New Zealand Poker Championship - Terms & Conditions

General Rules:

• Poker Tournaments conducted at Christchurch Casino shall be subject to all applicable New Zealand laws and regulations, including gaming, and all aspects of the event are subject to the approval of appropriate regulatory authorities.
• Prior to the commencement of the Tournaments, Christchurch Casino shall nominate a Tournament Director.
• The Tournament Director shall determine the maximum number of players who may enter a Tournament.
• Christchurch Casino may charge Applicants an entry fee and may retain up to 100% of the total of entry fees for administrative purposes or other related prize pools.
• A Tournament prize pool shall be allocated as determined by the Tournament Director and is dependent on the number of entrants and the nature of the prizes allocated.
• Applicants will be advised of the prize structure prior to the commencement of the Tournaments.
• Odds of winning are dependent upon number of entries received. Christchurch Casinos Limited reserves the right to distribute additional entries via advertising, direct mail, or other promotional means.
• Players must be at least 20 years of age to participate in these Tournaments and at least 21 to be eligible to participate in the World Series of Poker.
• Players must provide proof of age acceptable to Christchurch Casinos Limited.
• All Players must be members of the Christchurch Casino Players Club which is free to join at the Players Club counter.
• All entries are subject to review and verification.
• Players must show their Players Club Membership Card and valid picture identification (driver's license, New Zealand Visa, Passport or military identification card) in order to collect prize.
• Players agree to allow Christchurch Casinos Limited the unconditional use of their name and likeness for promotions/media/advertising and announcements without compensation, consideration, notice, review, or consent, where permitted.
• Winners are responsible for any and all taxes, licenses, registrations and other fees.
• Drawing and event times are approximate. Christchurch Casinos Limited reserves the right to change drawing and event times due to unforeseen or extenuating circumstances.
• All decisions regarding the interpretation of rules, eligibility, etc. for this promotion lie solely with Christchurch Casinos Limited.
• Christchurch Casinos Limited reserves the right to modify or cancel this event at any time, for any reason, subject to any applicable regulatory approval, provided that such modification shall not, as of the date of such modification, materially alter or change any Player's prize already awarded. Notice of any such modification is sufficient if posted at the Poker area of the Christchurch Casino main gaming room.
• Christchurch Casinos Limited may disqualify any Player for any prize based upon fraud, dishonesty, violation of tournament rules or other misconduct whether or not related to this event.
• Christchurch Casinos Limited is not liable for injuries or losses arising or resulting from participation in the event and is not liable for any acts or omissions by employees, whether negligent or wilful, in the conduct of the event and is not liable in the event of any equipment or software malfunction.
• Christchurch Casinos Limited is not responsible for lost, late, mutilated, or illegible entries nor for electronic transmission errors or delays resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, hardware, software, or telephone failures of any kind, lost or unavailable connections, fraud, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions, whether caused by Christchurch Casinos Limited, users, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the event or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of submissions which may limit, restrict, or prevent a Player's ability to participate in the event.
• If for any reason the event is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes within or beyond the control of Christchurch Casinos Limited which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this event, Christchurch Casinos Limited reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the event.
• Any attempt by any person to deliberately damage any program or to undermine the legitimate operation of this event may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Christchurch Casinos Limited reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent of the law.
• Entries will be retained for record keeping purposes in accordance with legal requirements.
• All Employees of Christchurch Casinos Limited are not eligible to play in this event.
• Individuals who are excluded from casino facilities, including through a government program, at Christchurch Casinos Limited discretion, or by their own request, are not eligible to play in this event.
• By participating in this event, Players agree to the rules.
• A copy of these rules and any changes will be available in the Poker area of Christchurch Casino throughout the duration of the Tournaments.

General Tournament Rules:

• By participating in these Tournaments, Players agree to abide by the rules and behave in a courteous manner. Violators may be verbally warned, suspended from play, or disqualified from the Tournament. Chips from a disqualified Player will be removed from play.
• Harsh or profane language to Christchurch Casinos Limited staff, spectators and/or other Players will not be tolerated and are grounds for a “time out” or other penalty at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
• All New Zealand gazetted rules for Poker apply.
• Players must listen to the Tournament Director for instructions.
• In flop games, the button has the small blind in heads up play.
• Racing for chips: All odd chips will be raced to the next highest denomination. Beginning to the left of the dealer, Players shall receive one (1) card for each odd chip. Players with the highest card by rank and suit (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs) will receive one (1) and only one (1) chip of the next highest denomination. This will continue until all chips are raced off. The racing off of chips cannot eliminate a Player. If a Player goes all in with his remaining chips, the dealer will remove those chips and colour up to the next denomination, prior to racing.
• A Player seated at a table in the middle of the blinds will wait until the button passes. A Player seated in the big blind position, will pay the big blind.
• In Tournament play a dead button rule will apply.
• In Tournament play, the starting position of the button is the Player to the right of the dealer except that in the final it shall be determined by dealing for the high card starting with seat one.
• Limits and blinds are raised at regularly scheduled intervals.
• As Players are eliminated, tables are combined by a predetermined order.
• In all events, when the field is reduced to those Players who finish in the money, there will be a redraw for seating.
• A Player who declares “All-In”, then discovers that one (1) or more chips were hidden, is not entitled to benefit by that concealment.
• If two (2) or more Players go broke during the same hand, the Player starting the hand with the largest amount of money finishes in the highest Tournament place for point and cash awards.
• An absent Player is always dealt a hand. They will be anted, blinded off, or have their forced bet put in the pot as required. The hand is live until it is another Player's turn to act on their hand. If the Player is not present when it becomes their turn to act, the hand is dead.
• If a Player lacks sufficient chips for a blind or a forced bet, the Player is entitled to get action on whatever amount of money remains. A Player who posts a short blind and wins does not need to make up the blind.
• A Player may not show any cards during a hand. If a Player shows a card to induce action, the hand may be ruled dead.
• Players may not request deck changes.
• Deck changes take place at the Tournament Director's discretion, unless there is a damaged card.
• If the signal sounding the end of a round goes off, new limits or blinds will apply on the next hand. A hand is said to have begun when the dealer cuts the cards.
• The house (Christchurch Casino) is not a party to any wager, and will serve only to oversee the event and the wagers made between Players unless otherwise posted.
• All Players must present their seat assignment to the dealer when they arrive at the table.
• The Tournament Director will ensure each table has as equal a number of Players as possible before the start of a Tournament.
• During a Tournament the balancing of Tournament tables is at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
• Any modification made to Tournament table assignment cards must be made by Tournament staff. Any other changes will be considered fraudulent and are grounds for DISQUALIFICATION.
• Only Tournament chips will be allowed on the table with the exception of a card protector. All chips must be kept in plain sight. Chips may not be removed from the table for any reason except by the Tournament Director. Chips may not be transferred.
• One (1) Player per hand.
• It is the Player's responsibility to communicate his/her desired action to the dealer.
• In the event of a dispute, the decision of the Tournament Director is final.
• All disputes must be settled before the shuffle of the next hand.
• The official Tournament language is English; no conversation in any other language is permitted. No communication, either verbal or visual, will be permitted between Players and spectators.
• Players will be required to keep their cards above the table at all times. Cigarettes, matches, gum etc. must be placed on the table before play begins. Players holding cards must remain seated during the round.
• No written or mechanical aids are allowed.
• Christchurch Casinos Limited house rules will prevail over any situation not covered in the Tournament rules. Christchurch Casinos Limited reserves the right to qualify or disqualify any person before, during, or after the Tournaments. The Tournament Director will determine the number of Players at each table.
• Celebrity players may be substituted by alternate celebrity players, at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
• Any reference to the Tournament Director in these rules or related Tournament information automatically includes any nominated representatives.
• In the event of more than one Player departing from a hand on the same table, placings will be allocated relative to the size of the eliminated Players' bank prior to commencement of the said hand.
• The Tournament Director will determine the speed at which the game flows. In the event of slow play the Tournament Director may call “time” and the Player to act will have one minute. There will be a countdown from ten seconds downwards and if the Player is still yet to act upon reaching zero his hand shall be declared dead.
• Tournament entries close one hour prior to commencement of a Tournament. The Tournament Director has the sole discretion to allow entries after this time.
• Players are expected to turn over their hole cards in an “All In” situation to add interest and excitement for fellow Players and onlookers.
• In the event that a Tournament is still in progress at the end of the final level advised on the structure sheet, blinds and/or antes etc will double thereafter.
• Whilst the Tournament Director has the sole discretion to instruct dealers to deal ‘hand for hand', this procedure will generally be introduced when the number of Players left exceed places paid by one.
• It is the policy of Tournament Management to award the pot to the winning hand.
• A hand MAY be ruled retrievable at the discretion of the Tournament Director provided the cards are clearly identifiable.
• The Tournament Director may offer Players' the opportunity to take a break during a Tournament at his/her discretion.
• The duration of a Tournament shall be dependent on the prize division. Where prizes awarded are of equal value, the Tournament will continue until there are enough players remaining to claim the allocated prizes. Where the prizes are not equal value, the Tournament will continue until only one player remains.

Entry:

• This Tournament is open to the General Public, but all Players must be Christchurch Casino Players Club members.
• Players may be invited to participate in the Tournament by direct mail, advertising and/or telemarketing.

Payment of Entry Fees and No Show Fees:

• Entry fees secured with credit cards will be charged to Players' credit card accounts AT THE TIME OF ENTRY
• If a Player reserves space in the Tournament, secures it with a credit card, but does not show or cancel his reservation at least 48 hours prior to the beginning of Registration, his credit card shall be charged the entry fee, which will be forfeited as a no-show fee.
• If a Player secures a space in the Tournament with cash, but does not show or cancel his reservation at least 48 hours prior to the beginning of Registration, his prepaid entry fee shall be forfeited as a no-show fee.
• No-show fees may be used to maintain the Tournament prize structure.

Cancellation and Refunds

• To cancel a reservation, Players may call the Cashiers on 03 372 8852.
• Players who secure their reservations with credit cards or who have prepaid their entry fees in cash may be refunded provided they cancel their reservation at least 48 hours prior to the beginning of their scheduled Registration.
• No-show fees may be used to maintain the Tournament prize structure.

Accounting

• The Cashier shall account for all entry fees, entry fee refunds, and no-show fees in accordance with regulatory guidelines.
• Tournament chips have no cash value and are not redeemable at the end of the Tournament.

Seating

• Seating will be determined by random draw. Seat changes are not permitted except as instructed by the Tournament Director.
• The Tournament payout schedule will include the Player's first and last name and the amount they received.