PokerStars limits the use of hand charts

After banning the Seating scripts, PokerStars is now restricting the use of hand charts as well

As of March 04, 2019, the announced changes to seating scripts will come into effect, and there are now significant limitations to using hand charts.

In the PokerStars blog, Séverin Rasset has also referred to the tightrope act that must be taken as a poker room when it comes to restricting and approving third-party utilities that give the player an edge.

Severin Rasset said: “Third party tools are always an interesting topic in this debate. On the one hand, there are legitimate and useful tools out there that can help players to train, get better and enjoy the depth of the game. On the other hand, there are tools that provide their users with sometimes small and other times clear advantages over others, undermining the spirit of the game.”

Regarding the Seating-Skripts he said: “Any tool or service that sorts available games or (semi-) automates the process of joining games based on the game-play statistics or notes of other players will be prohibited. A tool that solely (or semi-) automates adding players to a set number of tables, without any reliance on information about other players, is permitted”

Handcharts

The static and basic reference material is still allowed, as long as it is about unopened pots and it is limited to a recommendation on which hands to play or not to play.

During the game you can no longer use hand charts that go beyond a basic level and provide recommendations for hands on an opened pot.

For example, PokerStars now prohibits the use of typical Nash Pushing and Calling Charts that take into account the current stacksize and beyond the basic play or non-play of hands in undefined proportions.

HUDs and hotkeys are still allowed in principle, as well as tools that display only basic game information such as potodd or hand strength.