Zoom secrets from the famous. The harsh truth about ZOOM Poker. Are there free tournaments on PokerStars?

What is passion? Many people enjoy this state. This is the expectation of a victory that can become proof of my own exclusivity, a victory that can give joy and delight from the proven fact that I am the chosen one, the lucky one of fate.

Each person has his own definition of this word, but everyone can associate excitement with an emotion that causes admiration. This is an unforgettable feeling that you want to experience again and again. And if you are a gambler, then you probably know about poker.

This game is considered very interesting and gambling, it is the most common game among completely different segments of the population. People of different age categories, from young to elderly people; different material security, from the poor to the rich; of different status, completely different people from each other have something in common, this is “love” and “attachment” to the game of poker.

Due to the long history of development, poker has a huge number of varieties. The rules of poker are simple and uncomplicated. If you combine all the varieties and give a general definition, it turns out that the goal of poker is to collect a combination of cards (by face value or suit), which will be higher (or lower) than that of opponents. You can choose the most suitable one for you.

Poker is a game of incomplete data and the player must act on the basis of probability theory and psychology only. Poker is unpredictable in terms of incoming cards, but thanks to the presence of stakes, it opens up huge opportunities. The basis of poker is bluffing, which is one of the most important components of poker. Its approximate essence lies in the fact that when you have an unimportant pair of cards, you make such bets as if you have two aces, moreover, suited.

One of the most popular and sought after species can be considered zoom poker . At the moment, many players have switched to this type of poker. This game allows you, unlike other types of poker, to play at two hundred tables at the same time, which is good news. In addition, the player has the opportunity to have about two hundred opponents in the game.

All these moments are beneficial for you in that the total number of hands played by you increases to four hundred percent. Thus, we can conclude that Zoom Poker differs in a positive way from other poker disciplines in its game dynamics.

On the PokerStars poker platform, you can easily find Zoom Poker. Initially, the game is no different from classic poker, but as soon as you fold your cards, you will be given a new hand at another table. This is not an unimportant advantage of this game, since you don't have to wait until the deal is over, in our version of poker you get new cards right away.

To do this, you just need to click on the “quick fold” button, after which your hand will be replaced. You can repeat this action until you get a hand that is good for you.

Zoom Poker has a lot of new features. It is the most optimal type of poker for players. But for sure, every experienced player and even a beginner have a question about how exactly all these features can affect the strategy of the game. We will be happy to answer this question. The fact is that these features of Zoom poker make a large number of changes.

One of the most important changes is the hand history, which becomes short in this game. For example, in classic poker, your opponents know how many times you raise (the action of a poker player that raises the bet), but in our version of poker, your opponents cannot have this information.

An important factor of the game is that in Zoom poker it is very difficult to make any notes, because after playing one hand, you are playing against new opponents. That is why it makes no sense for you to try to hide your behavior and your cards from your opponents.

A change that pleases all poker players. it's not having to wait. You won't need to play multiple tables like in classic poker to have more active draws. In this game, you just need to fold the cards.

Despite all these wonderful advantages in the game, you should not forget that you need to place bets, which the player must make, before he receives the cards. that is, blind bets or, as they are also called, blinds. If you have a desire to win, then you need to play actively. And don't fold good cards just because there is a "quick fold".

According to statistics, almost every poker fan has a problem with understanding the consequences. For example, poker players still believe that with aces they must make a tactical move, which consists in passively playing a strong made hand in order to force an opponent to make several bets. But this is a wrong theory.

Characteristic features in the distribution in Zoom poker

The first and most important feature is that in Zoom poker there is an opportunity to play many more hands per hour than in the classic form of poker, so you can play a lot less tables than usual. As a rule, it is better to start playing from one table, and only then, if you have a need and desire, you can always add tables.

Information needs to be given special attention. Before deciding whether to play a hand or not, you just need to monitor the number of players at your table, the number of chips available for betting to an opponent who is at the gaming table. In this game, because of the “fast fold” that it has, poker players often prefer a style of play that only plays a small number of the strongest hands, trying to avoid unusual situations and only play strong made hands.

The main difference between Zoom poker and the classic form is that the player does not need to fight with a specific opponent, he just needs to beat the entire field. In this game, you need to think about some proven strategy with your bank. You need to play with a pot that will be at least forty-five times the buy-in. It will be great if your bank is around seventy.

Here you need to play tighter than in classic poker, this has both pros and cons. This will make it much easier for you to steal the blinds and it will be much easier to win. We advise you to leave the table only when your stack is over 150bb. Usually a game of poker is drawn out, but in our version of poker you will feel as cozy and comfortable as possible thanks to a quick pass.

Poker is a game that has become popular due to the interesting strategy of the game itself and thanks to its winnings, while Zoom poker is famous for its ease of play, where winning is even easier than in classic poker. Not only beginners, but also poker gurus choose Zoom Poker. If you have a desire, if you do not have enough excitement in life, if you want easy winnings, you simply need to play Zoom Poker.

Poker-room Poker Stars presented a new kind of poker, which won the hearts of some of the players. In other words, this is a new type of poker from Poker Stars. In fact, this is a completely different game. Training at the Poker Academy includes training in fast poker.

Instead of posting blinds in a circle, Zoom Poker moves us around the tables randomly (one table in this game is actually a tandem of several hundred tables). Thanks to this, non-stop play is achieved. Now you don’t have to wait, as before, for opponents to think, you can simply press the Quick Fold button, and we will immediately be transferred to a new table.

FROM Cu And BU we open with the widest range of hands, since now we have one of the main weapons in poker - POSITION. Playing with hands like 22+ , A2s+, A8o+, JT+, suited connectors 45s+.

In the case of a 3bet, you have the added option of calling a 3bet since you are in position and you can see what your opponent has done in front of your . Fold most of the time, as you will have a large part of your opening range from late position with medium-strength hands. Strong pocket pairs JJ+ and a good suited broadway AQs+ I would recommend not folding to 3bets and calling to play postflop, where these hands play pretty well in position.

So far, we've covered options for opening a raise if you're the first to act, or there were limpers in front of you. Regarding limps (entering the game first, not by raising, but by calling) - I do not advise, if you enter the game first, then either with a raise, or not at all. Cold call only go to a set with pocket pairs, but if there was a raise before you, call a raise, then it is quite possible to connect in addition to pocket pairs and suited connectors, in multipots they play well in position.

And the last 4bets. Don't make them bluff on garbage, it's painfully unprofitable (and unnecessary) in Zoom poker, especially at small stakes. Only bet them for value (against everyone: KK, AA, against loose opponents: QQ+, AK). Believe me, you will be paid in full, so there is no point in bluffing with 4 bets. He appears only at medium stakes: at least from NL100.

Yes, and one last piece of advice. About pocket kings. Do you always play them on the stack? In most cases, of course, yes. However, there are exceptions here too. For example, you have accumulated decent poker statistics on opponents (from 500 hands for each), and you, having received KK, you see the following picture: a VERY tight opponent with UTG raises (let's say his stats are 6/3), followed by a 3 bet from the same tight opponent with a 3 bet, 2-3%.

In this case, you can quietly fold their kings and not think about them, since in most cases one of the opponents will have exactly aces. In general, if you're facing a 4-bet from a very tight opponent, you might seriously consider folding pocket kings.

ZOOM tournaments are a special format of multi-table tournaments where a player has the right to immediately fold cards without waiting for the opponents to act. Immediately after the cards are discarded, he will be transferred to another table with new participants. Throwing cards out of turn is prohibited only in the position of the big blind, if no player showed aggression preflop. When there are three tables left in the tournament, the game switches to normal mode.

How to find ZOOM tournaments at PokerStars

They are located in the "Tournaments" tab and are marked with a special symbol, as shown in the picture below.

There are two ways to simplify the search for ZOOM tournaments on PokerStars:

1. In a special field, write the word "zoom" to find these tournaments by name:

2. Filter tournaments by type, displaying only fast poker events:

ZOOM tournaments at PokerStars are very diverse. They are in the following formats:

heads-up;
3-max;
6-max;
with knockout rewards;
with rebuys;

Buy-ins range from $1.10 to $215. As part of the prestigious online series, the contribution to such tournaments can reach $2,100.

The strategy of playing in "fast" poker tournaments is slightly different when compared to regular events. PokerStars got in touch with seasoned pro Steve O'Dwyer, who agreed to share some tips for playing ZOOM tournaments:

in the initial stages, play ABC poker and do not invent anything;
when an ante appears in a tournament, it is necessary to activate and start playing looser;
don't overdo the "quick fold" button when you're on the button, cutoff, or small blind. In these positions, you need to open a wider range of hands, and send very weak hands to the pass;
try to defend the blinds;
3-bet less often, because in ZOOM tournaments there are much more chances to make a raise first, and this should be used;
with a short stack, you don't just have to wait for a premium hand, you need to look for the best situation to move all in or steal the blinds;

Analogues of ZOOM-poker in other rooms

Players from all over the world almost instantly fell in love with the "fast" poker format, so various poker rooms did not miss the opportunity to add this popular type of game to their lobbies. Not all poker rooms offer tournaments in this format, but you can play cash tables at.

The game is fun and fast paced and can make a lot of money if you know what to do. So we decided to ask some of the best players in the field about exactly how to beat the insanely fast Zoom poker fields.

If you haven't slept in a den for the past six months, then you must have noticed how much the popularity of Zoom Poker has grown at PokerStars. The essence of Zoom is that all the players at his tables stack into one big pool, divided into limits, where you get a new seat at the table, where the hand is already starting, almost at the same second as you fold your hand.

Thanks to the fast fold button, you can fold your hand at almost any point in the game, jumping from hand to hand until you are where you want to play. As a result of all these features, despite the fact that the game, in fact, retains all the characteristics of a classic cash game, it requires a special approach.

Cash games are played in both full ring and 6-max formats with bet ranges from $0.01/$0.02 to $2.50/$5.00 and you can play up to four tables at once, both Hold'em and Omaha . Given the fact that you can play 4 times as many hands as you normally would in the same amount of time, you'll be facing a lot of action. And this means that errors and edges will also fly by much faster and more quietly. Therefore, try to make sure that you are the one sitting with the edge and making others make mistakes.

Getting used to Zoom

The speed of the game is predetermined by the fact that players can play auto-fold out of turn, which allows them to advance to the next table without even having to watch other players' actions pre-flop. The only exception is the player sitting in the big blind, who must wait until all the other players have their say.

It's reasonable to assume that most players will fold most of their marginal hands since they can quickly move to a better hand immediately after they fold. And in general, it is. But as soon as a trend appears in the game, there are players who learn to use it. If you can learn how to make money on both categories of these players, you will be able to make good money at these tables.

“Some players prefer a tighter style of play, as they can easily fast-fold with all the trash in their hands and immediately move on to the next hand,” says Dale “Daleroxxu” Philip. “Others prefer to play looser to gain an advantage over those who play tight. Therefore, it is vital for us to collect as much information as possible on our rivals. Without knowing who is a nit and who is a lag, one could just play blind.

And although you can use some kind of PokerTracker for these purposes, in fact, you do not need to spend a lot of time to start understanding your opponents. You can simply right-click on the person's avatar after a couple of hands with some player and make a short note about him. Notes like this can be incredibly helpful, because while it may seem like every hand is played at a new table with new people, it really isn't.

“In regular ring games, you will get to know your opponents more and more with each hand, which means you will receive information that will allow you to play better against them in future hands. When you play zoom, your opponents and their positions change with each hand, but you will still find yourself at the same table with the same people quite often (at least during one session). And that's why it's so important to take notes on your opponents in order to keep track of who you have to play now,” Philip says.

However, the biggest edge in these games is still your HUD. Most players don't bother adjusting the HUD in zoom, as it's a fast and fun game for amateur players. But this does not mean that you should deny yourself the opportunity to earn money there. “Information is power. If you have the information and your opponents treat zoom like a game that can be played without reads, then you get a huge edge.” Philip adds.

Quick style

When you play a lot of hands, you also pay a lot of blinds. This means that in almost every hand there will be a sea of dead money that can be taken if you do not let someone else do it. "I'm just sure that you need to try to steal the blinds with a wide range since a lot of people in these games open the game and defend with relatively strong ranges, but make sure you can calmly fold your hand if you suddenly run into a lot of resistance." - says Super High Roller champion Evgeniy Kachalov.

Opening the game with a very wide range becomes a profitable move if you meet little resistance, but it is worth narrowing your range closer to hands like 6-8s, and eliminating hands like Q-8 or K-7 from the steal range. because you can put yourself in a situation with a marginal top pair. Always keep this in mind, whether you're raising for value or just trying to win the blinds. The same goes for 3-betting.

Are you raising because you think you can get enough folds to get this move into +EV for you, or because you lack action? “I think 3-betting with a wider range preflop is also a good strategy, especially against late position openers, as their range will obviously be much weaker. But when playing against regulars in such games, I would be careful, as they can quickly begin to adapt to your strategy.

“Given all this, I would of course note that for the most part, players will not think much about the nature of your 3-bet and will prefer to move on to the next hand if they do not have anything worthwhile in their hands,” Katchalov concludes his thought.

Position of the blinds

Most of the general assumptions about fold and open ranges can be safely ignored when it comes to playing from the big blind in Zoom. If you're in the big blind, you'll need to wait until the last raise is made before you can fold your hand anyway. And although in the general scheme of things this may not seem like a long wait, once you get used to this ever-clicking world, such a wait can cause the player sitting in the big blind to respond to your actions more often, especially if you do raise from the cutoff or the button. But that doesn't mean you can 4-bet the big blind with a wide range after he's snapped at your open.

“You need to stick to your usual game plan. But at the same time, it is worth remembering the specifics of the game from the big blind. Some players may start 3-betting very wide, up to 20-25% of their range, and some may fold their big blind five or six times in a row. You should react accordingly,” says Gregor “DaWarsaw” Mikiielewicz.

There is a significant chance that your opponent in the big blind will defend much more than in any other position. And that's why it's worth c-betting more often! Again, it all depends on the position.

Despite the differences from "regular" ring games, position still has a huge impact on the action in Zoom. “Pay attention to the position of your opponents when they open. In Zoom this may be even more of a factor than in regular games, as players don't have to wait 50 hands to build their image of being tight, meaning their raises from UTG and other early positions will be respected anyway." Kachalov.

Postflop

But, as we all know, big pots are won and lost post-flop, and this is where Zoom really shows its differences from regular ring games. Pre-flop ranges are one thing, but if a player knows that he can safely refuse a flop that gave him nothing and immediately move on to another hand, especially if the game is out of position for him, then most often this He chooses the option for himself. This is a huge difference from regular cash games where players will stubbornly hold on to their low pair or ace high.

Continuation bets against standard players should be encouraged. “It seems to me that the hit-or-knock logic with which some of your opponents will play zoom will always elicit a logical response in the form of more frequent continuation bets (but smaller ones). And the best part is that this continuation bet will still get a lot of fold equity.”

“In situations where you would normally check back on the flop for pot control, you can now c-bet since you will almost always get a high level of fold equity, not only on the flop, but also on subsequent streets” , - says Roit "GodlikeRoy" Bazin

Lex Veldhuis agrees with him: “Most people either give up on the flop right away or decide to go all the way in the hand. The reason for this lies in the desire to catch some good hand, where it will be obvious that you are ahead. Marginal situations become less interesting for some players. Why make difficult decisions when you can simply and quickly move on to the next one? I often CB on the flop for this very reason, but at the same time, I almost stopped playing triple barrels in Zoom. And the size of the c-bet itself can be made smaller due to the increased fold equity.” And these are the words of a person who plays very aggressively in regular games and tournaments, and the triple barrel is a classic for him.

Don't forget the base

With so many bluffs, it might seem like it's time to put on your cape and make that heroic call. But the problem is that there is no room for such calls in zoom. Due to tighter starting hand ranges, and more disciplined post-flop play, the number of spots where your ace high or third pair can win the hand on the river is reduced to zero. You will pay off your opponents value bets much more often. Yes, heroic calls can sometimes work in low limit tournaments or against your drunken friends, but that's not the case with zoom.

The main thing- do not overload your head with "global thoughts" about how the zoom actually works. If something works in a standard 6-max cache, then it should work in a 6-max zoom too, the same goes for full ring and Omaha. You should not justify your terrible call or all-in with the fact that this is a zoom and there is a different logic here. So you will only confuse yourself.

Also be careful with stacks. It's easy to build up a big stack here, so keep an eye on your and your opponents' stack sizes before jumping into a pre-flop war of wits. Sometimes it's better to just call with your small pocket pair, and sometimes you can even 3-bet. Consider the stack sizes of your opponents and what you want to achieve. Remember that basic poker skills will help you no matter where and what you play. Yes, the variance is much higher in these games, but the big pots, over time, will even out the situation in the direction of someone who constantly and quickly makes the right decisions. You only need to make sure that this player is you.