New Rule Enforcement & Penalty Reporting System

Hello Everyone,

I am reaching out to let everyone know about a rule enforcement procedure and what you can do to help.

First and foremost, I want everyone to know that I am doing the very best I can, from working with bar managers and owners, the dealers, our community outreach partners, the FPN, managing our online and social media presence, to handling our merchandise ordering, pick-up & delivery, among many other things behind the scenes in regards to planning and executing that many of you will never see, and beyond this moment, I will never talk about. To all those who have reached out to help, THANK YOU! I am beyond grateful for your willingness to help. I love what I do, and my only priority is to ensure that we have a strong and viable poker league that everyone can be a part of and enjoy!

This brings me to the one thing, in all honesty, I dislike talking about the most. The rules. We have rules because we must have rules. Chaos is not a good plan for any business.

With that being said, I need all of you to know that Misfits owner Rob Isacoff and I fully support and back up our dealers and Tournament Hosts in the decisions they make when running our daily tournaments.

Right or wrong, they are doing what they believe to be what's in the best interest of all players, under the guidelines that they have been given. These guidelines will continue to be developed and adjusted as the league continues to grow. I am continually working very closely with all our dealers to develop rules and procedures, as well as ensure that we are consistent in the manner in which the rules are enforced. It's important to me that these rules reflect fairly upon all players, dealers, and our venues.

Equally so, it's my responsibility to see that the rules are being enforced.

To this end, beginning tomorrow, July 29th, and moving forward, a rule violation reporting system will be instituted. This system begins with you, the player. It's important that you know and understand the rules of the game that you play. I strongly encourage all of you to go to www.misfitspokerleague.com/rules and carefully read through each one of the documents. These are the standards and procedures that YOU will be held accountable to in order to play in the league.

Some of these rules are pretty common in the world of poker, and some are pretty specific to Misfits Poker. ALL of them are designed to make your playing experience the best possible one for not only yourself, but for everyone who comes out to enjoy a night of poker with the league and our wonderful host venues.

All dealers have been given full authority to issue the following penalties. Warnings, Orbits, and Disqualifications. The Tournament Host will ALWAYS have the final say regarding penalties issued during gameplay. I will always be available to privately discuss any penalties that you've received. This means I will not discuss the situation while playing at the table, as that would further distract and interrupt others from enjoying the game.

The level of rule infraction will dictate which penalties will be levied. However, the common practice will be that players will receive at least one warning before an orbit penalty is given. And 2 orbits will be given before a disqualification occurs.

Please bear in mind that the more egregious the rule violation is, the stiffer the initial penalty will be. For example, basic “poker play” violations such as slow play, playing out of turn, or improper "table talk", etc., will be handled with warnings to start and escalate from there. Whereas, violations of the Player Code of Conduct, Rules 7a & 7b, may dictate stronger penalties without warnings, moving straight to orbits or disqualifications. Penalties will be at the full discretion of the Tournament Host and are final.

Dealers and Tournament Hosts will be able to document and report any issues and penalties that are given on a nightly basis. This allows me to have a record of the issues that are of greatest concern in the league and improve upon how we can better communicate and enforce the rules associated with those particular issues. This also allows me to have those important one-on-one conversations with players regarding habitual challenges they are having at the table before it becomes a larger issue, requiring potential suspension. Contrary to popular belief, the last thing I ever want to do is suspend a player. However, I will do so if warranted.

This entire process is specifically designed to help me, our dealers, and you, the players, in gaining a better grasp of the rules, how they are enforced, and how to play within them.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

The best thing for you to do right now is take time over the next week and read through the MPL Player Code of Conduct, the MPL Rules of the Game, the MPL Tournament Structure, and the 2024 TDA Rules.

The more you know, the better. Your input and feedback is crucial to this process. I take everything you say and consider it carefully. Some ideas get adopted, some get partially adopted, and some go by the wayside. This league is nothing without you, the players. We need each other to make this league better for everyone.

I'll be around at all the venues this week, so please feel free to ask any questions or for clarification on the rules you've read. All the rules are available online and for download at www.misfitspokerleague.com/rules.

Further documentation regarding this new penalty reporting system will be available soon. So keep an eye out for the updates.

I appreciate everyone and their support of our league. I couldn’t do it without you. Thank you, and I’ll see you on the felt.

~Lance