How often are your tournaments?
A: We play every few weeks from January through November, with a championship in late November or early December. Click here for a full schedule of upcoming events.
How many people typically play?
A: We typically have between 50-70 players for our tournaments, with 6-8 tables of players (8-max tables).
What is a "bounty" tournament?
A: A bounty tournament is a type of tournament where a portion of the entry fee goes towards a “bounty”. When you knock someone out of the tournament, you collect their bounty chip, and when you are knocked out of the tournament, you can cash in any bounty chips you have collected.
For a $50 bounty tournament, $40 of that goes to the main pool, and $10 is the bounty. If you knock 3 people out of the bounty tournament before you are knocked out, you can cash those bounty chips for $30. When you get knocked out, you only forfeit your bounty chip, you do not forfeit all the chips you have collected. This type of tournament is a fun way for people who finish outside the money (typically the final table) to earn back some or more of their initial buyin, depending on the number of players that they knock out.
How long do the tournaments last typically?
A: Our tournaments start promptly at 5:00 (please arrive by 4:45) and are over by 11:00pm. Usually everyone except for the top 4-6 players in the tournament are finished by 10:00PM.
What is the atmosphere for the tournaments?
A: Above all else, this is a social club. No one wants to play poker with poor sports. Treat your fellow poker players with respect, as they are your neighbors. Players who cannot follow this rule can and have been asked not to play in future tournaments.
Can we bring alcoholic beverages to the tournaments?
A: No, alcohol is NOT ALLOWED at poker tournaments due to HOA rules.
Is it legal to have poker tournaments or cash games?
A: Yes, home poker tournaments and cash games are totally legal, as long as they are considerd “social gambling” per Section 13-3302 and Section 13-3301 of the Arizona Penal Code. The HOA and our club have done the research and have spoken with both legal and enforcement representatives.
The club does not make any money from our tournaments. 100% of all money that comes in every tournament goes back out to the winners.
Our club runs on voluntary donations. Please consider bringing a dollar or two to throw in the tip jar, or consider throwing in a few dollars if you cash. Those donations are what allow us to buy new table covers, chips, cards, trays, etc. and help offset the cost of the laptop, website hosting, software used, and online invite service.
I’ve never played a tournament. Can I still come?
A: Absolutely, our tournaments are a great place to play your first tournament. We recommend a basic understanding of the rules of Texas Hold-em however. A good place to learn is by playing online at one of the free sites or by watching one of the many tournaments on TV.
Can I bring friends?
A: Yes, Vistancia residents may bring two guests with them to a tournament.