being registered as a VPA league member.
  3. The Tournament Director (TD) has full say over all operations and decisions. The TD reserves the right to amend any rule as he sees fit in order to settle any issue for the fairness of the game.
  4. All events are self-dealt, with the “Final Table” being dealt by the TD or his assignee.
  5. The Dealer is initially determined by a volunteer player dealing off the top eight cards with the highest card representing the player who will start the deal. In the event that any two players are dealt the same high cards, than the player who was dealt the same high card first is considered the dealer.
  6. All events will use 2 decks of cards per table. While one deck is being dealt, the 2nd deck will be shuffled by the player in the Small Blind position. A shuffle must consist of at least three interactions of all 52 cards. The offer of cut must be made by the Dealer to the first player on his right. If that player does not wish to have the cards cut, the Dealer must respect that decision and begin dealing the cards. The Dealer does not have the right to self-cut the cards, after the player to the right has declined the cut. A proper cut is any cut where at least 5 cards have been cut.
  7. The act of “Pre-Burning” any burn card is not allowed.
  8. Blinds are considered locked once either blind is posted.
  9. During the deal, if a card is exposed, the following will take place:
    • The exposed card will be held out of play and used as the first “Burn Card”.
    • The player who was suppose to receive the card will wait until the dealer is done dealing out all cards and then one additional card will be dealt to the player who only has one card.
    • When 2 or more cards are exposed during the deal, it’s a misdeal.
  10. A Mis-Deal is in effect when any of the following occur:
    • When 2 or more cards are exposed during the deal.
    • When any player is dealt any number of cards other than 2 and the “First Player To Act” has not placed a bet. However, if the “First Player To Act” has placed a bet and then another player has discovered an abnormal number of cards in his/her hand, than that particular players hand is dead and must be mucked. Play will then resume.
  11. Any time a player who is not at his/her seat when the “action” arrives at that seat, will have their cards mucked at the direction of the dealer and by no one else.
  12. Any time there is a “Dead Stack” in either the Small or Large Blind position, it is the responsibility of the Dealer to post the proper Blind from the particular dead stack. Only the Dealer can muck the cards placed in front of a Dead stack and then only in proper rotation.
  13. The Burn and Muck piles must be kept separate and never combined until all hands are considered dead. Its always good etiquette to place only the burn cards under the exposed community cards or under the dealer button.
  14. Please, verbally and clearly state your intentions at all times, intentions such as:
    • Bet
    • Call
    • Raise
    • All-In
    • Fold
  15. Chip Movement: String betting is not allowed, in addition the action of “fisting” a stack of chips, without announcing the actual amount of the bet and/or raise and then dropping them onto the betting area of the table will not be allowed. VPA feels that this type of play may allow the offending player to obtain tells from the opposing players.
  16. PLEASE, NO SPLASHING THE POT! First announce your intention, and then place your Bet/Raise in front of you. Then only place the chips in the pot after being told to do so by the Dealer. A single chip put into play is always considered a Bet or Call and never a Raise.
  17. The 1st round of raising pre-flop must be at least double the Big Blind. Each additional 1st round raise must be at least the amount of the prior raise. Post Flop, the first bet must be equal to or greater than the Big Blind. A Raise after the Post Flop must double the Post Flop Bet.
  18. Raise Cap: There is a unique time when a round of raising must be capped. This situation occurs when the first player makes a bet and other players call the bet with one player then going All-In for more than the bet but less than double the bet. The remaining players can only then match the All-In and not raise in that round.
  19. Once your cards are tossed into the Muck Pile they are dead. No player at any time is to touch, search through or expose any card(s) from the Muck Pile. No Exceptions!
  20. Mis-showing of Cards: The showing of ones cards to any other player in any fashion is strictly prohibited even if the other viewing player is out of the hand. No Exceptions!
  21. Verbal declarations are only binding when the Action is on that particular player.
  22. A declaration of “Raise” and then the same player saying “All-In” will not be allowed. It’s either one form of action or the other. If a player does do this, then only “Raise” will be allowed, which would be either the last amount stated or if not stated the min raise.
  23. When determining the winner of a pot, “Cards Talk”. In order for any player to win a pot, he/she must show both their cards.
  24. If at any time a card or cards for the Flop, Turn or River are accidentally flipped early, the following is to take place:
    • All action is frozen, and the TD should be called over to perform the following steps, which will include a though shuffle. If the TD is not available, then the acting dealer will ask a non-active player to do the following: Take the pre-exposed Flop, Turn or River card(s) and very carefully place them back into the deck and perform a though shuffle off the table. Do not include any burn or muck cards in the new shuffle. Return the shuffled deck to the acting dealer.
    • The acting dealer will now return to the point of where the action was frozen and resume play.
  25. Any conversation concerning possible hand possibilities must not be spoken during a hand, as this might possibly provide valuable information to another player who may not have seen that particular hand possibility.
  26. If a player leaves an active table for whatever reason and misses more than 3 Large Blinds, that players chips will then be confiscated by the TD and evenly distributed to all remaining players at that time and at that same table. This rule does not apply to “dead stacks”.
  27. Players are solely responsible for the protection of their cards and chips at all times.
  28. In fairness to all players, VPA asks that all active players place their higher value chips in the front of their stacks for all to see.
  29. Poker chips are never to be removed from any table unless instructed to by the TD.
  30. “Straddle Bets” are never allowed.
  31. Flip for new deal anytime 4 or more players are transferred to a table.
  32. “Show One- Show All” rule is in effect.
  33. Tournaments are considered “Locked Up” when the Final 16 is determined and/or the Food Break is announced.
  34. Any player placed on a “Waiting List” will have his/her chip stack adjusted accordingly when eventually placed at a table.
  35. Valley Poker Assoc.com reserves the right to cancel and/or reschedule any tournament as it sees fit.
  36. Rather than prohibit “Rabbit Hunting”, if it can be done in a fast and efficient manor, it will be allowed AS LONG AS NO OTHER TABLE PLAYER OBJECTS.
  37. No player may bring into a venue any food and/or beverage not purchased from that venue.
  38. During any particular event, the use of obscene and/or offensive language/conduct will not be allowed and after a 1st warning by the TD, any additional infraction may result in one or more of the following remedies, in the following order:
    • Sent “To The Rail” for a time determined by the TD with players chips still in play.
    • Chip penalty to be incurred, being paid out from the affected player(s) chip stack(s). Actual penalty amount to be determined by the TD.
    • Dismissal of player for the remaining time of the event.
    • Suspension of player for a period of time determined by the TD and the VPA President.
    • Expulsion of player from the VPA as determined by the TD and the VPA President.
NOTE: Any warnings concerning continued language and/or conduct issues will be recorded and kept on record.