Poker Stars - Site Review
 
Poker Stars is an excellent poker network, the biggest of its kind, but it lacks sign up bonuses and a good system for rewarding loyal players. Instead, this site offers top notch tournaments, software and a great variety of games. The competition here is tighter than at most other places. All in all, good poker room but low incentives to entry users who seek a large sign up bonus.
 
Software

The lobby is superb and very easy to navigate. Stability and speed are a high priority and they have been successful at maintaining that standard. The table software is fast, smooth and clear. Software features include player notes, avatars, hand histories and good player statistics.
 
Traffic

This site is the world's highest traffic poker network. Approximately 80% of the real money players play at tournaments but ring games are picking up the pace these days. Poker Stars is hands down in the top position as a tournament leader.
 
Tournaments

Poker Stars host the richest tournaments in the world. Sit 'N' go’s are extremely popular, ranging from $1 to $5000. This includes single tables, multi tables, super popular heads-up tables and satellites. This of course includes WPT-PCA qualifiers, European Poker Tour qualifiers, Aussie Millions qualifiers and most notably, World Series of Poker. The only downside is the competition, which can be quite tough at times.
 

Game Variety

You can play Texas Hold'em in Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit (including a Turbo mode). If you're into Omaha or Omaha Hi/Lo, there's a good variety of tables with active players as well. Even the 7 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo tables attract some competition. The stakes range from $0.01/$0.02 to $100/$200.
 
Soft Competition

Most of the opponents are indeed very competitive and will give you a run for your money. Ring games are typically the toughest. Approximately 25-35% of the players see the flop in most ring games. Fortunately, you can find a lot of fish in the tournament tables. This is where you can find most poker newbies.
 
Sign Up Bonus

Poker Stars offers a 100% up to $50 bonus. In order to get it you must enter PokerStars promo code:  First2007 as bonus code at deposit.
 
Loyalty Rewards

The recently introduced Frequent Player Points (FPP) has quickly become a popular way to acquire Poker Stars merchandise. Players accumulate FP Points by playing poker in real money poker games, multi-table poker tournaments and Sit & Go tournaments that include a tournament fee. To get one point, you need to generate a total of $0.50 for fixed limit poker games with stakes $0.50/$1.00 and lower, or $0.75 for fixed limit poker games with stakes $1/$2. You earn five FP Points for every dollar included in the tournament fees. In a $5 buy-in Sit & Go poker tournament with only a $0.50 fee, 3 FP Points, instead of 2.5, will be awarded to each player who played poker in the tournament.
 
Promotions

Poker Stars was never built to satisfy through promotions. Instead, there is a super package of tournaments and poker celebrities who play regularly at the tables. There are occasional freeroll qualifiers and bigger main freerolls with guaranteed cash prizes. Poker Stars usually offer a refill bonus as well, ranging at 25 %.
 
Support

Poker Stars offer a very fast e-mail support. There is no live chat and telephone support available.
 

Deposit & Cashout Methods

Deposits: eChecks, ePassporte, UseMyBank, Moneybookers, Neteller, Visa, Visa Delta, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Diners Club International, Solo, Maestro, cashier's check, money order, bank draft, wire transfer, ELV, PaySafe Card and Citadel.

Cash-outs: Visa, Neteller, FirePay, CentralCoin and check.
 
 
 
 
 
"Poker is a game of people... It's not the hand I hold, it's the people that I play with."
"Look around the table.  If you don't see a sucker, get up, because you're the sucker."
"Nobody is always a winner, and anybody who says he is, is either a liar or doesn't play poker."
"They anticipate losing when they sit down and I try my darndest not to disappoint one of them."