The most common scenario where we see people play scared is when they’re on the bubble of a poker tournament.  And it’s understandable why people would play scared on the bubble of any tournament since it is when several players will wind up the biggest losers.  Those who go out on the bubble will not only miss out on getting paid, but they’ll also have spent the most time in the tournament out of those who leave empty-handed.

Of course, this doesn’t give one an excuse to fold everything pre-flop in an attempt to back into the money.  Anybody who plays just to cash every time is going to wind up a losing poker player in the long run since you’ve got to make some final tables once in a while to make up for all of the times you didn’t make the money.

With that being said, there are times when it’s alright to play scared – especially if the money you stand to make from simply cashing is a significant amount.  For instance, if you normally play in $10 and $20 buy-in tourneys online, yet find yourself on the WSOP Main Event bubble where players make over $20,000 just for cashing, it could be acceptable to fold anything.

Another instance where playing “scared” would be okay is when you’re on a satellite tournament bubble.  In satellites, a set number of players will get the same prize so being extremely risky holds no advantage here since it’s not like first place will get anything better than second place.  So there is no point in going all-in unless first place is the only person who gets anything.

Between now and Sunday, December 13t @ 23:59 Server Time, simply comment on any articles on the CarbonPoker Blog (you’re already here!).

Go ahead and engage in the articles, make me laugh or make me think. I’ll pick a comment and award the winner a $109 coupon — good for a spot on the Guaranteed $50K Tourney each Sunday.

Be sure to include your CarbonPoker nickname with your comment so I know who you are.

Get it on!

Be our Facebook Fan or Follow @CarbonPoker on Twitter for more exclusive prizes, hints, coupons and info.

Things are starting to get a lot busier at CarbonPoker lately. Our Bad Beat Jackpot is going off, tourneys are getting bigger each week and more players are coming through the door — we’re expanding. The blog is no different and we’re bringing a new member into the family: Cousins of Ron Mexico. He’s a noted online blogger and player at Carbon.

Hello, my name is Stephen. I’m an avid poker player and over the next 100 years I’m going to be sharing some of my poker-playing experiences with you. I know what you’re thinking – 100 years? That’s a really long time. Well, I’m such a dedicated player (and blogger) that I agreed to contribute to Carbon Poker over the next 100 years.

You may recognize my name from the first two Carbon Poker blogger tournaments. I won the first ever CPBT and finished second in the… second. It took a wick beat to bump me from a second straight victory, but I’m not hear to talk about that. Nobody likes to hear someone else’s bad beat stories, right?

Over the next 100 years, I’ll be talking poker strategy and just generally trying to get a discussion going about the best way to play. I don’t have a fool-proof system and don’t think that anyone does. Just because you play aces perfectly one hand doesn’t mean anything the next time you are fortunate enough to have them.

To me, poker is like tennis, but with a lot less movement. Except in tennis, you know exactly how many games you have to win to win the match. Poker can go on forever. So maybe its more like cricket? I’m not really familiar enough with that sport to know if that works. Maybe its more like baseball. No, wait. Its just like poker.

Its a beautiful game that can be infinitely frustrating and yet provide hours of boredom intertwined with moments of joy. No matter how good you get at poker, you’re always in danger of losing to someone who is just awful. That poker, she’s a cruel mistress. I’ll try to deal with that and in turn, help you guys deal with it. And maybe – just maybe – we’ll teach each other something along the way. Now get back to those virtual tables. There’s poker to be played.

I’m excited to network with other bloggers, hit the ESPN party and listen to the panelists… but, as far as I’m concerned, the crown jewel of the week will be the Blogs With Balls Charity Poker Shootout.

We’re a sponsor of the event and couldn’t be happier. The tourney was put together by Dan Levy at OnTheDLPodcast (one of the best podcasts online, imo) and is raising cash for Ante Up for Africa.

Also — since this event is in Vegas, there is a 50% chance that I’ll be floating face down by the end of the week. Look forward to photos and updates throughout.

Tourney Details:

When: Friday, October 16, 2009 • 8pm
Where: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Buy-in: $50+10
Winners: Prizes for table winners, knockout bonuses and finalists. Cash prizes for top finishers.
Charity: Proceeds will go to Ante Up for Africa
Including Charitable Contributions From: Carbon Poker, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, Jose Cuervo, Crown Royal

That’s not all! In addition to bloggers that have played in our Invitational Blogger Tourneys, this event is featuring some of the most legit pros in the business.

The Pros:

• Annie Duke
• Jennifer Harman – seen naked earlier today
• Joe Sebok
• James Van Alstyne
• Marco Traniello
• Jeff Madsen
• Karina Jett
• Chip Jett
• Layne Flack
• Me

PUNTE from WithLeather will be repping CarbonPoker and wearing our gear. Despite his poker play, he’s actually a good friend of the site. When he eventually gets knocked out, whoever does it will be awarded some CP swag!

We’ll also be awarding winners, and losers, some pretty exclusive Carbon stuff. If you’re in Vegas next week, be sure to stop by.

If you missed out on BlogsWithBalls 1.0 in New York then you should definitely check out the second iteration of this blogging and media conference that will be packed with sports writers, athletes and the biggest bloggers in the industry.

Look for players from CarbonPoker’s Invitational Blogger Tourneys and an Carbon-funded, pro-packed charity poker tournament on Friday the 16th. We’ve got more coming on this soon — including how to satellite into the tournament.

• flopping the nuts
• an after-work beer
• Blog Comments

I’m happy to get any of those. But the one that’s going to get YOU PAID is the third one. For the next week, I’ll be checking out each and every comment that goes up on the blog and looking for the best and brightest.

If you’re familiar with the blog, you know the drill. My favorite comment of the week (up until 23:59 Sunday the 4th of October) will receive a $109 Coupon.

You can take that coupon and enter a Guaranteed $50,000 Tournament on Sunday. Turning our biggest tourney of the week into your own personal freeroll? I thought you’d like something like that.

Get rolling! Comment on any post through the blog to become eligible. Be sure to leave your CarbonPoker nickname so I know who you are!

For more prizes, promos and deals, check out CarbonPoker Facebook and @CarbonPoker on Twitter. So much 2.0!

Thanks to everyone for making it out, participating in the live chat and having a good time.

These are the guys that provide entertainment when you should be working and all of their blogs are worth a look, read, ogle.

The second CP Blogger Invitational went off smoothly. It was a 2-table tourney, featuring some of my favorite blogs.

• RaptorBlog (winner!)
• Don Chavez (first out)
• WithLeather (signed in, f-d off, and blinded out in 5th place for a $109 Coupon)
• Tas from TheBasketballJones (knocked me out)
• MajorLeagueJerk
• Dan Levy from OnTheDLPodcast
• RamblingsOfTheUnmotivated
• CousinsOfRonMexico (2nd place — 1st place last time)
• Meech from TheFightins
• PyleOfList

Some guys couldn’t make it due to floods, Caps games or scheduling conflicts, but there will be more events!

Stay tuned at the CarbonPoker blog for more tourneys, leaderboards and promos.

That’s right. I’ll be facing off in a multi table tourney against some of the biggest and baddest bloggers online. Watch for a full list of competitors and a live event chat thread later on today!

All that being said, I plan on winning.

Side bets? Side bets. First guy to get knocked out has to post unicorns on their site the next day. Thanks to PUNTE from WithLeather for taking the honors last time. I think it really spruced things up around there. There will also be a bounty on my head (not that any of these guys will be knocking me out).

Want to get in on future events? Send me your blog’s URL in the comments section or hit me up on CarbonPoker’s Twitter Account.

ATTN: Poker Bloggers. More of these tourneys are on the way, and we’re looking for Poker Blogs. Contact me for info on how to get involved.

The CarbonPoker Blogger Invivational Poker tourney is back this September 23. At 7pm EST, bloggers will be squaring off in a heated battle of cards, twitter updates and smack talk.

We’re happy to bring together some of the big names of the sports blogging world to play for a $700 prizepool. Returning is last tourney’s champ, Cousins of Ron Mexico and last place disapointment, PUNTE from WithLeather.

I finished in 2nd place last time, so my prize money has been forwarded to this event — a grand total of $700. Boom! I plan on finishing in the money again, so watch for the prizepool to grow and grow.

If you’re reading this, and are outraged that you’re not a part of hit, hit me up on CarbonPoker’s Twitter account or on the comment thread of this post.

Requirements of Entry:

• - run or contribute to an established site (5+ posts/week)
• - send me the site’s URL
• - send me your CarbonPoker nickname
• - not everyone will be eligible for this tourney, but there are tons of opportunities to play and win at Carbon every day.

When’s the tournament? Thanks for asking!

When: September 23rd @ 7pm EST, 18:00 CarbonPoker Server Time. Registration will be opening 2 hours prior to the event. It starts EXACTLY at 7pm EST, so don’t be late. You’ll be locked!

Stay tuned for an updated list of bloggers, news and urrrrything else.