▁it ▁was ▁only ▁open ▁to ▁pok er ▁players ▁who ▁met ▁certain ▁qual ification ▁criteria , ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁qual ifying ▁events ▁were ▁market ed ▁and ▁public ized ▁to ▁the ▁non - member ▁general ▁public , ▁in ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁draw ▁increased ▁tournament ▁play ▁to ▁the ▁Pal ms ▁P oker ▁Room . ▁▁ ▁Each ▁tournament ▁series ▁began ▁with ▁a ▁Pro - Am ▁tournament . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁players ▁who ▁have ▁a ▁membership ▁card , ▁the ▁final ▁ 9 ▁finish ers ▁of ▁each ▁Pro - Am ▁won ▁entry ▁into ▁that ▁tournament ' s ▁Main ▁Event . ▁ ▁Code ▁of ▁Con duct ▁Re quire ments ▁The ▁Ep ic ▁P oker ▁League ▁set ▁standards ▁for ▁conduct , ▁dress , ▁and ▁behaviour . ▁ ▁Con duct ▁requirements ▁stretch ed ▁back ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁( but ▁no ▁further ) ▁when ▁exam ining ▁a ▁request ▁to ▁obtain ▁- ▁or ▁maintain ▁- ▁membership . ▁ ▁While ▁David ▁R he em ▁won ▁the ▁first ▁event ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁his ▁membership ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁prob ation ▁one ▁week ▁later ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁chron ic ▁financial ▁ir respons ibility . ▁ ▁League ▁rules ▁prohib ited ▁membership ▁to ▁any ▁players ▁in ▁viol ation ▁of ▁state ▁or ▁federal ▁law , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁players ▁demonstr ating ▁chron ic ▁financial ▁ir respons ibility . ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁Ep ic ▁P oker ▁League ▁voted ▁to ▁susp end ▁the ▁membership ▁of ▁Howard