Poker's Craziest Rulings: 12-Month Penalty, Substitute Player & More
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Tournament Directors are the ultimate rule-makers in poker, and are constantly having to adapt.
From players being dealt three hole cards, to another receivin ga one-round penalty for watching a Doug Polk video at the table, tournament directors often face complex or interesting situations that they may never have encountered before.
We spoke to some of the industry's most experienced officials, such as Matt Savage and Danny McDonagh, to uncover the toughest rulings, most bizarre moments, and the tournament oddities they've encountered throughout their careers.
The Longest Penalty in Tournament History?
We start things off in Asia 15 years ago. The venue? PokerStars Macau at Grand Lisboa. And this story comes to us from former experienced Poker Tournament Director, industry stalwart and member of the Australian Poker Hall of Fame Danny McDonagh.
"PokerStars Macau saw first-hand the explosion of poker in China and other countries," McDonagh told PokerNews. "And this incident has always remained prominent in my mind."
"This incident has always remained prominent in my mind..."
According to McDonagh, a player thought he had busted and left the tournament area. However, it was soon established that he had quite a few chips left. In the meantime, another player who had actually busted — and who McDonagh believes "had a couple of drinks in his belly" — decided to sit down in the empty seat.
"He proceeed to win a pot before anyone could pick up on the fact he shouldn't be playing there! My first question to him, was 'What the hell are you doing?!' and asked him to leave the tournament area immediately.
"We then had the major headache of trying to reconcile the chip movements that occured in the maybe two or three hands that he had played."
And the punishment? One of the most unique in poker tournament history.
"I ended up giving the offending player a '12-month suspended sentence' as a meant to bring some punishment on him, as he couldn't receive any penalty for that actual event. Over the next few months, I would introduce the player as the one given the longest penalty ever by me as a kind of punishment for the problems caused that evening!"
Bringing in a Substitute
Ahead of the Aussie Millions' return to the live tournament fold in 2026, it's only appropriate that this next story comes from former Aussie Millions Tournament Director and now Australian Poker League Head of Poker Joel Williams.
"I remember a pregnant woman playing an early Aussie Millions opening flight, and bagging for Day 2," explains Williams. "But on the night before Day 2, I get told that she's going into labour 3-4 weeks early!"
It's true! Katrina Sheary had played and bagged Day 1c of the opening event at the 2016 Aussie Millions before going into labour before play resumed on Day 2.
Many poker players are familiar with the concept of "tournament director's discretion" and that played a huge part in Williams' eventual ruling.
"We had a line, that said a player can nominate a substitute provided that player hadn't entered the event at all. I let her husband take her place in Day 2, and he eventually ended up cashing.
"My logic was this. Given she wasn't due for some weeks, it was reasonable to expect that she'd be available to complete the event."
Katrina's husband Peter ended up taking her place and cashed in 25th place for AU$6,495 thanks to the following line in the Terms & Conditions:
At the discretion of the Tournament Director, an entrant in a particular Tournament (or Satellite) may nominate a substitute, provided the person nominated as the substitute has not already entered the Tournament (or Satellite)."
It's unclear whether or not this line will appear in next year's Aussie Millions, but both Shearys have continued to play poker, with Katrina cashing in the APL Million on the Gold Coast in 2025.
Verbal is Binding
One of the most experienced poker tournament directors in the industry, Matt Savage has seen it all over the course of his career. For this particular hand, we have to head back all the way to 2002 and a hand as reported by Jesse May.
Russell Rosenblum had opened, and had been called by Julian Gardner. The flop came 10x10x3x and Rosenblum continued for 18,000 and Gardner raised to 50,000.
With the action back on Rosenblum, he said calmly "Let's play for a hundred" and slid a stack of chips into the pot.
Gardner then swept the rest of his chips into the middle with both hands, going "All in!" According to May's reporting, Gardner had a lot of small denomination chips, so although his shove was "visually impressive", it wasn't all that much money.
Rosenblum was stunned and stood, moving away from the table as he contemplated his decision. Savage was on hand immediately asking "Where's Russell?"
We'll let May finish the story.
And when [Savage] turned to look at him against the wall, Russell uttered in a weak but unmistakable voice through half open eyes, “I fold. Fold.” And he waved his arm twice.
Then something occurred to Russell Rosenblum and he asked, “How much is the raise?” How much is the raise. Of course. Russell comes back to the table and grabs his cards. But Matt Savage is faster, and his hand is there too, clamping a vise on Russell’s outstretched wrist. And in a firm and calm voice Savage says, “I’m sorry Russell. You’ve folded. Verbal action in turn is compulsory.”
Not only did Matt Savage know the rule, he quoted it. And he knows that sometimes a floorman should wait until he’s summoned, and sometimes a floorman just has to take charge. It was awesome, and everybody knew it was awesome, and everybody knew it was the right decision.
"This one was kind of career-defining," Savage told PokerNews. "The rule hasn't change, in fact I've made sure it doesn't to protect this ruling.
"The rule is if you state your intention in turn — bet, raise, call or fold — when the action is on you, then you're bound to that decision."
Savage told PokerNews that if anyone wishes to discuss these rules or any other, you can attend the 2026 TDA Summit in Las Vegas. Exact dates and location will be announced in the new year.
Jack-High No Good
This anonymous contribution comes from Europe, with one player taking his time over his decision and the floor calling time.
"The whole tournament was meant to be on dinner break, but when I entered the room I see there's still one table playing 20 minutes into the dinner break. I spoke to my colleague who told me 'We've been on the river for 22 minutes already.'
"Action was heads-up and this player is facing an all in. But you could tell from his body language he's doing anything but thinking. He even said himself 'More than twenty minutes and he still doesn't call the clock!'"
In the end, this floor person gave the player three more minutes to make a decision, warning them against wasting everyone's time. A back-and-forth ensued, with the player arguing for more time. By the end of the countdown, the player slammed his chips on the table, calling with "the worst hand you could imagine," according to the floor. Unfortunately for him, his opponent had a full house and doubled up.
"It doesn't matter what the all-in player did or didn't do. It doesn't matter we're on dinner break. The floor staff are always allowed to call for time, which is a very unknown rule because it's hardly ever used.
"No hand, no decision whatsoever warrants that amount of time to be taken."
Till Death Do Us Part
Lastly, we return to Danny McDonagh with another short sharp ruling at PokerStars Macau at Grand Lisboa.
"One of the tournament directors came up to me, and said that a player is not wanting to accept a penalty. She had checked back the nuts when last to act, back in the day when this was always an automatic penalty.
McDonagh said he approached the female Russian player and asked her why she had checked the nuts.
"Her reply was 'What do you expect me to do, he (the other player) is my husband.' I think she was expecting compassion from me. To be honest, I loved the response, but she still copped a round penalty for her indiscretion!"
