Student Options 

1. Do you want to play for something of value?  In poker, chips can represent real money; but they don't have to. Student practice players can choose as a group to play without risking anything of value. If chips are chosen to represent real money, the practice feels more like a "social game". Student players usually want the smallest buy-in for a practice session  (social game) to be $5. During practice sessions where the table has empty seats, $5 will be the minimum buy-in. If, however, there is a full table of 10 players (and / or a waitlist), then the minimum buy-in will become 25x the small blind. This usually means the minimum buy-in for full-table practice sessions becomes $25 on Thursdays, $25 on Fridays, $50 on Saturdays, and $125 on Mondays. Students practicing with us should be mindful not to violate state or federal law, including Alaska gambling codes; illegal gambling is prohibited at FBX Poker School.

2. Do you want to deal the cards? Any student during a Practice Session may deal the cards or act as the bank; students may elect, however, to have one specific player deal or may ask the Instructor to deal permanently throughout the game. Normally, the Instructor just deals the whole night. 

3. What do you want the small blind and big blind to be for the game?  In poker, the small blind and big blind are mandatory bets that players place before the start of the game. The small blind is placed by the player to the left of the dealer, and the big blind is placed by the player to the left of the small blind. Unless everyone playing at the table agrees to something different, the default small blind and big blind will be 1-2 on Thursday, 1-3 on Friday, 2-5 on Saturday, and 5-5 on Monday. 

4. How do you want to pay the mandatory Lesson Fee? FBX Poker School does not rake the game (take money from bets). We do, however, have to pay the rent and keep the lights on; so we charge fees for the lessons we teach students. The Lesson Fee is $10 for a one hour indivdiual lesson. During group practice sessions, everyone can take turns paying the Lesson Fee individually rotating on the button before the cards are dealt. Or, everyone can agree to pay the Lesson Fee from the pot after the cards are dealt (essentially, the winner of each pot chooses to pay). If we take the Lesson Fee after the cards are dealt, you don't pay unless you win. Lesson Fees are required regardless of whether something of value (money) is wagered in the social game or not. Lesson Fees are the only way for us to keep in business since neither the building we occupy nor the electricity we use are free. 

5. Do you want to contribute to a high hand jackpot for the night? We will pay the progressive jackpot or similar prize to the player winning the best hand of a full-house or higher by the end of the night. Unless everyone playing at the table agrees to something different, the default will be to contribute a small amount for the high hand. 

6. Do you want to play with one board or two?  Double Flop Hold'em is a fairly new and unique variation of standard Texas Hold'em although the structure is very similar to single board Hold'em. However, there are two simultaneous boards in play in any one game for Double Flop Hold'em. Each board will still have five cards and you will always have two hole cards in your hand just like in the standard Hold'em game. Make the best hand on both boards, and you win the entire pot. If you win one board, but another player wins the other, you chop the pot. Unless everyone playing at the table agrees to something different, the default will be one board unless there is over $100 in the pot and at least one player asks for two boards before the dealer puts out the next card. 

7. Do you want to be able to straddle in Texas Hold'em?  The straddle in poker is an extra bet that is placed before the cards are dealt. It is a voluntary bet usually made by the person to the immediate left of the big blind. As example, the small blind ($1) and big blind ($2) post their blinds as usual. Before the cards are dealt, the player to the immediate left of the big blind, also known as under-the-gun, now has the option to place a blind bet of exactly two times the size of the big blind, so a $4 bet, all before the cards are dealt. The player that made the straddle bet now acts as the big blind for all action prior to the flop. Meaning, the player to the left of the one who made the straddle bet can now either fold, call the $4, or raise as normal. Pre-flop action now ends on the person who made the straddle bet, where they can either check, raise, or fold to a bigger bet. However, if acting before the cards are dealt, the under-the-gun +1 player could double the original straddle players bet and become the new straddle player. This can continue down the line of players, allowing each player to double the previous straddle to become a new, bigger straddler. 

Another option for No Limit Texas Hold'em is for the button to straddle any amount, but at least twice the size of the big blind. This straddle player becomes the big blind and thus the original small blind now can either fold, call, or raise. However, if acting before the cards are dealt, the original small blind could double the original straddle players bet and become the new straddle player (and new big blind). This can continue down the line of players, allowing each player to double the previous straddle to become a new, bigger straddler. 

8. Do you want to be able to straddle in Omaha? A player may straddle from any position and for any amount during Omaha as long as the straddle bet is at least twice the big blind. A second player may straddle again if the straddle bet is at least twice the original straddle bet. Action still starts under-the-gun during straddle bets in Omaha, unless the straddler is already is in the under-the-gun position or is in the button position, in which case the action starts in the small blind. Remember, the amount of the straddle must be at least twice the amount of the big blind or twice the amount of the last straddle, whichever is greater. 

9. Are "bomb pots" allowed?  The term "bomb pot" in poker refers to a special type of hand where all players at the table agree to put in a predetermined amount of money into the pot before the flop is dealt. After the bet and flop, the hand proceeds as normal. At FBX Poker School, once per hour, a special Omaha bomb pot typically occurs. Each player will ante $10 or $20. Half of this ante will go into a "safety pot", which is untouchable and will only be awarded to the winning hand. The other half of the ante will go into the main pot. The main pot is the "no safety pot" and will be awarded to the winning hand as it continues to potentially build.

10. Are there common poker rules and etiquette that everyone should be aware? FBX Poker School has adapted the Mohegan Sun Poker Room Poker Rules for general practice play policies at FBX Poker School and will closely follow them. Commons poker rules apply, including: 

a) No string bets/raises - a player must place their entire bet or raise in one motion. If they put out chips for a call and then go back for more to make a raise, it will be ruled a call only

b) Verbal declarations are binding - a player's verbal statement of a bet or action (e.g., "I call," "I raise") takes precedence over any physical action with their chips. This prevents confusion and "angle shooting."

c) Single-chip rule - If a player puts a single chip into the pot that is a higher denomination than the current bet, it is considered a call unless they verbally announce a raise first.

d) "Show one, show all" - if a player shows their cards to one person at the table (either during or after a hand), any other player has the right to see those cards. This is to prevent collusion.

e) Cards speak - the best hand wins, regardless of what a player verbally declares their hand to be and regardless if the dealer initially makes a mistake. All shown cards speak for themselves even if the dealer doesn't see the winner at first and declareds another hand erroneously to be the winner. If a player miscalls their shown or unshown hand and an opponent open mucks a winning hand, the miscalled hand is disqualified once it is shown to not be the winner.

f) No "rabbit hunting" - this rule prevents players from asking to see what cards would have come out on a later street (e.g., the river) after the hand is over. It slows down the game and is generally considered bad form. A student may ask to "rabbit hunt" once in awhile but must pay $1 tip to the dealer. 

g) No "slow rolling" - a player with a guaranteed winning hand at showdown is expected to show their hand promptly without a deliberate delay to taunt their opponent.

h) Protect your hand - it is a player's responsibility to protect their cards from being accidentally mucked (thrown into the discard pile) by the dealer or another player.

i) No phones while having cards: players are often asked to refrain from using their phones while they are in a hand to prevent distraction and keep the game moving. It also prevents collusion. 

j) Don't talk about a hand you've folded - players who have folded are not allowed to comment on the hand or the community cards while the hand is still in progress, as it can influence the action of other players.

k) "One Player Per Hand" - students must always make their own decisions with their own cards by themselves; a student may never ask for help from anyone in deciding what course of action to take in a hand. The dealer instructor can only tell the student what actions are possible: check, call, raise, or fold. 

11. What is the expected Code of Conduct? FBX Poker School adheres to a strict Code of Conduct. Most all of the behavioral expectaions of student players can be found in the Code of Conduct. There may be consequences for breaking the rules that are listed in the Code of Conduct, including fines or even being ban from FBX Poker School. 

12. Are there rules for cashing out or otherwise taking money off the table? FBX Poker School students can play with or without money. If there is money involved, students can give each other cash but they cannot give their own chips to anyone else at the table. Students can "cash out" at ay time but they must "cash out" all their chips. Once cashed out, students can only re-enter the same night's game with the same amount of chips (or more) that they cashed out with unless two hours had passed. 

13. How are disputes about a hand or the rules settled? All disputes will be decided by the instructor dealer unless said person is in a hand or another ruling is requested; in that case, disputes will be decided by FBX Poker School Director, Timothy L., Manager Nate H., or Assistant Tony C. in that order of availablity. FBX Poker School reserves the right to remove any person from Gamer's Lounge & Internet Cafe with or without reason. Other rules may apply to any promotions.