About PokerStars

Zoom Poker!

Zoom Poker is the latest innovation from PokerStars and we can tell you that it is a fantastic poker format.

The rules are exactly the same as a standard No Limit Hold'em or Pot Limit Omaha cash game but you will be dealt more than 200 hands per hour on each table you sit at! How is this possible? It is possible because instead of a standard cash game where you are seated at a table with the same opponents and are on the same table until you leave you actually enter a pool of player. When you fold you are instantly whisked away and placed on a new table with new opponents and a new hand is dealt.

You can even fold before the action gets to you so if you are dealt on the button simply click the "Fast Fold" button and you will be moved to a new table and dealt another hand immediately! Your opponents on your old table will not know you have folded until the action gets to you, by which time you could have been dealt two or three more hands!

This is the fastest way to play poker on the internet and should see you log tons of volume, clear bonuses and climb up the VIP scheme quicker than ever before.

PokerStars 100% Up to $600 Bonus

Make your first real money deposit using bonus code STARS600 and marketing code UKPOKERNEWS, and PokerStars will give you a 100% bonus up to $600. See below for other available currencies.

You can make up to three qualifying deposits in 90 days (up to the maximum bonus value) - the perfect way to take full advantage of the 100% bonus.

Once you’ve made your deposit(s), you earn the bonus by playing real money games on PokerStars and collecting the number of VPPs equal to 17 times the bonus amount (USD figure, see table below for VPP clearance rates in other currencies). The bonus is released in increments of 10 ($10, £10, €10 etc.), each released into your account as you clear the needed VPPs (e.g. 170 VPPs for every $10 increment). You have six months after each qualifying deposit to earn all the VPPs needed to release your bonus giving you plenty of time to clear the entire amount.

PokerStars Home Games

The new craze that is taking online poker by storm. PokerStars Home Games allow you to set up private online poker clubs between you and your poker buddies all over the world. You can play cash games and tournaments, real money or play money, and so much more.

PokerStars Marketing Code

Make sure you enter the PokerStars marketing code – UKPOKERNEWS when registering your first account at the World's largest online poker room, PokerStars. Already registered using our exclusive PokerStars marketing code? Ready to make your first deposit? Simply enter our special code, STARS600, when making your first real money deposit and you will be able to access the fantastic first deposit bonus of 100% up to $600.

Remember you MUST input the code UKPOKERNEWS if you want to be eligible for future Club PokerNews exclusive promotions.

PokerStars Promotions

Being the world's largest poker site, PokerStars sponsors some of the game's best players like Daniel Negreanu, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, and many more. The Find a Team PokerStars Pro option, allows you to watch your favorite players whenever they are sitting at a table, and even take them on if you have the bankroll and nerve to do so! Special promotions run often at PokerStars and offer excellent incentives to play. Weekly freerolls and frequent-player-point games provide small-stakes players the chance to win big bucks. With several deposit and withdrawal options, excellent live support, and top-notch software, PokerStars is the best online poker site for any breed of player. When creating your PokerStars account be sure to enter the PokerNews marketing code upon registration and the bonus code when making your first deposit.

Pokerstars VIP Club

No other loyalty scheme makes you feel more important than the Pokerstars VIP Club. The more you play, the more the benefits increase and you can spend your hard earned Frequent Player Points on luxury items, live & online tournament entry, big cash bonuses and even a concierge service. Then there is of course the Supernova Elite programme which is hundreds of thousands of dollars to those that get there.

On January 1st 2012 PokerStars changed the way they award VIP Player Points (VPPs), switching from what is known as the "dealt" method to "weighted contributed". Historically VPPs would be split equally amongst all the players who were dealt into a hand regardless of them contributing to a pot or not. But since the changes VPPs are awarded proportionally based on each player's contribution to the pot.

The examples below show the changes in action:

Five players at a $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em cash game

Pre-flop:

• Player 1 raises to $6
• Player 2 folds
• Player 3 folds
• Player 4 (the $1 small blind) calls
• Player 5 (the $2 big blind) calls

Post-flop:

• Player 4 bets $9
• Player 5 moves all in for $21
• Player 1 folds
• Player 4 calls
• The remaining cards are dealt and the $60 pot is awarded to Player 4.

The total pot is $60 in total so the total rake on this pot is $3, which is worth 16.5VPPs (5.5VPPs per $1). Under the old system each of the five players would have received 16.5/5 = 3.3VPPs each, despite Players 4 & 5 contributing $27 each to the pot, Player 1 $6 and the other two players nothing.

Under the new method the VPPs would be awarded as follows:

• Player 1 contributed $6 (10% of the pot) so receives 1.65 VPPs
• Player 2 contributed $0 (0% of the pot) so receives 0 VPPs
• Player 3 contributed $0 (0% of the pot) so receives 0 VPPs
• Player 4 contributed $27 (45% of the pot) so receives 7.43 VPPs
• Player 5 contributed $27 (45% of the pot) so receives 7.43PPs

Limits and Rake

PokerStars has a large selection of limit levels that are sure to appeal to everyone, from the beginner, to the experienced high stakes player. PokerStars fixed limit Hold'em cash games begin with micro limits of $0.02/$0.04 up to $1000/$2000. No Limit Texas Holdem limits begin at just $0.01/$0.02 and increase gradually through to $200/$400 blinds.

The rake system at PokerStars is one of the lowest in the industry with the average taken being 5% of the pot up to a maximum of $3. The maximum rake ever taken from a single pot is $5 but this will only ever happen at high stakes tables with four or more players seated and for most cases the maximum rake, at No Limit Hold'em tables, ranges from $0.50 to just $3.

Player Traffic

PokerStars is the World's largest poker site and player traffic certainly reflects that. Peak times draw over 250,000 players at 20,000 tables with more than 44,000 cash game players! Players run the entire gamut of experience, so there's no shortage of players to match your skill and experience. The traffic at PokerStars is extremely diverse, as they have players from around the world playing at different times of the day and night.

Playability

The PokerStars software is well programmed, running smoothly with rich graphics. Players can upload pictures as avatars, tables can be resized, themes selected and updated, with various search functions easy to use. Scrolling in chat and in the lobby can be a little bit of a hassle and players must click on each individual table to join the waiting list. However, these minor quibbles don't detract from the overall experience.

Software and Extra Features

The website offers players great software with a large variety of games. Additionally, PokerStars has had its software independently tested by two agencies to ensure that the program used is safe and random. This means players can rest assured knowing that they're playing the real thing with Poker Stars.

• Poker Stars FPP - Poker Stars Frequent Players Points go towards VIP entry and other great benefits.
• Hand History - Check back on hands played to sharpen your game.
• Stats - In an easy to read percentage format, the stats at PokerStars are detailed and quickly available.
• Tournament History - Table Find out how you or other players fared in the many tournaments played.
• Preferred Seating - Play at the same seat at each table.
• Auto Top-Up - Ensure your stack is always full and your profits maximised by having the software top up your stack however you see fit.
• More than 20 different table themes to choose from
• The ability to fold and show one or both cards to an opponent (on Nova theme tables only) before folding or show one or both cards before mucking after winning, adding some extra psychological aspects and fun to the already exciting game.
• Fully customisable lobby with dozens of options to make playing multiple tables much more easy

Customer Service

Support emails are answered swiftly and are accurate by a team of customer service agents who are regarded as the best in the industry. PokerStars has created a pleasant, secure playing environment for their players and their customer support reflects this.

Important PokerStars Marketing Code Note
Remember you MUST input the marketing code for PokerStars UKPOKERNEWS if you want to be eligible for future Club PokerNews exclusive promotions.