New PokerStars Tournament - The Perfect Balance Between Hyper and Classic

7 years ago
Bubble Rush Tournaments - The Perfect Balance Between Hyper and Classic
13:09
24 Aug

We have all seen an invention or idea where we shake our head and wonder why we did not think of it ourselves. When I read about the latest online poker tournament concept from PokerStars, that is exactly how I felt. PokerStars have announced “Bubble Rush Tournaments” which are the perfect combination of a hyper tournament structure and classic tournament structure where you get the opportunity for your skills to shine through but only once the bubble has burst and you are in the money! PokerStars’ new concept is very innovative, simpl,e and makes perfect sense to me. I expect to see it replicated throughout the online poker world but first let me tell you what it is.


(Photo: Pokerstars.com)


We all look to get into the money as quickly as possible then knuckle down and make a run to that final table to collect the big bucks. In a “Bubble Rush Tournament” the blinds increase very quickly to begin with, the aim being to get into the money within the first hour so that the real fun can begin.

Once the money has been reached and the bubble has burst, the structure slows down dramatically, giving the players more time to play their way to the final table. The slower structure is much more reminiscent of a classic poker tournament and therefore calls for players to make quick adjustments once the bubble has burst. The good news is that you know you have a guaranteed cash and it’s all about increasing the amount you’ve won rather than investing hours and hours before getting into the money. There is more time for you to be dealt good cards, to make player dependent and creative plays, and to demonstrate your skills. For players who specialize in hyper tournaments, they will be licking their lips at this new opportunity to get into the money quickly more often.

I think this is a superb format that will appeal to recreational players like me and also the professionals who will relish the chance to play a slower structure once the money is reached. When I did a video interview recently with Jaime “Pokerstaples” Staples, exclusively for PokerTube, he admitted it was sometimes difficult to register for a tournament knowing it was an investment of hours rather than minutes, with no guarantee of a cash at the end of it. Clearly you still need to play well to cash, and there is certainly a need to gamble it up a little more given the reduced time you have to build a stack as the levels increase. However, I’d much prefer knowing in an hour if I had a cash rather than four hours, wouldn’t you? Playing deeper when skill really matters will be popular and I believe this opportunity, post-bubble, will ensure this format is popular. I expect the fields will be good for these tournaments.



Some players have pointed out that some skill is removed by speeding up the structure before the bubble, there is more chance of “lucky” players making their way into the money alongside you. However, if you can navigate yourself into the money, you, as a skilled player, may find yourself with the chance to play opponents you might well have an edge over.

As with most innovations, there are both good and bad elements to it, but I personally think this is a huge win for PokerStars and leaves me racking my brains to think of other great formats not currently in use that should be obvious to me! Unfortunately nothing springs to mind so I’ll leave it to the pros.

There are currently over 20 of these new Bubble Rush Tournaments each day and you can access these exciting new tournaments via the PokerStars lobby. Buy-ins range from the micro-stakes buy-in of $0.55 to the higher $109 buy-in. There are also Bubble Rush Challenges this week to incentivize you to have a go.


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Malcolm comes from Consett in the North East of England and is an avid poker player and writer.Read more

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