Carbon Poker
Carbon Poker is a relatively young poker site belonging to the Merge Gaming Network, one of the few remaining poker networks that still openly accept US players. It is no surprise that Carbon is the most popular site on the network, offering its players great software, loose games, super quick withdrawals and some truly massive promotional offerings.
The Carbon Poker software is excellent and provides a player with everything they need for an enjoyable playing experience. Game play is fast and smooth, vector graphics are superb, and players have access to plenty of customization options. Standard features include player note-taking and tracking, a quick start option, and multi-table functionality. More original features include the “Expose One Card” function where players can reveal one or both hole cards to the competition after laying down a hand, the “Rabbit Hunt” where players can check the community cards after everybody folds, and “Deal It Twice” – giving two all-in players the option to deal the turn and river community cards two times.
Tournament players will find no shortage of options at Carbon Poker. With MTT tournaments and Sit-N-Go’s scheduled at all hours, there is something to suit every skill and bankroll level. Players can choose from Bounty, Freerolls, and Shootouts, to guaranteed tournaments, Satellites for big live events, and even special Ladies Only tournaments. Most tournaments run variations of Holdem and Omaha, but you’ll find few running Badugi and Draw Poker.
Game selection at Carbon is among the best online, with the standard Texas Holdem, Seven-Card Stud, and Omaha offered in all their variations, Five-Card Stud, Five-Card Draw, as well as specialty games like H.O.R.S.E., Razz, A-5 Lowball, 2-7 Lowball and Badugi. As usual, you’ll find most of the heavy action around the Holdem tables, but you should have no problems finding an Omaha game at any time. Stakes start at 0.01¢/0.02¢ and go up to $100/200, and most games can be played heads-up, shorthanded or full-ring.
Player competition is generally considered softer than average. The low and micro stake tables tend to have the loosest player, followed by the more unusual game tables, where many players are still on their learning curve. So if you’re a newbie, Carbon makes a good place to hone your skills without being at the mercy of sharks, and if you’re a pro, collect some easy wins and leave happy with a healthier account balance.
Traffic volume at Carbon Poker is in the lower end of the online poker spectrum. However, both Carbon Poker and the network it belongs to have been steadily growing in popularity, with the number of players increasing daily. Player traffic averages 500 ring-game and 2,000 tournament players (May 2009) during peak hours.
Carbon Poker offers its players 24/7 customer support available via email or live-chat (for real money players). Bonus points to Carbon for including a live-chat option, something more small poker rooms should include in their customer service offerings. Email inquiries are guaranteed a response time of at most 48 hours; however, most are answered much more quickly with detailed and quality responses.
With solid software, great promotions, loose games and excellent customer support, Carbon Poker appears to have done everything it needs to secure its future as a top poker site. It’s exceptional game variety also makes it a great poker room for the easily bored, or those looking for a new challenge.
