PokerStars launch Tempest and Deepwater Hold'em
Two new formats have dropped in the PokerStars client at the same time, but will either of them prove a hit with the players?
As was predicted last week, Power Up has now been removed from the PokerStars client and replaced with not one, but two, new games.
Tempest Hold'em and Deepwater Hold'em have both just launched in the main PokerStars client. This is the first time that two new formats have been introduced at the same time.
The reason for that is perhaps that they are very similar in the way in which they deviate from standard No Limit Hold'em. They are both six max games with a third blind called the 'Giant Blind' which is twice the size of a Big Blind and posted by the under-the-gun player. On top of this, both games have antes which increase in size whenever there is no showdown.
Deepwater Hold'em
Deepwater Hold'em is the deep stacked version of this new format, with the buy-ins ranging between 50 and 150 Giant Blinds. For example there is a $0.25/$0.50/$1 table where you would buy-in for an amount between $50 and $150. Every player pays an ante of $0.10 but if there is no showdown then the next hand it will be $0.20, then $0.30, until there is a showdown at which point it resets to $0.10.
Obviously this means the pots get bigger and bigger as long as somebody is taking them down uncontested. Similar to 'Cash Drops' and 'Splash Pots' this will create situations where suddenly massive starting pots become worth fighting for.
This format is available at eight stake levels between $0.02/$0.05/$0.10 with a $0.01 ante all the way to $5/$10/$20 with a $2 ante.
Tempest Hold'em
Tempest Hold'em is the same but with shallow stacks, with a buy-in of 5-10 Giant Blinds. So in that $0.25/$0.50/$1 game you can buy in for between $5 and $10.
It's essentially an all-in or fold variant of the game, where the escalating antes would quickly force everyone at the table all-in if a series of pots were taken down without showdown. Like Spin & Go Flash it seems that a new trend from PokerStars is offering new formats with an additional more gambley version.
This format is also available at eight stake levels between $0.02/$0.05/$0.10 with a $0.01 ante all the way to $5/$10/$20 with a $2 ante.
What do you think of these formats? Let us know in the comments:
