Rush Poker: How Much Should You Adjust Your Game?

Full Tilt’s Rush Poker has proved to be both innovative and popular among the online poker community. If you’re not familiar with the format, it’s an interesting idea – instead of players being seated at separate tables, all players are part of a player pool that the system “creates” a table from that pool for every hand dealt. The result is that you can fold you hand and instantly move on to the next hand. It’s a fascinating way to play poker, and the speed of the game really does make it feel as if you’re playing a different game entirely.

But are you? That’s an important question that will ultimately impact how you approach the game strategically. On one hand, Rush Poker is still poker, no matter how fast it moves. The cards are the same, the rules are the same. On the other hand, the speed is a major difference and seems like it should really impact the natural tendencies of the players in the games. The answer, as is often the case in poker, is to take a bit from each side and craft a strategy that acknowledges the impact of both aspects of the game.

So, when considering a Rush Poker strategy, the key is to not scrap your current approach altogether, but to tweak it slightly. The primary adjustment to make is a simple, but profound one – realize that players are going to, on the whole, play tighter in Rush Poker. Why? Because, unlike regular poker, a better hand is just a click away. A good amount of mistakes by typical players are a result of boredom, of a certain itch for action. As Rush Poker by and large pre-scratches that itch, you have to assume players are less likely to get out of line preflop and on the flop. Anticipate fewer bluffs on later streets than you are used to, and consider adjusting your value betting ranges on the river to a slightly snugger spot.

Finally, you should consider the impact of rakeback when deciding how you approach Rush Poker. If you have Fulltilt rakeback, then you can consider even a tighter approach. Why? Because the sheer amount of hands you’ll see per hour playing Rush Poker can result in significant rakeback payments, so in many cases it’s more profitable to simply open another table, tighten up a bit, and focus on playing a high quantity of hands without taking many risks. A little boring? Perhaps on one level, but after playing several tables of Rush Poker you’ll probably agree that it’s the most exhilarating grind you’ve ever experienced.