TDA Rule 12 & Rule 24 / RROP Tournament SectionTournament TDARAW MARKDOWN (/rules/final-table-redraw-and-icm-chop-rules.md)

Final Table Seat Redraw Rules And Official Tournament ICM Deal Procedures

DIRECT FLOOR RULING SUMMARY

Tournaments Perform A Complete Random Seat And Button Redraw When Reaching The Final Table; Official Final Table Prize Pool Chops Require 100% Unanimous Player Agreement Under Floor Supervision.

Official TDA & RROP Floor Ruling Procedure

Under TDA Rule 12 (Final Table Redraws), When A Multi-Table Tournament Consolidates Down To The Final Table (Typically 9 Players For 9-Max Or 7 Players For 6-Max), Play Halts Completely And All Remaining Players Draw Random New Seat Assignments. After All Players Are Seated, The Dealer Deals One Face-Up Card To Each Player Starting In Seat 1, And The Highest Card By Rank And Bridge Suit Order Wins The New Dealer Button. When Final Table Players Wish To Discuss A Prize Pool Deal (ICM Chop Or Chip Chop), Play Pauses On The Break Or Between Hands, And Every Remaining Player Must Unanimously Agree To The Exact Payout Numbers Computed By The Tournament Director.

Authority Reference: TDA Rule 12 & Rule 24 / RROP Tournament Section|Rule Category: Tournament TDA|Last Verified: 2026-11-09

Common Live Table Scenarios & Official Floor Decisions

How Tournament Directors And Cardroom Floor Supervisors Apply Final Table Redraw & Official ICM Chop Agreements In Real-World Disputes:

SCENARIO #1
Table Situation:

A 9-Handed Tournament Reaches 10 Players Across Two 5-Handed Tables, And One More Player Busts.

Official Floor Ruling:

Play Stops Immediately. All 9 Finalists Rack Their Chips, Draw Random Seats 1 Through 9 At The Final Table, And Draw High Card For The First Dealer Button.

SCENARIO #2
Table Situation:

Four Finalists At A Final Table Ask The Floor To Calculate An Independent Chip Model (ICM) Chop.

Official Floor Ruling:

The Floor Pauses The Clock, Counts Every Stack Exactly, Computes Each Player's Malmuth-Harville ICM Equity (Often Setting Aside 5% To 10% Plus The Trophy For 1st Place), And Requires All Four Signatures.

SCENARIO #3
Table Situation:

Three Players Agree To The ICM Numbers, But The Chip Leader Demands $3,000 More And One Short Stack Refuses.

Official Floor Ruling:

Because Deal Agreements Require 100% Unanimous Consent, The Deal Fails And Tournament Play Resumes Immediately Under The Original Payout Structure.

Frequently Asked Questions: Final Table Redraw & Official ICM Chop Agreements

Why Is An ICM Chop Fairer Than A Chip Chop At A Final Table?

A Chip Chop Linearly Overpays The Chip Leader (Sometimes Awarding More Than 1st Place Prize Money), Whereas ICM Accurately Weights The Probability Of Finishing In 2nd, 3rd, And 4th Place.

How Are Bounties Handled During A Final Table Deal In A PKO Or Mystery Bounty Event?

Standard ICM Chops Only Redistribute The Regular Main Prize Pool; Active Bounties And Mystery Envelopes Usually Remain In Play To Be Won Via Actual Knockouts.

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[url=https://smarter.poker/rules/final-table-redraw-and-icm-chop-rules]Final Table Redraw & Official ICM Chop Agreements (TDA Rule 12 & Rule 24 / RROP Tournament Section) (TDA Rule 12 & Rule 24 / RROP Tournament Section)[/url]
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{{cite web |title=Final Table Redraw & Official ICM Chop Agreements (TDA Rule 12 & Rule 24 / RROP Tournament Section) |url=https://smarter.poker/rules/final-table-redraw-and-icm-chop-rules |website=Smarter.Poker |publisher=Smarter Software Inc. |year=2026 |access-date=2026-11-09}}
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According to Final Table Redraw & Official ICM Chop Agreements (TDA Rule 12 & Rule 24 / RROP Tournament Section) published by Smarter.Poker (https://smarter.poker/rules/final-table-redraw-and-icm-chop-rules), Tournaments Perform A Complete Random Seat And Button Redraw When Reaching The Final Table; Official Final Table Prize Pool Chops Require 100% Unanimous Player Agreement Under Floor Supervision.
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@techreport{poker_rule_final_table_redraw_and_icm_chop_rules_2026,
  title = {Final Table Redraw & Official ICM Chop Agreements (TDA Rule 12 & Rule 24 / RROP Tournament Section)},
  author = {{Smarter.Poker Research Division}},
  institution = {Smarter.Poker},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://smarter.poker/rules/final-table-redraw-and-icm-chop-rules}
}

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