PokerStars Poker Room Review

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Is bigger really better? When it comes to that age-old question, the answer depends upon what you’re talking about. If online poker rooms are the subject, then yes, size definitely has its advantages, and there’s no poker site larger than PokerStars.

At smaller rooms, it can be hard to get a ring-game going, you may have to wait a while for a sit-n-go to fill, or you may register for a tournament only to have it cancelled due to inadequate numbers. These are problems you’ll never encounter at PokerStars, where you’ll often find more than 150,000 players in cash games and over 20,000 players enrolled in tournaments.

How did PokerStars get to be so enormous? Well, it started when a chap you may have heard of by the name of Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker after qualifying via a $40 satellite at PokerStars, and the PokerStars legend grew when the next two WSOP champs, Greg Raymer and Joe Hachem, signed on with the site. And when legislation enacted by the U.S. government in 2006 drew some sites out of the market, PokerStars stood its ground and offered a safe haven for American players, usurping huge traffic from sites that were no longer available to poker players based in the U.S. Since that time, PokerStars has been the most popular poker site in the world.

In recent years, PokerStars has added more superstars to its stable, players such as Daniel Negreanu, Vanessa Rousso, and Barry Greenstein, but those pros aren’t necessarily the big draw. The game selection really stands out as the reason people flock to ’Stars. Games offered include Hold ’Em, Omaha (including Hi-Lo), Seven-Card Stud (including Hi-Lo), H.O.R.S.E., H.O.S.E., 2-7 Triple Draw, Five-Card Draw, and Razz. No-Limit Hold ’Em games are available as low as $.01/$.02 blinds (with no rake at that limit, interestingly), and as high as $200/$400. The sit-n-go and tournament options are similarly varied and plentiful, with buy-ins all the way from $1 to $5,000. Want to play a $100 Omaha Hi-Lo heads-up sit-n-go at 4 a.m.? You’ll have no trouble finding one at PokerStars.

And nobody offers more satellites to WSOP, WPT, and EPT events than PokerStars does. More than 1,000 players will qualify for the Main Event this year at ’Stars, including perhaps the 2008 version of Moneymaker. Also, the $1-million guaranteed weekly tournament is the biggest you’ll find anywhere in the world.

The graphical interface and functionality are high-quality, with games moving along quickly and reliably. If you like to multi-table, this software is highly conducive. Also, players can upload their own pictures to use as avatars, and there’s no shortage of customization options with regard to graphics and sounds.

The customer support staff at PokerStars is one of the most accessible and helpful in the business, PokerStars has tremendous rewards programs thanks to Frequent Player Points and the PokerStars VIP Club, and there are plenty of deposit and cashout options, including credit and debit cards, E-wallets, prepaid cards, and wire transfers. The software is available for both Mac and PC users, and alternate language programs are currently in the testing phase.

And one of the best things about PokerStars is this: There is such tremendous diversity among the players, that whether you’re looking for a tough game against pros or a soft game against mediocre opponents, it’s a cinch to find either. If you’re a developing player looking to build a bankroll against lesser foes, PokerStars is arguably the best site in the world for finding ideal opposition to pad your account.