All of the ins-and-outs of America's #1 Poker League
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www.WorldTavernPoker.com | Facebook.com/WorldTavernPoker.com 1 PLAYERS GUIDE WORLD TAVERN POKER World Tavern Poker is America’s #1 free bar poker league where you are competing for points and prizes with the chance to move on to the Tavern, Regional and National Championships and your shot at over 40 World Series of Poker seats given away every year! NEW for 2013, $50,000 in cash at the Great American Poker Challenge. 2 3 4 7 8 12 13 Points, Blinds Rankings, FAQs Rules Table Etiquette The Championships The OPEN The Prizes Creating your player account and finding a tournament only takes a few minutes. 1. Mouse over the MY PLAYER PAGE button at the top of the website and click on CREATE A PLAYER ACCOUNT 2. Enter your profile information (you can even upload a photo) and click SUBMIT 3. You can then log into the site and click on FIND A GAME to register for tournaments in your area GETTING STARTED WELCOME TO WORLD TAVERN POKER PLAYING Once you register for a game, we ask that you arrive 30 minutes early so the tournament can start on time. AND PLEASE REMEMBER that the bars pay to be part of World Tavern Poker so please be sure to support the bar with your purchases and tip your wait staff. THE TOURNAMENTS Each tournament is a No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em format where you are playing until the last man or woman is left standing. The top 20 players in each tournament receive points towards their rankings. STARTING CHIP COUNT World Tavern Poker Tournaments start with 10,000 in chips. Here is a chart for Starting Chip Count & Chip Values. 100 500 1,000 5,000 15 = 1,500 3 = 1,500 2 = 2,000 1 = 5,000 21 Chips = 10,000 Table of Contents
World Tavern Poker is America’s #1 free bar poker league where you are competing for points and prizes with the chance to move on to the Tavern, Regional and National Championships and your shot at over 40 World Series of Poker seats given away every year!
NEW for 2013, $50,000 in cash at the Great American Poker Challenge.
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Points, BlindsRankings, FAQs
RulesTable Etiquette
The ChampionshipsThe OPENThe Prizes
Creating your player account and finding a tournament only takes a few minutes.
1. Mouse over the My PlayEr PagE button at the top of the website and click on CrEatE a PlayEr aCCouNt
2. Enter your profile information (you can even upload a photo) and click SubMit
3. you can then log into the site and click on FiNd a gaME to register for tournaments in your area
GETTING STARTED
WELCOME TO WORLD TAVERN POKER
PLAYINGOnce you register for a game, we ask that you arrive 30 minutes early so the tournament can start on time. AND PLEASE REMEMBER that the bars pay to be part of World Tavern Poker so please be sure to support the bar with your purchases and tip your wait staff.
THE TOURNAMENTS Each tournament is a No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em format where you are playing until the last man or woman is left standing. The top 20 players in each tournament receive points towards their rankings.
STARTING CHIP COUNTWorld Tavern Poker Tournaments start with 10,000 in chips. Here is a chart for Starting Chip Count & Chip Values.
BLIND TIMESBlind times are generally determined by the number of players and decided by your Tournament Director. Below is a guide many bars follow. (FOR TD’S ONLY)
THE RANKINGS Players are ranked at 4 different levels based on the average of your top scores, however must have a “Qualified # of Games Played” to qualify for any Championship events.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are there any fees to play World Tavern Poker? ABSOLUTELY NOT! World Tavern Poker is totally free for the players,and there is never a buy-in. We do ask that you patronize your hosting WTP venue as they do pay to host these events. Please also take care of your bartenders and wait staff as they are working very hard for you.
When do the scores get updated? We ask TD’s to update scores within 24-48 hours. If you are concerned about scores, please speak to your TD.
Am I allowed to get extra chips for food purchases? Absolutely not! That is considered a buy-in to the game, and is Illegal in every state.
What if I show up late to a game? During the first blind period, you may be seated. After that it is up to the sole discresion of the TD.
What are the prizes at regional championships? Depending upon the seated attendance of the event, prizes can vary from certificates to tickets to the WTP Open to WSOP seats.
I am interested in becoming a tournament director, who do I talk to? Please contact us at [email protected] for more information
I would like to play in my favorite sports bar/ hangout, how do I get them to join WTP? World Tavern Poker offers a player rep. program designed to reward players for getting their favorite bars/ restaurants to sign up with World Tavern Poker. The prizes range from cold hard cash, to seats at Nationals. Login to WorldTavernPoker.com and visit the ‘Become a Player Rep’ page to find out more!
1. Tavern Ranking = Average of Top 10 scores at that Tavern. (Min. 10 games played to qualify)
2. Regional Ranking = Average of Top 15 scores from any Tavern in that Region. (Min. 15)
3. State Ranking = Average of Top 20 from any Tavern in the State. (Min. 20)
4. National Ranking = Average of Top 25 scores from any WTP Tavern in the Country. (Min. 25)
* Bars playing one game per night will only require a min. of 4 games played.
NO GAMBLINGThis rule is taken very seriously. Any Tavern or Player caught wagering cash, property, or anything of value will immediately be terminated from the league. No chip bonuses can be given as an incentive for any purchase at the bar. NO EXCEPTIONS!
STARTING CHIP COUNTThe minimum starting chip count for each tournament is 10,000 in chips. There are also various ways to increase your starting chip count. See the Official Bonus Chip Program for more details on ways that you can get bonus chips at the beginning of each game.
BLIND SCHEDULEBlinds will go up every 15-30 minutes depending on the number of players in each tournament. Every time the deal goes around the table, every player must pay both little and big blinds.
MISDEALS Any card flipped over during the initial deal is an automatic misdeal. If cards are dealt out of order, attempt to fix them. Anyone who has not yet looked at their cards can call a misdeal if they do not feel the cards were dealt correctly. This means all cards are brought back in, reshuffled and a new hand is dealt.
CHEATING First, anyone who would cheat in a free tournament is simply a loser. Secondly, cheating will not be tolerated. If you suspect another player of cheating, let the Tournament Director know. Their ruling on the situation is final. This includes colluding with other players, dumping chips, or negotiating positions for prizes and/or points/wins.
Please remember that specific tournament rules can vary from casino to casino and World Tavern Poker rules are designed to keep the game fun without losing the integrity of the game.
The Tournament Director is in charge of each event and can determine how they enforce the rules. Consistent breaking of the rules can result in 10 minute penalties or even being asked to leave the tournament. PlEaSE bE rESPECtFul oF your tourNaMENt dirECtor aNd otHEr PlayErS.
Also, many times new players will join the league and may not understand the rules, please help them (rather than criticizing) as the more players at each tournament ensures the bar will continue the promotion.
AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGULAR TOURNAMENTSWTP strongly recommends that no one under the Age of 18 be allowed to compete in World Tavern Poker weekly tournaments, however it is ultimately up to the bar owner as to whom they allow play.
AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGIONAL/ NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS/TAVERN TOCNo one under the age of 21 will be permitted to play in the Tavern Tournament of Champions, Regional Championships or National Championships. The reason for this is simple, the National Championship and National TOC is held at a Casino, and thus you need to be 21 to play.
SITTING AT THE TABLE ONLY Players, still in the tournament, may be seated at a table in the tournament.
THREATENING/BERATINGAt no time can any player or spectator threaten or berate another player. This will not be tolerated. Remember, we are here to have fun!
DISCREPANCIES
In the case of a discrepancy, the Tournament Director’s ruling is FINAL!
BETTINGA wager is not binding until the chips are actually released into the pot, unless the player has made a verbal statement of action. A verbal statement denotes your action and is binding unless there is a gross misunderstanding of the amount wagered previously.
RAISING
All raises must be equal to or greater than the size of the previous bet or raise on that betting round, except for an all-in wager. Example: Player A bets 100 and Player B raises to 200. Player C wishing to raise must raise at least 100 more, making the total bet at least 300. A player who has already checked or called may not subsequently raise an all-in bet that is less than the full size of the last bet or raise. (The half-the-size rule for reopening the betting is for limit poker only).
Because the amount of a wager at no-limit poker has such a wide range, a player who has taken action based on a gross misunderstanding of the amount wagered may receive some protection by the decision-maker. A “call” or “raise” may be ruled not binding if it is obvious that the player grossly misunderstood the amount wagered, provided no damage has been caused by that action.
NO SPLASHING THE POTSplashing the pot means to put chips directly into the pot rather than on the edge of the pot in front of oneself, especially by throwing the chips such that it scatters around. Every player must place their chips in front of them until all players have acted. Then all chips are moved to the center of the table.
MUCKING YOUR CARDSIf you throw your cards into the “muck” (folded cards pile) then your hand is folded. However, a hand that is clearly identifiable may be retrieved and ruled live at the Tournament Director’s discretion if doing so is in the best interest of the game. Please make an extra effort to rule a hand retrievable if it was folded as a result of incorrect information give to the player.
ExPOSED CARD(S)If a community card(s) is exposed before the round of betting is complete, the card CAN NOT be used. The exposed card(s) are mixed with ONLY the remaining cards in the deck, reshuffled and then dealt out again.
NO CHOPPING THE BLINDS If you’re not sure what this means, don’t worry.
TURNING UP YOUR CARDS - ExPOSING YOUR CARD(S)All hands will be turned face up whenever a player is all-in and the betting action has been completed. If a player accidentally exposes one of their cards before all players have acted, they must turn up both (this is to prevent players purposely doing this to throw off another player). If a player is exposing his/her cards purposely, it is up to the Tournament Director if they would like to give a warning, and then eliminate the player from the tournament if it continues. AGAIN, this is up to the Tournament Director.
NOT ENOUGH CHIPS TO COVER THE BLINDIn the case a player does not have enough chips to cover the blind; they are considered “All In” and cannot win any more from each player than they have in their stack. For example, if a player has only 500 chips left and the blinds are 1,000/2,000, they are all in and can only win 500 chips from each player left in the hand.
ONLY 5 CARDS PLAYEach player has 7 cards from which to play (2 hole cards and 5 community cards). The BEST 5 Cards play! So for example, if there is JQKA on the board, and both players have a 10, it is a split pot.
ExTRA CHIP IN THE POTIn the case of a split pot, there may be an extra chip left. This chip goes to the first player to the left of the dealer (that was still in the hand).
TWO PLAYERS GO OUT AT THE SAME TIMEThe player that had more chips at the beginning of the hand receives the higher finishing position. Once in a while, both these players will have the same number of chips at the beginning of the hand (this happens very rarely). The player that had the best hand will have the higher position.
PLAYING HEADS UP When playing heads up, the dealer is always the little blind, and first to act pre-flop, and the last to act after the flop.
COMBINING TABLESWhen moving to a new table, attempt to sit in a similar position to the dealer. If 2 or less players move to a new table and sit in the Big Blind, they have the option of sitting out until the deal passes them. If 3 or more move to a new table, first ace will determine the new dealer position.
EQUAL PLAYERS/TABLEThe Tournament Director will attempt to keep the number at each table equal. This is not always possible and you cannot stop play because of it. Also, please don’t bug the Tournament Director every time you lose a player.
LEAVING THE TABLEIf a player leaves the table during play to use the bathroom, get a drink, etc… they are dealt in the hand. If they have not returned by the time it is their turn to act, their cards are mucked and their blinds placed in the pot.
*If a player must leave the table for an extended period of time, please make sure the TD is notified. We understand that situations may occur that players must leave, however let’s try to be respectful of others. If a player leaves the table for an extended period of time that is deemed excessive (for example, an entire blind level) without informing the Tournament Director, the Tournament Director has the discretion to remove that player’s chips from play. Please remember that this is supposed to be for fun.
Note: When players are in the Big Blind and everyone checks around, they also check. They do not have to return until it is their turn to act after the flop.
LEAVING EARLYIf a player has to leave the tournament early the chips are taken off the table and given to the Tournament Director. THEY CANNOT SPLIT THE CHIPS AMONGST THE PLAYERS!
These Table Etiquette rules are enforced at the discretion of the TD and help to make the game more fun and run more smoothly. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL!
BE ON TIME Players arriving late can only take a seat if...
• They arrive before the blinds go up to Level 2.
• They give up both big and little blind (300 chips before taking a seat). This does not preclude them from having to play their blinds again if they sit in those positions. The “forfeited” chips are taken out of play.
CHIPS Your higher value chips should be visible at all times and not hidden behind other stacks.
DON’T PLAY OUT OF TURN This will happen from time to time, but please be re-spectful of this. Your move can change the move(s) of other players at the table.
NO COACHING Players standing behind the table are not allowed to help a player that is sitting at the table.
NO WHINING The last thing the Tournament Director or the other players need is a whiny player. Take a deep breath and enjoy your time playing cards!
DON’T SHOW YOUR CARDS Do not show your cards to other people at the table or the “audience”, even if you are going to fold and/or they are already out of the hand. Your cards are for your eyes only.
STRING BETTING String betting is when a player places their wager out in multiple motions unless they announce “raise” and/or the amount of their wager at the same time.
REMEMBER Many players are not familiar with this, so take it easy on them!
COLORING UPPlayers should not share chips during color up to advance their position.
CELL PHONES Please be respectful of play at the table and do not speak on your cell phone while playing. You can stand up behind your seat and chat if you would like. However, players are encouraged to ‘Check-in’ at ‘World Tavern Poker @ your bar’ via Facebook’s check-in app using your smart phone.
VERBAL DECLARATIONS Be respectful. If you call a raise, you should make a raise unless the player did not recognize a raise before them.
CARDS ON TABLECards should remain on the table at all times.
SHUFFLING The player to the right of the dealer should shuffle the cards for the next hand.
SHOWING BOTH HOLE CARDS A player should not win the hand unless they show both their hole cards at showdown. If no one calls the player, the player does not need to show.
SMOKING Smoking can be very bothersome to other players sitting at the table. Please be respectful and stand up behind your seat while smoking. Please also remember to abide by all restaurant or bar rules regarding smoking, as well as local and state laws which may prohibit the use of tobacco products indoors.
ALL STAR GAME CHAMPIONSHIP(NEW FOR 2013!) Held at each participating bar during Week #13 of each season. This is will be played as a deep stack tournament, starting with 15k in chips and 30 minute blinds.
Qualifying: All Qualified Tavern Ranked players will have the opportunity to play.
Prizes: Aside from any prizes the bar provides, the All Star Game Champion receives;
• A medallion
• Seat into the National Championship Semifinals
• Seat into the Tournament of Champions Semifinals (Final 3)
• The All Star Game Championship will count for points and will go towards all rankings
TAVERN CHAMPIONSHIP Held at each participating bar during Week #25 of each season. This is a deep stack tournament with 15k in starting chips and and 30 minute blinds.
Qualifying: All Qualified Tavern Ranked players will have the opportunity to play.
Prizes: Aside from any prizes the bar provides, the Tavern Champion receives;
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPSThis event invites the Top Players from each bar and region to compete for even bigger prizes and the chance to move on to the National Championship Finals.
• The Regional Championship schedule & locations will be posted on the website towards the end of each season with the goal of choosing locations that are centrally located between all participating bars. Please keep in mind that this is a REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP which means that some travel (generally 1-2 hours) will be required to compete.
Qualifying: Players can qualify for the Regional Championship in 3 ways
• Top 20 Tavern Ranking – Every player that is currently ranked in the Top 20 at a venue for the current season
• Top 30% in Regional Rankings – This number is obtained by calculating the average of your top 10 scores in any bar in your given region. Ex. 300 players regionally ranked means the top 90 players would qualify.
• Tavern Guest Seat – Each tavern receives a Free Regional Seat to be given to any player/customer they would like. Often times it is given to the TD or Big Spender in the bar.
Prizes: The top 10% of all seated players will automatically qualify for the Nationals Championship Finals held at the Great American Poker Challenge.
• Top 10% will also receive awards certificates
• Final Table (Final 8) will receive plaques and commemorative T-Shirts
• Players can also win Hotel, Badge & Travel Packages to National Championships based on the size of event (seated players).
otHEr NotES:
• Regional Championship Seats ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE. Only those players who qualified can play.
• If you are in a market where there are no other hosting taverns or no available Regional Championship, your Tavern Champion will advance directly to the National Championship! Please check with WTP for clarification.
• If your tavern would like to be considered to host a Regional Championship, please e-mail [email protected] with the subject line Regional Championship Hosting Request.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS The National Championships invite the top players from around the country to compete for seats into the World Series of Poker and $50,000 cash awarded every year! This is what you play for throughout the year. National Championships are held during the World Tavern Poker Open and Great American Poker Challenge which are 4-6 day events comprised of private poker tournaments, incredible parties, great prizes and more!There are 2 National Championships each year, one for each of the 2 seasons with approximately 500-1000 players competing in each. These Championships are held at casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City under the following schedule;
1St HalF (Green): February thru August (26 weeks) where players are competing to qualify for the Great American Poker Challenge in Las Vegas. This event is like no other with 5 days of poker and parties and over $50,000 in cash on the line. (Held in October/November)
2Nd HalF (Purple): August thru February (26 weeks) where players are competing to qualify for the World Tavern Poker National Championship held in Atlantic City with 4 days of poker and parties and 16 seats to the World Series of Poker on the line! (Held in May/June)
Each National Championship is broken down into 3 levels of play with Level 3 being the Championship event with the big prizes on the line. Players can qualify for Level I, Level II or Level III by playing in the bar. The more they play, the better the chance of advancing directly to the finals.
• Quarter Finals – Players can advance to the Semi Finals by playing in a Shootout event and finishing top 2 at their table.
• Semi Finals – Players can advance to the Championship by playing in a Shootout event and finishing top 2 at their table.
• The National Championship Finals – The Championship event is where the top players will win the big cash and WSOP seats.
• Qualifying: Players can qualify for the National Championships in multiple ways
Quarter Finals WIN AND YOU ARE IN! That’s right, any player that wins just one game during that season automatically qualifies for the Level I tournament and plays to move on to the finals. But there are more ways to qualify for all 3 levels.
Semi Finals
- 5 Total Wins during the current season (at any bars)
- Final Table Ranking. Finish the season ranked top 10 at any bar
- All Star Championships. Finish in the top 3 at the All Star Championships at your bar (Week 13)
National Championship Finals
- 10 Total Wins during the current season (at any bars)
- Season Points Champion at any bar (#1 Ranking at the end of the season)
- Tavern Champion at any bar
- 1% Club: Finish ranked in the Top 1% for your Region, State or Nationally Ranked & Cumulative Points
- Regional Championships – Top 10% at each Regional Championship
otHEr NotES:
• National Championship seats are non- transferrable.
• National Championship dates will be posted on the website approximately 3 months prior to the event.
• The World Tavern Poker Open and Great American Poker Challenge are events to remember, so we hope you won’t miss it!
• If you are in a market where there are no other hosting taverns or no available Regional Championship, your Tavern Champion will advance directly to the National Championship! Please check with WTP for clarification.
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS (TOC) The Tournament of Champions promotion is an incredible promotion where players are competing for an additional 24 WSOP seats including a $10,000 seat in the WSOP Main Event and the chance at Millions of Dollars!
HoW it WorKSEvery player who comes in the Top 3 at any of the Regular Season Tournaments qualifies to play in that bar’s end of season Tournament of Champions. Plus, every time that you finish in the Top 3 at any of your tournaments, they will receive AN ADDITIONAL 2,000 IN STARTING CHIPS giving them a nice advantage over the rest of the field. For example, if you came in the Top 3 at 4 different tournaments, you would receive your standard 10k in chips for the first qualification, then an additional 6k for the other 3 qualifications giving you a total starting chip stack of 16,000!
The Top 3 Players at the Tavern TOC automatically qualify for the National Tournament of Champions!Remember: The more you play at a TOC bar, the better chances you will have in the finals!
Note: Only players who will be 21 at the time of the National TOC will be allowed to play in the Tavern TOC!
tHE NatioNal tourNaMENt oF CHaMPioNSThe National Tournament of Champions is separate from the 2 annual National Championships and is held once a year in the Spring in Atlantic City during the World Tavern Poker OPEN.
This is an incredibly exciting event where the Champion will receive a $10,000 Seat into the World Series of Poker Main Event along with the Final Table, each receiving seats of differing values.
Note: National TOC seats are non-transferrable
oNliNE tourNaMENt oF CHaMPioNSReady to win even more WSOP seats? If you finish in the Top 3 at any TOC bar during the current month, you will qualify for the monthly Online TOC for a shot at another $500 WSOP packagePlus, at the end of each season, any Player who finished in the Top 3 at any tournament at any TOC bar during the current season will qualify for the Season Online TOC for a shot at a $1,500 WSOP Package.That’s 16 WSOP packages being given away through the Online TOC!
For more details on how this works, please visit www.worldtavernpoker.com/onlinetoc.aspx
The World Tavern Poker OPEN and Great American Poker Challenge are the ultimate events for poker fanatics and are indeed, the largest poker parties in the world. Twice each year, once in the spring (World Tavern Poker OPEN – Atlantic City) and once in the fall (Great American Poker Challenge- Las Vegas) nearly 800 players and guests gather for several days of non-stop poker, parties, and fun. Anyone who likes poker is invited to attend to the OPEN and GAPC and bring friends and family – which is why these events get bigger and bigger every year.
The World Tavern Poker OPEN features the Season Two National Championship as well as the National Tournament of Champions where players will play for 24 WSOP seats including a $10,000 WSOP Main Event Seat while the Great American Poker Challenge will feature the Season One National Championship where players will play for a $50,000 prize pool including $20,000 to the National Champion. At both events in addition to the National Championships, the events are filled with tons of other events, including the Men’s and Women’s Championships, Tag Team Championship and many, many more.
Over the last several years the total prize winnings at these events has skyrocketed, with the total available prizes topping $100,000 at recent events.
Every player at the final two tables win WSOP prize packages. That’s 16 seats every year!
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS The winner of the National Tournament of Champions wins a $10,000 WSOP Main Event seat and your shot at MILLIONS! Final Table finishers will also receive WSOP prize packages. That’s another 8 WSOP Packages.
ONLINE TOC Throughout the year we hold Online TOC tournaments where we give away a $500 WSOP Package every season. That’s 16 more WSOP Packages.
THAT’S OVER 40 WSOP PACKAGES EVERY YEAR!
The best part is, playing World Tavern Poker is completely free to you...but please remember that your hosting bar pays to be part of the league so please support them and their staff with your food and drink purchases.
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN WIN YOURS!
Have you always dreamt of playing in the World Series of Poker? Well with World Tavern Poker we give away more than 40 SEatS iNto WSoP EVENt EVEry SiNglE yEar!
