Tournaments
PokerStars is excited to host the best multi-table tournaments and satellites anywhere on the Internet! Poker tournaments are played until one player has all the chips. Prizes are distributed based on the number of entrants. For basic information on tournaments, see our About Tournaments page.
Playing in a PokerStars Tournament
Before registering in one of our tournaments, please take a moment to look over the Tournament Rules page.
To enter a PokerStars tournament, select the "Tourney" tab from the main lobby. If you select any tournament in this tab, you will see information about this tournament in the information box at the right. Under the State column, look for a tournament which has a state of "Registering". The particulars of the tournament (game, structure and buy-in) are listed beside the state. Double-click on a tournament in "Registering" state or click on the "Tournament Lobby" button and this opens the tournament lobby. Click the Register button, and log-in if you have not already done so. The software will confirm your registration. You may take your seat by selecting the "Take your seat" button. Check the tournament lobby for registration and seat times.
The Tournament Lobby
Note that for all tournaments and multi-table satellites, players are all assigned random seats to start the tournament. This is a countermeasure designed to prevent collusion. As is customary in poker tournaments, seat changes are not allowed. The button in Hold'em and Omaha tournaments will be assigned to Seat 1.
As in a regular poker game, when it is your turn to act, you may check, bet, raise, call or fold (where applicable). You will notice another button called "Time Bank" when it is your turn to act, shown after you receive a time warning in the chat window. The Time Bank allows players extra time to decide on a course of action during a tournament, and will slowly deplete as it is used throughout the tournament.
Another way in which the PokerStars tournament interface varies from the side-game interface is the "Info" tab on the chat box. This tab gives your current position in the tournament, as well as the highest, lowest, and average stacks for remaining players. The Info tab also tells you how much time is left in your Time Bank. The "Stats" tab provides statistical information about your play during the current tournament.
Tournament Lobby
At any point during the tournament, players can check the tournament lobby for information about the tournament's progress. The lobby will show the current limit level for the tournament, information about players' stack sizes, and the breakdown of the prize pool.
Also in the tournament lobby is a player search function. The tournament lobby lists all players, and double-clicking on any player's User ID (nickname), or clicking on the "Player info" button, will give you current tournament information for that player.
After the tournament, the winners will receive an e-mail which provides comprehensive information about the tournament. Anyone can request a tournament history at any time after the tournament's conclusion by going to the main lobby and selecting "Tournament History" from the Request menu. Final tournament information for this tournament will remain in the tournament lobby for a while, usually a few hours after the tournament's conclusion.
Specific prize play money breakdown will be shown after the registration is closed.
Viewing a Tournament
A player in a tournament can observe any other table by double-clicking on that table in the tournament lobby's table list, or clicking the "Observe Table" button. Players who are not participants may also observe any table of a tournament.
