PokerStars announced a new cash game format to their array of online poker offerings. Split Hold'em is a variation of Texas Hold'em with the addition of a second board of community cards. Yes, there's two flops, two turns, and two rivers. You have to win both boards to win the entire pot. Split Hold'em is the newest innovation for PokerStars, who introduced Power Up last year.
Attention degens and game innovators! PokerStars added a new form of poker. Say hello to Split Hold'em. PokerStars is always looking for new ways to keep players on their site. In the last couple of years, PokerStars introduced new formats such as Beat the Clock, Power Up, and their latest gimmick Split Hold'em. Double the action and double the fun with double the amount of community cards. Split Hold'em is just like regular Texas Hold'em except with the addition of a second set of community cards. Yeah, you only get the same traditional two hole cards, but you have a double flop, double turn, and double river. You have to win both boards to drag the entire pot, otherwise you might have to chop the pot.
Split Hold'em will also be utilizing the new seating system called Seat Me, which automatically selects a seat for you at a table. Yeah, there will be no bumhunting at Split Hold'em!
Split Hold'em is sort of like “running it twice” but you're seeing the double flop at the same time, along with the double turn and the double river.
The name, Split Hold'em, sounds like a tweaked-version of hold'em that you'd play in your home game where the dealer self-dealt and additional round of community cards. The concept of Split Hold'em sounds like something I would have played with friends 10 years ago during a drunken evening in a hotel bar in Prague.
Last year, PokerStars attempted to gamify online poker with the addition of Power Up. The funky avatars tried to replicate a video game experience. The poker was still poker with the exception of special Power Up cards that allowed you to control certain aspects of the game, like using an X-Ray card to see your opponents hole card, or choosing a hole card from multiple cards.
I tested out Power Up during the Beta phase and it took a while to get the hang of it before I lost interest. Bad beats are bad beats no matter how many ways you change up the format.
Donks will be donks too, which is why these new games provide an excellent opportunity for anyone who can quickly learn the intricacies and nuances of the new format, then utilize that freshly-harvested knowledge to exploit new players, many of which don't have a friggin' clue how to play.
If you are someone who loves new games, especially video games and poker derivatives, then you should take a peak at Split Hold'em. The timing is ripe for plundering. Figure out the best starting hands and develop optimal strategy before your opponents figure out the game. Exploit the noobs at the start learning curve while you can!
For more info on Split Hold'em, click here. And for more intel on the new seating format, check out a post on the Seat Me system.
