Martin,
I agree with Stuart. In the many years that I was a dealer, I found a simple warning for a first offense was good enough. Sometimes I sound like a broken record when I keep saying the same things over and over; we need to think of the intent of the player. Acting out of turn is not only defined as pushing chips or announcing a bet when it is not your turn to act. Actions and gestures are also included. How would you feel, if you were about to call a $20 bet in front of you and before you release your chips into the pot, the player on your left picks up two stacks of chips and stands up like he's ready to pounce on your call? These actions and gestures are what the rules were written for. Too many of us are using the rules for the wrong reasons. Betting out of turn is a violation of poker etiquette and is highly unethical. Take a close look at rule #29. If a player in the five-seat makes a bet before a player in front of him, (he didn't see that the player in the three seat had a hand) a good dealer in control the game, would stop any further action immediately. The action would be backed up to the proper player and the betting round would be completed without a problem.
The rules are written for deliberate violations, not accidental, or when a player is misled by the dealer. Players need protection from the unethical and intentional actions of repeat offenders. A player that obviously is unaware of the bet in front of him, should be granted some leniency before a harsh penalty is enforced. Example; Player a bets $20, Player B calls $20 player C raises to $220 and Player D throws $20 into the pot and says call. I know that some of the TD's are ready to pounce all over that player and hold him to $200 more, and they would be wrong! A quick response from the dealer should be enough to straighten out the situation. How could you hold that player to that raise when it was obvious he did not see or understand the bet in front of him. You can't always go by the written rules in poker. Could you imagine if every player, on every betting round took the allotted time to act on their hand, (a player on the clock has one minute and then a count-down 10-9-8 etc), with four betting rounds in hold'em and ten players at the table you would not have time to complete one hand in a dealers 30 minute downtime at that table.
In my opinion, there is far too much discussion on out-of-turn.....If it's intentional, he gets a warning and if he continues, he's gone. Period. Who needs him? Who wants him? I will give one more example that might better get the message across. The game is No-limit Hold'em and the blinds are $500/$1000. It's the final table and the action is down to five players. While the dealer is dealing out the cards, the player on the button pushes $15,000 into the pot. By the book, if any player raises the big blind in front of him, he can retract his bet, right? Why wouldn't every player do that on every hand? Because you can't.....Why not? I'll tell you why. Under General Concepts...Rule #1 FLOOR PEOPLE...Floor people are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floorperson's decision is final.