Poker Stars: What Do You Need to Know?

One of the hottest sites to play poker online in the 21st Century is Poker Stars (www.pokerstars.com). What makes this site so popular? Should you be playing on Poker Stars? Here are a few pieces of information about this well traveled site that you ought to know.

1. The last three World Series of Poker Champions play on Poker Stars

Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer and Joe Hachem, the 2003, 2004 and 2005 winners of the World Series of Poker respectively, all play on Poker Stars regularly and have for some time. Moneymaker and Raymer actually won their seats to the Main Event through satellites on Poker Stars. Chris Moneymaker is famous for having won the biggest prize in poker after qualifying online for almost $40. If you're looking for an opportunity to virtually sit down with a recent World Series Champion, you'll probably want to play on Poker Stars.

2. You can get creative with your avatar on Poker Stars

An avatar is the icon that represents you as you play on a poker site. For many poker sites, the avatar is predetermined depending on your seat, or you may select from a group of possible avatars. Poker Stars actually allows you to download a picture which will appear at your seat as you play. This can be a picture of yourself, a favorite loved one or pet, or even a symbol that you feel represents you best. Of course your picture will have to be approved by the site, but if it's in reasonably good taste, that's what people will see when they play against you.

3. You can get cool stuff on Poker Stars

Poker Stars offers Frequent Player Points which can be redeemed for merchandise. As you might guess, the more you play, the more points you earn. The Frequent Player Points store offers Poker Stars clothing, poker books, poker chips, tournament entries and more. A link on the site will show you everything your points can buy.

4. You can get cooler stuff on Poker Stars.

Poker Stars now offers a VIP club, also earned through frequent play on the site. The VIP club offers free roll tournaments with big prizes, as well as higher end merchandise like iPods and travel packages.

5. Poker Stars has themes.

Don't like the appearance of the site? Change it! Poker Stars offers a variety of different theme skins, allowing you to choose different backgrounds, colors and fonts for your visual pleasure.

6. Poker Stars has lots of players.

Poker Stars is the most trafficked poker site for tournament play and the second most trafficked site for cash game (also known as "ring") play. This means more games going at any time and more choices for you.

These are some of the qualities that make Poker Stars one of the most popular sites in the online poker universe. Will it be your site of choice? If you like what you see here, give it a shot and find out.

Rick ?Stone Face? Ellers started playing poker while he was a paratrooper stationed in Fort Bragg, NC. He currently writes part time for PokerListings.com where you can learn about the exciting World Series of Poker and find great information about Online Poker Rooms.