Showtime Hold’em is similar to the globally popular game of Texas Hold’em, but with one crucial difference: all folded cards are left face-up for the duration of the hand. The result is more information available to each player, leading to new possibilities and greater depth of strategy. Showtime Hold’em replaced Split Hold’em, the second PokerStars’ temporary cash games that have been since the beginning of the year. Split Hold’em was a different twist altogether with two sets of community cards being dealt – to win the entire pot, the players were required to form the winning five-card hand with both sets of cards. PokerStars is set to launch its new novelty cash game Showtime Hold’em across the dot-com network later today, PRO can reveal. Showtime Hold’em is a twist on No Limit Hold’em, where players have to reveal their hand to the table every time they fold. It is the second in a suite of new game innovations that will hit the client this year.

PokerStars announced in September that it will be removing Unfold.

Originally touted as a permanent addition to the company’s offering, the latest cash game innovation by PokerStars is scheduled to be scrapped in the coming days.

“Following a strategic review, we have made the decision to fold ‘Unfold’,” said Severin Rasset, Director of Poker Innovation and Operations in a statement to pokerfuse.

Initially, Unfold was scheduled to be taken down Monday, September 10, but the company quickly backtracked on its termination termination timeline, though the game is still set to be pulled.

What is Unfold Hold’em?

Unfold Hold’em is a unique twist on traditional Texas Hold’em that allows a player the ability to retrieve their mucked cards once a flop is dealt and enter a side pot with other players.

What are the Rules of Unfold Hold’em?

A minimum of four players must be dealt into a hand for the Unfold action to kick in. At the start of each hand, every player on the table contributes an ante—the size of which depends on the table stakes. The antes collected go into a separate pot called Unfold pot.

Once a flop is dealt, players who folded may return to the game with the same hole cards they mucked. To do so, players have to contribute a bet equivalent to the size of the Unfold Pot and the players that previously folded will only be able to compete for Unfold pot.

Once eligible players pay the Unfold bet, there will be no further bets from these players, and the rest of hand will be played out among the players who have not yet folded in the the hand. In case the main pot is won before the full board is dealt, the remaining community cards are dealt (rabbit hunting) to determine the winner of the Unfold pot. The unfold pot is awarded to the player in the Unfold pot with the strongest 5-card poker hand after the river is dealt.

Pokerstars Showtime Holdem

Unfold antes will be refunded to all players if:

• The main pot is decided pre-flop
• Fewer than two players fold pre-flop
• No players choose to Unfold

Where Can I Play Unfold Hold’em?

Unfold Hold’em can be played at the world’s leading online poker site, PokerStars.

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• Largest player base in the world.
• Home of Spin & Go, Power Up and lots of other unique game variants.
• Biggest weekly tournament schedule around.

Is Unfold Hold’em Available in Tournaments?

No, Unfold Hold’em is only available in a cash game format. It is played as an eight-max No Limit Hold’em format.

What are the Minimum and Maximum Buy-ins or Table Stakes for Unfold Hold’em?

Unfold Hold’em is offered from $0.03/$0.06 with the Unfold Ante at $0.02 to a maximum limit of $1/$2 with the Unfold Ante at $0.60. Buy-ins are fixed meaning players cannot choose their own buy-in. Buy-ins range from 60 big blinds at lower stakes to 80 big blinds at higher stakes.

Can Players Choose Their Own Table or Seat in Unfold Hold’em?

No. Unfold Hold’em has adopted “Seat Me” or blind-lobby functionality. Under this system, players choose the game and stake and the software automatically finds a seat for the players. If no seat is immediately available, players join a waiting list.

What is the Rake Structure of Unfold Hold’em?

Since there are two separate pots in Unfold Hold’em, there is separate rake for each pot. The Main Pot is raked at 4.25% at lower stakes and goes up to a maximum of 5% at higher stakes.

However, in an Unfold Pot, rake ranges from 5% to 8%. If no players choose to unfold or if the hand gets dealt to less than four players, rake is not charged on the Unfold pot. Caps on the rake depend on the table stakes which is shown as below.

Unfold Rake

Stakes	Unfold Ante	Main Pot Rake	2 Player Cap	3-4 Player Cap	5+ Player Cap	Unfold Rake/Cap
$0.03/$0.06	$0.02	4.25%	$0.50	$0.50	$1.00	8%/$0.09
$0.05/$0.10	$0.03	4.50%	$0.50	$1.00	$1.50	8%/$0.13
$0.10/$0.20	$0.06	4.50%	$0.50	$1.00	$2.00	7%/$0.24
$0.25/$0.50	$0.15	5.00%	$0.75	$0.75	$2.00	7%/$0.59
$0.50/$1	$0.30	5.00%	$1.00	$1.00	$2.50	6%/$1.01
$1/$2	$0.60	5.0%	$1.25	$1.25	$2.75	5%/$1.68

Is Unfold Hold’em Available in My Region?

Unfold Hold’em is available for real money in global dot-com, European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK), and Denmark (DK) client. The game is not yet available in Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, European shared network (France, Portugal, and Spain), Greece, India, Italy, and New Jersey.

However, players from all these regions (including the United States) can play Unfold Hold’em for play-money in NET client.

Is Unfold Hold’em Supported by Third-party Tracking Software?

No, at the moment neither PokerTracker or Holdem Manager tracks Unfold Hold’em.

Are There Any Promotions on Unfold Hold’em?

PokerStars is offering over $7500 in free cash to celebrate the launch of Unfold Hold’em. Players who make their first deposit by September 1 will receive 30 School Pass tickets which can be used to enter Unfold Freebuy tourneys.

Existing players can also earn 30 School Pass tickets by making a deposit of a minimum of $10 using the bonus code “UnfoldSchool” by September 1.

Additionally, players can earn School Pass tickets by participating in PokerStars social media or commenting in the PokerStarsSchool forum.

However, Unfold Freebuy tourneys will play as normal No Limit Hold’em and players won’t have the ability to unfold their hole cards. Players who make cash in these tournaments can use that bankroll to play Unfold cash games.

Latest News on Unfold:

Exclusive: partypoker to Implement Fixed Buy-in Functionality at Cash Games by the End of June

As a part of partypoker’s ongoing changes to improve ecology, all cash games will have a fixed 100 big-blind buy-in by the end of this month.

Exclusive: 6+ Hold’em, Showtime and Fusion to Return to PokerStars in Tournament Format

Both Hold’em and Omaha versions of Showtime are among the games that will soon make their debut as MTTs.

Pokerstars Showtime Poker

6+ Hold’em to Debut in Italy and it Could be Permanent

6+ will be the only variant in the recent wave of new games from PokerStars to go live in a segregated market.

PokerStars Takes Down Fusion, Six Plus Hold’em Could Make its Debut on January 16

After successfully running for more than two months, PokerStars has withdrawn Fusion from its poker client.

888 to Launch a New Poker Game: Pik’em Poker

The latest innovation from 888poker is expected to be released later this month.

PokerStars Hints that Showtime, Split Hold’em May Return in Tournament Format

Pokerstars Showtime Hold'em

MTT versions of recent limited-run games have been requested by players.

Unfold Poker: Your Guide to PokerStars’ Latest Poker Game

Unfold Hold’em by PokerStars lets players get back into the action even if they had folded preflop.

PokerStars Folds Unfold Poker: Online Poker Giant Set to Remove Latest Poker Innovation After Six-Week Test Run

Unfold will be the third new cash game product innovation from the online poker giant this year that will be withdrawn after a limited time.

Exclusive: PokerStars’ Next New Online Poker Game Could be Six Plus Hold’em

New leak suggests that the online poker room plans to launch 6+ Hold’em, also known as Short Deck Poker, the action-filled online poker variant that’s proved a hit in Asia.

Read more on Unfold »