The Official Rules for Texas Holdem Poker

If you're interested in participating in a Texas Holdem Poker tournament, who or what do you think would your worst opponent be? Could it be your nerves? Or maybe it's the toughest players on board? Then again, it could just be the neophytes who are experiencing a miraculously lucky streak!

If you chose any of the answers above, you're actually mistaken. The greatest opponent you'd find when you join a Texas Holdem Poker tournament is none other than the RULES!

So don't let the official Texas Holdem Poker rules on tournaments get the better of you. Read on and be prepared for all the twists and turns of Texas Holdem Poker tournaments!

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #1 - The Seating Arrangement Everybody is asking about this so even though we've explained this a million times already, we'll just say it again: you can't choose your own seat in a tournament. Changing seats with another player is also absolutely forbidden!

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #2 - Absentee Players When a player cannot be found, the organizers of the Texas Holdem Poker tournament will try their best to find the errant player so that the others wouldn't be discomfited. If the player can't be found, his chips may be taken out of play.

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #2A - Chips for the Late Players Some tournaments would automatically place the player's chips in his seat so that the games could continue. The chips would automatically be lessened if it's the tardy player's turn to post the blind.

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #3 - Limits and Blinds If you're wondering how players get eliminated from tournaments, one way of doing that is ensuring that each stage of the tourney is witness to an increased limit and bet size.

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #4 - Chips A player's chips must always be placed in a highly visible area on the table so he won't be accused of cheating. If lower denomination chips are unneeded at the latter stages of the tourney, they would be automatically changed or taken out.

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #5 - Absent on Your Turn If you're not around to take your turn, no questions asked, your hand will be dead!

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #6 - Empty Table If you're the last survivor of a table, you'll be immediately transferred to another table that contains one or two empty seats.

Texas Holdem Poker Rule #7 - Getting Eliminated If, God forbid, you actually got eliminated, you must leave the table immediately.