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Deep Water Hold’em

Deep Water Hold'em is an exciting poker format, based on Texas Hold’em, but with antes that increase when a hand doesn't reach showdown, and a unique approach to blinds.

Available exclusively at PokerStars, Deep Water Hold’em is for players of all levels.

If you’ve played Texas Hold’em before, seen it on TV, or you're looking for something new, Deep Water Hold’em is easy to pick up and packed with one-of-a-kind action.

The Rules of Deep Water Hold’em

At the beginning of each hand, every player posts an ante. The value of antes for a given hand is based on previous hands dealt at the table:

  1. If the previous hand had a showdown, the ante is reset to its lowest value
  2. If the previous hand did not have a showdown, the ante value increases (up to a maximum value, displayed in your game window)

In addition, the player sat to the left of the Big Blind posts a third blind called the Giant Blind, which is double the value of the Big Blind.

The hand then plays out according to Texas Hold’em rules, with pre-flop, flop, turn and river betting rounds.

Heads-Up Play

During heads-up, the player sat on the button will post a Big Blind and their opponent will post a Giant Blind.

Ante Cap

Possible values of antes are fixed and displayed on the top right corner of the table. Maximum ante value is capped for each stake and cannot exceed the Big Blind.

How do I take my seat in Deep Water Hold’em?

To start playing Deep Water Hold’em, all you need to do is choose the game and stake you want to play, and the software will find a seat for you. If no seat is immediately available, you’ll be placed on a waiting list.

Please Note: There may be a minimum number of hands that you must play before you can sit out or leave without incurring a time penalty. Time penalties are cumulative and should rarely impact most players. They are in place to deter players from attempting seat selection by repeatedly joining and leaving a large number of tables.

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