FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Are these tournaments "legal"?
    A. Yes! Carolina Poker is licensed with NC gaming authorities and all tournaments are permitted with those same authorities (NC ALE).  

2. Do I have to know how to play poker to attend?
    A. No! Our tournaments are geared towards new and novice players. Our dealers will help with questions and explaining the game. These games are for entertainment and to support great causes!

3. How do the prizes work?
    A. These are charity fundraisers. A portion of the buy-in will go to the player prize pool (minimum of 50%, increasing at higher-level buy-in events), the rest goes to the charity. The player prize pool will be awarded to the top 10% of the players in the tournament. 

4. How long does the tournament last?
    A. All our tournaments will not last longer than 5 hours to remain compliant with NC gaming law. If players remain at the end of 5 hours, a mandatory chop based on ICM will end the tournament.

5. How many chips do you get to start?
    A. You will receive 15,000 chips when you purchase an entry.

6. Can you re-buy or are there "add-ons"?
    A. Yes! You are welcome to re-buy as many times as you'd like during the registration period (typically first 2 hours of the tournament). A dealer add-on is available when you buy an entry for $20, this will get you an extra 10,000 chips to start with (15,000 + 10,000 gives you 25,000 to start). At the end of registration, a $50 add-on is available to any players still in the tournament and you will receive 15,000 additional chips.

7. What are the tournament rules?
   A. We use WSOP tournament rules.

8. What is a big blind ante?
    A. To increase the speed of play, only the big blind will post the ante. When a player gets a short stack, they will pay their big blind first, then the ante. 

9. What is a redraw for seat?
    A. Depending on the size of the tournament, we will consolidate to the final two and final table. Players will receive a random draw for seat which can result in skipping or having to play through the blinds twice. 

10. Can people not playing attend?
    A. Yes! We encourage you to bring friends not playing with you. They can watch, but not assist you in playing hands. There will typically be food, drinks, and other activities for them to enjoy. 

11. Is there smoking allowed?
    A. No smoking will be allowed at the tables or inside the venues.

12. Are there breaks?
    A. There is a scheduled 15 minute break at the end of registration. Other quick breaks will be announced throughout the tournament if the clock needs to be paused for various reasons.