The Ultimate Guide To Steps At The Worlds Biggest Site – Pokerstars.com
Pokerstars Step SNGs are the most popular anywhere, and also the most varied in terms of the games and buy-in combinations on offer. These started off as ways to qualify for the yearly ‘Caribbean Adventure’ and have since become an institution in their own right. My favorite aspect of these games is that you can use your Step 4 ticket to buy in to the Sunday Million or any other $215 tournament, giving many players a cheap weekly shot at some seriously big money.
This article will follow a standard format to allow you to compare Step SNGs at each of the 5 sites offering them covered here (full list at the end of the article). I will start by describing what is available, then give you a flavor of the site itself and tournaments you can win tickets into – finally summing up with how the Pokerstars Steps compare to their main competitors.
If you have not already experienced Pokerstars then Steps are a great reason to find out what makes this site the world’s most popular for yourself. New players can claim a 100% match bonus over up to 3 separate deposits (max $500, 90 day limit) with Marketing Code = PSP3108. Make sure you check out Pokerstars for yourself soon!
Pokerstars Steps SNGs – Games And Buy-Ins Available
Steps Sit N Goes at Pokerstars can seem a little complex at first, though once you start breaking them down the basic system is over 6 levels. There are two separate paths for Steps, the Dollar Steps (1 through 6) and the Euro Steps (A through G), you need hold a Euro balance to play the Euro steps, anyone can do this via the cashier.
Here are the standard buy-in schedules for both Dollar and Euro Steps Sit N Goes.
|
Dollar Steps |
Euro Steps |
|
Step #1 - $7.50c |
Step A - €2.20c |
|
Step #2 - $27 |
Step B - €7.50c |
|
Step #3 - $82 |
Step C - €27 |
|
Step #4 - $215 |
Step D - €82 |
|
Step #5 - $700 |
Step E - €215 |
|
Step #6 - $2100 |
Step F - €700 |
|
|
Step G - €2100 |
The list of games available is huge, though the No-Limit Holdem always fill up fast and PLO Steps reasonably quickly at the lower levels – you will have to wait a while to get some of the less popular games to fill up. These include: 7-Card Stud, 7 Stud Hi-Lo, Razz, 5-Card Draw, PLO8, Fixed Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, HORSE, 8-Game, Mixed Holdem and even 2-7 Triple Draw!
Pokerstars Steps Sit N Goes – Player Points, MTT SNGs and Exits!
With several ‘try again’ runners up prizes you could be on the way to Step 6 (or G!) in no time. What I also wanted to include is some innovative ways of getting you on the path to the big package in the first place.
Cheapest of all is a 333 player ‘hyper turbo’ for just 3 frequent player points, this gives 2 step 1 tickets and starts everyone with 300 chips at 15 / 30 blinds – chaos! You can also find a MTT step #1, where 90 players fight for 20 step 2 places (+ 12 ‘try agains’). 1-table steps can also be entered for player points, 500 for Step 1, 1750 for Step 2 and 5125 for Step 3.
Exit Points are an important consideration for Steps SNGs… since not everyone wants to spend $2100 on a SNG entry for a WSOP / EPT package! Stars are very strong in this area, you only have to win a Step 3 and get a $215 ticket to exit. This can be spent on entry into the infamous Sunday Million – or any other $215 tournament.
When one of the big events comes along (for example the WCOOP) there are even more exit points available, often including ‘Double Shootouts’ half-way up.
Pokerstars Steps Sit N Goes – How Do They Match Up + Next Steps!
My view is the Pokerstars have set the standard by which we should judge the rest! Well, this is not the most popular poker site for nothing, their software, loyalty program and game choice really is second to none. The steps are no exception to here, even if the non Holdem / PLO games are extremely quiet.