Summary
- PokerStars launched Zoom for NJ and MI players on January 23
- The game was removed after players encountered technical issues
- Zoom is expected to be re-deployed once the problem is fixed
PokerStars had to temporarily pull out its popular fast-fold cash game product Zoom from its newly-launched New Jersey-Michigan network due to technical issues.
Zoom ring games became available to players in both states on January 23 but they had to be removed from the lobby just a day later following multiple reports of the tables not dealing despite reaching the required minimum number of players.
The launch marked the first time that Zoom games went live for PokerStars players in the US, though those in Pennsylvania may have to wait a little longer to access the games. PokerStars launched Zoom back in 2012 and since then, the fast-fold variant has proven popular among players in the global client and the ring-fenced European markets such as Pokerstars.fr.
Zoom Games Not Loading
Zoom games were deployed on the NJ-MI shared pool at around 9:00 pm ET on January 23. Players got to choose from a wide range of buy-in levels, from NL2 up to NL200. PokerStars also announced a Zoom Early Bird Promo that would award 2x rewards points for the first 10 players to join a Zoom pool for 10 minutes.
Zoom is a fast-paced poker game wherein players are transferred to a new table with a new group of players each time they fold their hand. Each participant is also allowed to fast-fold – an action that enables them to fold their hand out of turn so they can quickly move on to the following hand.
Because of this setup, fast-fold variants like Zoom need two tables of players to get started. This is to avoid long pauses between folding one hand and getting moved to the next table.
When players tried the game out shortly after its launch on the NJ-MI network, many reported on social media that the tables did not load even if there were enough players in the pool.
PokerStars Working To Fix the Issue
It’s understood PokerStars has now removed the games, as the Zoom tab can no longer be seen in the lobby. The technical team may be working to fix the bug and players should not worry as the games are expected to be back up and running once the issues are resolved.
PokerStars is the second operator to launch a fast-fold poker variant in the US. BetMGM already offers the format in all of its three US markets – New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
