Managing Editor
On July 15, PokerStars released an update to its cash game lobby for international dot-com players, removing the ability for lower-stakes players to select their seats manually. The move echoes trials it began in European ring-fenced markets starting in 2017.
What was called Seat Me in Italy and later on the Southern Europe network is now Seatfinder, which the operator describes as an “intelligent seating system.”
Based on those earlier trials, however, the change won’t apply to all stakes. For No-Limit Hold’em tables, players choosing games up to and including $1/$2 blinds will have to use Seatfinder. Those playing higher will be able to navigate to the seat of their choosing as they did before.
Dan Price, Head of Poker Games & Performance at PokerStars, said in a press release:
With this update, we’re balancing efficiency with player preference. Seatfinder improves the experience for new and casual players while respecting the dynamics required for starting tables at higher stakes.
For years, online poker operators have been struggling to find ways to protect the most recreational segment of players from the most predatory, without making life more difficult than necessary for those in the middle.
Seat Me applies at all stakes on PokerStars’ European sites, though there was a brief trial in Italy during which higher-stakes tables were exempted.
Automated seating prevents so-called “bum hunting”—that is, the practice of following a weak player from table to table by a stronger one. Players can stand up and switch tables if they don’t like their seat, but must play a certain number of hands first to avoid a time-out.
So far, the lobby has not changed for US PokerStars sites, though that may be coming eventually.
What PokerStars Games Have Seatfinder?
Whether or not you’ll be able to select your own seat on PokerStars depends on the game type and stakes you’re playing for.
- All No-Limit and Pot-Limit Games: Seatfinder at $1/$2 and below. Manual seating $2/$4 and above.
- All Fixed-Limit Games: Seatfinder at $3/$6 and below. Manual seating for $5/$10 and above.*
- 6+ Hold’em: Seatfinder at up to $2 Button Blind. Manual seating for $5 Button Blind and above.
* PokerStars’ documentation states that Seatfinder only applies up to “$1/$3” blinds for Fixed-Limit Flop and Draw games. However, those stakes don’t exist, and an inspection of the lobby reveals that Seatfinder applies to the same stakes given for Stud and Razz, i.e. up to and including $3/$6.
