# Side Pot Construction, All-In Protection, And Uncalled Bet Return Rules | Official Poker Floor Ruling

> Source: [Side Pot Construction & All-In Protection Rules on Smarter.Poker](https://smarter.poker/rules/side-pot-and-all-in-protection-rules) | Official Reference: TDA Rule 16, Rule 19 & Rule 49 / RROP Section 3

## Direct Answer & Summary Ruling
Under Table Stakes Rules, An All-In Player Can Only Win From Each Opponent An Amount Equal To Their Own Total Chip Commitment, With Excess Bets Segregated Into Sequential Side Pots.

## Official Casino Floor & TDA Ruling
Under TDA Rule 19 And RROP Table Stakes Principles, A Player Cannot Be Bet Out Of A Pot Once They Commit Their Entire Stack On The Table. When One Or More Players Go All-In For Different Stack Sizes, The Dealer Pulls Equal Matching Slices From Every Active Player Into The Main Pot (Along With All Dead Blinds, Antes, And Folded Bets). Remaining Chips From Deeper Stacks Form Side Pot 1, Side Pot 2, And So Forth. At Showdown, The Dealer Always Resolves And Awards The Highest Exterior Side Pot First Before Working Down To The Main Pot.

## Common Live Table Scenarios & Rulings
1. **Scenario**: Player A Is All-In For 2,000, Player B Is All-In For 6,000, And Player C Calls 6,000 With 300 In Dead Blinds.
   - **Official Ruling**: The Main Pot Holds 6,300 (3 x 2,000 + 300 Dead) Contested By A, B, And C. Side Pot 1 Holds 8,000 (2 x 4,000) Contested Only By B And C.
2. **Scenario**: Player A Has The Best Hand Overall And Wins The Main Pot, While Player B Beats Player C.
   - **Official Ruling**: Dealer Awards Side Pot 1 (8,000) To Player B First, Then Awards The Main Pot (6,300) To Player A.
3. **Scenario**: Player C Shoves 15,000 Over Player B's 6,000 All-In, And Nobody Else Calls.
   - **Official Ruling**: The Uncalled 9,000 Overbet Is Immediately Returned To Player C Before Any Community Cards Are Run Out.

## Frequently Asked Questions
### Which Pot Does The Dealer Award First At Showdown?
The Dealer Always Awards The Last (Highest) Side Pot First And Works Backward Toward The Main Pot So That Eliminated Or Short-Stacked Players Keep Their Chips Separate From Exterior Pots.

### Do Dead Blinds And Antes Go Into The Main Pot Or Side Pot?
All Dead Blinds, Big Blind Antes, And Folded Preflop Bets Always Stay In The Main Pot, Providing Maximum Leverage To The Shortest All-In Stack.

## Canonical & Raw Markdown Links
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- **Raw Markdown URL**: [https://smarter.poker/rules/side-pot-and-all-in-protection-rules.md](https://smarter.poker/rules/side-pot-and-all-in-protection-rules.md)
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