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PokerStars is proud to offer a wide variety of multi-table poker tournaments in all of the games we offer. And by
popular request, we are happy to offer play money pot-limit and no-limit poker on our free poker tables. These are
in addition to our standard structured-limit play money games.
Like a traditional Las Vegas poker room, if a table that you want to play at is currently full you can request to be put
on the waiting list. Only when you're playing online, getting on the waiting list for a poker table is as easy as clicking
a button. Once a seat becomes available at the poker table, you will automatically be asked if you want to sit down
and join that game.
At PokerStars, no matter which table you decide to play at, you will always be playing poker against real online
poker players. Your fellow players may live down the street or halfway around the world, but they are guaranteed to
be playing on their own behalf. That's because, unlike some other online poker rooms, at PokerStars you will never
play against any bots, shills (paid players), computer opponents or against the 'house' in any way.
Poker is the name given to a number of card games where players wager on the strength of the cards they hold.
Poker is a game that involves a communal "pot" consisting of the players' wagers which is awarded to the poker
player who either holds the highest ranking hand or makes a wager which goes unmatched by his or her opponents.
At PokerStars, our Seven Card Stud and Omaha poker games are played in both "high-only" and "high-low split"
form. In these high-low games, the best five-card poker hand for high wins half the pot, and the best qualifying
five-card hand for low wins the other half. Our Texas Hold'em poker games are always played high-only with a No
Limit, Pot Limit and Limit option. For a detailed breakdown of hand rankings, visit our poker hand ranks page.
All poker games begin with some forced wager over which poker players compete. In Seven Card Stud, there are
two forced wagers, an ante and a bring-in. In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, the forced wagers are a small blind and a
big blind. In any basic poker game, players strategically wager using a number of actions available to them. The
actions are as follows:
CHECK - If there is no wager on the current betting round, a player may check. The act of checking passes the
action to the next poker player immediately clockwise from him or her. A check does not forfeit interest in the pot,
only the current right to bet. If all players check during a round of betting, the round is considered complete.
BET - If there is no wager on the current betting round, a player may bet. If a player bets, the poker player
immediately clockwise from him or her (and any subsequent poker players) may fold, raise, or call.
FOLD - The act of folding forfeits all interest in the pot. A player who folds is not required or allowed to wager any
further money for the current poker game.
CALL - If there has been a wager on the current round of poker play, a player may call. The act of calling requires
the player to match the current bet made by his or her opponent(s).
RAISE - If there has been a wager on the current betting round, a player may raise. The act of raising requires the
poker player to match the current bet, and make a greater one. All subsequent players are required to call the raise
or raise again ("re-raise") to maintain interest in the pot.
On each betting round, betting continues until the person immediately counterclockwise the last bettor or raiser acts.
When this person acts, the next poker round begins, or the hand is complete.
When the last bet or raise on the final betting round is called, the "showdown" occurs. This is when it is determined
who wins the pot, as players show their hands one-by-one. It may be the case that there is no showdown. This
occurs when a player bets or raises, and no active players choose to call the player's bet (in other words, all players
fold). In this case, the player doing the betting or raising wins the full amount of the pot.
Basic Poker Play: Table Stakes and All-In
Basic poker play is typically played "table stakes", meaning only the chips in play at the beginning of each hand may
be used throughout the hand. The table stakes rule has an application called the "All-In" rule, which states that a
player cannot be forced to forfeit a poker hand because the player does not have enough chips to call a bet. A
player who does not have enough chips to call a bet is declared All-In. The player is eligible for the portion of the pot
to the point of his final wager. All further action involving other players takes place in a "side pot", which is ineligible
to the All-In player.
Poker has hundreds of variants. PokerStars features the most popular casino and poker games in the world. For
more information about these poker variants, visit our Poker Room page.
If you need further help in learning poker basics for all our poker games, please do not hesitate to contact us
directly at: support@pokerstars.com. Play poker at PokerStars for fun or for real money. PokerStars is the biggest
Internet site for poker tournaments. Play with the best, download our poker software now!
popular request, we are happy to offer play money pot-limit and no-limit poker on our free poker tables. These are
in addition to our standard structured-limit play money games.
Like a traditional Las Vegas poker room, if a table that you want to play at is currently full you can request to be put
on the waiting list. Only when you're playing online, getting on the waiting list for a poker table is as easy as clicking
a button. Once a seat becomes available at the poker table, you will automatically be asked if you want to sit down
and join that game.
At PokerStars, no matter which table you decide to play at, you will always be playing poker against real online
poker players. Your fellow players may live down the street or halfway around the world, but they are guaranteed to
be playing on their own behalf. That's because, unlike some other online poker rooms, at PokerStars you will never
play against any bots, shills (paid players), computer opponents or against the 'house' in any way.
Poker is the name given to a number of card games where players wager on the strength of the cards they hold.
Poker is a game that involves a communal "pot" consisting of the players' wagers which is awarded to the poker
player who either holds the highest ranking hand or makes a wager which goes unmatched by his or her opponents.
At PokerStars, our Seven Card Stud and Omaha poker games are played in both "high-only" and "high-low split"
form. In these high-low games, the best five-card poker hand for high wins half the pot, and the best qualifying
five-card hand for low wins the other half. Our Texas Hold'em poker games are always played high-only with a No
Limit, Pot Limit and Limit option. For a detailed breakdown of hand rankings, visit our poker hand ranks page.
All poker games begin with some forced wager over which poker players compete. In Seven Card Stud, there are
two forced wagers, an ante and a bring-in. In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, the forced wagers are a small blind and a
big blind. In any basic poker game, players strategically wager using a number of actions available to them. The
actions are as follows:
CHECK - If there is no wager on the current betting round, a player may check. The act of checking passes the
action to the next poker player immediately clockwise from him or her. A check does not forfeit interest in the pot,
only the current right to bet. If all players check during a round of betting, the round is considered complete.
BET - If there is no wager on the current betting round, a player may bet. If a player bets, the poker player
immediately clockwise from him or her (and any subsequent poker players) may fold, raise, or call.
FOLD - The act of folding forfeits all interest in the pot. A player who folds is not required or allowed to wager any
further money for the current poker game.
CALL - If there has been a wager on the current round of poker play, a player may call. The act of calling requires
the player to match the current bet made by his or her opponent(s).
RAISE - If there has been a wager on the current betting round, a player may raise. The act of raising requires the
poker player to match the current bet, and make a greater one. All subsequent players are required to call the raise
or raise again ("re-raise") to maintain interest in the pot.
On each betting round, betting continues until the person immediately counterclockwise the last bettor or raiser acts.
When this person acts, the next poker round begins, or the hand is complete.
When the last bet or raise on the final betting round is called, the "showdown" occurs. This is when it is determined
who wins the pot, as players show their hands one-by-one. It may be the case that there is no showdown. This
occurs when a player bets or raises, and no active players choose to call the player's bet (in other words, all players
fold). In this case, the player doing the betting or raising wins the full amount of the pot.
Basic Poker Play: Table Stakes and All-In
Basic poker play is typically played "table stakes", meaning only the chips in play at the beginning of each hand may
be used throughout the hand. The table stakes rule has an application called the "All-In" rule, which states that a
player cannot be forced to forfeit a poker hand because the player does not have enough chips to call a bet. A
player who does not have enough chips to call a bet is declared All-In. The player is eligible for the portion of the pot
to the point of his final wager. All further action involving other players takes place in a "side pot", which is ineligible
to the All-In player.
Poker has hundreds of variants. PokerStars features the most popular casino and poker games in the world. For
more information about these poker variants, visit our Poker Room page.
If you need further help in learning poker basics for all our poker games, please do not hesitate to contact us
directly at: support@pokerstars.com. Play poker at PokerStars for fun or for real money. PokerStars is the biggest
Internet site for poker tournaments. Play with the best, download our poker software now!
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