When it comes to playing in poker tournaments, there are several general rules that you’ll need to follow, although individual tournaments will also carry their own sets of rules specific to them, which you should make a point of being fully aware of in advance of entering. Here we’ll just take the general tournament rules.

The initial seating arrangements are determined by either pre-assignment or random draw. You may not change your seat once the play has commenced.

Each paid entrant has their starting number of chips placed on their table at the commencement of the event. If you’re absent you are still dealt in. For antes or blinds, your chips are placed in the pot, so make sure you don’t go missing when the event gets underway.

Limits and blinds are regularly raised at pre-ordained intervals throughout the game and for set amounts. When the signal is given that a betting level will increase, the new level applies at the start of the next deal.

As players drop out, tables are broken down according to a preset order. Remaining players from these tables are assigned to any unoccupied seats at the other tables. This keeps the player numbers at each table balanced.

If any player has insufficient chips to cover a blind or forced bet they can still get action on the amount of chips they have left.

Players must vacate their seats as soon as they’ve been eliminated.

In a live hand, if a player is caught deliberately showing any of their cards to other players, they will be penalised and the hand ruled as dead. 
 
The deck is only changed when the dealer button moves to another player and not on request unless a card is damaged.

The dealer button stays in place until all blinds are taken.

New players will always be dealt in straight away unless they seat themselves in the button or small blind positions, in which case they wait for the button to pass.

If a down card is dealt face up on the first hand in Stud, it is a misdeal.

When in the same hand two or more of the players go broke, the player that began with the higher amount of cash will finish in a higher tournament placement for points and cash awards.

Any private agreements concerning the prize pool’s distribution will not be condoned.

Tournament events are played until completion.

These are a basic set of rules that you’ll find at most tournaments along with several more that are specific to that tournament, so you will have a netter idea what to expect when you enter your first poker tournament