Structure, Prizes & Rules

Welcome to Aces UP! The following provides information regarding the structure, rules and prizes for the tournament.

The Game of Texas Hold 'Em

We will be playing No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em at the Aces UP! Tournament. There are many books, articles, and websites that provide standard instructions on how to play the game. For some basic information on the history of the game and how to play it, you can visit Wikipedia (link).

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Tournament Structure

The Aces UP! Tournament will have the following structure:

All players will begin with $1,500 in chips.
Blinds will begin at $25/$50 and increase every 20 minutes.
A full blind structure is included below. HOWEVER, since we are required by state law to end the tournament within a certain period of time, we reserve the right to change or alter the blinds at any point in the tournament.
Our goal is to end the Tournament by 11 p.m., but under no circumstances will cards be dealt after Midnight.
Registration and the cocktail reception will begin at 6 p.m. Players will be able to go to their tables starting at 6:30 p.m. and the tournament will begin at 7:00 p.m.
The tournament will have open seating. Players will be able to sit in any open seat.
At the end of the 3rd round, there will be a break. During this break, chips will be colored up and players may add-on. Subsequent breaks will take place at the end of every 4 rounds. The last break will occur when there are only ten players left. This break schedule may be modified in order to accommodate the scheduled end-time of the tournament.
Tables will be balanced and condensed as needed throughout the course of the tournament at the sole discretion of Urban Prep. We will make every available attempt to keep tables at equal ratios throughout the course of the night. When condensing tables, players may be moved to a different position at a new table. For example, a player being moved from a table where s/he was the button, may be moved into a position other than the button at the new table.
When only 10 players remain, play will stop and players will draw for seats at the final table.
All tournament participants and spectators must be 21 years of age or older.

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Blind Schedule

Please remember, we reserve the right to change or alter the blinds or length of the levels at any point in the tournament.

Each level will last 20 minutes.

First Break (Add On Period & Color Up)
Level 1	25 - 50
Level 2	50 - 100
Level 3	75 - 150
Level 4	100 - 200
Level 5	200 - 400
Level 6	300 - 600
Level 7	400 - 800
Second Break (Color Up)
Level 8	500 - 1000
Level 9	1000 - 2000
Level 10	1500 - 3000
Level 11	2500 - 5000
Third Break (Color Up)
Level 12	5000 - 10000
Level 13	10000 - 20000
Level 14	20000 - 40000
Level 15	40000 - 80000

After Level 15, blinds will double at this point at the sole discretion of the tournament director to ensure an ending prior to Midnight.

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Re-Buys and Add-ons

During the first hour of play any player with less than $1,000 in chips may re-buy for $100 and receive an additional $1,000 in chips.
There are no limits as to how many re-buys a player may make within the first hour.
A player who loses all of his or her chips may re-buy back into the tournament on the next hand (the player only receives $1,000 in chips).
During the first hour break all players, regardless of chip count, will be allowed to purchase one add-on for $100 and receive an additional 1,000 in chips. Players who have below $1,000 in chips at the break may re-buy for $100 AND add-on for an additional $100 to receive $2,000 in chips.
After the first hour break ends, no more re-buys or add-ons will be allowed. Players who lose all of their chips after this point will be knocked out of the tournament.

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Prizes

Prizes will be awarded to the top 5 finishers. Once a player is knocked-out in a prize position, they must complete a winner's form. All prizes will be distributed within 30 days of the end of the tournament.

All prizes are in the form of Visa/MaterCard Gift Cards and are valued as follows:

Grand Prize:	$7,500
2nd Place:	$3,000
3rd Place:	$2,000
4th Place:	$1,500
5th Place:	$1,000

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Spectators

We highly encourage people who are not playing in the tournament come and partake in the festivities. A crowded house makes it more fun and exciting for everyone. In addition to watching you and the other guests play, spectators can enjoy the wide array of food and beverages available. Spectator tickets are $100 each.

Sit 'N Go's

If you happen to get knocked out of the main tournament, don't leave!!!

At the end of the add-on/re-buy period, we will begin signing up players for $100 Sit N Go single table tournaments (no re-buys or add-ons are allowed). A sign up sheet will available at the check-in desk and we will start new games as enough player register. The last Sit 'N Go will start at 10 p.m.

Visa/MasterCard Gift Cards valued at $250 and $150 will be awarded to first and second place respectively in the Sit 'N Go Tournaments.

Bounties

All celebrity participants will have a “bounty” put on them. The tournament player who knocks out a celebrity for the first time will win a prize.

Aces UP! Rules & Etiquette

We ask that all guests remember that this is a poker event for charity, so have fun and remember you're playing for a good cause. Since the dealers are volunteers and all players may not have the same skill level, some mistakes may be made, so players should be patient and cordial at all times. Here are some additional rules that will be in effect for Aces UP!:

Cursing, swearing, verbal abuse will not be tolerated. Players engaging in such behavior will be removed from the tournament.
Refrain from criticizing another player's play.
Be nice to the dealers. Remember they are volunteers.
Keep your chips on the table and visible at all times—with larger denominations on top and/or in front of your chip stack.
Do not handle another player's chips. While you may give another player change for chips, you may not give chips to another player.
Protect your cards so that no one else can see them. Keep your cards on the table at all times (holding cards against your shirt or putting them in your pocket or lap is not allowed).
You may leave the table at any time (e.g., top get a drink, go to the restroom, etc.). During your absence, cards will be dealt to your seat and folded. Your blinds will be put into the pot during your absence.
Speaking on mobile phones is not allowed while sitting at the table. If you need to use the phone, you must get up from the table.
It is each player's responsibility to follow the flow of the game. Play in turn. Do not act out of turn.
At no time should any player or spectator make statements that could unfairly influence the play of a hand. This includes commenting on mucked cards and discussing possible hands.
Do not splash the pot. When making a bet, announce your bet and place the chips in front of your cards towards the center of the table. Do NOT throw the chips into the pot.
String bets are not allowed. If your intention is to bet $100, then you must either announce your bet OR move enough chips to cover the bet into the pot in one motion. You may NOT take $50 and put it in the pot and then go back into your chip stack for another $50 to complete your bet without announcing your bet.
Verbally announce your action—call, raise, fold, check, bet.
You may not say "I call your bet and raise you..." You must announce your raise or intention to raise.
Do not expose any cards until the showdown.
In a showdown situation when there are no more opportunities for betting (this happens most often when it's heads-up play and one of the players is all-in), the players in the hand must turn their cards over immediately.
Rabbit hunting (asking to see what cards would have appeared, had you bet) is not allowed.
Agreeing to "check-down" a hand after a player has gone all-in is not allowed.
If a player decides to muck (discard) his/her cards, that player is allowed to do so without his/her opponent seeing the cards. Once the cards hit the muck, that player is no longer in the hand and cannot win the pot. The remaining player does not have to show his/her hand in order to win the pot.
If the dealer exposes a card while dealing, dealing continues in order with the last card being dealt going to the person whose card was exposed. The exposed card becomes the burn card. In instances where two cards are exposed by the dealer while the cards are being dealt, a misdeal is declared and the cards are reshuffled and re-dealt. If a player accidentally exposes his/her cards during a hand, the entire table must be shown the cards and play continues.

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