PokerStars
From LowballWiki
Poker Stars is the largest online poker room as of April 2007. It is privately owned and headquartered in the Isle of Man. Poker Stars is well-known for the quality of its customer support and its tournament offerings.
PokerStars offers Razz cash games and tournaments (limit only), Triple Draw 2-7 cash games (limit, PL, or NL) and triple draw tournaments.
More information:
Contents |
[edit] Razz Cash Games
| Limits | Ante | Bring-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.50/$1.00 | $0.05 | $0.25 | |
| $1/$2 | $0.10 | $0.50 | |
| $2/$4 | $0.25 | $1.00 | |
| $3/$6 | $0.25 | $1.00 | Highest limit that is regularly running. Generally a good game. |
| $5/$10 | $0.50 | $2.00 | |
| $10/$20 | $1 | $3 | |
| $30/$60 | $5 | $10 | Runs occasionally, more often than $5/$10 or $10/$20. |
[edit] Razz Sit & Go Tournaments
Each player gets 1500 chips to start, and the following structure is used:
| Level | Limits | Ante | Bring-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10/20 | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | 20/40 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | 40/80 | 8 | 12 |
| 4 | 60/120 | 12 | 18 |
| 5 | 80/160 | 16 | 24 |
| 6 | 100/200 | 20 | 30 |
Later levels are 150/300, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, and 500/1000. All levels use the exact same structure. This structure is somewhat loose, encouraging action--- it is similar to the 15/30 game described by Sklansky (though the ante and bringin are a bit smaller.)
Only turbo SNG tournaments with 5-minute levels are offered; most are one table (8 players). They pay the standard 50%/30%/20%.
| Buy-in | Entry-fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| $1.50 | $0.25 | 2-table tournament paying 4 places 40%/30%/20%/10%. |
| $3.00 | $0.40 | Usually starts quickly. |
| $15 | $1 | This level and higher hardly ever run. |
| $32 | $3 | |
| $105 | $9 | |
| $210 | $15 |
There are also heads-up matches offered for $5+$0.25, $10+0.50, $20+$1.00, and $50+$2.50. Heads-up matches use 10 minute levels and a structure identical to the multi-table tournament one shown below.
[edit] Razz Multi-Table Tournaments
PokerStars offers daily multi-table Razz tournaments at a wide range of entry fees: $1+$0.10, $3+$0.30, $5+$0.50, $8+0.80, $10+$1, $20+$2, $30+$3, and $40+$4. The evening $10+1 is $1000 guaranteed.
On Fridays at 21:30 there is a special heads-up Razz tournament for $20+2. There is no weekly $100 or $200 as there is for other games.
See the Online Tournaments page for schedule, or view the full Stars tournament schedule on the PokerStars web site.
Tournaments are typically run with 15-minute levels. The structure, shown below, varies from level to level. See the PokerStars web page for the most up-to-date information.
| Level | Limits | Ante | Bring In | Steal odds at full table |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15/30 | 2 | 5 | 1.4 to 1 |
| 2 | 25/50 | 5 | 10 | 2 to 1 |
| 3 | 50/100 | 10 | 15 | 1.9 to 1 |
| 4 | 75/150 | 15 | 25 | 1.93 to 1 |
| 5 | 100/200 | 15 | 25 | 1.45 to 1 |
| 6 | 150/300 | 25 | 50 | 1.67 to 1 |
| 7 | 200/400 | 25 | 50 | 1.25 to 1 |
| 8 | 300/600 | 50 | 100 | 1.67 to 1 |
| 9 | 400/800 | 50 | 100 | 1.25 to 1 |
| 10 | 600/1200 | 100 | 200 | 1.67 to 1 |
| 11 | 1000/2000 | 200 | 300 | 1.9 to 1 |
| 12 | 1500/3000 | 200 | 500 | 1.4 to 1 |
| 13 | 2000/4000 | 300 | 500 | 1.45 to 1 |
| 14 | 3000/6000 | 500 | 1000 | 1.67 to 1 |
| 15 | 4000/8000 | 500 | 1000 | 1.25 to 1 |
| 16 | 6000/12000 | 1000 | 2000 | 1.67 to 1 |
| 17 | 10000/20000 | 2000 | 3000 | 1.9 to 1 |
| 18 | 15000/30000 | 2000 | 5000 | 1.4 to 1 |
[edit] Triple Draw Cash Games
| Limit Tables | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Limits | Small Blind | Big Blind | Notes |
| $0.50/$1.00 | $0.50 | $1.00 | |
| $1/$2 | $0.50 | $1.00 | |
| $2/$4 | $1 | $2 | |
| $3/$6 | $1 | $3 | |
| $5/$10 | $2 | $5 | Players from the 30/60 game can be found slumming here and in the 10/20 if it's not running. This can make it a fairly tough game. |
| $10/$20 | $5 | $10 | |
| $30/$60 | $15 | $30 | |
| $500/$1000 | $250 | $500 | Restricted (need to contact support to play) |
| $1000/$2000 | $500 | $1000 | Restricted |
| Pot-Limit Games | |||
| Max buy-in | Small Blind | Big Blind | Notes |
| $50 | $0.25 | $0.50 | |
| No-Limit Games | |||
| Max buy-in | Small Blind | Big Blind | Notes |
| $50 | $0.25 | $0.50 | |
[edit] Triple Draw Sit & Go Tournaments
These single-table tournaments (6-handed) are offered at the following buy-ins:
| Buy-in | Entry-fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| $1.00 | $0.10 | |
| $5 | $0.50 | |
| $10 | $1 | |
| $20 | $2 |
The top two places pay, 65% to first and 35% to second.
Players receive 1500 chips to start and the big bet size increases as follows: 40, 60, 100, 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1200, 1600, 2400, 4000. Each level uses a 1/2 blind structure and is 10 minutes long.
[edit] Triple Draw Multi-Table Tournaments
There are two daily tournaments offered, one at $10+1 and the other at $20+2.
See the Online Tournaments page for schedule, or view the full Stars tournament schedule on the PokerStars web site.
Players receive 1500 chips to start. The limit sizes match the normal Stars limit structure, with the big bet increasing from 40 to 60, then 100, 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1200, 1600, 2000, 2400, 3200, 4000, 6000, 800, 12000, 16000, etc. Each level uses the 1/2 blind structure and is 15 minutes long.
