PokerStars

PokerStars is an extremely popular online poker room, and for a number of good reasons. The first is that this is where the previously unknown Chris Moneymaker started on his historic path to becoming the 2003 World Series of Poker Champion. Chris invested $40 of his own money and won a series of preliminaries at PokerStars.com before progressing to win the $2.4 million event as a whole. The second reason is that some PokerStars games are later broadcast on television, giving online players the chance to hear seasoned poker players comment on their skills. And the third reason? Well, PokerStars is just a ruddy good poker room, that's all!

Click here to play at Poker Stars

The PokerStars.com software is quick to download and easy to use. The main lobby is well presented. There are tens of thousands of players here, so you will never have to worry about getting any action - you just have to find the kind of table you want. Main tabs across the top of the lobby categorise games by variety: Hold'em, Omaha, Stud, Other (HORSE, HOSE, etc.), Tourney, Sit & Go and Events. Click the appropriate tab and you will bring a list (usually huge) of relevant games which can then be sorted according to limits, number of players, and so on. With so many games on offer here at PokerStars the lobby can be a tad daunting at first, but spend a few minutes just looking around and you'll soon get used to it.

The PokerStars tables are graphically impressive, set against a photo-quality backdrop which you can choose to suit your mood. Other options allow you to select the colour of the deck, adjust the sound and decide whether or not you want to receive congratulatory emails, to name just a few. Another nice touch is the ability to upload a picture to represent you at the table instead of a regular PokerStars placeholder, but choose wisely as you won't usually be able to change the picture once it's uploaded.

The play interface is easy to use, and at the bottom left of the screen you can chat with your opponents, make notes about them for future reference and check your stats for the game. A "Time Bank" feature is used to limit the amount of time each player has to make their decisions, and this helps to keep games moving at a good pace, allowing you to play more hands per hour and - hopefully - make more money as a result.

PokerStars offers a VIP Club loyalty scheme, and invites members to play in VIP Freerolls or use their VIP points to enter prestigious events, including the World Series of Poker tournament. This is well worth checking out as serious players can rack up points quite quickly here. Add in a surprisingly large number of promotions (check the web site for details of the latest range), a free play pokerstars.net site and a weekly PokerStars Sunday Million tournament and if you haven't got enough reasons to give PokerStars a try, you just aren't really interested in poker!

Rake:
The rake is 5%, up to a maximum of $5.00 depending on table limits.

Money:
Fund your PokerStars account with VISA, Mastercard, Delta, Solo, Switch, Maestro, Neteller, Firepay, bank transfer, epassporte and many other options detailed on the PokerStars site.

Support:
support@pokerstars.com

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