PokerStars introduces new poker format — Fusion

This new format name is self-explanatory, as is indeed a fusion or integration of another poker disciplines. Fusion will be a combination of Omaha and Hold'em. But it is not like Irish Poker which was available at Full Tilt Poker long time ago, Fusion will have a completely different gameplay — it will begin as Hold'em and then it will convert into PLO.

Poker Fusion rules

On preflop, the players receive two cards, exactly as Hold'em and the betting round is the same. On the flop, each player receives a third card, and on the turn receives a fourth one, and from that moment the rules switch to Omaha.

Fusion will be available from NL5 and buy-ins from 50bb to 80bb, and the most likely is that the players will be randomly seated at the tables. The PokerStars lobby is already announcing this new format.

Room representatives have commented about Fusion:

"Fusion mixes two well-loved formats together giving an exciting twist to the game. We eagerly await player feedback and look forward to seeing everyone joining the tables, and giving Fusion a try."
Stephen Bartley

"We want to give our players games that they have never played before and bring a unique offering to the table" 
Severin Rasset, Director of Poker Innovation and Operations.

Conclusions

We are not shocked by the Fusion announcement, and we can already bet on how the new format will turn out.

The card distribution system will definitely increase the unpredictability, which makes Fusion another lottery format with high variance; playing with a strategy will be very difficult. Even in the article which introduces Fusion, it's written:

"Who knows, it might be so complex that bluffing becomes the only rational option left open to you."

Having less information than in Hold'em and Omaha, and your only option is to bluff hoping that your opponent didn't receive a magic card in the turn to get the nuts.

Regular players will stay away from this new format and in six weeks it will disappear from the lobby, most likely forever like its three predecessors in 2018.

In the meantime, the main real consequence will be an outflow of amateur players of the regular tables.

As for today, the only interesting innovation introduced by PokerStars this year was Showtime, where the players can see the cards after their opponents' fold, giving valuable information for the development of the hand.

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