Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL

What are your terms of service?
You can read our Terms of Service here.
I've downloaded the PokerStarsInstallPM.exe file but now I can't find it.
On a Windows-based system, click the Start menu, select Find, and then click Files or Folders. In the Named: box, type PokerStarsInstallPM.exe. It will take your computer a few moments to find the file. When it does, double-click the file and the installation process will begin.
I would like to play under different names, can I have more than one account?
No. Each player is only allowed one account.
I lost my password!
You can reset your password manually by going to the main client window, and clicking on "Lobby" and then on "Login" and then on "Forgot Password". Enter your information and a new password will be emailed to your registered PokerStars email address. If you do so, and receive an error message, please email support with your full name and address, as well as your PokerStars user ID and we will help you get back in the game.
How can I help keep my PokerStars account secure?
Password protection is your responsibility. Never reveal your account information to anyone. We will never ask you to send your password to us, and the only place you will need to use it is when logging in to the PokerStars program. We recommend that you change your password regularly.
How many play money chips do I start with? What if I run out of chips?
You will be given 1,000 play money chips to start. However, if at any time you are below 100 chips, simply click the dealer tray and select "Add More Chips...".

This "rebuy" feature is intended to replenish the stack of a player who has legitimately lost their entire stack in play. The new 1,000 chips are for the use of that player only. Re-buys acquired for purposes other than this are subject to forfeiture.

GAME PLAY

What happens if I am disconnected in the middle of a hand?
It occasionally occurs that due to reasons beyond our players' control, they are unable to act on their hand in time. At PokerStars, if a player has invested play money in a hand and becomes disconnected, he or she will be placed "all-in". A player who is placed "all-in" is treated as though he or she does not have any chips remaining to carry out the hand. The player is still eligible for the portion of the pot to which the player would normally be entitled. All further betting takes place in a side pot, to be contested by the remaining active players.

A player is allotted 25 seconds to act in fixed limit games and 35 seconds to act in pot limit and no limit poker games. A warning message is displayed in the chat box when there are 15 seconds left to act. If there was a disconnect and a player returned before the timeout, he or she receives at least 10 seconds to act.

If a player failed to act within the allotted time while being connected, the hand is folded by the system.
The game I wish to join is full. What should I do?
If a game is full, you can put your name on the Waiting List for that game. When a seat in the game becomes available, the first person on the Waiting List will have the first right of refusal for that seat.

The other option you have is to take a seat at an empty table of that limit and game. Often, empty tables fill up quickly once a player takes a seat.
What is the minimum buy-in?
The minimum buy-in at all limits is ten times the minimum bet for the game. For example, in a $1/$2 game, the minimum buy-in is $10. Please note that all play at PokerStars.net is in play money chips. However, the website may make references to dollars. This is done for illustration only.
How do I know how much play money is in the pot?
At any PokerStars table, the full amount of the pot, including all current bets, is always displayed numerically above the dealer's tray. Also, at the end of every betting round, all bets are collected in the middle of the table, and converted into higher denomination chips so you can easily see the pot's total value.
Does the software allow me to muck the winning hand?
No, it doesn't. If you play your hand to the showdown and you hold the winning hand, it will be always automatically shown. This feature protects you from accidentally mucking a winner.
I see a little "N" underneath some players circles, what is this?
This indicates that you have made a note about this player in the past, and it is stored for your viewing.

CHAT

What are your chat rules?
Certain forms and topics of chat are not allowed on PokerStars. Players engaging in offensive chat will be subject to a chat warning or a revocation of their chat privileges. Chat that is not permitted on PokerStars includes (but is not limited to):

Profanity: We do not permit profane, vulgar, racist or abusive/insulting chat in our chat windows. We do have a feature by which certain profane words are asterisked out; A filtered word is one that has been deemed unacceptable on our poker site. Players attempting to bypass the filter may also be subject to a warning or revocation.

Begging/Solicitation: We do not permit players to beg or panhandle for chips, whether play money or real money. No solicitation is permitted in any poker game at any time. There are facilities in place to prevent many instances of solicitation.

Play Money Chip Sales: Players are not permitted to engage in any discussion regarding the sale of PokerStars play money chips within our chat facilities. Any such discussion, including the offer to buy or sell play money in PokerStars chat, is grounds for warning or revocation.

Flooding: The sending of multiple and frequent messages to the chat window in order to drown out legitimate chat is forbidden.

Non-English chat: We are aware that our players are from around the world, and that for many of them English is not their first language. However, at this time our policy is that English is the only language allowed to be used in PokerStars chat.
What should I do if someone is abusing the chat feature?
PokerStars does not tolerate abusive or obscene language at the tables. Please report any offensive chat to support@pokerstars.net. We encourage players to help us be our eyes and ears. Although we monitor the tables as much as possible, the cooperation of our players is a critical part of making PokerStars a fun experience for all. Please do not engage in retaliatory chat; this will only likely result in both user's chat being revoked.

You can also block an individual player's messages from coming to you by right-clicking on the player's icon and selecting "Block Chat".
Can I use language other than English when chatting at the table?
We are aware that our players are from around the world, and that for many of them English is not the first language. However, at this time our policy only allows for English to be spoken at the tables.

Have a question we haven't covered? Our customer service team is standing by, 24 hours a day. E-mail us at support@pokerstars.net.

Note: All references using dollar signs ($) are for illustration only. Betting on PokerStars.net involves zero cash value 'play money' chips only.