Understanding the TDA 

Tournament Directors Association ((TDA) was founded in 2001 by gaming professionals Matt Savage, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and David Lamba, the Tournament Director Association (TDA) is a coalition of pioneering figures in the poker industry. It has become the global authority on standardizing tournament poker rules.   

What is the Tournament Directors Association 

The Tournament Directors Association is a volunteer organization established during the Poker Boom to create consistent rules for tournament play. The TDA is widely recognized, boasting a governing board and a membership of over 3,000 individuals from 64 countries. Rules are established at the TDA Summit, and its guidelines have been adopted by most reputable poker organizations and industry leaders. 

Early Adoption Challenges 

Rule #1 

According to Linda Johnson, “The First Lady In Poker” and one of the TDA’s founders, the first year of the TDA was challenging. “Everyone supported the idea of standardization as long as it was based on the rules they were using.” 

Rule Number 1 addresses the challenge of poker rooms adapting to TDA rules while allowing them to maintain their unique features. It provides blanket indemnity for poker organizations. Although it is rarely invoked, this rule overrides all others, granting the organization control over its rooms. 

Rule 1 – “The best interest of the game and fairness are top priorities in decision-making. Unusual circumstances occasionally dictate that common-sense decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over technical rules. Floor decisions are final.” 

Becoming TDA Certified 

Membership in the TDA is free, and anyone in the industry can join. However, to become certified, you must be a member and pass the “Poker Tournament Director Certification Exam.” The exam consists of 40 questions, and you must achieve a minimum score of 90% (i.e., 36 correct answers) to pass. 

2024 TDA Summit 

The TDA board and its members meet in Las Vegas every other year for the TDA Summit, the most recent Summit held in June 2024. Each rule is read aloud at the Summit, followed by an open discussion. This is the opportunity for new rules to be adopted, existing rules to be expanded, or changes to be made. The board also considers the current market challenges and the social climate surrounding poker. 

2024 TDA Rules Changes 

Big Blind Antes 

New rule RP-11 now reads: ’If a single-payer ante is used, the big blind ante format (BBA) with big-blind-first calculation is recommended. Antes should not be reduced (including at the final table) as play progresses in the event.’ 

Although the TDA had already addressed the issue of handling situations in a big-blind-ante format where the big blind player doesn’t have enough chips to cover both the ante and their big blind, they have made it official with the new rule RP-11. They determined that the big blind should be calculated first, a ruling that is thought to improve the chances for players with very short stacks to recover. However, the fairness of this approach has generated significant discussion since the format’s rise in popularity. 

Electronic Device Use at The Table 

5: Electronic Devices and Communication 

A: Players may not talk on their phones at the table. Ring tones, music, images, video, etc., should be inaudible and non-disturbing to others. These and other devices, tools, photography, videography, and communication must not create a nuisance, delay the game, or create a competitive advantage and are subject to house and gaming regulations. 

B. Phones and other devices may not rest on the table. 

C: Players with live hands may not interact with or operate an electronic or communication device. The definition of such devices may include new technologies and shall be as updated by the TD. 

D: Betting apps, charts, and other poker strategy tools may not be used at the table. Nor may players receive or use poker strategy data from another person or source. 

Rule 5 was expanded to include “improper use of devices or strategy tools” and added enforcement options that are clarified in a separate Rule 17. The director can use these options at their discretion in their homerooms.  This rule was a significant expansion after the growing apprehension among players and the industry regarding the use of solvers and various poker applications, particularly following the controversy surrounding the 2024 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Tamayo, where it was revealed that his friends at the rail were utilizing a laptop during the final table of the Main Event. 

Facial Coverings 

Rule 4: Player Identity 

Players must be clearly identifiable at all times. Tournament staff may request a player to remove any item (sunglasses, hood, or other facial covering) that inhibits their identification or is a distraction to other participants. 

This new rule was necessary after COVID-19 when players discovered that masks could be used to obscure their identities. Consequently, the rule has been implemented to cover anything that might conceal a player’s identity, ensuring that all participants are always identifiable during tournaments. This change is aimed at maintaining the integrity of the game and preventing any potential misuse of facial coverings. 

Rule enforcement clarification 

A: Enforcement options include but are not limited to verbal warnings, one or more “missed hand” or “missed round” penalties, and disqualification. For missed rounds, the offender will miss one hand for every player (including him or her) at the table when the penalty is given multiplied by the number ofpenalty rounds. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties. Players away from the table or on penalty may be anted or blinded out of a tournament. 

B: A penalty may be invoked for etiquette violations (Rule 70), card exposure with action pending, throwing cards, violating one-player-to-a-hand, improper use of devices or strategy tools (Rule 5), or similar incidents. Penalties will be given for soft play, abuse, disruptive behavior, dodging blinds or cheating. Checking the exclusive nuts when last to act on the river is not an automatic soft-play violation; TD’s discretion applies based on the situation. 

C: Players on penalty must be away from the table. Cards are dealt to their seats, their blinds and antes posted, their hands are killed after the initial deal, and if dealt the stud bring-in they must post the bring-in. 

D: Chips of a disqualified player shall be removed from play. 

Rule 71 was expanded to provide a clear framework for enforcing rules consistently across all tournaments. This revision ensures that Tournament Directors have specific guidelines to follow when handling various situations, minimizing ambiguity in rule application.