pokerstars have recently purchased full tilt and as a result they now own the patent on the speed poker format originally developed by full tilt called “rush poker”. although pokerstars infringed on this patent themselves when they released zoom poker, their attorney has now come out saying they will protect this newly acquired patent. this must be very worrying news for other poker rooms that offer speed poker games. i doubt terminal poker would have the resources to take on pokerstars in a prolonged legal battle. I feel that this move by pokerstars is bad news for both online and mobile poker players. having a pokerstars and full tilt monopoly is already worrying but now that they're threatening legal action on a bunch of smaller poker rooms the whole thing just seem sinister.
I agree. Competition is always a good thing. Would PokerStars have spent so much developing their poker client if they didn't have Full Tilt at their heels over the years. Almost certainly not. I think there is little doubt that they will try to close any poker room that offers any type of speed poker, which would be a real shame.
I think it will be difficult for PokerStars to claim a patent on speed poker at this stage. Ladbrokes now offer Blaze Poker and PartyPoker have their own version called Fast Forward. They should be relieved that they're not all in jail but who knows what they'll do.
Can't see it happening. Fast Fold poker is now seen as another poker variant so it would be like PokerStars claiming to own Omaha.
I think that horse has bolted at this stage. Pretty much every poker room is now offer fast fold poker, including Ladbrokes, Bwin, PartyPoker and Bet365.
I agree. Virtually every online poker room now have a fast-fold poker format so it would be impossible for PokerStars to prevent them from offering their players high-speed poker games.
PokerStars, who now own Full Tilt Poker, have been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which will give them full control over fast-fold poker formats in the United States. It's unclear exactly how or if they will enforce this ruling on competitor poker rooms.
while pokerstars own the rights to fast fold poker in the untied states, poker rooms like terminal poker don't do business there so it won't affect them.