PokerStars Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I find your terms of service
• Please refer to Online Poker Site Terms of Service.
• What steps does PokerStars take to ensure the games are honest
• No other site works as hard as PokerStars to ensure the integrity of our games. The latest technology, encryption methods and software ensures that the integrity of the game is never in question. Ensuring the integrity of the game is one of PokerStars top priorities. For more information please visit our Integrity page.
• I downloaded the PokerStars software but now cannot find it on my computer.
• If you are using a Windows-based system go to the "Start" menu, and then select "Find". Type PokerStarsInstall.exe. It may take a few moments to locate the file, but once it is located, simply double click on the file and the installation process will begin.
• Is it possible to have more than one screen name or alias
• No, each player is allowed only one account and players are not allowed to change the screen name associated with their account.
• I cannot remember my password!
• You can reset your password through the PokerStars lobby. Click on "Lobby" and then on "Login". Now click on "Forgot Password" and you will be prompted to enter information. At that point a new password will be sent to your registered email address. If you follow these steps and receive an error message or do not receive a password by email then contact email support, making sure to include your full name, address, as well as your PokerStars user ID.
• What steps should I take to keep my PokerStars account secure
• It is very important to diligently protect your password. Never share your password with anyone. Beware of scams. PokerStars will never ask for your password, so don't ever give it out. Change your password regularly and make sure that it is not something that would be simple to guess.
• I am not receiving emails from PokerStars.
• This is likely to be a result of your email provider erroneously labeling PokerStars emails as SPAM. See the Internet email page on how to correct this problem.
• What happens if I lose my internet connection during a hand
• Each player is given 25 seconds in a fixed limit game, and 35 seconds in a pot or no-limit game to act on their hand. If a player becomes disconnected from the internet and is unable to act on their hand they will be declared "all in" and treated as if they had no more chips left to bet. This will protect the chips they have already committed to pot. If a player does not act on their hand within the allotted time and is still connected to the internet, then their hand will be folded.
  Some PokerStars tables are labeled "No All In". If a player becomes disconnected at one of these tables and is unable to resume their connection within the allotted time then their hand will be folded if they are forced to call any bets. If the player is not required to call any additional bets then they are still eligible to win the pot.
• The game I would like to play at is full. What can I do
• If a poker game is full then you can put your name on the waitlist. When a seat opens up then the first player on the list will have the option to take the available seat.
  
  The alternative is to take a seat on an empty table, once people can see that a table is no longer empty, it usually doesn't take long to fill up with more players.
• What is the minimum buy-in
• The minimum buy-in for limit games is 5X the big blind. The minimum buy-in for pot limit or no limit games is 20X the big blind.

• What is a "rake"? How much is the PokerStars rake?
• PokerStars is an online poker room, not an online casino. This important distinction means you only ever play against other players and not against the "house". PokerStars charge for the service is what is commonly known in the industry as the "rake", which is a small amount from each pot. Even in our very biggest games this rake from the pot is never more than $5. At lower limit games, PokerStars charges a smaller rake. Please visit the Pokerstars Rake page for exact rake information.
  
  There is of course no rake in Pokerstars play money games.
• Is there any way to tell how much money is in the pot
• The full amount of the pot, including bets from the current betting round, are displayed above the dealer's tray.
• Is it possible to accidentally fold the winning hand at showdown
• No. The software will not allow you to muck a winning hand once you reach showdown.
• How do I request a hand history and how many hand histories can I receive
• You can request a hand history either by clicking on the dealer tray or the Requests tab in the PokerStars lobby. You may request up to 200 hand histories at a given time, although hand histories for play money games and free rolls are unavailable.
• How can I go about getting my statistics
• Simply click on the dealer tray and then select "Request statistics". Another option is through the Requests menu in the PokerStars lobby.
• What are FPP's and how can I use them
• FPP stands for Frequent Player Points and they are earned for every raked hand that is played. FPP's are redeemable for valuable merchandise as well as entry into free roll tournaments. For more information check out Free Online Promotions and Freerolls.
• I see a small "N" underneath some players' images, what does this mean
• This means that you have made a note on this player at some point. This feature allows you to know at a glance which players you have taken notes on.
• Am I allowed to play at the same table as my friend?
• Yes. You can play at the same table as a friend or relative, but you must ensure that you play in the same way as you would against any other opponent. You are also not permitted to share any information about the cards that either of you have, as this would be classed as collusion, something which is prohibited at PokerStars.
  
  If you have agreed to share a bankroll with a friend, or stake each other, you must respect the integrity of the game by not playing at the same cash game table or enter the same Sit & Go tournament.
  
  Players that live in the same household must also not play in the same cash game or Sit & Go tournament, regardless of their relationship.

Online Chat Rules

• What are the rules surrounding chat
• PokerStars enforces chat rules to ensure that all players have a pleasant atmosphere to play in. Players who violate the chat rules will lose their privilege to chat. Some of the chat that is not permitted on PokerStars includes:
  
  Profanity: No profanity, racism, or abusive chat will be tolerated. There is a filter that will block certain profane words and attempting to bypass this filter is also against our chat rules.
  
  Begging/Solicitation: It is against the chat rules to beg for money at any of PokerStars poker tables.
  
  Selling Play Money: Players are not allowed to discuss transactions involving play money.
  
  Flooding: Sending multiple messages to the chat window is prohibited, as it is disruptive to the legitimate chat of our players.
  
  Non-English chat: Although PokerStars is proud to host games for players from many different countries who speak many different languages; the only language allowed at the tables is English.
  
  Violation of any of these rules may result in either a warning or revocation of chat privileges.
• What steps should I take if someone is abusing the chat feature
• Please report any chat abuses to support@pokerstars.com.
  Although tables are monitored, our player's assistance is crucial to ensuring a good atmosphere for everyone. Pokers also strongly urge you not to retaliate against provocative chat, as this may result in both players chat privileges being revoked.
  
  Also you can block viewing a players chat at any time, by right clicking on that player's icon and choosing "Block Chat".

Images

• How do I make a personalized image for myself
• Go to the Account menu of the PokerStars lobby and select "Select/Change Image". Click on "Select Image", and choose one of your images for use. It will take a few days for a new image to appear, as all images need to be reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate. For more information about images, and to find out how to take a picture from the Internet to use as your PokerStars image, visit our Images page.
• Is there a way to turn off the other players' images
• From the Options menu in the lobby select Images. This will turn the images off. To reinstate the images simply repeat the above step. To block an individual players image right click on the player's icon and select "Block Image".
• I would like to change my image.
• Yes, you can choose a new image by selecting the Account menu and clicking "Select/Change Image". Take particular care to ensure that you are happy with your image choice, because you may only change it once.

PokerStars Employees:

• Does PokerStars use any props or shills
• No, PokerStars does not permit any prop players or robots to play in our games.
• Are PokerStars employees allowed to play at PokerStars
• No, no one who is employed by PokerStars is allowed to play poker at PokerStars.
• What about players such as Greg Raymer, Chris Moneymaker, and other PokerStars representatives?  They are obviously associated with PokerStars yet I see them playing in games at PokerStars.
• These players have no more information available to them than any other PokerStars players. Their compensation does not include any stipulations regarding playing hours or number of tournaments that they must participate in. These players play poker at PokerStars 100% with their own money and are clearly identified to other players. PokerStars has no vested interest in how these players fare in their play.

Tournament Questions:

• Where can I view the tournament schedule
• To see what tournaments will be taking place click on the "Tourney" tab in the PokerStars lobby. Scroll down until you get to the tournaments that are "Registering" and "Announced".
• How do I sign up for a poker tournament
• If a tournament state is "registering" then double-click on the tournament to open the tournament lobby. Click on the button labeled "register". For more information, see Playing PokerStars Tournaments.
• Can I play both side games and tournaments simultaneously
• Yes, you are allowed to play in multiple games at the same time. Players are welcome to in both tournaments as well as cash games at the same time.
• I would like to retrieve the tournament history from a tournament I played several days ago but the tournament is no longer listed in the lobby.
• Go to the Requests menu in the PokerStars lobby and choose Tournament History. PokerStars will email you the number of recent tournament histories that you request.
• Is there a way for me to take some additional time to make difficult decisions in tournaments
• In PokerStars, tournaments players are given a "time bank". When a player needs additional time to make a decision they can use some, or all, of the time that is left in their time bank.
• What happens if the system crashes in the middle of a poker tournament
• If there is a system crash in the middle of a tournament then each players chip count will be reset to the amount at the beginning of the hand. If the crash is more severe and the tournament needs to be canceled then players will be paid out according to PokerStars poker tournament cancellation policy.
• I qualified for an event that I can no longer play in…what are my options
• You may transfer the seat to another user. For weekly Round 2 Free roll events you may move the entry to a future week by emailing support. If it is a real money buy-in event then you can un-register and depending on the event, either T$ or W$ will be credited to your account.

Play Money Games

• When can I start playing on PokerStars
• Right now! Install the free PokerStars poker software and you can be up and playing within minutes.
• How many play money chips will I start with and what happens if I run out of play money chips
• To start each player receives 1,000 play money chips. If at any time you run below 100 chips then click on the dealer tray and then click on "Add More Chips".
• How can I tell which tables are play money tables
• The play money tables begin with the word fun. If you cannot find any play money tables, make sure that your client is set to show play money tables by clicking on "Options" and checking to make sure that "Show Play Money Tables" is selected.

Real Money Play:

• I am having difficult depositing money, what can I do
• There are a number of options to deposit money in your PokerStars account. See the real money poker page for suggestions.
• Can I transfer to another PokerStars player
• PokerStars players can transfer funds to each other by clicking on Requests in the lobby and then clicking on Transfer Funds.
• Does PokerStars use account balances for operational expenses
• PokerStars holds all account balances in segregated banking accounts that are not used for any operational expenses. These segregated accounts are overseen by one of Europe's leading financial services groups. This arrangement ensures that there will never be a time when PokerStars will not be able to fulfill it's obligations to PokerStars players, and that account balances are always safe.
• Why should I choose PokerStars as my home for online poker
• PokerStars has done everything possible to ensure the best online poker experience possible. The best teams have been assembled in every department, to keep up with player demands.
  
  Log on to one of our free poker games and put us to the test. Just saying we are the best isn't good enough; we prove it day in and day out.
  
  Got any questions that we didn't cover here, then feel free to contact us. Our 24 hour customer service is ready to answer your questions throughout the day. Simply email support@pokerstars.com.