According to the latest numbers from the independent online poker monitor Pokerscout, the popularity of fast-fold poker continues unabated…and that helps mitigate the drop in cash game activity.
Fast fold action, in which players are moved to another table when they fold a hand, was introduced under the Rush Poker branding at Full Tilt Poker years ago, and has since been adopted under diverse brand names by most online poker providers, having proved hugely popular with the players.
Pokerscout estimates that the genre deals hands far faster – up to two-and-a-half to three times as many hands per hour – than regular cash games, and this has significant implications in an industry where cash game activity appears to be declining…at Pokerstars by as much as 11 percent over the past year.
Pokerscout has seen a movement by players away from cash games to the fast-fold tables, evidenced at Pokerstars by statistics that indicate that the Zoom variety of online poker currently accounts for 29 percent of cash game players…up 8 percent from a year ago.
That suggests that despite an apparent drop in cash game traffic, the actual number of cash game hands has been relatively constant due to more players choosing to play fast-fold, with its considerably higher hands-per-hour capability.
In related news, Pokerscout reports that over the past week Pokerstars is still far and away the industry leader at 21,500 cash game players on a seven day average basis, peaking well above that from time to time.
To give a sense of perspective, the online giant’s nearest rival, 888 Poker, boasts a comparative 2,400 players over the same period, with PartyPoker and the iPoker Network currently neck and neck for third with 2,000 players, and Pokerstars stablemate Full Tilt Poker at fifth with 1,900 poker fans.