⚖️ RULES ARE FUN ⚖️ 2026/10/23
THE HOUSE RULES HAVE COME TO TOWN! 🤠♠️
After plenty of research, discussion, rewriting and a few battles with modern technology, Dead Man's Hand Poker finally has a proper House Rules page!
We've gathered 17 House Rules into one convenient location on our website, organized under the same categories used by the Poker Tournament Directors Association (TDA). There's even a clickable table of contents, so you can jump straight to the rule you're looking for without having to read the whole thing.
And before anybody starts panicking, no, I don't expect you to memorize all 17 House Rules! I don't expect you to memorize the entire TDA rulebook either. Heck, I'm not even sure I know every TDA rule myself, and I'm supposed to be the guy enforcing them!
The idea is to have a reliable reference when an unusual situation comes up or somebody wants to know why a particular ruling was made.
Of course, if you actually take the time to study the rules, there's always the possibility you'll discover something I don't know. Then you'll have the satisfaction of calling me out on it at the poker table. Just try not to enjoy that part too much!
WHY DO WE NEED HOUSE RULES?
Dead Man's Hand Poker follows the official Poker TDA rules, which are designed to provide consistent tournament procedures around the world.
But we're also a social, player-dealt league, with Stay & Play tournaments, Reward Cards and a few other wrinkles you won't necessarily encounter at your average casino.
That's where our House Rules come in. They explain the situations where DMHP modifies, supplements or clarifies a standard TDA rule. When no House Rule applies, the official TDA rules remain in effect.
And just to be clear, these aren't 17 brand-new restrictions I've dreamed up to make your poker lives miserable! Many have been in place for years. We've simply brought them together, reviewed them and put them in writing so everyone knows where we stand.
There have been a few small changes and clarifications along the way, including the revised Cards Leaving the Table rule we introduced last week, clearer definitions of fouled decks, and our seating and table-balancing procedures.
Most importantly, none of these updates changes how points are awarded or affects our standings. I certainly wouldn't be slipping changes to our scoring system into a House Rules update!
WHAT ABOUT THE OFFICIAL RULES?
The Poker TDA has released its updated 2026 rulebook, and we're now using that version as our official reference.
You can read the complete rules online or download them from the Poker TDA website.
In upcoming Rules Are Fun columns, we'll get back to examining some of the changes introduced in the 2026 rules, so everyone can stay informed about what's new and how it might affect our games.
The TDA also recognizes that unusual circumstances sometimes require judgment. Under TDA Rule 1, fairness and the best interests of the game take priority, and the Tournament Director's decisions are final.
That's not a licence for me to make things up as I go along! It's a way of ensuring that the rules serve the game rather than the other way around.
A WORK IN PROGRESS!
I should also mention that while the House Rules themselves are ready, the website formatting isn't quite perfect yet. I've spent a considerable amount of time getting everything organized, making the links work and trying to convince the page to behave properly on computers, tablets and phones.
Wix Studio and I have had a few disagreements along the way. I think I won most of them, although I'm not entirely sure Wix knows the fight is over!
There are still a few formatting issues I'd like to tidy up eventually, particularly on tablets, but the rules are there, the navigation works, and that's the important part for now.
YOUR INPUT IS WELCOME!
Our House Rules aren't necessarily a finished collection. If you spot something missing, have a question about an existing rule or think there's a situation that needs clarification, let me know.
I'm always happy to consider suggestions, and we can add or revise House Rules when there's a good reason to do so.
The whole purpose is to make the game fair, consistent and enjoyable for everyone. We're here to have fun, but having a few ground rules helps keep things from turning into the Wild West.
Well, any more than they already are!
You can find our new House Rules here:
And the next time somebody tells me, "That's not how they do it in a casino," at least we'll have something in writing to discuss!
RULES ARE FUN! Especially when everybody knows where to find them. 🤠♠️
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