PokerStars.com

PokerStars.com is always a great site to play on, no matter what your bankroll or skill level. Due to their huge selection of games and terrific software, PokerStars is an industry leader and a favorite among poker pros and amateurs alike. Their software is easy to download and deposits and withdraws are always reliable and secure.

Their default background is neutral and simple which makes it very easy to focus on the game, although players have the option to customize the background based on their own preference. I personally appreciate the simplicity of the software; while playing on PokerStars, you will notice the game and the action at the table, not the background. There are no bold colors, no Hawaiian print carpet, no small tables with pretend beverages on them (unless you choose one of their more "fun" background scenes).

PokerStars caters to the demands of their players and have always set the bar high for other online poker sites. Stars was the first online poker room to offer a place to store notes on players, which can help your game immensely. If you think the player is an idiot, just double click on their name and type in whatever you want (it is for your eyes only). You can also transfer money to any other player on the site by clicking the "requests" button in the lobby. Additionally, if you are looking for your favorite donkey, a poker buddy, or even a member of Team PokerStars Pro (who all play on the site regularly), you can easily search for them simply by typing in their screen name. Conversely, if you prefer to play under the radar, you can select the “hide from search” feature in the lobby so that no one can easily locate you while playing.

One of my favorite things about Stars is their tournaments because of their amazing structures and terrific support. They offer Sit N Go's (ranging from one table to multiple tables) and a variety of multi-table tournaments including rebuys. PokerStars has revolutionized the online weekly tournaments over the years, making a name for themselves with their famed “Sunday Majors” which include several large events with huge guarantees every single week. Of course the must-play online tournament for any player is the Sunday Million, a weekly $215 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event that draws players from every corner of the world to compete for unparalleled prize pools. PokerStars has also become known for their two major yearly tournament series; the World Championship of Online Poker (better known as the WCOOP) and the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP). Both series offer a wide variety of events that cater to every sized bankroll. And, for the tournament enthusiast, multi-tabling events has never been easier now that PokerStars transitioned to synchronized breaks, meaning that every tournament on the site takes breaks at the same time (5 minutes before the hour) so that players are freed up from all their events at once.

PokerStars is constantly improving their software to enhance your playing experience. In No Limit or Pot Limit games, they have a slide bar that simplifies betting, especially if you are playing in more than one game at a time. If you would like to review any of your past hands, you can simply view the hand history by either reading the text version or clicking the replay button in the game window, which will allow you to view the action (and even pause, rewind, or fast forward the replay at your own convenience). If you want to play several games at once, you can resize the windows to meet your needs; a feature that is great for players who like to multi-table. The Stars software is truly unparalleled and is constantly updating based on player feedback.

As I mentioned above, the PokerStars support team is fantastic. If players decide to make a deal when they are playing a multi-table tournament, support is there to assist. By simply emailing support, they will appear very quickly, pause the tournament and help facilitate a deal. All e-mails, no matter what the issue, get a timely and personal response.

I know many good players who swear by PokerStars because the features are so good, but like any online site there are bad players as well to keep the action enticing. In the multi-table tournaments, there is a mix of competition and the cash games are generally tougher as you make your way up the levels. However, like all games, the pros are still pros and the fish are still fish. At any given time, you can find yourself playing with anyone from complete novices to World Champions like Chris Moneymaker and Joe Hachem.

As of April 15, 2011, players living in the United States are no longer permitted to play real money games on PokerStars.com (but are free to join “play money” games). However, residents of other countries can still enjoy the many tournaments, cash games and Sit and Go’s that are running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Simply click the links on this page to download the software and start playing online poker now.

Play Poker Online.

PokerStars: Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, also see the World Championship of Online Poker, Latin American Poker Tour (Chile, Costa Rica), Caribbean Poker Adventure, European Poker Tour, Asian Pacific Poker Tour and Team PokerStars

Playing Poker Online at Poker Stars