Rush Poker making me bleed!

It is safe to say i am getting absolutely dominated by rush poker. ive been playing at .05/.1 and have litteraly lost every single time for the last ten sessions. I have no idea what im doing wrong. Here is my basic strategy:

Early position: 88 and up AQ and up
Middle position: If someone raises 3x to 3.5x and has me covered and another player calls as well that has me covered i call.

If folded to i raise 3x with AJ or better

Late position: Raise any pocket pair 3.5x. Raise a lot of suited connectors 3.5x and raise any hand better than J 10o 3.5x

Blinds: I do a lot of re stealing on the big and small blinds and deffinately have seen success with this so im not too worried about my play on the blinds

Post Flop

Try to c-bet whenever i can. Im looking for position and a good board, but mostly position. I cant really explain my post flop play i dont have a set strategy, but feel free to make some suggestions.

I really need help with this im adicted to it, i love how fast paced it is if i could win it would make it that much sweater of a game so pls help me.

I suck hard at rush poker too. I really hate having zero reads. There's guys playing super tight, and others playing super loose, but there's really no way to tell them apart unless you recognize their name.

I'm definitely already stuck more than $25 chasing the Take 2 bonus lol

Rush poker is a hugely negative sum game designed to generate more rake for full tilt. Notice none of the big-name pros in the TV ads are playing.

So my question to Phil Ivey is: Why aren't YOU playing Rush Poker?

i agree .ive played several strategies and seem to get whipped 90 percent of the time.loose or tight ,position ,hmmmmm ,there has to be some good way to play and im all ears for this one.

baudib1 said:

Rush poker is a hugely negative sum game designed to generate more rake for full tilt. Notice none of the big-name pros in the TV ads are playing.

So my question to Phil Ivey is: Why aren't YOU playing Rush Poker?

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i bet if 100/200+ rush poker ran actively, ivey would play it

baudib1 said:

Rush poker is a hugely negative sum game designed to generate more rake for full tilt. Notice none of the big-name pros in the TV ads are playing.

So my question to Phil Ivey is: Why aren't YOU playing Rush Poker?

Click to expand...

well there isnt low enough stakes for them or enough players

baudib1 said:

Rush poker is a hugely negative sum game designed to generate more rake for full tilt. Notice none of the big-name pros in the TV ads are playing.

So my question to Phil Ivey is: Why aren't YOU playing Rush Poker?

Click to expand...

hes not playing bc 400 nl is below him

I know there are several good strategies on this forum for rush tourney but has anyone written a good one for ring?

For the Take 2 bonus I am playing very similar to the OP but I am not sure if this is gonna be a good way to play all the time.

kmixer said:

I know there are several good strategies on this forum for rush tourney but has anyone written a good one for ring?

For the Take 2 bonus I am playing very similar to the OP but I am not sure if this is gonna be a good way to play all the time.

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Ive seen those too and thay are really good, but obviosly it is much different when you play cash. I really would like to see a successful players strategy or video of how they play.

Rush Poker has cracked me, too! I play Omaha Hi. People just fold, fold, fold until they get good hands so basically you are racing two good hands against each other. Takes all the skill out of poker.

At least players are folding in omaha hi. nl rush you would think players would bet with only good starting hands but alot dont. Its not for me.

I haven't posted in a long time but I have been lurking around. Just got off a nice little break from poker.

Anyway, looking to reach at least gold in the IM challange and having a limited BR I have been dabbling in rush.

I have over 2bb/100 over 25000 hands playing pretty much pre-flop as you. This isn't a huge sample, but I think I have the hang of it.

First off if you haven't been to FT academy and seen the lesson "5 tips on Rush Poker" then do so.

Second listen to this advice and if you don't take anything out of it other than slow down and take notes, then at least you got the main jist of it.

For instance did you know if you want to see a showdown in a hand but don't want to play in it anymore, you can click the "sit out next hand button" and see the rest of the hand. You can gain valuable info by seeing the showdowns you would miss if you quick fold.

Go to your HH after a session and make more notes on hands your opponents.

If you have PT3 or similar tracking software the HUD can be used on rush tables. I don't use because my computer can't keep up with 3 tabling and freezes quite often.

I haven't done this yet, but I was thinking it might almost be worth it to "datamine" so to speak by playing one or two tables with the HUD on and instead of quick folding click sit out next hand and take notes accordingly.

If you can do this you should be profitable as long as you are decent at post-flop play(which I meed much work on).

Hope this helps.

I dont care for it either. My suggestion: stick to non rush games, and play "normal" poker.

I lost $17 on my first 4 days of the Take 2 promotion trying to play Rush with my normal game which is pretty TAG. Maybe it was partly variance because I had sets busted twice, top 2 pair busted once and high pocket pairs run into aces three times. So then, just to try to survive the promotion and get my $25, I started with a $2 buy-in on 2/5 nl Rush instead of my usual $5 and played super tight. On day 5, I managed to clear the bonus with only a $0.48 loss and on day 6 I was up $2.30 after pocket jacks held up twice. Once in a 3-way against pocket 9's and AQs after the 9's shoved on the flop, and once against a bluff all-in on the river. Both times I really expected to be up against better hands because that's what I'd been seeing. The betting in Rush seems very unpredictable and I have no feel yet for what percentage of the time people are bluffing, but I feel like I see a lot more oversize bets and all-ins in Rush. I hate not having any read on the players.

I've got a couple of days left on my trial of HEM, but it doesn't seem to be giving me much info on the players. Probably just too many of them to see enough hands in a short session.

Your not playing bad considering how nitty rush nl is. When I play, I basically fold 90% of my hands, and try to get it in if i think I'm good.

I have completely given up on rush. I love the concept. I just can't seem to develop a good strategy for myself.

You have to get into the mindset of the donkey here....


There playing RUSH POKER, rush meaning fast, they see lots of hands so they play fast... theres not a whole lot of slowplaying going on here haha, if you just follow the tag rules, playing only the premium hands utg, loosening up around the button, you should be ok...

Rephrasing what others above me said, try and slow down your play and keep notes on the regulars in each level. I think in rush more than anything else even, knowing who the regs are helps bc you get a feeling for who knows whats going on and who doesnt

timboslice4 said:

It is safe to say i am getting absolutely dominated by rush poker. ive been playing at .05/.1 and have litteraly lost every single time for the last ten sessions. I have no idea what im doing wrong. Here is my basic strategy:

Early position: 88 and up AQ and up
Middle position: If someone raises 3x to 3.5x and has me covered and another player calls as well that has me covered i call.

If folded to i raise 3x with AJ or better

Late position: Raise any pocket pair 3.5x. Raise a lot of suited connectors 3.5x and raise any hand better than J 10o 3.5x

Blinds: I do a lot of re stealing on the big and small blinds and deffinately have seen success with this so im not too worried about my play on the blinds

Post Flop

Try to c-bet whenever i can. Im looking for position and a good board, but mostly position. I cant really explain my post flop play i dont have a set strategy, but feel free to make some suggestions.

I really need help with this im adicted to it, i love how fast paced it is if i could win it would make it that much sweater of a game so pls help me.

Click to expand...

This is not far off how I'd been playing $10nl Rush. (I've found $25nl to be quite different).


The biggest difference between what I do and what you're saying that you do; I have a HUD, which makes a huge difference for me.

My range for opening in late position varies significantly based on stack sizes and looseness/aggression from the player behind and in the blinds. If they're loose I don't bother with non-broadway unless they're a pair. If everyone is tight I raise anything. Similarly I 3 bet very wide from the blinds when I see a late position raise from someone with steal stats like mine (35% or higher). And the HUD tells me how often to c-bet on certain flops based on how loose and how aggressive my opponent is.


I find $10nl FR Rush to be reliable money, so other than the HUD I don't know why you would be losing based on the info you've given.

Rush $10nl is money in the bank with a HUD IMHO.

NineLions said:

This is not far off how I'd been playing $10nl Rush. (I've found $25nl to be quite different).


The biggest difference between what I do and what you're saying that you do; I have a HUD, which makes a huge difference for me.

My range for opening in late position varies significantly based on stack sizes and looseness/aggression from the player behind and in the blinds. If they're loose I don't bother with non-broadway unless they're a pair. If everyone is tight I raise anything. Similarly I 3 bet very wide from the blinds when I see a late position raise from someone with steal stats like mine (35% or higher). And the HUD tells me how often to c-bet on certain flops based on how loose and how aggressive my opponent is.


I find $10nl FR Rush to be reliable money, so other than the HUD I don't know why you would be losing based on the info you've given.

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So do you think a HUD is necissary to win?

I recently dropped in stakes and it was a lot easier and so far i won money 3 sessions in a row

timboslice4 said:

So do you think a HUD is necissary to win?

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I played 25,000 hands without HUD and with very few notes and still show profit. Big money hands AA preflop and sets postflop. Take notes and it helps out much. Watch some showdowns after a session in the HH and take notes then if you don't want to do it all mid play.

baudib1 said:

Rush poker is a hugely negative sum game designed to generate more rake for full tilt. Notice none of the big-name pros in the TV ads are playing.

So my question to Phil Ivey is: Why aren't YOU playing Rush Poker?

Click to expand...

my sentements exactly..............where's phil gordon also???????

i only play it once and awhile, sometimes i win sometimes i lose.
i gamble more when i play, call with speculative hands. mostly pocket pairs 9 or less and tons of suited connecters and suited one gappers.
when i get a monster hand and bet they tend to fold even with min bet....
i do better when i call or limp.
since i play micro the bb's don't mount to much so it's better to get in there cheap see where it could lead and if it's a dead end get out.

paumarhas said:

my sentements exactly..............where's phil gordon also???????

i only play it once and awhile, sometimes i win sometimes i lose.
i gamble more when i play, call with speculative hands. mostly pocket pairs 9 or less and tons of suited connecters and suited one gappers.
when i get a monster hand and bet they tend to fold even with min bet....
i do better when i call or limp.
since i play micro the bb's don't mount to much so it's better to get in there cheap see where it could lead and if it's a dead end get out.

Click to expand...

I would cut out most of the SC's. Whenever I hit a set I bet out and bet fast. Seems to have payed off nicely so far. Yeah, some times they fold or only call one street but the time you felt them should make up for it.

The way I look at it there is only maybe 800 players tops playing at anytime and most of them with no reads or notes or HUD's or even a knowledge of how to play decent.

As long as you take notes and fish keep dumping in their paychecks every week it should pay off well. At the micro level anyway.

I just hope all you rush haters will keep hating as long as you are a good player. The less good regs and the more fish the better for me.

DetroitJimmy said:

For instance did you know if you want to see a showdown in a hand but don't want to play in it anymore, you can click the "sit out next hand button" and see the rest of the hand. You can gain valuable info by seeing the showdowns you would miss if you quick fold.

Click to expand...

DJ, this is something that I was going to comment upon. I hate that I can't see the showdown since that can help getting a better read on a player. I didn't know you could do the "sit out" option and then stay at the table. That's a really helpful tip. Thanks for taking the time to post it here.
I've tended to also think, as another poster said, that this is a very profitable way for the site to get $$ since it is so appealing to not have to wait between hands.

I wonder if this helps good players stay focused and be able to wait for better hands?

Even if you don't feel like sitting out and waiting you can still go back and see whole hand in HH.

I ran through many hands 4 tabling HUDless with PT3 still running and it still gets the whole hand even if you quick fold.

So burning through a bunch of hands is almost like datamining without breaking the rules.

I'm gonna shut up now before all the sharks around here start smelling the chum.