PokerStars is today unveiling a new cash game format on its dot-com client, pokerfuse can reveal.
Named All-In Poker, this new format offers a fresh twist on the popular push-or-fold poker variant. In this game, players face a single decision each hand: go all-in or fold.
True to its name, the format eliminates traditional options like limping, raising, or checking. With no post-flop decisions and simplified gameplay, All-In Poker streamlines the poker experience into its simplest form.
The new cash game variant is currently available on select PokerStars licenses, including the dot-com client, as well as Estonia, Germany, and Romania. However, it is not accessible to players in the UK, Ontario, or the US.
Offered exclusively in No-Limit Hold’em, the format features its own dedicated tab in the lobby. Tables are six-handed, with a buy-in set at five big blinds and capped at 25 big blinds. The game is available at six NLHE stakes: $0.05/$0.10, $0.25/$0.50, $0.50/$1, $1/$2, $2/$5, and $5/$10. Rake is set between 4.50% and 5%, depending on the stake level.
PokerStars’ All-In Poker Rake
| Blinds | Buy-in | Rake % | 2 Player Cap | 3-4 Player Cap | 5+ Player Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.05/$0.10 | $0.50 | 4.50% | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.15 |
| $0.25/$0.50 | $2.50 | 5% | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 |
| $0.50/$1 | $5 | 5% | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 |
| $1/$2 | $10 | 5% | $2 | $2 | $2.50 |
| $2/$5 | $25 | 5% | $2.50 | $2.50 | $3 |
| $5/$10 | $50 | 4.50% | $2.50 | $2.50 | $3 |
All-In Poker shares many similarities with Tempest Hold’em, another short-stacked all-in or fold variant previously offered by PokerStars but now shelved. However, All-In Poker is a further streamlined. Unlike Tempest, it does not feature a third blind or escalating antes. Instead, it sticks to the basics of poker, with a small blind, big blind, and the simplicity of just two choices: all-in or fold.
To promote the new game, PokerStars has introduced a unique $10,000 leaderboard, one for each of the six stakes. Unlike traditional leaderboards, points are earned exclusively by losing hands, making it an unofficial “bad beat” or “run bad” leaderboard. Points are calculated on a rolling 25-hand basis, with the strength of a player’s losing hands within that sequence determining their position.
Push or Fold Evolution
The all-in or fold poker format has been a staple of online poker for over a decade. First introduced by 888poker in 2011 under the name Push or Fold, the concept remains popular today. GGPoker offers its own version called All-In or Fold, available in both cash game and sit-and-go formats. Other operators, including Winamax, Unibet, and US-facing offshore networks also feature similar games.
This format is arguably the simplest in poker, with the outcome of each hand determined by a single preflop decision from each player. It resembles the late stages of a sit and go tournament but eliminates the complexity of ICM, making push-fold decisions more straightforward.
While the structure is straightforward and high in variance, strategy still plays a role. Players with a solid understanding of Nash equilibrium hand charts will have an edge.
Despite its appeal to casual players, the format is often criticized by poker purists, who argue it diminishes skill and reduces poker to chance. However, it aligns with the industry’s trend of promoting fast-paced, mobile-friendly formats like Fast Fold and Lottery Sit and Gos (LSNGs), catering to modern audiences seeking quick and engaging gameplay.
PokerStars has not confirmed whether All-In Poker will become a permanent addition, but given most other operators offer that similar formats long-term, it seems likely.
This release marks the operator’s first new cash game variant in many years. Between 2018 and 2020, the operator introduced several innovative game types, often as limited-time offerings, including Split Hold’em, Showtime, Fusion, and Unfold. However, only a few formats endured. Tempest Hold’em lasted nearly five years, while Short Deck, introduced during the same period, remains available even today.
It is unclear whether All-In Poker will expand to other markets, such as Ontario or the US. Notably, GGPoker’s All-In or Fold variant is available in Ontario, as is 888poker’s Push or Fold.
