Poker Stars review

Summary

The number #1 online poker room for both traffic volume and game selection, Poker Stars caters for all player types from the beginner through to high-stakes professional. A member of the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission - Poker Stars takes security and game integrity very seriously, using state of the art 1024-RSA certificates and SSLv3 encryption.

As soon as you start playing at Poker Stars it becomes easy to see why this room is number #1. The software is slick and easy to navigate. The number and variety of tables available mean you will find a game at a limit that suits you within minutes. In addition to their sign-up bonus Poker Stars host a VIP club which lets players accumulate points which can be exchanged for quality goods and freeroll entries.

Software and Extra Features

There are several features of the Poker Stars software client that make this an excellent choice for online poker players. Firstly the lobby is very easy to navigate; both cash-game tables and tournaments are easy to locate with the help of specially designed filters. The software will also keep your preferences in terms of where tables get located on your screen, the background graphics (or ‘themes’) and even where at each table you are seated.

A unique feature of the Poker Stars software is the ability to upload a personal picture (or icon) that displays at the table. The tables themselves can be re-sized easily during play, making it easy for players wishing to have several games simultaneously to see all of their tables.

Player Traffic and Competition

Traffic volumes at Poker Stars are the biggest on the internet. At peak times almost 15,000 cash-game players and over 100,000 tournament players can be found at the tables.

As with all online poker rooms No Limit Holdem attracts the most players for cash-games, tournaments and Sit and Goes. Omaha tables and tournaments also attract good numbers of players, particularly at the low to mid-limits.

The competition varies from the complete novice to the high-stakes pro. At the lower limits you will find opponents very soft at Poker Stars, getting gradually tougher as you move up the levels. Poker Stars pro’s including Chris Moneymaker, Tom McEnvoy and Daniel Negranu can be found playing the high-stakes tables through the ‘Find A Pro’ feature in the lobby.

Sign up Bonus

The standard sign-up bonus at Poker Stars is 100% match on your first deposit up to $600. The minimum deposit depends on your payment method and starts at just $10, eChecks have a minimum of $25 while cashiers checks and money orders have a $100 minimum. This is boosted throughout the year by regular ‘reload bonuses’, these are based on further deposits depending on your VIP Club Level.

To clear the deposit or reload bonus you must earn 17 times the amount of bonus in Frequent Player Points (FPPs). 5 FPPs are awarded for each $1 paid in tournament fees (including Sit and Goes). Ring game players earn up to 3 FPPs per hand depending on the amount of rake. As you move up the VIP club rankings FPPs are awarded even faster. You have 180 days in which to clear the sign-up bonus, which is released in one lump sum once the FPP requirement is met.

The Poker Stars VIP Club is a very good reason to join this poker room; points are accumulated very quickly and can be used in a number of ways. Each player is assigned a VIP level depending on how many points they earn during the preceding month. As you climb the levels freerolls and exclusive offers become available. Goods in the Poker Stars VIP store include books, gift vouchers and high-end electronics.

Game Variety and Promotions

The variety of games available at Poker Stars is huge. In addition to Holdem (in No-Limit, Pot-Limit and Fixed-Limit format) there are always Omaha (including Hi/Lo), Stud (again including Hi/Lo), and Razz games available. Other games include 5-Card Draw, 2-7 Triple Draw, HORSE and HOSE.

There are betting limits to suit all pockets available at Poke Stars. No-Limit games start with blinds of just 2 cents / 1 cent and go up to $400 / $200. Fixed limit betting starts at 2 cents / 4 cents and goes up to $1000 / $2000 for the high rollers. The most popular tables are at the lower end of the scale, with No-Limit up to $6 / $3 and Fixed Limit games up to $2 / $4 being regularly available.

Tournaments are also available 24/7 with buy-ins ranging from just $1 and a variety of games to choose from. Poker Stars hold the 2 biggest Sunday tournaments around. The ‘Sunday Million’ regularly attracts fields of 6000+ and prize pools of $1.5 Million. For lower-stakes players the ‘Sunday $100k’ attracts fields of 15000 players.

Other promotions include regular satellite qualifiers, both to the higher buy-in online tournaments and televised events. These often start at just a few dollars and can also be entered using VIP club points. Poker Stars feature guaranteed tournaments every day in a variety of games to suit all pockets. This includes tournaments such as the daily $15k ($10+1 buy-in) the daily $50K ($50+$5 buy-in) as well as rebuy tournaments starting from just $3+30c entry.

Each year Poker Stars host the WCOOP (World Championship of Online Poker) this is a series of tournaments with huge guaranteed prize pools. The 2007 WCOOP has a final event with a $5 million guaranteed prize. Entry to WCOOP events ranges from $215 to $5,200 with satellite qualifiers available for just a few dollars or using FPPs.

Deposit / Withdrawal Methods

Poker Stars deposits can be made in a large variety of ways and in a selection of currencies. The list of deposit and withdrawal methods currently includes: Neteller, Instant eChecks, MoneyBookers, Visa, Delta, Electron Debit cards, UseMyBank, ePassporte, Solo, Maestro and Switch, Diners Club International, Mastercard, Bank Transfer, ELV, Online Bank Transfer and PlaySafeCard. In addition withdrawing your profits is very easy, Poker Stars will dispatch a paper check within 3 days of request if you do not wish to use one of the methods listed above to withdraw your winnings.

Customer Service

Poker Stars are considered the number #1 for customer service as well as traffic volumes. Queries sent to their e-mail support are always answered quickly and courteously, any complex or serious matter is sent to a dedicated department within their customer service for review.