The rules for poker tournaments are set by the professional Tournament Directors Association (Poker TDA). The association was founded by poker players Matt Savage, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher, and David Lamb. It has more than 2,500 members in 63 countries and meets twice a year for a Summit to review poker rules. WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel is a member of the Poker TDA board of directors. To learn more about the rules for poker, click here.

The rules in the Official Poker Rankings were drafted by Robert Ciaffone, a widely respected authority on cardroom rules. He selected the rules for the book and revised the wording and organization. Ciaffone served as a rules consultant and drafter for various cardrooms, and wrote the first edition of the poker rulebook for the Poker Players Association. The group was founded in 1984 but has since folded. Among Ciaffone’s many accomplishments is the creation of the Official Poker Rankings.

Rules for online poker games are similar to those of live poker games. Players may only change their seats before play begins, but they cannot do so once play begins. A player may purchase chips in between hands. Each paid entrant at a table will be dealt starting chips. Players who are absent will be dealt in by the floorperson. After the first betting round, all of the community cards will be turned over at the same time. The floorperson will also turn the community cards simultaneously.