Changes To Be Enacted In March 4th Update

Published on February 28th, 2019 1:31 pm EST

Earlier this week, Pokerstars announced that they will restricting the use of a number of third-party tools in an update that is scheduled to come into effect on March 4th. These changes will be implemented across all stakes, licenses and games, and is being implemented in order to maintain a "well-functioning online poker eco-system" and help to prevent inexperienced players from being targeted.

As we've seen over the past couple of years, Pokerstars is rolling out the red carpet to its casual customers while making changes to ding more experienced, higher-stakes players. By rolling out these changes on March 4th, Pokerstars is hoping to make their casual and inexperienced players even more comfortable on the site, and, more importantly to the company's bottom line, keep them playing longer.

Seating scripts that help to place players at "weaker" tables will be banned going forward. Scripts that help to automate seating players at tables, as long as the performance of other players at the table isn't considered, will still be allowed after March 4th.

In addition, any program that "offers (semi-) automated reference material to the user while the Pokerstars client is running is prohibited". Reference material that advises which hands should be played in unopened, pre-flop situations will still be allowed.

HUDs (Heads-Up Displays) will still be allowed, though they are only allowed to display statistics that have been accumulated over the course of your own play.

Macro and Hotkey programs will still be allowed, as long as the program is not coaching a player as to what to do in a hand.

Here are some of the programs that will be prohibited when the Pokerstars client is open:

"1. Reference material that provides advice beyond a basic level, such as a large collection of tables offering recommendations beyond whether to play certain hands or not in unopened pots.

2. Tools or services designed specifically to ease referral to reference material.

3. Tools or services that compute advanced equity calculations, such as range vs range simulators, Independent Chip Management or Nash Equilibrium-based programs."

For a full list of what will be allowed and disallowed following the March 4th update, please visit Pokerstars' Third Party Tools and Services Policy: Reference Guide.

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Filed Under: Online Poker Rooms