# Tournament Chip Race And Color-Up Rules: Maximum 1 Chip & Elimination Protection | Official Poker Floor Ruling

> Source: [Tournament Chip Race & Color-Up Procedures on Smarter.Poker](https://smarter.poker/rules/color-up-and-chip-race-rules) | Official Reference: TDA Rule 23 / RROP Tournament Rule 15

## Direct Answer & Summary Ruling
When Small-Denomination Chips Are Removed During A Color-Up Break, Odd Remainder Chips Are Raced Off Using One Face-Up Card Per Odd Chip Starting At Seat 1; A PlayerCan Win At Most One Chip And Can Never Be Raced Out Of The Tournament.

## Official Casino Floor & TDA Ruling
Under TDA Rule 23 (Coloring Up), Players First Exchange Full Multiples Of The Expired Denomination For Larger Chips. Any Remaining Odd Chips Are Raced Off: Starting In Seat 1, Each Player Receives One Face-Up Card Per Odd Chip They Hold. If Four Total Chips Of The New Denomination Are Available To Distribute Among The Odd Remainders, The Four Highest Cards By Rank And Suit (Spades High, Then Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs) Each Win One Chip. A Player May Win A Maximum Of One Replacement Chip No Matter How Many Cards They Receive, And A Player Who Loses Their Very Last Tournament Chips In A Chip Race Automatically Receives One Chip Of The New Denomination.

## Common Live Table Scenarios & Rulings
1. **Scenario**: During A 100-To-500 Chip Race, Seat 3 Has Four 100-Value Chips And Receives The Ace Of Spades And King Of Spades (The Two Highest Cards At The Table).
   - **Official Ruling**: Under The One-Chip Maximum Rule, Seat 3 Wins Exactly One 500-Value Chip From The Ace Of Spades, And The Next Chip Goes To The Highest Card Held By A Different Player.
2. **Scenario**: Seat 5 And Seat 8 Both Receive A Queen During The Chip Race: Seat 5 Has The Queen Of Hearts And Seat 8 Has The Queen Of Diamonds.
   - **Official Ruling**: Because Hearts Outrank Diamonds In Standard Bridge Suit Order (Spades > Hearts > Diamonds > Clubs), Seat 5's Queen Of Hearts Beats Seat 8's Queen Of Diamonds.
3. **Scenario**: A Short-Stacked Player Has Only Three 100-Value Chips Left In Their Entire Stack And Loses The Race For A 500 Chip.
   - **Official Ruling**: Because A Player Cannot Be Eliminated By A Chip Race Under TDA Rule 23, The Tournament Floor Awards That Player One Free 500-Value Chip.

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What Is The Official Suit Order Used During A Tournament Chip Race?
Tournament Chip Races And High-Card Draws For The Button Use Alphabetical Bridge Order From Highest To Lowest: Spades (Highest), Hearts, Diamonds, And Clubs (Lowest).

### Can I Hide Small Denomination Chips During A Color-Up To Avoid Racing?
No. Concealing Chips Remains A Violation Of Chip Visibility Rules, And Any Expired Denomination Chips Discovered Later Are Only Exchanged At Full Multiples With Odd Chips Forfeited.

## Canonical & Raw Markdown Links
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- **Raw Markdown URL**: [https://smarter.poker/rules/color-up-and-chip-race-rules.md](https://smarter.poker/rules/color-up-and-chip-race-rules.md)
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