FLOP Standard Poker Rules and Etiquette

We should know and follow these basic rules, so play is uniform and fair at all tables.

• One player to a hand – You may not show your hand to another player or spectator and discuss strategy.
• Coaching – You may not talk about a hand in play to a player in an advisory capacity. Ex: telling a player he should call because it’s only 500 more chips, If you call I’ll call, you should fold, etc. After a hand, it's fine to discuss the previous hand or any hand, just not a hand in play. 
• Talking during a hand in play– When more than two players are in a hand, players and spectators may not speculate about a player’s hand, talk strategy, or advise a player about his action. You may not say anything that might affect a player’s action. Ex: I don’t think his hand is better than yours, or I think he’s bluffing. This rule applies strongest to spectators who should say nothing. When two players are heads up, they can say pretty much anything to each other.
• Misdeal – If a card is exposed by the dealer during the deal, it is only a misdeal if it’s one of the first two cards dealt to the small or big blind. If the dealer exposes a card after that, the exposed card becomes the first burn card, and the deal continues with the next player, and the player whose card was exposed by the dealer will get the last card. If the dealer exposes a second card, then it is a misdeal. If a player flips over one or more of his cards, it is not a misdeal and he keeps those cards, if another player sees the card, then it must to be shown to the other players. 
• Turn or river card prematurely dealt - If there is a burn and the turn card dealt before table action is completed, the burn card stays as is and the turn card is put back into the stub deck and reshuffled and dealt without burning a card.  It is exactly the same for the river card.  This ruling is the most recent from the TDA, Tournament Directors Association of 2022.
• All In – When all remaining players in the hand are all in, the hands must be tabled, exposed to the other players to see before any remaining cards are dealt. 
• Hands and Chips – Your cards must be placed in front of your chips. You cannot conceal the cards in any way including covering them with your hands. By covering your cards, you can confuse the dealer and other players thinking you are not in the hand. You must also make sure your higher denomination chips can be seen. 
• If Out of the Game – If you are no longer in the game, then please do not sit at a live table as this can confuse the dealer creating a misdeal and confusing action of the other players. And of course, no talking about the hand in play per above. 
• Chip Placement – Chip bets should be placed on the table in front of your table position so they can be seen by the other players, and the chips should not be gathered into the pot until the round is complete, and this includes the blinds. 
• Making Change - Ex. You make a $600 bet but but only have a 1k chip. Announce the bet and place the 1k chip on the table. Do not take change from other players chips on the table or from the pot. Wait until the round is complete then you will be given the proper change. 
• Mucking Cards - If a player mucks his cards by throwing them face down into the dead card pile, his hand is dead and they cannot be retrieved. There is one exception as follows. If players are all in and the hands are tabled, there is no action that can negate any hand in play, a player cannot fold. The deal continues to the river and the best hand wins. 
• Rules for thee but not for me - Rules need to always be fair and uniform for everyone all the time. You cannot call out someone for a rule then later at any time break the rule yourself for a matter of selfish convenience.  There is no place for hypocrisy in the rules. 
• Moving players - At the Tournament Directors discretion players may be moved to another table.  If 3 players come into a new table you must draw for a new dealer.  If 1 or 2 players come into a new table you must take a seat to accept a live hand and cannot come in the small blind or as dealer.  The TD will attempt to move a player from seat position to the same or similar seat position.
• Aggressive behavior - You may not make verbal personal attacks on anyone. You will be warned on first offense, if it continues you will be out of the game, and if it continues on a regular basis you will be banned for a determined amount of time. If an altercation develops and you put hands on someone aggressively you will be banned for a determined amount of time with no warning.