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Do you enjoy playing Texas Hold’em poker online, but fancy a little bit of a twist? Is fast-fold poker making your head spin? Are you selling yourself short playing short deck poker? Well, PokerStars has introduced two new hold’em variants that are perfect for you.

Today, PokerStars announced the launch of Tempest Hold’em and Deep Water Hold’em. Both are brand-new variants on the PokerStars platform that offer players new ways to enjoy playing Texas Hold’em online.

What Is Deep Water Poker?

Deep Water Hold’em is a new game that is played six-handed. Everything remains the same as Texas Hold’em except for the additional antes and the Giant Blind. The new Giant Blind is played Under the Gun and is twice the size of the big blind.

When it comes to antes, these increase every time a hand doesn’t go to showdown. So, for example, if you’re playing a hand with 10c antes but the hand doesn’t go to showdown, the ante will increase to 20c for the next hand. This continues until either the ante reaches four-times its initial amount or until a hand reaches showdown. At this point, the ante resets.

About Tempest Hold’em

Tempest Hold’em is PokerStars’ first foray into the world of Push or Fold poker. In this variant, players are only presented with two pre-flop options. You can either go all-in or fold. Checking and calling are not options.

There is also a cap on each hand. As such, players can only bet 10 Giant Blinds per hand. There will be a wide range of buy-ins from 5 Giant Blinds to 10 Giant Blinds.

“Whether you’re drawn to the strategic battling of Deep Water, the quick-fire action of PokerStars Tempest, or any other of your favourite poker games, our goal is to have something for you every time you open PokerStars and to get better with every hand you play,” reads a statement from PokerStars.

The introduction of these two new poker games follows PokerStars’ announcement that it is shutting down Power Up poker. The game was nearly two years in the making, but failed to make an impression on players, so PokerStars decided to shelve it.   

Tempest and Deep Water Poker will only be available for a limited time, and they will initially be launched on the UK version of PokerStars only. As of yet, the company hasn’t announced how long the games will be around for and when they will be expanding into other online poker markets.