D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 30, r. 30-1604

Current through Register Vol. 71, No. 44, November 1, 2024

Rule 30-1604 - METHOD OF PLAY

1604.1

In all dice games, the size of the dice shall be a minimum of three quarters of an inch (3/4 inch). The following rules shall be posted when dice games are played:

(a) The dice shall hit the side boards of the table when thrown. If the dice do not hit the side boards, the roll is void and the dice shall be rolled again.

(b) Only the dealer, operator or player may touch the dice. The player shall only touch the dice when it is the player's turn to roll the dice.

1604.2

When the game of blackjack is being played, the following rules apply and shall be posted:

(a) The dealer shall draw on sixteen (16) and under and stand on seventeen (17) and over.

(b) A player may only play one (1) hand at a table; and

(c) There shall not be more than seven (7) players at one (1) blackjack table.

1604.3

When the game of Texas Hold'em is being played, the following rules apply and shall be posted:

(a) All suits have the same rank. The rank of cards, from highest to lowest, shall be ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, except as provided in 1604.3(v)(1) where the ace may be counted low.

(b) The dealer shall shuffle the cards prior to each round of play.

(c) All players shall place an ante into the pot if required by the house rules.

(d) Prior to the first round of play, the dealer shall place the dealer button in front of the player immediately to the dealer's left. The dealer shall move the dealer button to the next player in a clockwise direction prior to commencing each subsequent round of play.

(e) The player immediately to the left of the dealer button shall post the required small blind before the beginning of each round of play.

(f) The player immediately to the left of the small blind position shall post the required big blind before the beginning of each round of play.

(g) When all but two (2) players have been eliminated from the table, the player with the dealer button shall post the small blind and the other player shall post the big blind.

(h) All cards shall be dealt in a clockwise direction beginning with the player immediately to the left of the dealer button.

(i) The dealer shall commence betting interval 1 by dealing one (1) card to each player face down, then a second card to each player face down.

(j) Each player may examine their pocket cards at any time.

(k) Each player shall keep their pocket cards in full view of the dealer at all times and must ensure that they are examined in a manner that does not disclose to other players their value. Players may not exchange information concerning their hand.

(l) Players that drop from the round of play shall not reveal their pocket cards.

(m) Betting for interval 1 shall proceed as follows:

(1) The player immediately to the left of the big blind position is the first to act and must call, raise, or drop.

(2) When all but two (2) players have been eliminated from the table, the player with the dealer button is the first to act and must call, raise, or drop.

(3) Betting continues in a clockwise direction until each player has an opportunity to call, raise, or drop with the exception of the player in the big blind position who may also check if no other player has raised.

(n) The dealer shall commence betting interval 2 by burning a card and then dealing three board cards face up in the middle of the table, commonly referred to as the Flop.

(o) Betting for interval 2 shall proceed as follows:

(1) The player immediately to the left of the dealer button is the first to act and must bet, check, or drop.

(2) Betting continues in a clockwise direction until each player has an opportunity to bet, check, call, raise, or drop.

(p) The dealer shall commence betting interval 3 by burning a card and dealing one board card face up, commonly referred to as the Turn.

(q) Betting for interval 3 shall proceed as in 1604.3(o).

(r) The dealer shall commence betting interval 4 by burning a card and dealing one board card face up, commonly referred to as the River.

(s) Betting for interval 4 shall proceed as in 1604.3(o).

(t) Upon completion of four betting intervals:

(1) If only one player remains in the round of play, (i.e., all but one player has dropped), the player is not obligated to show their hand.

(2) If two or more players remain in the round of play:

(A) It shall be the obligation of the player who made the last bet to show their hand.

(B) If no player has placed a bet, it shall be the obligation of all players to show their hands.

(u) Any combination of a player's pocket cards and/or board cards may be used to construct a standard five card poker hand.

(v) The dealer shall:

(1) Declare the last remaining player the winner or determine the winning hand among the remaining players in accordance with the following ranking of poker combinations:

(A) Royal Flush is a hand containing an ace, king, queen, jack, and 10 of the same suit.

(B) Straight Flush is a hand containing five cards of the same suit in consecutive ranking. An ace may count high or low.

(C) "4 of a Kind" is a hand containing four cards of the same rank.

(D) "Full House" is a hand containing "3 of a Kind" and "1 Pair."

(E) "Flush" is a hand containing five cards of the same suit but not in consecutive ranking.

(F) "Straight" is a hand containing five cards of consecutive rank regardless of suit. An ace may count high or low.

(G) "3 of a Kind" is a hand containing three cards of the same rank.

(H) "2 Pair" is a hand containing two pairs.

(I) "1 Pair" is a hand containing two cards of the same rank.

(J) "High Card" is a hand that does not contain "1 Pair" or better.

(2) Resolve ties in the following manner:

(A) In the event of equal ranking poker combinations of "4 of a Kind," "3 of a Kind," "2 Pair," or "1 Pair," the high card not used in the poker combination shall break the tie.

(B) If a tie cannot be broken, the pot shall be split equally.

(3) Award the pot(s) to the player(s) with the winning hand.

(w) The dealer shall collect all cards and shuffle them prior to the next round of play.

(x) The dealer shall move the dealer button to the next player in a clockwise direction.

(y) If only two players remain in a round of play, and one player does not have enough chips to call the bet made by the other player, then the player with the fewest chips may move all-in and the player with the most chips shall remove enough chips from their bet to make it equal to the bet of the player moving all-in. The round of play will then continue with no further betting.

(z) If two or more players wish to bet more than the bet of another player moving all-in, the dealer shall establish a side pot.

(1) The player moving all-in is eligible to win only the main pot, consisting of the antes, blinds, all previous bets, the bet of the player moving all-in, and the bets of the other players matching the all-in bet.

(2) The players with chips remaining may continue placing bets into the side pot(s) and are eligible to win both the main pot and side pot(s).

(aa) A player is eliminated from the tournament when either of the following occurs:

(1) The player is unable to post the required ante or blind.

(2) The player has lost all of their chips.

(bb) No misdeal may be called after the first bet.

(cc) In the event of a misdeal, additional antes or blinds shall not be required.

(dd) Any dispute concerning Texas Hold'em shall be referred to the member-in-charge, or if the member-in-charge is unavailable, then the deputy member-in-charge.

1604.4

House rules for Texas Hold'em must be approved by the Agency.

1604.5

House rules for Texas Hold'em must be posted and made available to players.

D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 30, r. 30-1604

Prior to May 20, 1988, the D.C. Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board published Final Rulemaking at 29 DCR 5016, 5039 (November 12, 1982); Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 3788, 3819 (May 20, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 53 DCR 3056 (April 14, 2006).