CPP "Noel Knockout!"
Saturday December 15
£10 stake - 8pm start - 20,000 starting chips - knockout booze bonuses - Strictly CPP regulars only. Banquet Buffet just £2.50 - lift to and/or from venue, (subject to availability and distance - probably).
All stakes to be paid in advance. This will allow the tables and chips to be completely set-up in advance.
Starting with the usual 100:200, the first two blinds periods will be 30 minutes. The next three, 20 minutes. This takes us to 10pm and a break for food, fags, flatulence, etc. Restart at 22.20 with another two 20 minute blinds, followed by periods of 15 minutes until we have a winner. The later increases will be 'softer' so that instead of the blinds going from 1000:2000 to 2000:4000 they will rise to 1500:3000, then 2000:4000, then 2500:5000, and so on, as long as time allows.
The timer will start at exactly 8pm and late entry penalties will levied immediately. An initial 10 x the big blinds will be removed by the TD and blinds will be posted and hands folded. A second penally of 10 x the starting big blind will be levied again at the start of the second blind period. Players arriving after the start of the third blind period will only be allowed to join the tournament at the TD's discretion and will only be awarded a maximum of 6,000 chips.
The first 3 players who takes out more than 1 other player will be awarded a prize drink, paid for form the subs pot. Any unclaimed prizes will be claimed by the TD!
All details are subject to change, correction and alteration.
Please note that points below are based on my own, unqualified views and should not be regarded in any way as legal advice.
A relatively recent update to the Gambling Commission's guidance suggests that 'private gaming' is not subject to the same pot limits as the usual weekly CPP games, hence the £10 stake instead of the usual £5. There are still very strict rules in place though, so I'd like to clarify the pertinent issues.
This CPP event is non-commercial event. I.e. no organisation or individual will benefit either by charging and entrance fee or from deducting a proportion of the stakes. Specifically, there is no entrance fee and all of the stakes will be awarded as prizes on the night.
Entry to this event is open strictly to CPP members who have participated in several CPP tournaments either on a Tuesday at the White Horse in Oakington, or a Thursday at the Black Bull in Longstanton. The guidance suggests that this area is particularly strict, so to avoid any ambiguity anyone wishing to enter the tournament on the 15th must register and pay the £10 stake in advance, at least 24 hours before the start. Late registrations will only be considered in special circumstances. Just to be clear, in short, only CPP players who are already in the registered players database can enter. Anyone turning up on the day will be refused entry to the tournament and the playing area.
The GC guidance states that private gaming is only private "if it occurs in a place to which the public does not have access". To this end I will arrange with the venue to have the playing area cordoned off. Guests can be permitted as spectators, (as far as I'm aware), but cannot participate.