PLAYERS GUIDE - worldtavernpoker.com Player Guide.pdf · WORLD TAVERN POKER World Tavern Poker is a...

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P L A Y E R S G U I D E

W O R L D T A V E R N P O K E R

World Tavern Poker is a free bar poker league where players compete for points, prizes, bragging rights, and seats to the World Series of Poker! Play at your local tavern and earn your way to Regional and National Championship events - where 40 seats to the WSOP and over $100,000 in prizes are on the line each season!

2

3

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8

12

Points, Blinds

Rankings, FAQs

General Rules

The Championships

The OPEN

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 (and a unique user name) 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

WORLD TAVERN POKERAMERICA’S #1 BAR LEAGUE!

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 event where you are playing until the last person is left standing. The top 20 players in each tournament receive points towards their rankings.

STARTING CHIP COUNTStandard World Tavern Poker Tournaments start with 10,000 in chips. Check out the Official Bonus Chip Program to see how you can earn extra chips for each tournament!

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

= Updated Sept 2014

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THE POINTS STRUCTURE The Top 20 players in each tournament receive points based on where they finish and how many individual players competed in each tournament.

BLIND STRUCTUREThe World Tavern Poker blind structure allows for two tournaments each night.

Blinds will continue to double for levels 11+

Level 1 100/200

Level 2 200/400

Level 3 300/600

Level 4 500/1000

BREAK/COLOR UP RED+GREEN CHIPS

Level 5 1,000/2,000

Level 6 2,000/4,000

Level 7 3,000/6,000

BREAK/COLOR UP BLACK CHIPS

Level 8 5,000/10,000

Level 9 10,000/20,000

Level 10 15,000/30,000

Level 11 25,000/50,000

SMALL/BIG SMALL/BIG

RANK BASELINE

1 100002 95003 90004 85005 80006 75007 70008 65009 600010 550011 500012 450013 400014 350015 300016 250017 200018 150019 100020 500

BLIND TIMESBlind times are generally determined by the number of players in attendance and are decided by your Tournament Director. Below is a guide that many bars follow.

10-20 Players = 25 MINUTES PER LEVEL



50+ Players = 15 MINUTES PER LEVEL

EXPLAINING THE POINTS Our new structure rewards players by giving them the opportunity to earn more points for every player in attendance! To figure out your score for a given game, simply take the number of players and multiply by 50, then add it to the score reflected in the baseline to the left.

Let’s say 30 players take part in a tournament. That means anyone finishing in the Top 20 adds 1,500 points to their baseline. So if John Smith finishes in first place, he would earn 10,000 points plus the 1,500 additional points (30 players times 50), for a total score of 11,500 points.

In that same tournament, John’s wife Betty finished in sixth place. She would earn 7,500 points, plus the extra 1,500 points, to earn a total score of 9,000 points.

If Betty wins a tournament with 25 players, she would earn 11,250 points (50 x 25 = 1,125 + 10,000) for that victory.

Scores are automatically generated on the World Tavern Poker website once the TD enters the results from a tournament.




THE RANKINGS You are ranked at 4 different levels based on the average of your top scores. However, you must have a “Minimum # of Games Played” to qualify for any Championship events.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are there any fees to play World Tavern Poker? World Tavern Poker is completely free to the players, and there is never a buy-in. We do however strongly encourage you to support the bars with your food & beverage purchases to ensure the promotion continues.

Note: Some bars/states have a No Loitering Policy. This means that their bathrooms, seating and events (like poker) are for paying customers only.

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 Tournament Director or email us at [email protected]

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 almost every state.

What are the prizes at Regional Championships? Depending upon the number of bars, prizes can vary from certificates to tickets to the WTP Open, Hotel and Travel, and even 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 World Tavern Poker? World Tavern Poker offers a Player Rep. Program designed to reward players for getting their favorite bars/ restaurants to sign up with the league. The prizes range from cold hard cash, to seats at Nationals. Login to WorldTavernPoker.com and visit the ‘My Player’ section to find out more!

1. Tavern Ranking = Average of Top 15 scores at that Tavern. (1 game to earn ranking)(minimum of 10 games played to qualify for All-Star and 15 games for Tavern Championship events)

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 = Avg of Top 25 scores from any Tavern in the Country. (Min. 25)

* Bars playing one game a night require 7 games played to receive a ranking and 5 games to qualify for ASC




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. This is a self-dealt game, so some rules have been created/adjusted for that.

The Tournament Director is in charge of each event and and can determine how the rules are enforced in the best interest of the game. 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.

MISDEALS Any card flipped over during the initial deal is an automatic misdeal. If cards are dealt out of order, try to fix them. Anyone who has not yet looked at their cards can call a misdeal if they feel the cards were dealt incorrectly. This means all cards are brought back in, reshuffled, and a new hand is dealt.

BETTINGA bet 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 previous bet.

GENERAL RULES

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!

AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGULAR TOURNAMENTS & CHAMPIONSHIPSWTP strongly recommends that no one under the age of 18 be allowed to compete in World Tavern Poker tournaments. However, it is ultimately up to the bar owner as to whom they allow to play.

For WTP Championship events: All players MUST BE 21 years of age (by the time of the event) to participate, as the winner is moving on to an event held at a casino. This includes: All Star & Tavern Championships, Tavern TOC’s, and Regionals.

REGULAR SEASON SPECIAL EVENTSTournament Directors have the option of running special tournaments at their taverns during Week 6 and Week 18 of the regular season! TD’s can take a poll from their players and see what they would like to play. The choice of special events are:

Crazy Pineapple: 3 hole cards dealt, one discarded at the turn, regular Hold’em afterDeep Stacked: Double, or even triple the starting stacks! (run game two as a turbo)Tag Team: Pair off players into teams, and have them switch seats at 15 minute intervals

SPECIAL TOURNAMENTS




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 bet.

Example: Player A bets 500 and Player B raises to 2,000. Player C wishing to raise must raise at least 1,500 more, making their total bet at least 3,500. 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 bet in no-limit poker has such a wide range, a player who has taken action based on a gross misunderstanding of the bet amount may receive protection by the TD. 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.

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 every extra effort to rule a hand retrievable if it was folded as a result of incorrect information given

to the player.

CHIPS TO COVER THE BLINDIf 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.

NO SPLASHING THE POT‘Splashing the pot’ means placing or tossing chips directly into the pot rather than in front of their position. When calling or betting, any player must place their chips in front of them and leave them there until all players have acted. Then, all chips are moved to the center of the table, preferably by the dealer.

VERBAL DECLARATIONS Be respectful. If you call a raise, you should make a raise unless the player did not recognize a raise before them. Verbal declarations are usually binding unless otherwise ruled by a Tournament Director.

EXPOSED 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 cards (to prevent this being done on purpose) and they can no longer Raise (only call) for the remainder of the hand.

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/or ultimately remove the player from the tournament.

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.

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.

PLAYING HEADS UP When playing heads up, the dealer is always the little blind, first to act pre-flop, and the last to act after the flop.

STRADDLE BETS, CHOPPING BLINDS If you’re not sure what either of these are, don’t worry!

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).

GENERAL RULES (CONT’D)




TWO PLAYERS OUT AT SAME TIMEThe player that had more chips at the beginning of the hand receives the better finishing position. Once in a while, both these players will have the same number of chips at the beginning of the hand (very rare). In these cases, the player that had the best starting hand will earn the better position.

SHUFFLING The player to the right of the dealer shuffles the cards. When you are done dealing, it is your responsibility to shuffle the cards you just dealt. This will speed up the game, minimize misdeals and allow you to get more hands in at each blind level!

NO BLIND STACKSPlease DO NOT place blind stacks out for players as this often causes confusion, including misdeals. If you are aware a player is arriving late, you can save them a seat, but please follow the “Be On Time” procedure for giving them their chips.

BE ON TIME Players arriving late can only take a seat if...

• They arrive within 20 minutes of the start of the tournament.

• The player forfeits a Small and Big blind for each level. For example, if your blinds are 15 minutes and a player arrives 16 minutes into the tournament, they forfeit 900 in Chips. (300 for Level 1 and 600 for Level 2) They forfeit these chips regardless of where they are seated (in the blinds or not). These chips are taken prior to them receiving their stack and are not placed in the pot or divided amongst players.

VISIBLE 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 respectful of this. Your move can change the move(s) of other players 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 bet out in multiple motions unless they announce “raise” and/or the amount of their bet 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.

SMOKING Please 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 prod-ucts indoors. If you are allowed to smoke inside the bar you are playing at, do so a considerable distance away from your table and other players.

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.

Note: The TD should witness the cheating.






LEAVING THE TABLE(short term) If a player leaves the table during play to use the bathroom, get a drink, or the like, they are still dealt into hands. 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. 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, even if the hand goes to showdown.

(long term)If a player must leave the table for an extended period of time, please make sure the TD is notified. If a player is gone for an entire blind level, their chips will be turned into the TD and they will be eliminated from the game.

For example, if blinds are 20 minutes long and a player leaves half way through a blind, they are given the rest of that blind (10 minutes) and the next full blind (20 minutes).

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

There are times that a situation occurs that is not covered in this guide. If a situation arises, rulings are at the discretion of the Tournament Director and their ruling is final!

CELL PHONES All cell phones (and other mobile devices) must be turned down during the event (volume). At no time are players allowed to be talking on their phones while at the table. If a phone call needs to be made/received, that player must exit the table and forfeit the current hand.

Players not involved in the hand may text/email at the table - but please be respectful of this as it can slow the game down.

CARDS ON TABLECards should remain on the table and visible to other players at all times.

NO COACHING Players standing behind the table are not allowed to help a player that is sitting at the table.

SITTING AT THE TABLE Only the players still in the tournament may be seated at a table in play.

EQUAL PLAYERS/TABLEThe Tournament Director will attempt to keep the number at each table equal. This is not always possible and play cannot stop because of it. Also, please don’t bug the Tournament Director every time you lose a player!

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, the table will re-ace to determine the new dealer position.

LEAVING EARLYIf a player has to leave the tournament early, the chips are taken off the table and given to the Tournament Director. CHIPS ARE NOT TO BE SPLIT AMONGST THE PLAYERS!




ALL STAR GAME CHAMPIONSHIPThis is a single deep-stack tournament with longer blinds so that the game will last 4+ hours, depending on player turnout. Each player starts with 15,000 chips and blinds will begin at 25-30 minutes.

QUALIFYING

All players with 10 games played and at least one Top 20 finish in the bar that season are invited to play in the All Star Championship.

PRIZES

Aside from any prizes the bar provides, the All Star Champion receives:

• 1 seat into the National Championship Finals

• 1 seat into the National Tournament of Champions Semi-Finals

• All Star Championship Card and Medallion

2nd and 3rd place will receive:

• 1 seat into the National Championship Semi Finals

• 1 seat into the National Tournament of Champions Semi Finals

The All Star Game Championship will count for points and will go towards all rankings.

TAVERN CHAMPIONSHIPHeld at every bar during Week #25 of each season,Tavern Championship Night has 3 tournaments;

SEMI-FINALS

• Players ranked from #11 and below compete in the Semi Finals with the Top 10% moving on to the Finals and the Regional Championship.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP (Finals)

• Players ranked in the Top 10 at the bar compete in the Championships along with the Top 10% from the Semi Finals.

THE PRIZES: Aside from any prizes the bar provides, the Tavern Champion receives;

• The Tavern Champion Award

• A seat into the National Championship FINALS!

2ND CHANCE TOURNAMENT As The Championship is being played, another tournament will be held that is open to anyone (ranked players or not) with the winner receiving a seat directly into the Regional Championship.

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

C H A M P I O N S H I P STAVERN

C H A M P I O N S H I P SALL STAR

T O U R N A M E N T O F

CHAMPIONS

REGIONALC H A M P I O N S H I P S

TOP PLAYERSMOVE ON TO THE

TOP PLAYERSFROM EACH REGION

NATIONALC H A M P I O N S H I P S

OVER $100,000IN PRIZES EACH YEAR




This 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) may be required to compete.

Qualifying: Players can qualify for the Regional Championship in 5 ways:

• Top 20 Tavern Ranking – Every player that is ranked in the Top 20 at a venue at the end of the season.

• Top 30% in Regional Rankings – This number is obtained by calculating the average of your top 15 scores in any bar in your 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.

• Tavern Champ Semi Finals – The Top 10% from each Tavern Champ Semi Finals qualify.

• 2nd Chance Games – Winners from the Tav Champ and Tav TOC 2nd Chance games qualify

Prizes: The top 10% of all seated players will automatically qualify for the Nationals Championship Finals.

• Top 10% will also receive awards/certificates

• Final Table (Final 8) will receive plaques and commemorative T-Shirts

• Top Players can also win Hotel, Tickets & Travel Packages to National Championships based on the size of the Regional Event.

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, qualifiers will compete in an Online Regional Championships.

• 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.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS




The National Championships invite the top players from around the country to compete for over $100,000 in prizes awarded each year including 40 WSOP Packages! This is what you play for throughout the year. National Championships are held during the World Tavern Poker Open 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 300-400 players competing in each. These Championships are held at casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City under the following schedule;

SEASON 1 (Green): February thru August (26 weeks) where players are competing to qualify for the National Championship in Las Vegas. This event is like no other with 6 days of poker, parties and big cash on the line. (Held in November)

SEASON 2 (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. This is a multi-table format.

QUALIFYING FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 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 Quarter Finals and plays to move on to the Semi Finals.

Semi Finals

- 5 Total Wins during the current season (at any bars)

- Tavern Ranking. Finish the season ranked top 10 at any bar

- All Star Championships. Finish in the 2nd or 3rd at the Tavern All Star Championships at your bar.

National Championship Finals

- 10 Total Wins during the current season (at any bars)

- All Star Champion at any bar

- 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 Opens are events to remember, so we hope you won’t miss it!

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS




The Tournament of Champions is an incredible promotion where players are competing for an additional 28 WSOP seats including two $10,000 seats in the WSOP Main Event and the chance at millions!

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, you will receive AN ADDITIONAL 2,000 IN STARTING CHIPS giving you 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!The Tavern TOC Champion goes directly to the FINALS, and 2nd and 3rd go to Semi Finals.

Remember: The more you play at a TOC bar, the better chances you will have in the finals!

NATIONAL TOC EVENTThe National Tournament of Champions are seperate events held during the World Tavern Poker OPENS alongside the National Championships.

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 package

That’s 12 WSOP Packages being given away through the Online TOC!

For more details on how this works, please visit www.WorldTavernPoker.com/OnlineTOC.aspx

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

$10,000WSOP MAIN EVENT SEAT

A L L N E W



http://www.worldtavernpoker.com/onlinetoc.aspx


• Completely FREE to play

• Over 400 hosting venues

• 150,000 Registered Players

• Tavern, Regional, and National Championships

• 41 WSOP Seats given away every year

• The perfect way to fill your bar a slow night.

PLAY WORLD TAVERN POKER

A M E R I C A ’ S

WORLD TAVERN POKER OPEN

WORLD TAVERN POKER OPEN

OFFICIAL RULES

W O R L D T A V E R N P O K E R

P L A Y E R S G U I D E

The World Tavern Poker OPENS are the

ultimate events for poker fanatics and are

indeed the largest poker parties in the

world! Twice each year (once in the spring

in Atlantic City and once in the fall in Las

Vegas), hundreds of players and guests

gather for several days of non-stop poker,

parties, and fun! Anyone who likes poker

is invited to attend a World Tavern Poker

OPEN!

Each World Tavern Poker OPEN features the

National Championships (all levels) and the

National Tournament of Champions.

In addition to the National Championships,

you will find 10 private cash tournaments,

nightly parties and one incredible time!

Keep your eye out on the website for the

details for the NEXT WORLD TAVERN

POKER OPEN!

GREAT POKER

GREAT PARTIES

GREAT PEOPLE



PLAYERS GUIDE - worldtavernpoker.com Player Guide.pdf · WORLD TAVERN POKER World Tavern Poker is a...

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Transcript of PLAYERS GUIDE - worldtavernpoker.com Player Guide.pdf · WORLD TAVERN POKER World Tavern Poker is a...