Tournament Rules

Version 3, May 2021

Player Registration and Waiver Form

1. The Tournament Director and Floor Personnel are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances may on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The decisions of the Tournament Direct and/or Floor Personnel are final.
2. Tournament Language – The official tournament language is at the sole discretion of Hippodrome Casino and/or the Tournament Director of the Event.
3. Electronic Devices – For the avoidance of doubt, the term Electronic Device includes, but is not limited to the following devices, both known and unknown. Electronic Devices are not permitted to be placed on the table at any time. They may be in a player’s pocket, on their lap, on a side table, but never placed on the tournament playing surface, which includes any part of the poker table, including the rail.
   a. Email and Texting Devices – Players may not text message, email or otherwise utilise Electronic Devices while in a hand or their hand may be declared dead. Players no longer in a hand may text and email at the table.
   b. Telephone – Players may not speak on the telephone while at the table whether in a hand or not in a hand. They must step away from the table to conduct their call.
   c. iPads, eBooks, etc. – Players may use these devices, however not while in a hand with the exception of audio.
   d. Laptops, Net books, Computers, etc. – Players may not use these devices at the table.
   e. There will be no electronic devices permitted on any Featured Televised Tables or Main Event Final Tables.
   f. Table Distractions – The Hippodrome Casino reserves the right to ask players to cease using any and all Electronic Devices or any other items if the Floor Staff determines you are slowing down the pace of play, or otherwise affecting other players at your table. Players may request the Dealer contact Floor Personnel if they believe a player is causing the game to slow down due to outside influences including but not limited to books, magazines and Electronic Devices.
4. Deal Making – Deals will be allowed where it does not conflict with local gaming regulations. 10% must be kept of the remaining prizepool for the overall winner;  Deals are at the sole discussion of the remaining players and once a deal has been declined, it may not be discussed again until the next player has been eliminated.  All deals will be reported to media.
5. Seating – All tournament seating will be randomly assigned and non-transferable. Tournament staff reserves the right to adjust seating to accommodate players with special needs throughout the tournament and to balance tables at the start of the tournament. Players are responsible for verifying their registration receipt to ensure accuracy.
6. Leaving Tournament – A player who leaves an Event at any stage, for whatever reason, for an extended period of time (multiple tournament levels) may be deemed to have forfeited any right to the cost of entry. The chip stack of such player will continue to be blinded off. However, should the player finish in the money once all chips have been blinded off, the player shall remain eligible for the prize which corresponds to the order of his or her finish.
7. Re-buys and Re-entries – Players wishing to re-buy may not miss a hand. If a player announces the intent to re-buy before a new hand, that player is playing chips behind and is obligated to make the re-buy.  Re-entries, where permitted are treated as new entry in its entirety  and will be seated at a new table.
8. Table Breaking – The breaking order for a tournament will be made available when registration for the tournament has closed. The Hippodrome Casino reserves the right to alter the breaking order. Players going from a broken table will assume the rights and responsibilities of the position (button, small blind, big blind). They will not receive a hand between the small blind and the button.
   a. Tables will be broken by double randomisation. The Dealer will high card the table starting in seat one. The floor person will mix the seat cards and pass them out starting with the high card in clockwise order around the table.
9. Table Balancing – Play will halt at any table that is at least three players short. In flop and mixed games, players will be moved from the big blind to the worst position, including taking a single big blind when available. Worst position is never the small blind. In stud only games, players will be moved by position (the last seat to open up at the short table is the seat to be filled).
   a. In later stages of tournament play, tables will be balanced at Tournament Director discretion.
10. Dodging Blinds – Players who intentionally dodge their blinds when moving from a broken table may incur a penalty.
11. Button – A draw for the button will be held at one table at the beginning of each event and also for restarts, redraws and at the Final Table. This draw will determine the button position for the entire tournament field.
12. Dead Button – All events will be played using a dead button. Dead button is defined as a button that cannot be advanced due to elimination of a player or the seating of a new player into a position between the small blind and the button.
13. Heads-Up Button – During heads-up play, the small blind is on the button and acts first. When beginning headsup play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player takes the big blind twice.
14. Incorrect Button – If the Dealer button was incorrectly placed and it is discovered after substantial action (Rule #38a) has taken place, play will continue and the button will move clockwise for the next deal. If it is discovered before substantial action, the hand will be declared a misdeal and the button will be corrected.
15. Chip Race -When it is time to colour-up chips, they will be raced off with a maximum of one chip going to any player. The chip race will always start at the first player left of the Dealer. A player cannot be raced out of a tournament. In the event that a player has only one chip remaining and if that player loses the race, he or she will be given one chip of the smallest denomination still in play. Players found to have lower denomination chips remaining in their stack after the chip race will forfeit those chips unless they are equivalent in value to a chip still in play. Players are encouraged to witness the chip race.
16. Colour Up – Tournament staff reserve the right to colour up any player at any time at their sole discretion. The player has the right to witness the colour up and is encouraged to do so.
17. Odd Chips – In split-pot games, the odd chip(s) will go to the high hand. In flop games, when there are two or more high hands or two or more low hands, the odd chip(s) will go to the first eligible hand to the left of the button. In stud games, the odd chip will go to the high card by suit. However, when hands have identical value, the pot will be split as evenly as possible. In Omaha/Stud 8 or Better, the pot will be split down to the lowest denomination chip in play. If an odd chip exists as a result from the first split of a pot, it will be awarded to the high hand. If an additional odd chip results from the split of the low hands, it will be awarded to the player in the worse position.
18. Visible Chips – Players must keep their highest denomination chips visible at all times.
19. Visible Cards – Players must keep their cards visible at all times. Players are encouraged to use a card cap, rather than their hands, to protect their cards. This ensures that the cards will be easily seen. Players may at no time hide their cards or disguise them in any way. Players doing so may forfeit any right to action and may be penalised, including the possibility of having their hand declared dead.
20. Moving Chips – All chips must be transported in chip racks and remain visible at all times. Players may not hold or transport tournament chips in any manner that takes them out of view. A player who does so will forfeit the chips and could face disqualification. The forfeited chips will be taken out of play.
21. Deck Changes – Deck changes will be on the Dealer push, or as determined by The Hippodrome Casino. Players may not ask for deck changes.
22. Boxed Card – A boxed card is a card discovered face up in the deck when it should be face down. If discovered in the deck it is removed and treated as a non-existent card. Two or more boxed cards during the deal will result in the hand being misdealt.
23. Fouled Deck – A fouled deck is a deck that is found to have an incorrect number of cards. It also may contain cards with different backings, or multiple cards of the same suit and rank. Players who intentionally play a hand when they know the deck is fouled may not be entitled to refund of any chips committed to the pot and may receive a penalty for not bringing it to the attention of tournament staff.
24. Folded Hands – A hand is considered folded upon being touched to the Dealer “muck”, the burn cards, the board, or the discard pile while face down, by either the player or the Dealer. Utilising Rule #1, the Floor Person may retrieve a technically mucked hand and declare it live if they believe there is good cause to do so and the correct hand is clearly retrievable. When facing a bet, a player who releases their cards with a distinct forward motion will be deemed to have folded their hand. The decision of the Floor Personnel is final.
25. Rabbit Hunting – In cases where hands are concluded prior to the last card being dealt, the next card to be dealt will not be exposed under any circumstances. The practice of revealing cards that would have been dealt is referred to as “rabbit hunting” and is prohibited.
26. Calling for Clock – Once a reasonable amount of time has passed and a clock is called, a player will be given one minute to act. If action has not been taken by the time the minute has expired, there will be a ten second countdown. If a player has not acted on his hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be dead. Tournament Supervisors reserve the right to speed up the amount of time allotted for a clock if it appears that a player is deliberately stalling. Any player believed to be deliberately stalling the progress of the game may incur a penalty.
    a. For The Hippodrome Casino tournaments with a level time of fifteen minutes or less, the clock will be thirty seconds with a five second countdown.
27. Foreign Objects – There will be no foreign objects on the table except for a maximum of one card cap. This includes foreign gaming chips. As per Rule #3, Electronic Devices are not permitted to be placed on the table or on the rail.
28. End of Day Play – For tournaments over multiple days, the following procedure will be used to prevent stalling. Between fifteen and five minutes remaining in the last level of play, the Tournament Director will stop the clock. A player will draw a card between three and seven and that will be the number of hands remaining to be played in that day. The Tournament Director will announce the number of hands remaining to be played to the field and all tables will play this number of hands, beginning on the next riffle or push of the retrieve deck button on a shuffle machine, before completing that days play.
29. Hand for Hand Play – Approaching the point at which prize money will be distributed (the “Money Bubble”); the tournament will switch to a hand for hand procedure. Once the Tournament Director has announced hand for hand play, all tables will finish the hand they are currently playing and stop the action. Once all tables have completed that hand, the Dealer at each table will deal one hand only and upon completion of that hand, stop the action again. This will continue until enough players have been eliminated to reach the prize money stage of the tournament.
    a. Called All-In – During hand for hand play, when a Dealer has a called all-in at their table, they are instructed to freeze all action on that street for their table, including asking the players to not reveal their hands. This All-In Table will wait to finish its hand until all other tables remaining in the tournament have completed that specific hand. At that point, Floor Personnel will attend the All-In table and instruct them to complete the hand. In the case of multiple tables having called all-ins, they will all be paused and played out one at a time until all tables have completed that specific hand.
    b. If two or more players are eliminated during the same hand at different tables, both players will “tie” for that place finish.
    c. If two or more players are eliminated during the same hand at the same table, the player who began that hand with the highest chip count will receive the higher place finish
30. New Tournament Level – When time has elapsed in a round and a new round is announced by a member of the Tournament staff, the new limits apply to the next hand. A new hand begins with the first riffle. When using a shuffle machine, the new hand will be determined by the dealer pushing the retrieve deck button.
31. At Your Seat – A player must be at his or her seat when the dealer delivers the last card off of the deck in order to have a live hand. Dealers are instructed to muck the hands of players not at their seats immediately after the final card is dealt to the button, or in Stud Games, the final up card is dealt on third street. Players must be at their seats to call time. “At your seat” is defined as being within reach of your chair. In case of doubt, Floor decision is final.
32. Action Pending – Players must remain at the table if they are still an active player in a live hand. This includes being all in. If you are all in, you may not leave the table to go to the rail, wander the room, talk to the media, etc… If a player leaves the table while actively involved in a hand they may be assessed a penalty.
33. Raise Limit – There is no cap on the number of raises in no-limit games. In limit events the maximum number of bets will be the house rule. Once the tournament becomes heads-up, the number of raises becomes unlimited.
34. Dealer Speak – The dealers are instructed to verify player announced information and announce the action that contributes to the flow of the game. They are not to provide bet, raise or all in amounts unless queried by a player or verifying a player’s verbal declaration. Dealers are not allowed to provide any further information such as who raised pre flop, etc…
35. Pot Size – Players are entitled to be informed of the pot size in pot-limit games only. Dealers will not count the pot in limit and no-limit games. If requested, Dealers may spread the pot so that it may be counted by a player. a. Betting/Raising “Pot” in No Limit – The verbal announcement of “bet the pot” or “I raise the pot” in No Limit games is not a binding raise amount. Dealers are not to count the pot to verify the amount for the raise. Dealers should request the player announce a valid bet or raise amount.
36. String Bets – Dealers will be responsible for calling string bets or raises. All players at the table are encouraged to assist in calling a string bet or raise if a Dealer fails to identify it. String bets and raises called by a player must be verified by a floor person. A string bet or raise is defined as attempting a bet or raise in multiple movements that may include a return to a player’s stack without a prior verbal declaration of intent or visual deception intended to induce action out of turn before a player’s action is complete.
37. Substantial Action – Substantial action has two definitions.
    a. Flop Games
    1. Substantial action is determined as two actions be it a fold, check, call or raise. All players have the opportunity to view their hand in their turn. If a fouled deck (Rule #24) or a fouled deal (player with the incorrect number of cards) is discovered at any point prior to and including the Big Blind’s first action, the hand will be misdealt.
    b. Stud Games
    1. 3rd Street flop – Substantial action has not been completed until play has gone around to the player acting to the right of the forced bet. All players have the opportunity to view their hand in their turn. If a fouled deck (Rule #24) or a fouled deal (player with the incorrect number of cards) is discovered at any point prior to the action returning to the forced bet, the hand will be misdealt.
    2. 4th Street onwards – Substantial action will be considered to be two or more independent actions. Floor Personnel will rule on these scenarios individually utilising Rule #1. 1. Examples – two folds, two checks, two or more calls, a fold and a call, a bet and a raise, a call and a fold, etc…
38. Verbal Action In and Out of Turn – Verbal declarations in turn regarding wagers are binding. Players must act in turn at all times. Players who intentionally act out of turn to influence play before them may receive a penalty. Action out of turn may be binding if the action to that player has not changed. A call, check or fold will not be considered action changing. If action does change, the out of turn bet will be considered non-binding and will be returned to the out of turn player. The out of turn player will then have all their betting options (call, fold, raise) restored to them.
39. Physical Action In and Out of Turn – All chips put into the pot in turn stay in the pot. If a player has raised and his or her hand is killed before the raise is called, the player may be entitled to the raise back, but will forfeit the amount of the call. Any chips put into the pot out of turn fall under the same conditions as Rule #38. Players who intentionally act out of turn to influence play before them may receive a penalty.
40. Accepted Action – If a player requests a count but receives incorrect information from the Dealer or another player at the table…
    a. The amount of chips is smaller than the stated and accepted wager (i.e. Dealer/Player says 80,000 and the all in is 50,000) the calling player shall only be required to pay the 50,000 in physical chip value.
    b. The amount of chips is larger than the stated and accepted wager (i.e. Dealer/Player says 100,000 and the all in is 150,000) the calling player shall only be required to pay the 100,000 as the agreed upon wager.
    c. Players are encouraged to verify the amounts of all wagers with the dealers and are within their rights to ask for a Floor Person if they believe they are being given an incorrect amount.
    d. Players who give false information to the dealer and other players about the amount of a bet may be subject to penalty.
41. Oversized Chips – Putting a single oversized chip into the pot will be considered a call if the player doesn’t announce a raise. If a player puts an oversized chip into the pot and says, “Raise,” but doesn’t state the amount, the raise will be the maximum allowable up to the denomination of that chip. To make a raise with a single oversized chip, a verbal declaration must be made before the chip hits the table surface. After the flop, if you are the first player to make a bet and you use a single oversized chip without comment, it will signify a bet equal to the size of the chip.
42. Multiple Chips – When facing a bet, unless a raise is first declared, multiple same-denomination chips is a call if removing one chip leaves less than the call amount. For example, with the blinds at 200-400, player A makes it 1200 (an 800 raise), player B puts out two 1000 chips without declaring raise, thus making it a call. If player B had put out four 500 chips, then he or she would have raised to 2000 (another 800 raise).
43. Raising – It is the player’s responsibility to make his intentions clear. Players are strongly encouraged to verbally declare their exact bet or raise amount. In no-limit or pot-limit, a raise must be made by…
    a. Placing the full amount in the pot in one motion.
    b. Verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot.
    c. Verbally declaring “raise” prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion back to the player’s stack.
44. Half-Bet Raising – If a player puts in a raise of 50 percent or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he or she will be required to make a full raise. The raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed. If a player puts in a raise of less than 50 percent of the previous bet, without verbally announcing “raise”, he or she will be required to call the previous bet.
45. All-In Raising – An all-in wager of less than a full raise does not re-open the betting to the previous bettor.
46. All-In with Hidden Chips – An acknowledged all-in wager commits a player’s entire stack to the hand, including any hidden chips. However, the all-in player is not allowed to benefit from the hidden chips…
    a. Example – Player A goes all in for 21,000 and player B calls with a stack of 100,000. Upon pushing the chips to the middle, player A discovers two 1,000 chips under his arm. If player A wins the pot, he or she will only be paid 21,000 in chips. If he or she is eliminated from the tournament on that hand, his opponent will receive the entire 23,000 stack.
    b. Exception – Player A goes all in for 50,000 and player B calls with a stack of 55,000. Upon pushing the chips to the middle, player A discovers a 10,000 chip under his arm. If player A wins the pot, he or she will only be paid 50,000 in chips. If he or she loses the pot, his opponent will receive the entire 55,000 of his actual stack for the double up.
47. Verbal Declarations – Cards speak. Verbal declarations as to the content of a player’s hand are not binding; however at Tournament Staff discretion, any player deliberately miscalling his or her hand may be penalised.
48. All-In Showdown – All cards will be turned face up once a player is all-in and all action is complete. If a player accidentally folds/mucks their hand before cards are turned up, tournament staff reserves the right to retrieve the cards if they are clearly identifiable. Players intentionally mucking their cards in all-in situations may be subject to a penalty.
    a. Side Action – In scenarios where multiple players are playing on the side with an all-in player in the main pot, all side pot players who make it to the river showdown will be required to show as well as the all-in player. No player is allowed to fold at river showdown of the side pot with an all-in player in the main pot. The Dealer is instructed to turn up all hands as live and the hands will retain the ability to collect the pot.
49. Showdown – After all action is completed, the player who made the last aggressive action must show first and it proceeds clockwise. Whether that was on the river, the turn, flop or pre-flop. In Stud games, the same rule applies going back to 3rd street if necessary. If there was no aggressive action on the entire hand, the player to the left of the button (for Flop games) or the third street bring-in (for Stud games) must show first and it proceeds clockwise.
    a. Players may refuse to show their cards in turn and are allowed to fold, thereby relinquishing their claim on the pot.
    b. Players who refuse to show their hand or fold will be subject to the actions from Rule #51b.
50. Winning hand – A player must show all of their cards to collect the pot. This includes playing the board. If there is only one player remaining with cards, they do not have to show a winning hand to collect the pot. For example, player B bets the river and player A calls. Player B then mucks leaving player A as the only player remaining in the pot with cards. Player A then collects the pot without having to show his or her hand.
    a. Tabled Hand – A hand is considered tabled when all cards are placed face up on the table. Flashing cards, waving them around, etc… are not considered tabling your hand. Hands will not be read and cannot win the pot until they are tabled.
    b. Refusal to Show – If a player refuses to show all of their hole cards, the Dealer may not flip the remaining cards over and is instructed to call the Floor. The Floor will instruct the player to show all his cards or they will be folded. The player will receive a five second countdown before the Floor will announce the player’s hand as dead and issue a penalty to the player for stalling the progress of play. Other players at the table may not flip the other player’s cards over. If they do, the hand will play as live, but the player who flipped up cards that were not their own may receive a penalty for an etiquette violation.
51. Showing the Winner – Any player who has made it to the showdown may ask to see any other player’s cards provided they still retain their cards. If they release their hand into the muck, they no longer retain the right to ask to see another player’s cards. All hands requested by showdown players will be turned up live and may still claim the pot. Any player who has not made it to the showdown stage of the hand may not request to see any hands.
    a. If there is legitimate concern about collusion between individuals, players may request the dealer hold the cards aside and ask the floor personnel to review the hand.
52. Killing Hand – A Dealer cannot kill a winning hand that was tabled and was obviously the winning hand. Players are encouraged to assist in reading tabled hands if it appears that an error is about to be made.
53. Side Pots – Each side pot will be split as a separate pot. Pots will not be mixed together before they are split. Players may not touch the pot for any reason.
54. Unprotected Hands – If a Dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to any refund. An exception could be if a player raised and the raise had not been called yet, that player could be entitled to receive the raise amount back. However, if the raise has been called, that player could be eliminated. See rule #24
55. Unprotected Hands – If a Dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to any refund. An exception could be if a player raised and the raise had not been called yet, that player could be entitled to receive the raise amount back. However, if the raise has been called, that player could be eliminated.
56. Disclosure – Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, whether in a hand or not, players may not:
    a. Disclose contents of live or folded hands.
    b. Advise or criticise play before the action is completed.
    c. Read a hand that hasn’t been tabled.
    d. Discuss hands or strategy with any spectator.
    e. Seek or receive consultation from an outside source.
    The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced.
57. Televised Feature Tables and Hole Cards – Players who enter a tournament that is a webcast or televised tournament, are required to cooperate with the filming personnel. This includes showing your hole cards to the card camera on the table. Failure to do so may result in a penalty.
58. Exposed Cards – A player exposing his or her cards with action pending may incur a penalty, up to and including a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand. All players at the table are entitled to see any exposed cards.
59. Exposing and Mucking -Players who show their cards to a player who has already folded and then fold their cards themselves may receive a penalty. Dealers upon seeing this are instructed to hold those cards outside of the muck and show them to the entire table when the hand is completed. Players doing this repeatedly will be penalised.
60. Collusion – Poker is an individual game. Soft play, chip dumping, colluding to allow players to survive the bubble (i.e. a table continually folding to the big blind on the bubble), etc. will not be allowed and may be subject to penalties.
61. Etiquette Violations – Repeated etiquette violations will result in penalties assessed by the tournament staff. Examples include, but are not limited to, unnecessarily touching other players’ cards or chips, delay of the game, repeatedly acting out of turn, splashing chips, intentionally betting out of reach of the Dealer, or excessive chatter. In addition, excessive celebration through extended theatrics, inappropriate behaviour, or physical actions, gestures, or conduct may be penalised. These violations also include abusive behaviour towards other players’ playing styles and/or berating players for how they have played or are playing the tournament.
62. Foul Language – The abuse of other players, tournament staff, venue staff or other personnel will not be tolerated. Foul, obscene or offensive language directed at any player or staff member may result in a penalty. Repeated non directed foul, obscene or offensive language may also result in a penalty.
63. All participants must behave in a courteous and civil manner during all Events and in all tournament areas. Any individual who encounters inappropriate behaviour on the part of another individual should immediately contact the Tournament Staff. This shall include, but is not limited to, any player whose personal hygiene or health has become disruptive to the other players seated at their table. The determination as to whether an individual’s personal hygiene or health is disruptive to other players shall be determined by the Tournament Staff which may, in its discretion, implement sanctions upon any such player who refuses to remedy the situation in a manner satisfactory to The Hippodrome Casino.
64. The Hippodrome Casino and/or the Tournament Director or Tournament Staff may penalise any act that, in the sole and absolute discretion of The Hippodrome Casino and/or the Tournament Director or Tournament Staff, is inconsistent with the official rules or bests interests of the Event.
65. Penalties – In its sole and absolute discretion, The Hippodrome Casino and/or the Tournament Director or Tournament Staff may impose penalties (listed below) ranging from a verbal warning escalating up to disqualification and exclusion from all Hippodrome Casino Live Events. Penalties will be invoked in cases of softplay, abuse or disruptive behaviour. A penalty may be imposed if a player throws a card off the table, forcefully mucks their cards causing one or all cards to turn over, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule or engages in similar behaviour. Abuse of other players, tournament staff, venue staff or other personnel will not be tolerated.
    a. Penalties – Will include, but not be limited too – Verbal warning, single or multiple hand penalties, single or multiple orbit penalties (an orbit consists of one hand for every player remaining at that players tournament table – 6 players = 6 hands missed), dead hand, elimination from the event, disqualification from the event (forfeiting any prize monies won), being banned from the event, being excluded from all events run by the tournament sponsor.
    b. Escalation – Penalties may not always be imposed in a sequential order of severity. Tournament staff may disqualify a player for a first offence if the actions are considered severe enough. Players should know any actions worthy of a penalty may result in a wide range of discipline even for a first offence.
    c. Missed Hand/Orbit Penalty – The player will be instructed to miss one or more hand(s) or one or more orbit(s) of hands away from the table. The player’s missed hand is counted as part of the round when a penalty is given. Players who receive a missed-hand/orbit penalty of any length must remain outside the designated Tournament area(s) for the length of their penalty. The Dealer must notify the appropriate Floor staff when a penalised player returns to their seat.
    d. Penalties Move – All player penalties move with the player. If player A receives a two orbit penalty (16 hands) at the end of the night and only serves 5 hands of this penalty, it will be noted and he/she will serve the remaining 11 hands the following day. This holds true for broken tables, seat moves, etc.
    e. Elimination Penalty – Players eliminated from the tournament will receive the finishing place their elimination equals.
    1. Example – 15 players left (paying 100 spots), player A is barred from returning to the casino for actions unrelated to the poker tournament. This player will have his chips removed from the event and will be entitled to 15th place.
    f. Disqualification – Players who are disqualified from an event shall have their tournament chips removed from play, their buy-ins will remain part of the prize pool and they will be ineligible for any prize monies. The disqualified player must immediately leave the Tournament area(s).
66. Tournament Property – The Hippodrome Casino Tournament chips have no cash value and are the exclusive property of The Hippodrome Casino and may not be removed from the Tournament area(s) or the assigned event. Players found to be transferring chips from one event to another or from one player to another will be subject to penalties up to and including disqualification and exclusion from all Hippodrome Casino Live Events.
67. Some preliminary rounds, during the Event, and the final table of some tournaments, during the Event will be filmed for transmission by a production company and broadcast as a delayed television series and/or as a live webcast.
68. Players competing in any Event at The Hippodrome Casino are required to permit their image to be shown on television internationally, without restriction and in all forms of media. Entry into each tournament during the Event is taken as that player giving their consent to participate in the TV coverage.
69. Furthermore, all consents under the UK Performers Rights Protection Acts 1958 to 1972, or under similar legislation in other countries of the world in connection with the player’s performance in any Event at The Hippodrome Casino, and the exploitation of the player’s performance during the events by any means and in all media including (but not by way of limitation) all forms of theatrical exhibition, television broadcast, internet, and video gram exploitation are hereby granted and assigned by the player to The Hippodrome Casino and/or any related and licensed company.
70. Any player playing in a Hippodrome Casino poker event acknowledges that the entire copyright throughout the world in any film and/or video or other recordings of themselves taken or made during the Event shall belong to The Hippodrome Casino and/or any other related company.
71. The player warrants to The Hippodrome Casino that they are able to assign all such rights and give such acknowledgements.
72. Any player in any Event at The Hippodrome Casino agrees to carry out any reasonable request during the Event to assist in publicising, televising or promoting the Event.
73. Any player playing in any Event at The Hippodrome Casino agrees to disclose their hole cards to the hidden camera at the Final Table and any refusal to do so could lead to disqualification from the Event with no prize money being awarded and no refunds given.
74. Players must make themselves available to attend press conferences and / or television interviews at any reasonable time during any event if requested by The Hippodrome Casino or the Tournament Director.
75. The Hippodrome Casino reserves the right to add or amend any Event rules, as they deem appropriate. This will be done for the benefit of the game and all contestants will be informed of such changes as and when they occur. Any changes to the rules will be posted on the website and announced to the players prior to the start of the Event
76. The Hippodrome Casino reserves the right to cancel or alter any event at its sole and absolute discretion..
77. Management reserves the right to refuse any person entry into any and all Events as well as the tournament area(s). Individuals who are excluded by the tournament Sponsor, Partner or Venue are not eligible for entry into any Events or the Tournament Area(s).
78. Employees of The Hippodrome Casino and its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, owned, operated or managed properties, contractors hired for the operation of the Event or parent companies and immediate family members of such employees are not eligible to play in any events, unless approved in advance. Immediate Family is defined as: spouse, children and any relative or other person residing in the employee’s place of residence.
79. Prizes and entries are non-transferable. Winners are responsible for payment of any and all taxes, licenses, registrations and other fees associated with tournament prizes.
80. The winning player is solely responsible for collecting any prize(s) won during an Event which shall either be given out by the Company at the Event or shipped to the winning player’s address at player’s expense, by an insured shipping service. The Company shall decide in its sole discretion the means of delivery of the prize(s) to the winning player(s). All fees and taxes due in relation to the receipt of the prize(s) are to be borne solely by the winning player(s). Upon receipt of the prize(s) at the Event or payment by prize winner(s) of the delivery fee all responsibility for such prize(s) shall rest solely with the prize winner(s) and Company shall have no further obligation towards such winning player(s) in any way whatsoever.
81. Prior to entering and playing in the tournament, each participant must fill out the tournament waiver form. Failure to do so may subject the player to disqualification and / or refusal of entry to the tournament. If the player is disqualified from the event, they shall forfeit their entire buy-in and shall not be entitled to any tournament prize monies or any other prize consideration that he or she may have qualified for at the point of disqualification.
82. Force Majeure – In circumstances where there is a guaranteed prize pool, such guarantee will not apply in the event where player attendance at any Event is affected as a result of acts, events, omissions or accidents beyond the reasonable control of The Hippodrome Casino such as acts of God, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, windstorm or other natural disaster; war, threat of or preparation for war, terrorist attack, civil war, civil commotion or riots; voluntary or mandatory compliance with any law (including a failure to grant any licence or consent needed or any change in the law or interpretation of the law); fire, explosion or accidental damage; adverse weather conditions