Archive for October, 2009

Gobble Gobble – It’s the Turkey Grand Slam

Posted By : Comb Over-Under October 30th, 2009

Turkey Grand Slam

The November Promotion at CarbonPoker is awesome. It’s a month long SitnGo extravaganza with points, cash and stuffing — all culminating in a 128-man Heads Up Championship!

Here’s how it works: From November 1-30, Carbon is running specially added Turkey Jackpot SitnGos. Each time you play in one of these events you have the opportunity to earn Turkey Points and build the eventual jackpot.

For official rules, prizes and yada yada yada, check the Turkey Grand Slam Page. This page will also house the official leaderboard, real time jackpot amount and any other info you need.

Half of each Turkey Jackpot SnG will be added to the month-end Jackpot. To kick things off, we’re seeding the prize pool with $2,500 and it’s only going to go up from here.

The SitnGos will cost between $2+20c and $50+$5:

Buy-in Total LB Points Points for 1st Points for 2nd
$2 + 20c 40 28 12
$5 + 50c 100 70 30
$10 + $1 200 140 60
$25 + $2.50 500 350 150
$50 + $5 1000 700 300

As you can see, there are tons of chances to earn points during November. Remember, only the top 128 players will make their way into the Unique Starting Stack heads up Grand Finale. The more points you earn, the more chips you’ll have for the final.

Get the jump on the rest of the competition and start playing as soon as you see the tourneys roll out.

For those of you already licking your chops for the eventual payout, here’s how it breaks down:

Spoiler alert: EVERYBODY that makes the top 128 will win something.

Result      Jackpot Payout

  • 1st – 17%
  • 2nd – 12%
  • 3rd/4th – 7.5%
  • 5-8th – 5%
  • 9-16th – 2.5%
  • 17-32nd – 1%
  • 33-64th – $109 Coupon
  • 65-128th – $11 Coupon
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Daily DOUBLE Dollar Dazzlers at CarbonPoker

Posted By : Comb Over-Under October 30th, 2009

cash_pileThe Daily DOUBLE Dollar Dazzler (that’s a lot of ‘D’s) is a new daily feature that’s going to be rolled out at Carbon. It starts in November, so this is an exclusive leak. Hopefully the boss man isn’t reading the blog.

Basically we’ll be running twice-daily tourneys that only cost $1+$0.20 to enter. I’ve got you so far, right?

There are a few ways to get into the tourney: $1+$0.20 , 120 VIP Points or a $1.20 Coupon.

Here’s where it gets even better: Daily Guaranteed Cash!

12:15 Server Time – $1,500 Guaranteed

18:15 Server Time – $2,500 Guaranteed

If you’re good, there is excellent opportunities for bonus cash. Finish in the money a few times in the same day or week, and really cash in. Win 2 in a day? That’s going to pay off.

Bonus Cash Prizes For Double Results:
Cash in Back-2-Back Dazzlers: $25 Cash
Reach the Final Table Twice in 7 Days: $50 Cash
Win 2 x Dazzlers Within 7 Days: $100 Cash
Reach The Final Table in Back-2-Back Dazzlers: $250 Cash
Win Back-2-Back Dazzlers: $500 Cash

Watch the tourney list to see when these events are going to be rolling.

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Switching up your No-Limit Style For Success

Posted By : CarbonPoker October 29th, 2009

pocket_foursNo poker game involves reading opponents as much as No-Limit Hold’em does.  In fact, pretty much every successful No-Limit player is excellent at being able to read their opponents and make the necessary adjustments to keep pace with the table.  And keeping pace with everyone else is imperative if you are going to be unpredictable on the felt.  Here are some tips for how you can switch up your playing style in order to keep the other players guessing.

Avoid Constant Aggression

Most successful No-Limit Hold’em players employ pretty aggressive style of play.  But the problem with some aggressive players is that they maintain this aggression throughout every playing session and never switch their play up.

When this happens, there are some players who will catch on and call anything just to resist these aggressive charges.  So you’ve got to be able to perceive when others are willing to push you to the showdown and switch up your play.

Switching your Play

When you think the table is ready to call all of your semi-bluffs and second-rate hands then you’ll want to switch to a tighter playing style.  This means only playing your strong hands because it will catch a lot of other players in traps.  They’ll think you’re still playing overly aggressive and will try to challenge you which will only allow you to make even more money off of them.

Stay ahead of the Game

You can only fool other players so long with the tight play before they’ll catch on to that as well.  So in order to stay ahead of the curve, you’ll eventually have to switch back again to playing more aggressive.  Making these switches is all about noticing how the table perceives you at any given moment and changing your game accordingly.

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Nobody Wins in Cleveland – Another Home Game Robbery

Posted By : Comb Over-Under October 28th, 2009

cuffs 2While the Browns are at the depths of NFL suck-i-tude and the Cavs dropped the home opener against the Celtics, you’d figure that the city deserved a bit of a break. Maybe the Poker Players would be winners? Not so!

Home game players in the suburb of Solon were stuck up by  rifle-carrying robbers, stripped of their pants and pepper sprayed while theives took off with about $11K worth of cash (and reportedly some jewelery).

One of the players was outside having a smoke when he was cornered by the gunmen and forced to lead them to the game. The poker game was advertised on a Cleveland area website.

This came only 6 months after a robbery of a massive home game of about $75,000 in a similar area.

In Ohio, home games are legal if the host does not charge a fee or take any rake. I think they should start investing in some security for these high-rolling events, or at least make the meetups a bit more private.

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Shorthanded Limit Hold’em Strategy

Posted By : CarbonPoker October 28th, 2009

kings pocketThe majority of people who start playing poker begin with full table games.  After all, there are more full table games offered by online rooms and live venues so it’s only natural that most people would get their start here.

However, some players come to learn that their game is better suited for shorthanded poker and so they start playing at the 6-max tables (6 players or less).  And when you decide to make this switch, you had better be prepared to employ a different strategy.

The first thing you need to do in shorthanded games is be willing to open up your starting hand requirements.  The reason for this is because the blinds come around a lot quicker in 6-max games so you can’t afford to sit back and wait for the good cards to come.  If you’re used to only playing A-10 or better in middle position then you might have to include A-8 or better in order to be more aggressive.

Another important thing to do in shorthanded games is defend your blinds more often.  For example, if you were in a full table game and got raised while holding K-J in the big blind then you might fold here.  However, if you’re in a 6-max game then you’ve got to realize that others will try to steal blinds and be overly aggressive so calling could be a good option.

One other good tip to keep in mind when playing at 6-max tables is to play more aggressively in early position.  Most people will fold anything that isn’t close to a premium hand here since there are usually 8 or 9 players at the table.  However, shorthanded games feature fewer players on the felt so you have the freedom to play more aggressively from this spot.

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How the CarbonPoker Bad Beat Jackpot Works

Posted By : Comb Over-Under October 28th, 2009

bad beat payout

CarbonPoker’s Bad Beat Jackpot is one of my favorite promos. It’s just a nice bonus to keep in the back of your mind when you’re playing at one of our designated BBJ Tables.

As you’ve seen lately, we’ve been spitting out Bad Beat Jackpots like watermelon seeds at the hillbilly olympics, so I thought I’d let you know about how the payouts work.

Basically, you play Hold’em as usual until something amazing happens. Simple, no? If you’re on one of our BBJ tables and a Quad 7 or BETTER is beaten, then the jackpot goes off — this is the lowest qualifier online. As seen in the image above, here is the payout structure:

  • 35% to the loser of the hand
  • 17.5% to the winner of the hand
  • 17.5% to other players in the hand (that means no sitting out and getting paid!)
  • 20% to reseeding the jackpot
  • 10% to Merge Gaming

If you’re playing at a non-BBJ table and your quad Kings gets pwnd by a Royal Flush, you’re out of luck, but stick to the BBJs for increased action.

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Another Day, Another Bad Beat Jackpot

Posted By : Comb Over-Under October 27th, 2009

carbonpokerpicThe CarbonPoker Bad Beat Jackpot as once again paid out! This is the third time in 1 month.

We know with the lowest qualifier online (Quad 7s or better losing), our Jackpot would be more frequent, but lately the RNGs have been dealing up bad beats at a frantic pace.

Just this morning, starterkit’s Queen High Straigh Flush bested GLADIATOR8791’s Quad 8s in a hand with a $23 pot on one of our Bad Beat Jackpot Tables. You know the rest.

$42,633.32 was awarded to GLADIATOR8791 and starterkit’s bankroll was padded with an additional $21,316.66. A slice of $3,045.23 was handed out to the remaining 7 players at the table — proving once again that losing can be profitable. CarbonPoker is the home of Bad Beats lately.

Because the Jackpots have gone off so often lately, these guys weren’t close to our $1.2Million Bad Beat Jackpot payout, but I’m sure they’ll still take it.

As usual, the Jackpot has been reseeded and is already growing. Check it out on the Homepage to see it increase in real time.

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Win a $109 Coupon On Facebook.com/CarbonPoker With Your Best Joke

Posted By : Comb Over-Under October 27th, 2009

facebookCarbonPoker Contest Announcement!

I usually keep these announcements exclusive to Facebook, but I decided to share it with our blog readers as well. You’ve gotta be a Facebook Fan to be eligible…. but I’m sure you are already.

Right now, hit up Facebook.com/CarbonPoker and tell me your favorite poker joke in the comment thread. On October 28th, I’ll be awarding 4 $109 Coupons to the jokes that make me laugh the most.

If you like Carbon contests, check our Facebook page regularly. We’ve got weekly promos, contests and events. Fan us!

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Phil Ivey Lands on Cover of ESPN the Magazine

Posted By : Comb Over-Under October 27th, 2009

Ivey PlaneThere are plenty of live and online poker players who will argue that they’re the best player alive.  But few of these people can back up their argument with the kind of credentials that Phil Ivey can.  Ivey has won numerous tournaments in his career and is often referred to as the best all-around poker player in the world.  His accomplishments have gained him a celebrity status that has transcended the game of poker.  In fact, Ivey has become such a big celebrity that ESPN decided to prominently feature him on both the cover of ESPN the Magazine and in an E:60 segment.

The article, which landed Ivey on the ESPN the Magazine cover, focuses on a trip with him around the world during the filming of the E:60 segment.  Written by Chad Millman, this feature article discusses how big of a star the 7-time WSOP bracelet winner has become.  From hanging out with Jay-Z backstage at concerts to playing golf with Michael Jordan, it is apparent that Ivey fits in well with the A-list celebrities.

The article also discusses how difficult it is for Ivey to keep his personal life private these days too.  Ivey has long been known as someone who enjoys his privacy, but the celebrity status he has gained is making this preference a lot more difficult to maintain.  Reporters and other media players now hound Phil a lot more when he is out and about.

Ivey did admit that he is enjoying parts of his celebrity status, but he is much more focused on winning the WSOP Main Event above all.  Ivey currently sits in 7th place in the final table chip count and is looking to make some big moves when Main Event play resumes on November 7th.

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Restealing Blinds

Posted By : CarbonPoker October 26th, 2009

Chips ahead behindThere are few things poker players love more than stealing blinds from everyone else at the table.  Sure this move may not always provide a whole lot of chips, but it does give one the boost of confidence that comes from practically bluffing the entire table.  But simply stealing the blinds isn’t near as fun as restealing them from the initial person who was trying to pull one over on everybody.

Most of the time people try to steal blinds through the use of a raise.  So if you can resteal blinds then you’ll not only get the blinds, but your opponent’s raise as well.  This is obviously better than only stealing the blinds though it’s a little tougher to pull off.  However, restealing can be made easier if you pay attention to certain things.

One situation you definitely want to watch for when attempting a resteal is when a good player in late position is trying to steal.  Now most people would think that it’d be easier to resteal from a bad player, but it’s actually the opposite.  Good players are willing to cut their losses when reraised – even in late position – while bad players will often try and protect their raise by calling.  In short, it’s easier to resteal from solid players.

Another great chance for restealing arises when you’ve got a decent drawing hand to do it with.  Obviously reraising pre-flop with K-K isn’t actually restealing….it’s just making a good play.  On the other hand, trying to resteal with something like 9-4 doesn’t leave you any backup plan if your re-raise is called.  So at least have a drawing hand like 8-9 or better if you’re going to try this move.

One more thing you should look for with resteals is how you’ve been playing.  If you have already attempted a resteal 3 times, then other players are going to catch on to what you’re doing.  But if you haven’t tried the resteal all day, then it could provide a great opportunity for you to do so.  Keep all of these factors in mind when performing resteals.

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