Rush Poker is a new format of poker that was launched exclusively on Full Tilt Poker. In fact the game is so revolutionary that Full Tilt have patented the idea to position itself from other online poker sites.
How is Rush Poker different?
I think one of the most notable differences of Rush Poker is that you will be playing against new opponents every hand. Full Tilt Poker chooses players randomly from the “Rush Poker” player pool. For example, if there were 100 players playing 100nl Rush Poker on Full Tilt Poker, before every hand is dealt, you will see new faces at the table, picked from the 100 players who are playing 100nl rush poker at the time.
Due to the differences in the way the game plays, the common question many Rush Poker players ask is – is there a winning strategy for Rush Poker?
Generally speaking, there are a few adjustments you should be making from what you are accustomed to when playing your normal games.
Due to the lack of history you have with your opponents, most rush poker players tend to play tighter then normal since it can be difficult to know where you are at post flop. But playing similar to everyone else if not what is going to be profitable. If most regs were adopting a tighter style, then it would be beneficial to take advantage of their passiveness by identifying spots where you can be aggressive with well-timed bluffs. However, you would only do this against regulars who you know are capable of folding.
In Rush Poker ring games, because its still a relatively new poker game and format, it does tend to attract more fish and recreational players and you definitely don’t want to be trying to bluff them since you know they are not capable of folding if they have hit any piece of the board.
Although you are playing against opponents “readless” in Rush Poker it shouldn’t take you very long to figure out whether an opponent is fishy or a regular player and adjust accordingly. Usually the gap between the VPIP and PFR tells a lot about their tendencies. If they are playing a lot of hands and there is a big gap between their VPIP/PFR that’s usually a good sign they are pretty bad. The main aim against these types of players is to bet strongly with your premium holdings and avoid bluffing them.
Even though you are somewhat “readless” when you first start playing Rush Poker, it’s the same for all of your opponents. Once you start playing a lot of Rush Poker you are going to encounter the same players again and developing a history on your opponents, even in Rush Poker games, which you can use to your advantage. For example, some regs will play a very straightforward game and you will be able to 3 bet them light relentlessly because you know they will always fold, etc.
The thing about Rush Poker is that even though you are constantly moving tables and playing against new opponents, you will still find different playing styles and personalities on the tables. Not dissimilar to normal ring games, you want to be able to identify the type of poker players who are at your table to exploit the weaknesses, since playing against “readless” opponents can be a difficult proposition.