Full Tilt Introduces Rush Poker Tournaments

On Friday, Rush Poker tournaments became a reality on Full Tilt Poker. Long clamored for by members of the world’s second largest online poker site, Rush Poker tournaments will be featured in the upcoming Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS).

“FTPDoug” broke the news early this morning on major online poker forums like PocketFives.com. There are several differences between Rush Poker cash games and tournaments. Most notably, the two players at the table who have gone the longest without posting blinds will land in the small and big blinds, evening out the playing field amid the frenzy of Rush Poker. In addition, as the field is whittled down, play will become short-handed. “FTPDoug” explained that when the field is truncated to fewer than 10 players, the game will be four-handed. Accordingly, there is no hand-for-hand play on the money bubble or at any pay jumps.

In terms of the table size down the stretch, the action will be eight-handed with 22 to 28 players remaining. When 19 to 21 players remain, Rush Poker tournaments will be dealt seven-handed. When 16 to 18 players are left, all tables will be six-handed. When 13 to 15 players are in the mix, Rush Poker tournaments will be five-handed. Finally, with 10 to 12 players remaining, each table will be four-handed. Six-handed Rush Poker tournaments will follow the above structure when there are fewer than 16 players left in the hunt for the top prize. Similarly, eight-handed tournaments will follow the structure when fewer than 22 players remain.

The final table of a Rush Poker tournament is slightly different, however. Text found on PocketFives.com posted by “FTPDoug” explains, “The tournament reverts to a normal tournament for the final table. This is also the only time you can observe a Rush Tournament.” During the Rush Poker portion of the tournament, players have less time to act pre-flop and will be instantly whisked away to a new table to play a new hand with a fresh group of players after their action in a previous hand has concluded. Rush Poker ring games were introduced to the world in mid-January.

Outside of the players who will take on the small blind and big blind, the other positions at the table are filled randomly, meaning that players could conceivably find themselves in early or late position several hands in a row. Rush Poker tournaments also have safeguards in place against players both stalling or acting too quickly, as, according to the site, “each hand dealt counts for at least a fixed minimum amount of time.”

Prior to today, three tournaments to be held during the upcoming FTOPS were labeled as “TBA” and many in the industry had speculated that they would take on a Rush Poker format. Sure enough, “FTPDoug” confirmed that three Rush Poker tournaments will play out during FTOPS XVI: one Turbo, one Pot Limit Omaha Knockout, and one Rebuy. At the time of writing, the official FTOPS XVI schedule found on Full Tilt’s website had not yet included the details of the three tournaments, which are penciled in for April 24th, April 27th, and May 2nd. FTOPS XVI kicks off on April 23rd and concludes on May 2nd.

Also added to Full Tilt Poker as part of Friday’s update were Step Tournaments, including a seven-step system to win your way to the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. In addition, a Tournament Ticket system was created and these are now available in the Full Tilt Store. Finally, the USA-friendly online poker site revamped its Super Turbo Sit and Gos, spreading the high-octane game at all levels between $1 and $1,000.

Visit Full Tilt Poker for more information.

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Poker terminology:

EXPECTATION - The long-run [dis-]advantage of a given situation, specifically without reference to any particular outcome. I.e., what you figure to win [lose] on average after a large number of repetitions of the same situation.
BET - To put money into the pot, pursuant to the rules of the game, thus maintaining a chance of winning the pot.
DEAD MAN'S HAND - Generically: two pair, aces and eights. Specifically: the black aces, black eights and nine of diamonds. The hand Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was shot to death.
ANTE - A small bet all players are required to make before a hand is dealt. Not all games have an ante. Related terms: BLIND, FORCED BET.
OVERCALL - To call a bet after one or more players already called.
TAP - In no-limit games, to wager all of one's money in one bet.

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