Poker Stars Poker Room Review
In May of 2007, site traffic in real money games peaked at 13,000. This is remarkable considering PokerStars is an independent site and does not rely on any network. Still, it has built a highly competitive series of products with excellent game variety, plenty of cash games and tournaments, and highly functional software with superior graphics. With such a wide range of talent present on the site, there are appropriate competition levels for just about anyone. Great customer support is another strength. While live chat or telephone support are yet to be offered, PokerStars receives praise for its 24/7 email support. A knowledgeable and friendly support team has been described as responsive and “second-to-none.” PokerStars also offers a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section which covers many of the most critical issues encountered. PokerStars also maintains incredibly fast and reliable software, an accomplishment considering the site’s huge traffic volume. The software is compatible with both MAC and PC and is updated regularly to maintain stability and security. Players have access to a wide variety of information, and can upload their own images to represent themselves at the table. On the site, the lobby provides notes on other players and statistics on the percentages of action in different hands. Advanced multi-tabling is supported at up to eight cash games at a time and at an unlimited number of tournaments. The players have total control of the software; they can choose the size of the tables as well as individual themes for each one. The graphics are also highly customizable and easy to understand. PokerStars offers great promotions and competitive game variety. Offerings include Limit and No Limit Texas Hold’Em, Omaha Hi/Lo , Seven Card Stud Hi, Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, H.O.R.S.E., H.O.S.E., Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, Five-Card Draw, 2-7 Single Draw Lowball, and Badugi. The site also hosts lots of tournaments and freerolls. Full-table games are available on Poker Stars, as well as short-handed and heads-up tables. There is no rake at the micro-limit tables. Plenty of $500 and above buy-in tournaments are available for the high-stakes players. While the high traffic has widened the skill range and increased the presence of “softer” competition, PokerStars is home to a number of well known professional players, including Chris Moneymaker, Joe Hachem, and Greg Raymer, who together make up three of the last four World Series of Poker winners. Having such World Series of Poker winners associated with the site has created great publicity for both players and the site. Other notables include Isabelle Mercier, Barry Greenstein, Humberto Brenes, and William Chen. Incidentally, the site also runs numerous satellite tournaments to the World Series of Poker, and every Sunday hosts a Million Dollar Guaranteed tournament. On Poker Stars, players will find some of the most competitive and rewarding promotions in the business. A current offer is a 100% first-time deposit bonus with a maximum of $50. Players earn it by using the "First2008" bonus code and accumulating Base Frequent Player Points (FPP) up to 10 times the bonus amount. This is part of the Frequent Player Program and players earn the FPP for every raked real money hand played. The main source of points is tournaments and players generally use their points toward other tournaments or for purchasing from the PokerStars FPP Store. It is also a positive feature that poker stars' site takes the lowest rake in the business. Each player is allowed a slightly better than average 1500 chips at the start of a tournament. Other advantages in tournaments include the fact that the blinds move up slowly, emphasizing skill over luck.
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