FAQ

1. Download/installation and firewall

1.1 What do I need to do to join a game and start playing poker online?
You’ll need to download and install our free software application in order to play poker at PartyPoker.com.

1.2 How do I download the PartyPoker.com application?
Downloading our software is easy: Just click on the 'Download now' button at the top of any page on the PartyPoker.com site.
If you experience any difficulties when downloading, please contact our Customer Care team. Provide specific information regarding your problem and we will assist you as soon as possible.

1.3 I downloaded the software but now I can't find it.
If you’ve downloaded the software but have forgotten where you saved it, don't worry. Just go to Start-->Find-->File or Folders and type in PartypokerSetup.exe in the 'Named:' box. Once you’ve found it, double-click the file and join the party.

1.4 I installed the PartyPoker.com software, but I can't hear any sounds.
Enabling the in-game sound is easy. Simply follow these steps:

Log in using your PartyPoker.com account details.
Select the 'Options' menu in the PartyPoker.com Lobby.
Click on the 'Video & Audio Options' tab.
Click on the 'Sounds on/off' option and make sure that it’s checked.

Please make sure you have a valid sound card and that your speaker is not set to mute.

1.5 How do I start playing at PartyPoker.com?
Once you have downloaded the software, double-click on the PartyPoker.com poker chip logo which should appear on your desktop.

You can also launch the PartyPoker.com application by:

Clicking on the 'Start' button on the bottom-left of your screen.
Search for PartyPoker.com in the first menu that opens up. You will find 'PartyPoker’ in the upper half of the menu. Just click on it and open PartyPoker.com.
The application will launch, allowing you to go to the Cashier, make a deposit, and start playing.

1.6 Do I need to go to the PartyPoker.com website every time I want to play?
No, you just have to click on the PartyPoker.com icon on your desktop and it will automatically connect your PC to PartyPoker.com. Enter your account name and password and click on 'Log in' to start playing.

1.7 What is a firewall?
A firewall is a program or hardware device that filters the information entering your system via the internet. Firewalls are designed to prevent unauthorized access to your computer or network.

1.8 How do I configure a firewall?
There are many different firewalls you can use. The most common firewalls are Windows XP Firewall, Norton, MacAfee, Zone Alarm, and Black Ice. Although the visual appearance of the various firewalls may be different, they block or allow access to internet-based applications in similar ways. For more information on configuring your firewall, please contact our technical team.

1.9 How do I fix any problems I'm having connecting to Partypoker.com after an upgrade?
Sometimes your firewall will fail to recognize the upgraded version of PartyPoker.com, and will block access to the site. To correct this, just open your firewall and set it to allow access to the PartyPoker.com software.

1.10 Some commonly used firewall terms:
Port
A port is a connection through which data is sent and received on the internet. A port can either send and receive data in one direction at a time (simplex), or simultaneously in both directions (duplex).

Security
This refers to techniques for ensuring that data stored in a computer cannot be read or compromised. Most security measures involve data encryption and passwords.

Packet
A piece of a message transmitted over a packet-switching network.

IP address
The IP address identifies a computer or device on a TCP/IP network. Networks using the TCP/IP protocol route messages based on the IP address of the destination. The format of an IP address is a 32-bit nEffect of the request, making the firewall page more generally compatible.

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2. Getting Started

2.1 How do I open an account?
It's simple:

Download the software and double-click on the PartyPoker.net icon on your desktop.
Complete and submit the new player registration form, and you’re ready to play.

2.2 Can I play for free?
Our play money tables are completely free. You can find the play money tables in the 'Play Money Games' section of the client. View the play money Lobby options here.

2.3 How do I add play money chips?
If your play balance is zero (0), please click on any open seat and then select 'Add Play $' in the 'Buy-in' window.

You won’t be able to get more play money chips if:

1. You are in the middle of a hand.
2. You are only viewing a table.
3. You are playing in a tournament.
Click on the dealer tray and select ‘More Chips’ to add play chips while you are seated at the table. You must leave a five-minute gap between each request for additional chips.

2.4 What should I do to play for real money?
Just click on 'Cashier menu' at the top of the Lobby screen and choose 'Deposit' to start playing with real money. For more information, read our PayPro FAQ.

2.5 How can I learn to play poker at PartyPoker.com?
You can learn to play poker using our interactive Poker Trainer, located in the play money section of the Lobby. There are exclusive beginners tables for new real money players listed in the Lobby. Find out more about opening and joining our tables.

2.6 What reward systems and bonuses are available at PartyPoker.com?
There are a variety of reward options available to players, including:

Bonus offers and promotions
Party Points
The Tournament Leader Board (for tournament players)
The VIP Club (for frequent players)

2.7 What gift certificates does PartyPoker.com offer?
PartyPoker.com offers gift certificates ranging in value from $100 through $500. To purchase or redeem a gift certificate, just log in to your PartyAccount, click on 'Gift Certificates', and follow the simple instructions. You can assign, reassign, or cancel a certificate at any time before it is redeemed.

2.8 Can I transfer funds to another player?
Inter-account transfers can be used to transfer money from one player to another. Remember, the minimum amount you can transfer is $50, and you must have at least $50 left in your account after the transfer has been made.

For more details, please log in to your PartyAccount and select the tab 'Inter-account transfer'.

2.9 How do I join freeroll tournaments?
We have a variety of different freeroll tournaments. Exclusive Players Club freeroll tournaments are open to Party Points registered players. Freeroll tournaments open to all real money players are available in the Lobby.

You can also win entry to a freeroll by playing in a sub-qualifier or a qualifier for a specific tournament. If a freeroll is available to you, you will be offered the option to use it when you register for the tournament.

2.10 Can I change my account/screen name?
You can change your screen name if you have a real money account. Please log in to your PartyAccount and select the 'Your Profile' option to change your screen name. You will be able edit your screen name once every 180 days. You can’t change your account name.

2.11 How do I change my password/email address?
Select 'My account' in the Lobby, and then click either 'Change password' or 'Change/validate email'. You can also log in to the PartyAccount website and select the 'Your profile' option, where you will be able to change your password and email address.

2.12 How do I validate my email address? Why do I need to do this?
To validate your email address, select 'My account', followed by 'Change/validate email'. Validating your email address will ensure that any information regarding your account, and all future correspondence, is sent to the correct address. You will not be able to make a deposit or cash out unless you have validated your email address.

2.13 I have changed my mailing address. How do I update this information in my account?
Log in to your PartyAccount, and select the 'Your profile' option, then click on the 'PartyCashier' option, and follow the instructions to update your profile.

2.14 Where do I check which tables I have played on, and how much money I took to the tables?
a) Select 'My account' in the Lobby, and then click 'My Account'.
b) On the next page, click 'Game and transaction history' in the left-hand column. You will need to select a date range which is not greater than three days.

2.15 How do I check the amounts I have deposited, cashed out, or transferred?
a) In the Lobby, select 'My account', and then click the 'My account' option.
b) On the next page, click on 'Game and transaction history' in the left-hand column. You will need to select a date range which is not greater than three days.

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3. Deposit and Cashier

Read the Deposit and Cashier FAQ.

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4. General

4.1 How do I chat on the tables?
Messages can be typed into the ‘Type here to chat’ field of the chat box which is located in the bottom-left of the table screen. Just press enter on your keyboard to send your message. All players' messages will show in the larger chat box in the bottom-center of the table.

4.2 I have friends online at PartyPoker.com. Can I invite them to a table? How do I find them?
a) Log into the Lobby and click on the 'Game rules and options' tab.
b) Click on the 'Player search' tab.
c) Enter the player's screen name and click on ‘Search’.

4.3 How do I add a friend to my buddy list?
a) Click on 'Game rules and options' in the Lobby.
b) Select 'My buddies'. This will open your buddy list.
c) Click 'Add', and enter your friend's registered screen name.

4.4 How should I deal with players who use foul and profane language?
We do not tolerate the use of profane or abusive language at our tables, and treat it as a serious offence.

You can block players who use profane or abusive language by right-clicking on the player's screen name at the table and selecting 'Disable Chat'. This is an interim measure, prior to our intervention. Contact us or send us a screen shot of the offending chat box, and we will take the relevant action.

4.5 How do I request for a Hand History?

1) Log in to the Lobby and select 'Game rules and Options'.
2) Select 'Instant hand histories' and then check the box marked 'Email me'.
3) You can choose to view either a particular hand number or the last 100 hands.
4) The hand histories will be sent to your registered email address once you have clicked the 'Send email’ button.

Alternately, you can choose to store the hand histories on your computer. In the PartyPoker.com Lobby, click on ‘Game Rules and Options’ and then on ‘Hand History Logs Configuration’. You can choose to store either your hand history for the last 30 days or 10 MB of hand history.

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5. Games

5.1 How do I join a table?

To join a table:

Select a table from the list shown on the right-hand side of the Lobby.
Double-click on the table. Click on the 'Seat open' tab once the table has opened.
You will see a buy-in window, which you can use to choose the number of chips you want take to the table. Make your selection and click 'Ok' to be seated. You will be given the option to post the big blind and start play from the following hand.

Please note that on No-Limit and Pot-Limit tables there are a maximum and minimum number of chips you can take to the table.

5.2 Where can I check the rules for each game?
The rules for each game are offered in detail in the 'How to play' section of PartyPoker.com. You will find basic rules, poker games rules, betting rules, information on buy-ins and table stakes, a glossary, and strategy tips in this section.

5.3 What should I do if the table I want to play at is full?
Click on the 'Join waiting list' button for the table you'd like to play at. You will automatically be added to the waiting list. You can read a list of players currently playing at - and waiting for - a particular table to the right of the screen in the Lobby.

5.4 What should I do if no one is seated at the table I’d like to play on?
Just click on the waiting list for the empty table and select the minimum number of players you want to play against. You will be notified that the game is ready to start as soon as the specified number of players has joined the table.
5.5 Will I know how much is in the pot at all times?
Yes. This amount is posted in the center of the table. In addition, the chips in the center of the table equal the exact size of the pot.

5.6 I have never played poker, how do I start?
You can learn poker using our interactive Poker Trainer. Exclusive beginners tables are listed in the Lobby for new real money players.

Find out how to join our tables.

5.7 What is the Bad Beat Jackpot?
The Bad Beat Jackpot is a progressive jackpot. A contribution of 50 cents will be collected from every raked hand played on a progressive jackpot table. This contribution will be added to the Bad Beat Jackpot. With more than 100 tables, the Bad Beat Jackpot typically increases by $1,000 every hour.

Find out more.

5.8 How do I win the Bad Beat Jackpot?
You’ll win if you lose with a hand of Four of a Kind, 8s, or better. Find out more about the winning the Bad Beat Jackpot.

5.9 Where do I see the amounts in each jackpot?
The jackpot contribution collected on any jackpot table is displayed on the right-hand side of the dealer, and the total jackpot is displayed on a progressive counter in the bottom right-hand corner of the table.

5.10 How is the fund distributed in the Bad Beat Jackpot?
Every time the jackpot is hit, 70% of the jackpot will be distributed and 20% will be used as a seed for the next jackpot. We will retain 10% as an administrative fee.

Of the distributed amount, 50% will go to the loser of the hand (the Bad Beat), 25% will go to the winner, and the remaining 25% will be split between the other seated players who took part in the hand. Players who sat out of the hand will not receive a portion of the jackpot.

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6. Bonus and Promotions

6.1 How do I know I have a bonus?
a) Log in to your account.
b) Click on the 'My account' option in the Main Lobby.
c) Select 'My account'.
d) On the new page, click on the 'New Bonus Offers' link. This section lists all the bonuses you're eligible for.
e) Click 'Bonus Details' to view the details of any cash out or release restricted pending bonuses in your account.

6.2 What is the raked hands requirement?
A raked hand is any hand in which a rake (service fee) is taken out of the pot. A player is considered to have played a raked hand when cards have been dealt and the hand has generated at least $0.01 in rake for that player.

Find out more about our rake structure.

6.3 What is the Leader Board promotion?
The Leader Board promotion is a unique point system for our tournament Leader Board that lets you see who's won the most tournaments at PartyPoker.com. You'll enjoy extra bonuses and rewards if you're one of our leaders.

6.4 Where do I check the points?
The Leader Board points are updated once a day at 6:00 ET. These rankings are displayed in a weekly and monthly Leader Board format. Find out more.

6.5 What is the advantage of being on the Leader Board?
There are two extra competitions that you can take part in if you are on the Leader Board:

The Weekly Leader Board Reward: Challenge other Leader Board winners to a heads-up tournament, the 'Clash of the Titans', worth $1,000.

The Monthly Leader Board Reward: If you are among the top 100 on the monthly Leader Board, you'll receive an entry to a $5,000 freeroll tournament. The tournament is held on the second day of every month, at 21:30 ET.

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7. Tournament

7.1 What are the different types of tournaments offered at PartyPoker.com?
We have the following types of tournament:

a) Sit & Go 1-table and multi-table tournaments.
b) Multi-table tournaments.
c) Shootout tournaments.

7.2 How do I find a tournament?
Read our list of tournaments.

You can also use the table filters in the Lobby to find the right tournament for you.

7.3 I have registered for a tournament, but want to unregister. How do I do this?
Please check when the tournament starts. You cannot unregister within 15 minutes of the start time.

7.4 Can I re-buy during a tournament?
Tournaments allowing re-buys and add-ons will be clearly marked in the Tournament Lobby, where information on the number of re-buys and add-ons allowed will also be provided.

More information

7.5 Do you allow deal making on the tournament tables?
Deal making allows players at the final table of a tournament to make a deal for all or part of the remaining prize pool.

To check whether or not a tournament features the deal making facility, go to the Poker Lobby, select a tournament and open the Tournament Lobby. If deal making is possible, it will say 'Final table deal making possible' in the top bulletin board message.

7.6 What is a speed tournament?
In these tournaments, the level changes every five minutes, and the time to respond will be set at 15 seconds.

7.7 Can I register for a tournament which has already started?
Late registration is allowed in our regular tournaments. Registration is considered closed when any of the following occurs:

The first level of the tournament is completed
One player is eliminated from the tournament
All seats in the tournament are filled
The tournament’s maximum capacity is reached

8. Game Fairness and Integrity

8.1 How fairly are the cards dealt?
We used a highly encrypted random number generator (RNG) to shuffle and deal the cards, which means the cards are:

Evenly distributed, and not related to each other in any way
Unpredictable

Read a more technical overview of our RNG.

8.2 Who certifies your systems?
The RNG has been tested extensively, and certified by iTech Labs, a globally recognized gaming certification authority. For more information on how the tests were conducted, visit their website.

8.3 Are you registered with a regulatory or governing body?
We are licensed and regulated by the Government of Gibraltar, and our games are tested by iTech Labs, an independent tester of gaming and wagering devices, to ensure that the games are fair and operate correctly.

8.4 How can I be sure that two or more players are not colluding?
We have developed a collusion prevention system to detect colluding players and ban them from the site. The sophisticated systems are developed on a high-level technological platform, and work based on a combined set of algorithms, permutations, and combinations.

8.5 Players on some tables claim they can see other players' cards. Is this true?
The recognition procedures which are built into our software recognize and detect any kind of tampering. The information regarding the community cards is sent by our game servers to all players' computer. The information on a player's hole cards is sent solely to that particular player's computer. It is not possible for another player to obtain this information and, therefore, read your cards.

8.6 How is my personal information protected by you?
Our payment processing center uses 128-bit encryption, provided by Thawte Security, to ensure the security and privacy of your data. All of your information is kept confidential, and we will never share or sell your data to third parties, except in accordance with our privacy policy. Our state-of-the-art player identification and controlled access log in ensures maximum account safety.

More information

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If you have any questions, please contact our 24/7 Customer Care team.