PokerStars updates tournament rules - one account per player

[Lee Jones]

Hi folks –
After reviewing your questions and concerns, and after further deliberation, we felt it was important to improve our rules on in one aspect. That is the question of a single player playing multiple userids during a tournament.

Here is what we are adding to our tournament rules:

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With trivial exceptions, a player may play on only one account during a tournament. Violation of this rule may result in penalties ranging from a warning, to disqualification from the tournament (with partial or full forfeiture of winnings), to barring from PokerStars.

Examples:
1. You get a phone call during a PokerStars tournament. You ask your husband, who has already busted out of that tournament, to play your hands for you. You are on the phone for ten minutes and then resume play. This is acceptable.

2. You and a friend, who is a tournament pro, are playing in the same tournament. You agree that if he busts out before you do, he will take over playing your account. This is prohibited.

3. Your husband is out of town for the weekend, but gives you his password. You log into both his account and yours and play both accounts in the same tournament. This is prohibited.
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We realize that we can’t catch every situation like this. And we will have to have a high degree of certainty before we disqualify a player. But as I said in my original post, we are absolutely serious about protecting the integrity of our games. If we find people blatantly violating these rules, we will take action, up to (and including) barring players from the site.

One thing: we are not going to impose sanctions retroactively. We didn’t have a clear rule beforehand, so it wouldn’t be fair to punish people when they didn’t break the existing rules. But now we’ve published the rule on a number of major poker forums, and it can be found at:

http://www.pokerstars.com/tournamentsrules.html

Thank you all for your comments, suggestions, and support.

Best regards,
Lee Jones

PokerStars Poker Room Manager

[radek2166]

[ QUOTE ]
But as I said in my original post, we are absolutely serious about protecting the integrity of our games.

[/ QUOTE ]

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!! NH Lee

[Equal]

Interesting. I wonder if there is any chance someone actually gets busted by this new rule.

Mr. Jones - will you be specifically watching those who are known to do this?

I love PokerStars support, and that goes all the way up to the top. Thank you for bettering the integrity of your site, Mr. Jones.

[Uglyowl]

Didn't know this was a problem at Pokerstars. All these years playing there. NOW I KNOW WHO TO BLAME FOR EACH LOSS [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[CLC]

Now THIS is the way to implement a change in policy. Well Done PokerStars!!! 1)Identify a concern, 2)Consider possible approches 3)Identify a solution, and most importantly 4)Take a few minutes to make a public announcement explaining what is taking place and why.

I know that there will be a number of people that will not be aware of this new policy, but at least it can be said that PokerStars made an effort to spread the word. BRAVO!!!

[4_2_it]

NH, sir!

Now, can you add a box of that gum as an option in your FPP store????

[calmasahinducow]

Good to see PokerStars listens to its customers. Now I remember why I play there (not that I ever forgot).

Well done.

[crosse91]

This is a great development, bravo Lee.

now i'm just wondering why i didn't get any gum with my TOP. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[parappa]

This can't be an easy position for you, but respect to you for wrestling with and attempting to do something about this issue. Whatever the other merits of respective sites, Stars is light-years ahead in terms of service.