- New mobile poker app, Duel by PokerStars launches in beta.
- Full Tilt and partypoker announce February tournament series.
- Mediarex reveals new HoldemX free-play game.
PokerStars
PokerStars is rethinking heads up real money online poker—taking away with one hand, and giving with the other.
The site is ending traditional cash game online poker. This Friday, all NL, PL and FL games will be removed from the lobby. Players wishing to play heads up cash will have to battle it out in fast-fold Zoom player pools, which are being expanded to most stake bands to accomodate HU cash refugees.
Though there will be another option for heads up fans——Duel by PokerStars. The app offers turn-based play chips and real money heads up games exclusively on mobile devices. The game is being trialed in Norway before rolling out across markets in the coming months.
The new product is one of PokerStars’ biggest projects in recent years: A whole new player pool, entirely new mobile apps, and a complete rethink on how poker should be played and how a community can be built around the game.
The game is undeniably focused on low volume, recreational and casual players, and borrows ideas heavily from the free-play social gaming—while retaining its real money roots.
