Carbon Poker Review

Carbon Poker review

Carbon Poker is the face of the ever expanding Merge network. Its gorgeous in game interface, soft competition and eagerness to accommodate US players have seen it grow from strength to strength since its inception in 2007. A plethora of low-buy in tournaments means Carbon Poker is ideal for beginners, whereas the massive bad beat jackpot and comprehensive reward scheme help attract more experienced players.

Bonus and Promotions

Carbon Poker’s initial deposit bonus of 100% up to $600 puts in on a par with the likes of Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars. It is released in increments of $10 for every 2500 comp points obtained. A player can accumulate between three and ten comp points per hand, and is granted ten points for ever dollar paid in tournament fees. Carbon Poker operates a five tiered reward scheme based on VIP point accumulation – earth, wind, fire, water and ether. High volume players can enjoy the benefits of $750 for every 25,000 points earned in cash rebates, a free $109 tournament coupon and free check withdrawals. Even beginners can enjoy $200 in weekly freerolls, cash exchange and entry into the VIP store. In terms of other promotions, Carbon offers extensive rake races through the SnG and MTT leaderboards, a royal flush bonus and a $25 refer a friend bonus for aspiring affiliates.

Games

To counter its relatively low amount of traffic (7,000 players can be found online during peak periods), Carbon Poker offers a wide variety of games, including rarer variants such as 5 Card Draw and Badugi. Above $2-$4, most ring game play is restricted to heads-up amongst regulars. Below this, there are a startling number of weak players. Because the Carbon software isn’t compatible with tracking software,  less experienced players have to use their own, shaky intuition. The only indication as to an individual’s strength and experience are the bronze, silver or gold star icons beside the avatar. Carbon Poker excels in the tournament field. For the low-mid stakes player, there’s a multitude of tournament formats, including shootout, bounty, deepstack and short-handed, all displayed on the colourful legend. There are an abundance of $3-$15 MTT’s with respectable fields rarely surpassing 200 players. This allows for a well balanced tournament structure, and you avoid the frantic crapshoots that arise from monster fields. Along with VIP points freerolls, Carbon Poker offers satellites into the EPT London grand final and Aussie Millions main event.

Software

Carbon Poker’s strongest facet is its software. The blue and metallic colour themed lobby provides a sophisticated, modern feel. The vivacious in game graphics and flash animations make it the most aesthetically pleasing software on the web. The visuals retain their crispness even when multi-tabling up to 12 tables. The software boasts some funky, innovative features, such as the ability to rabbit the deck and reassure yourself of a good fold. Taking a leaf out of the Full Tilt Poker book, there’s a ‘deal it twice’ option available on the turn and river. The Bad Beat Jackpot is also one of the heftiest online – around $200k. 

Support

Carbon Poker offers comprehensive support, including round the clock email response, telephone support and live chat. Carbon has avoided any security issues, although it is regulated by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which was involved in trying to cover up the UB/AP scandal. A secure player interface and cashier opens separately from the lobby, and players are asked to provide identity verification to ensure smooth transactions.