Since the latest update, I feel like I 've been playing on ipoker.

When i sit at cash tables the the software stays frozen until the current player in turn at the table acts.

PokerStars Software "Improvement" Thread

I really hope Keith could answer to me these 2 questions

What are the reasons behind:

1) Tabs being removed

2) Why the cash games now are in gray font and not in their normal green?

So I can't play the Deal on my laptop but can from my mobile. What gives?

This...

lesgo Galfond!

Keith, new update just came out. Can you give us release notes please?

A new update for .COM was just released yesterday (Build 16916). I'm sorry, I don't have a full set of release notes available, but I have been informed that this build should resolve the Zoom Hand History problem that was affecting .COM users where some hands were missing.

FYI - We have a planned Server Restart scheduled for Thursday this week. Typically we start at 7am ET (which will be 11am UK this week because of the early daylight saving time shift in North America), and typically downtime is under an hour.

I will update when I get more specific information.

1) Tabs were removed as part of an ongoing effort to streamline the software and make our development and maintenance more efficient. Maintaining two independent and incompatible lobby control schemes is very expensive. Every time we want to add a new feature or establish a new class of filters, we have to do the design in both schemes, frequently compromising what we want to accomplish in one scheme in order to accommodate the restrictions in the other. Then we have to make code changes to both schemes. Then both schemes have to be independently QA'd. Any changes in other areas of the client still have to be QA'd against both schemes in case there are hidden dependencies. Bug investigations take longer because they have to look in both areas of code.

If one of the schemes is more powerful, more flexible and more extensible (i.e. easier to extend and expand the capabilities), and can do things the other scheme can't, then it doesn't make sense to maintain both.

Furthermore, if one of the schemes is used by the vast majority of players and the other has a very small user base that is getting smaller over time, then it does not make sense to maintain both.

When both the greater capabilities and vastly larger user base align with one scheme (i.e. the PS7 Filters), then the logic for removing the less-capable / lower usage scheme (i.e. PS6 Tabs) is overwhelming.

Even so, it was a decision we did not take lightly, as we knew the impact would be felt by some of our oldest and most loyal players. We delayed making this change long past when logic suggested we should do it, and we posted back in January that this change was coming so that Tabs users could familiarize themselves with how the PS7 Filters worked before the change was permanently thrust upon them.

2) Because of the way PS6 Tabs worked, the Play Money games were mixed in with the Real Money games in the Cash Games tab, so to distinguish between them we showed the RM games in green font, the PM in gray font. With the PS7 Filters, the distinction comes from the RM/PM switch in the upper right of the top row, so you only see all RM games or only all PM games, depending on the setting of that switch.

Update: Confirmed that the Restart will commence at 7am ET (11am UK) on Thursday, March 23rd, and that downtime should be less than 1 hour (anticipated to be about 30min).

My constant crashing of the client only really happens when I play BTC's.

The deal has never been on the software for me.. based in the UK and running windows..

Will hand equities be shown again in the HH replayer or has PS removed them purposefully?

Your server restart announcement says 15 Feb.

Perhaps on the poker client you could let us know the correct time and date of the server restart. It is the 23rd March today.

Imagine you've been bowling your whole life. The bowling alley in which you usually play (they are closest, have the best lanes and good drinks/food in the bar) decided to implement a new FEATURE where your ball can't roll down on the sides. And you're telling the regular bowlers that you have NO intentions of removing that for the people who doesn't want it.
But hey, why would you want to remove it? It gives you alot less 0's, just accept it, I'm sure you'll get used to it in time.

This is how I feel about the "show hand strength" "FEATURE", you're treating me like I'm ******ed and can't see how strong my hand is.

It's alright to give people the option to show their hand strength, but you're just giving the finger to people who doesn't want anything to do with it.

It's just a matter of time before the whole table is filled up with text and **** that nobody wants, which would be fine if you gave PLAYERS THE OPTION TO DISABLE IT!
I've been playing on stars for 7 years and you've never had this "FEATURE", can you even give me a few examples of people who wanted it?
I'm sure there are a few, but do you think those people DIDN'T WANT THE OPTION TO CHOOSE?

The Function of "Register to the same Tournament" ist still broken.
Is this intended? Is this only my client? (anybody else?)
It won't work in the menu nor via Short-cut (ctrl-s)

(last .com build, (Build 16916) Mercury, W10)

You still have to right click twice to label opponents in the replay window.

I do have the same problem. I reinstalled the software but the problem remains. Ctrl S doesn't work either.

I play on a few poker sites and from what I can tell, Pokerstars is now the only one (out of those sites I play on) that, doesn't offer the option to disable hand strength on the tables.

I know Pokerstars are trying to 'streamline' things with regards to the software and I understand there reasons etc...but, I do think there are a few things in the software that still need options alongside them and the 'hand strength' showing on the tables is one of them...

@Keith...

When playing on Pokerstars, my personal preference is to use the new 'black' table theme.

Could you please tell me why this table theme doesn't have the 'my position' and 'blind levels' showing in the top right like the 'mercury' table theme does?

This is a feature I would like to see no matter which theme I choose to use and i'm disappointed I have to play a particular theme (one I happen to have tried and dis-liked/dis-missed) in order to use it.

Is this something that's going to be implemented on other table themes in the near future? If so, when and if not, why not?

Tks

Apologies for this. As I noted the other day, the restart was scheduled for this morning, but we forgot to update the client banner so it still had the details from last month's restart. Sorry about that.

Thanks for letting us know - I have reported it to the team. Could you please confirm your client version (go to Help > About PokerStars and look for the 5-digit build number)? Please also send logs to Support so we can start investigating (go to Help > Log Files, add a description of the problem making sure to point out that it's in the Replay window, and click Send Log Files). Thanks!