What is Speed Poker?
Speed Poker is a new format of cash game offered by Betfair that can be played at Hold'em and Omaha tables. In Speed Poker you enter a pool of players rather than just one table, and you'll face different opponents every hand. This unique functionality allows you to quick-fold a hand at any time and be instantly taken to a different table to be dealt a new hand.
How do I start playing?
Click on the Speed Poker tab in the poker lobby, choose your preferred game type, select a table and be instantly taken into the action. Should you not like your first hand click the 'speed Fold' button at any time, and be seated at a new table with a new hand.
When will the Game start?
The great thing about Speed Poker is that all games start instantly, and you can fold out of a hand at any time, instantly moving to a new table and being dealt back in.
Are Speed Poker games a good place to start for beginners?
Low stake Speed Poker tables, such as €0.02/€0.05, can be a good place to start for beginners, allowing you to play a lot of hands in a short space of time. Playing higher stake levels can be dangerous, however, as losses may accumulate more quickly. As a beginner you may benefit more from playing low stake cash games or sit & go's. These will give you the chance to observe how hands play out even after folding, thus learning the betting patterns of poker and whether or not you made the right decision!
What is the blind structure?
As with cash games, Speed Poker tables have set blinds which never change. Unlike tournament poker, there is no rush to accumulate chips in Speed Poker Games, and if you go bust you can simply re-buy instead of having to start a new tournament. In Speed Poker, however, as you move tables your seat position will be randomly set, thus the luck of the draw will determine when you get the button, or when you are stuck with the big blind. Blinds are posted automatically when due.
What happens if I disconnect?
If you disconnect in a Cash Game you will immediately sit out. Unlike in tournaments, where your blinds will continue to be posted, in Cash Games you will sit out completely, and neither be dealt a hand nor forced to put a blind in.
What are the cash games fees?
Speed Poker Games have no direct fee like tournaments. Instead, they rely on a system called 'rake' where a small percentage of the pot is taken by the house each time. This usually ranges from between one and five percent of the pot, depending on the size of the pot. Betfair has a 'no flop no drop' policy, where no rake is taken on any pot where a flop is not seen.
What different types of Speed Poker are played?
Speed Poker can be played at both Omaha and Hold'em tables, in a variety of formats ranging from low stakes, €0.02/€0.05, to higher stakes, €1/€2. Hold'em tables are no limit whereas Omaha tables have a pot-limit betting structure. All the games involve six players.
When can I leave?
During Cash Games you can leave at any point. Unlike tournaments, where you are locked in until you bust or win, Cash Games enable you to leave whenever you want, which is always useful if something comes up at short notice.