What's New in TDA 2024 Rules
The document "What's New in the 2024 TDA" presents the updates and modifications to the official rules of the Tournament Directors Association (TDA) for 2024\. These adjustments are designed to enhance clarity, fairness, and flow in poker tournaments, taking into account technological advancements and player needs. This guide is specifically designed to help dealers and players understand and prepare for the most important changes they will encounter with the transition to the 2024 rules. Here you will find a summary of the key changes, including new rules and procedures, along with examples to better understand their application in tournament settings.
🔄 Modified TDA Rules in 2024
Rule 4 : Player Identity
- Requires that players be identifiable at all times.
Rule 5 : Electronic Devices and Communication
- Further restricts the use of electronic devices.
Rule 23 : New Hand & New Limits
- Specifies that the new blinds level starts at the audio signal or floor announcement.
Rule 34 : Button Placement and Movement
- Clarifies player responsibility for verifying button placement and provides guidance for correcting any errors before substantial action.
Rule 35 : Misdeals (#C)
- Details conditions for a misdeal and specifies card handling for absent or penalized players.
Rule 54 : Pot Size & Pot-Limit Bets
- States that pre-flop Pot-Limit bet calculations should always assume full blinds.
Rule 56 : String Bets and Raises
- Reinforces the prohibition of string bets, specifying that bets must be made in one continuous motion without returning to the stack.
Rule 71 : Warnings, Penalties, & Disqualification (#B)
- Expands grounds for penalties, including the use of electronic devices or strategic aids (Rule 5), and avoiding blinds (Rule 33).
📋 Modified recommended procedures
RP8 : Hand for Hand Procedures (#B)
- Sets a maximum of 3 minutes deducted from the clock per hand.
RP11 : Ante Formats and No Ante Reduction
- Clarifies the ante format.
✨ New recommended procedures
RP20 : Cards Ready for Shuffle
- Defines a standard procedure for preparing cards.
RP21 : Spreading the Pot
- Specifies that the pot can only be counted in pot-limit but may be spread.
RP22 : Betting Non-Denominational Items
- Establishes rules for betting with non-monetary items.
📝 Changes in the Illustration Addendum
Rule 46 : Prior Bet Chips Not Pulled In
- Example added to illustrate situations where chips from a previous bet remain in front of the player.
Rule 51 : Binding Declarations / Undercalls in Turn
- New example added to show how binding declarations or undercalls in turn are handled.
📖 Details of main changes
Rule 4 : Player Identity
The modifications to Rule 4: Player Identity in the 2024 TDA rules focus on ensuring players are clearly identifiable at the table. Here are the main changes:
🔍 Requirement for visible identification
All players must be easily identifiable at all times during the tournament. This rule ensures that each participant can be recognized without any visual obstructions from accessories.
👮 Intervention by tournament staff
Tournament staff may request a player to remove any accessory that could obstruct identification. This includes sunglasses, hoods, or any facial accessory that could obscure the face or distract other players.
The responsibility for ensuring clear player identification lies with the Tournament Director (TD) and Floor staff. However, the TD may delegate this task to the registration staff, who will verify the acceptability of accessories when assigning seats.
These clarifications allow tournament directors to better manage situations involving potentially distracting accessories, prioritizing transparency and the recognition of each player for smooth and fair gameplay.
→ See the complete ruleRule 5 : Electronic Devices and Communication
The 2024 updates to Rule 5 on the use of electronic and communication devices introduce additional restrictions to protect the integrity of the game. Here are the details:
🚫 Prohibition on placing devices on the table
Phones, tablets, or other electronic devices cannot be placed directly on the table. This restriction aims to minimize distractions and prevent players from potentially gaining real-time data or accessing external information.
⏰ No interaction for live hands
Players with a live hand (i.e., still in play) may not interact with or handle electronic devices during the hand. This includes communication devices and reference tools, preventing players from accessing external information that might influence their decisions.
🔧 Inclusion of new technologies
The definition of "electronic devices" has been expanded to include new technologies and any future devices that could provide an unfair advantage. This includes technologies such as real-time calculation tools or advanced strategy applications, which are now explicitly banned for players with live hands.
📊 Prohibition of strategy aids and external advice
Calculators, betting charts, or other strategic aids are strictly prohibited at the table. Players are also prohibited from receiving strategic advice from external sources during a hand, further reinforcing the rule against using technology to gain a competitive edge.
⚠️ Penalties for violations
Any breach of these restrictions may result in penalties per Rule 71, which allows for warnings, missed rounds, or even disqualification for severe or repeated infractions.
These updates help ensure a fair and focused playing environment by limiting players' ability to use devices for strategic advantages during the tournament.
→ See the complete ruleRule 23 : New Hand & New Limits
Rule 23: New Hand & New Limits was updated in 2024 to provide further clarity on when a new blind level takes effect and how to handle level errors. Here are the main adjustments:🔔 Starting the new level
The new blind level now officially begins either upon the Floor announcement or at the audio signal of the timer system but applies only to the next hand. This clarifies that level transitions are tied to a specific audio cue or official announcement, allowing precise synchronization.
🎯 Definition of hand start
A hand is defined as starting with the first riffle, the first press of the automatic shuffler, or the dealer change. This point is crucial to determine when the locked blind level for that hand applies.
🔧 Correcting level errors
If a hand accidentally starts at the previous blind level, it will continue at that level if substantial action (SA) has occurred. However, if the error is detected before SA, the hand can be corrected to the appropriate level.
🔄 Dealer change during level transition
When the blind level changes during a dealer change, the next hand will be played at the previous level, ensuring continuity in both dealer rotations and blind transitions.
These updates strengthen clarity on the timing of level changes, minimize level errors, and define specific points for locking in the blind level on each hand.
→ See the complete ruleRule 34 : Button Placement and Movement
The Rule 34: Button Placement and Movement in the 2024 TDA rules introduces additional guidance on correcting button placement errors and clarifies button positioning in heads-up play. Key modifications are as follows:
✅ Correcting button position errors
If a button positioning error is detected before substantial action (SA), the button is correctly repositioned. However, if substantial action has already occurred, the error is not corrected, and the hand proceeds without adjusting the button.
👥 Player responsibility
All players are now explicitly responsible for verifying the button position and immediately reporting any errors. This emphasizes increased vigilance to catch errors before substantial action prevents corrections.
These clarifications improve accuracy in button placement and underscore players' responsibility in monitoring its position, especially in heads-up play, ensuring smoother, error-free gameplay.
→ See the complete rule💡 Important Note: Substantial Action (SA): Defined in Rule 36, substantial action refers to any combination of actions in turn involving : any 2 actions, at least one of which places chips in the pot, any combination of 3 actions in turn.
Rule 35 : Misdeals (Paragraph C)
In the 2024 update, Rule 35, Paragraph C on misdeals was modified to clarify the handling of absent players and players on penalty during a re-deal after a misdeal. Key points include:
🔄 Re-deal for absent players
If players were absent during the initial deal but received cards, they will participate in the re-deal and may play the hand if they are present for the re-deal.
⏸️ Handling players on penalty
Players on penalty who were included in the initial deal will also receive cards in the re-deal. However, their hands will be immediately killed after the distribution, just as in the original deal. This ensures that the penalty period remains consistent and no additional hands are counted for these players.
🎯 Exact re-deal
The re-deal must be an exact replay of the initial deal, meaning that the button does not move, no new players are added, and betting limits remain the same.
The 2024 change allowing absent players in the initial deal to play if they return for the re-deal is a positive adjustment that promotes a smoother, more peaceful game environment.
→ See the complete ruleRule 54 : Pot Size & Pot-Limit Bets (Paragraph B)
In the 2024 update, Rule 54, Paragraph B introduces important clarifications for pre-flop Pot-Limit betting when partial blinds or all-in bets are involved. Key modifications include:
- 1. Pre-flop pot calculation: Now, if a blind is partially or fully all-in (such as with a short all-in or a “dead” blind), the pre-flop pot calculation assumes full blinds as if they were entirely posted. For example, if the small blind is absent or partially all-in, the maximum pot bet for the first player to act will be calculated as if both blinds were fully posted.
- 2. Practical examples:
- In a Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) game with blinds of 100-200, if the small blind is absent and the big blind is fully posted, the maximum pot bet for the first player would be 700\.
- In another scenario, if the small blind posts 100 and the big blind is short with 100, the first player to act can still bet up to 700\.
These clarifications help standardize Pot-Limit bet amounts at the start of a hand by ensuring pot calculations remain consistent, even when blinds are incomplete.
See the online rule Pot Size & Pot-Limit BetsRule 56 : String Bets and Raises
In 2024, Rule 56 on string bets and raises was clarified to provide stricter guidelines for handling these actions in tournament play. Key modifications include:
- 1. Definition of string bet and raise: A string bet or raise is defined as a bet or raise made in multiple motions. This occurs when a player places an initial amount in the pot, then returns to their stack to add more chips in a second motion. These actions are prohibited to avoid ambiguity regarding the player’s betting intentions.
- 2. Player responsibility: It is clearly stated that the player is responsible for making bets in one continuous motion, either by placing the full amount at once or by verbally declaring the amount before pushing chips. This reinforces the player’s duty to make their betting intentions clear to others at the table.
- 3. Dealer intervention: Dealers are tasked with immediately identifying string bets and raises, with the authority to cancel the additional action and limit the bet to the first amount placed in the pot. This reduces the possibility of intentional manipulation and improves the clarity of betting actions.
These clarifications ensure that all bets are transparent and made in a single motion, helping to maintain a smooth and unambiguous pace of play.
See the online rule String-bets et String-Raises🆕 New recommended procedures details
RP20 : Cards Ready for Shuffle
Procedure RP20: Cards Ready for Shuffle in the 2024 TDA rules introduces a two-step card shuffling process to streamline gameplay and minimize delays when starting a level or resuming after a break:1️⃣ Initial preparation: Washing the cards
One minute before the start of a new level or after a break, the Floor will instruct dealers to prepare their decks. The dealer will "wash" the cards (shuffle them face-down across the table) and then square up the deck to have it ready for the final shuffle.
2️⃣ Final shuffle (riffles)
As soon as the new level begins, the dealer completes the shuffling process by performing the riffles, ensuring the deck is fully shuffled and ready for the first hand of the level without delay.
This two-step procedure aims to reduce downtime between levels or after breaks by ensuring that the cards are ready for immediate dealing once the level starts.
→ See the complete procedureRP22 : Betting Non-Denominational Items
Procedure RP22: Betting Non-Denominational Items (such as bounty chips or time tokens) was introduced in the 2024 TDA rules to clarify how these items should be handled in betting situations. The main guidelines are as follows:- 1. Physical differentiation: Non-denominational items, such as bounty chips or time tokens, must be physically distinct in size from standard betting chips to avoid confusion and prevent errors during play.
- 2. Betting interpretation rules: If a player accidentally or intentionally uses a non-denominational item in a bet, the action will be interpreted according to house policy or, if no specific policy exists, at the discretion of the Tournament Director (TD) per Rule 1\. The TD may decide to treat the action as a “call” or “all-in,” depending on the circumstances.
These guidelines help prevent misunderstandings in betting when non-denominational items are involved, offering clear instructions for interpreting these situations.
see the recommended procedure online Betting Non-Denominational ItemsChanges in the Illustration Addendum
Rule 51 : Binding Declarations / Undercalls in Turn
Example 4 added to Rule 51 in the 2024 appendix illustrates a situation where a player (Player B) makes an insufficient silent bet using a single chip that does not meet the required call amount. Here’s the breakdown:- 1. Action context: In a No-Limit Hold'em game with blinds of 200-400, the first player bets 400, then Player A raises to 1200\. Player B responds by silently placing a single 500 chip, potentially indicating confusion or an implicit intention to call.
- 2. Dealer intervention: The dealer immediately informs Player B that the call amount is 1200, clarifying that the 500-chip bet is insufficient to match the raise.
- 3. Player B’s decision: After being informed by the dealer, Player B chooses to fold. This situation raises the question of what to do with the 500 chip already placed in the pot.
- 4. Tournament Director's (TD’s) discretionary ruling: At the TD’s discretion and based on the rule, Player B forfeits part of the bet for having committed chips without properly matching the call. Thus, 400 (the original bet before the raise) is kept in the pot, while the remaining 100 is returned to Player B.
🔗 Useful Resources
- Complete TDA 2024 Rules in English - Full and official version
- PDF Download - Document in PDF format
- GPT Poker TDA - AI Assistant for your questions
These TDA 2024 rule modifications represent an important evolution towards greater clarity and fairness in poker tournaments. It is essential that all poker tournament stakeholders - directors, dealers, and players - familiarize themselves with these changes to ensure smooth and fair tournaments.
