§ 637a.11. Hold’em Poker; procedures for dealing the cards; completion of each round of play.
(a) A certificate holder that offers Hold’em Poker shall observe the procedures in this section. Hold’em Poker shall be played to determine a winning high hand only.
(b) No more than ten players may participate in a Hold’em Poker game. Each player who elects to participate in a round of play may be required to place an Ante bet. The rules governing the placement of an Ante bet and the amount of the Ante bet, if any, shall be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 (relating to table games Rules Submissions) and posted on a sign at each Poker table.
(c) A button shall be used to indicate the order in which the cards shall be dealt and the order in which players shall bet in accordance with following procedures:
(1) At commencement of play, the button shall be placed in front of either:
(i) The first player to the right of the dealer.
(ii) The player randomly determined by rank of a single card dealt.
(2) Thereafter, the button shall rotate around the table in a clockwise manner after each round of play.
(d) Before any cards are dealt, the player to the immediate left of the button shall initiate the first betting round by placing a Blind Bet. A certificate holder may require additional Blind Bets to be made immediately after the initial Blind Bet. The amount and number of all Blind Bets required shall be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 and posted on a sign at the table.
(e) The player to the left of the player who placed a Blind Bet may place a Straddle Bet, if offered by the certificate holder. The rules governing the placement of a Straddle Bet and the amount of the Straddle Bet, if any, shall be specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2 and posted on a sign at each Poker table. No more than one Straddle Bet may be made during a round of play.
(f) Starting with the player to the immediate left of the button and continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, the dealer shall deal two rounds of cards face down to each player. The player with the button shall be the last player to receive a card each time.
(g) After each player has been dealt two cards in accordance with subsection (e), each player, starting with the player to the left of the player or players who were required to place a Blind Bet or the player who placed a Straddle Bet, if offered, and continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, may either fold, call or raise the bet. The option to raise shall also apply to a player who made a Blind Bet or Straddle Bet. After the last player has responded to the most recent bet, the betting round shall be considered complete.
(h) The dealer shall then burn the top card of the deck and proceed to deal three community cards face up in the center of the table. The first player to the left of the button who has not folded shall commence the next betting round and may bet or check. Each subsequent player may, in clockwise rotation, fold, call, raise or, if preceding players have not made a bet, make an opening bet or check. After the last player has responded to the most recent bet, the betting round shall be considered complete.
(i) Upon completion of the betting round, the dealer shall burn the top card of the deck and deal a fourth community card face up in the center of the table. The next betting round shall be commenced and completed in accordance with subsection (g).
(j) Upon completion of the betting round, the dealer shall burn the top card of the deck and deal a fifth and final community card face up in the center of the table. The final betting round shall be commenced and completed in accordance with subsection (g).
(k) If more than one player remains in the round of play after the final betting round has been completed, a showdown shall be used to determine the winner of the pot. Each player remaining in the game shall form the highest ranking five-card high hand using any of the two cards dealt to the player and the five community cards. The winner of the pot shall be the player with the highest ranking five-card high hand. If the highest ranking five-card high hand that each of the remaining players can form is comprised of the five community cards, all players remaining in the round of play shall share equally in the pot. If the pot cannot be divided evenly among the players, the excess, which may not exceed $1, may be given to the player specified in the certificate holder’s Rules Submission under § 601a.2.
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