Appeals

[K-Lo]

(a)  In large events where there are many floorpeople involved in tournament direction, does a hierarchy of positions exist?  E.g. Is there one TD and many "assistant" TDs, is everyone a "TD" with one "Head" TD, etc.?  What titles are used?

(b)  If there is a hierarchy, is there a policy on whether or not a player may appeal a decision made by the floorperson at the table?  According to TDA Rule #1, it appears that the decision of the floorperson is final, but I believe some rule sets allow an appeal to the "highest authority" in the tournament.

[Nick C]

K-Lo,
 I have not been involved in tournaments on a large scale like the WSOP, but I would say there has to be a chain-of-command. Our floorpersons would turn to the card room manager or the shift supervisor if there were any issues in disput. To answer your first question, I would say yes. The title given might be different but I think it is necessary to have one higher ranking TD.

 I have seen complaints and/or disagreements on a "call" from time to time. My advice is to approach the table and inform the players that (unless it is an obvious blunder), the decision of the floor is final! If we allow players to disput every ruling, I can see things getting out of hand in a hurry. This is why it is so important to have all floor persons on the same page when it comes to understanding the rules.

[Stuart Murray]

Hi K-Lo,

In all tournaments, yes a hierarchy must exist for chain of command, usually when I am TD, I will have little to do with the actual mechanics of the tournament and/or rulings, simply remaining in a supervisory role for other floors, with them on occasion referring to me for more erroneous situations.

With regard to the hierarchy and the ability to call for another ruling, I have saw it done, but usually it is by the floorperson themselves, who wishes to validate their ruling, I would certainly not normally look to overturn an existing ruling, whether right ot wrong, unless I felt the decision was grossly incorrect.  Players can certainly ask for another ruling if they believe it was incorrect, but the first person I am discussing the matter with would be the floorperson who made the decision.

Regards
Stu

[Spence]

I do have some experience in large scale events and can tell you that staffing is usually the hardest part. The main pool of floor persons are often made up from the regular cash game supervisors. The chain of command exists in the usual hierarchy of assistant manager or poker room manager and usually a designate of TD will be made prior to the tournament starting. Some mega corporations hold the TD as a completely separate position from cash game activities but with associated costs this is not the norm. Many times we've had junior supervisors who made weak or poor rulings and found that their decisions needed to be overturned. Often this would be done by the TD to bring an absolute final to the appeal rather than going through any other person as it may in a regular cash game.