Latest independent review of Carbon Poker. Check out the new Merge Gaming Network poker software and why we rate this poker room for starting out at poker. Play Poker at a US friendly poker room.
Carbon Poker
Pay In / Cash Out, Account Management at Carbon Poker
Carbon Poker Security & Reputation
Customer Service & Help Facilities
Systems and Software at Carbon Poker
Carbon Poker Gameplay
Site Traffic at Carbon Poker
Carbon Poker Level of Competition
Tournaments and Freerolls at Carbon Poker
Poker Game Variety Available at Carbon Poker
Carbon Poker Bonuses and Player Rewards
Carbon Poker operates under a gaming licence from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Canada. CarbonPoker.com is a trading name of CarbonPoker.com N.V. It's actually a friendly Australian owned poker site, despite the Curacao company registration.
Rake ranges from $0.50 to $3 based on the number of players at a table. Fairly standard for the industry. It’s also good to see a "No flop, No drop" policy, where they take no rake if the hand ends before the flop. Thawte certified SSL and 128 bit encryption secures the website. Carbon Poker's games, systems and random number generator comply with the Kahnawake Gaming Commission's requirements and ongoing audits are conducted to ensure continuing compliance.
Carbon Poker is powered by the Merge Gaming Network and it's software is purpose built with some unique features. It uses Macromedia's Flash download and is quick to install and easy to play. The simple table layouts and intuitive player interface is excellent for playing multiple tables at once. Moving between the poker tables, cashier, lobby and support is easy and seamless. Latest upgrade added even more features, many available no where else.
Carbon Poker is a virtual business - email and live chat rather than telephone or by fax/mail. The support team are quick and friendly. A set of FAQs is also on site at the dedicated poker support microsite: https://secure.carbonpoker.com
We like Carbon Poker's nice and easy to play a 'no frills no fuss' table format - excellent for multiple table play. Other features our testers like include "Rabbit Hunt" (what card would have come next) and "Expose One Card". The ability to earn and display "Player Accolades" where you can attach an "award" to your player icon bragging you've won a big event - regular players earn stars. The "All in Percentages" where relative win % of those remaining in a hand is another good feature, especially to help you learn to play better poker. It's easy to tag players (so you remember them for next time). Overall the software is simple, stylish, stable and plays nice and quickly.
The regular bonus at Carbon Poker is a 100% First Deposit Match to $600. Get free entry to 1x $1000 Freeroll plus 14 days free entry to $500 New Depositor Daily Freerolls and a free $11 satellite entry. Code: UPTO600.
Bonus play requirements: $1 is paid per 250 comp points & the bonus is paid in $10 increments. The remaining bonus expires if you withdraw before you've earned full play points. EG: if you deposit $100, you will get $10 of your bonus automatically every time you accumulate 2500 comp points. Comp Points are automatically earned as you play real money games, so you can simply continue to play your favorite ring games or tournaments and work towards free cash at the same time! (Swap Carbon Poker Comp Points for poker merchandise, chips. You can also host your own private table or tournament)
VIP POINTS SCHEME: Points are earned at the rate of 10 VIP points per $1 of rake. Want to buy an Ipod with your VIP points? Enter almost every tournament for free? Go on a holiday with your VIP points? Check out the Carbon Poker VIP Points store.
Regular Re-up bonuses: They'll email you the latest bonus codes to give you bonuses each time you re-deposit into your account.
2010 Winter Games - Compete for live seats at the WSOP, cash prizes, coupons & more. During February play in the Nordic MTT or the Alpine Combined. $250,000+ in guaranteed prizes
February Reload Bonus - Get up to $1,500 in
free cash with the 75% February Reload Bonus.
Top up your account with the Bonus Code
"WINGOLD" with any deposit over $25. Simply
earn 100 VIP Points for each dollar of bonus
NOTE: PokerLabRat.com tested 170 poker rooms this quarter and failed or rejected 93% of them. Carbon Poker passed with 90 out of a possible 100 points.
This review is not the formal site analysis, just a high level summary of the key aspects we like and don't like about Carbon Poker.
Carbon Poker Room
Review
NOTE: No Singaporean or Australian poker players can play at Carbon Poker USA Players are still warmly welcomed!
NOTE: The Merge Gaming Network has introduced an industry-credible poker player rating system based on the chess ELO system. Find out where you rank, elite through to Grand Master ratings win cash & tournament credits.
Like most online Poker rooms, Carbon Poker plays in US dollars. Deposit Methods: Moneybookers, Entropay, ePassPorte, ECOcard*, Neteller, InstaCash, Citadel (Canada only), Click2Pay, PINdebit*, iBankG, ClickandBuy, 1-Pay, AllianceCard, Wirecard, eWalletXpress, Fonelinx*, MoneyGram*, Credit Card (Visa & Mastercard). Minimum Deposit or withdrawal: $25.00 USD. Withdrawals are good & quick (same day authorised) but depend on the method you used to deposit (eWallets are recommended). You can become eligible for permanent instant withdrawals by establishing a good play history & completing identity verification. *US players with bank hassles should consider these options. Visit Carbon Poker for more info on each option (click on the payment logos at the bottom of the home page).
Site traffic is good at Carbon Poker with up to 8500-ish ring/cash game players at peak plus more in tournaments. We've had no trouble finding action 24x7, especially at the lower to mid stake tables. It's growing fast with Freerolls all the time - (a $50 or $100 Freeroll requiring no real money points to enter runs every 2 hours) and US players like this poker site.
Expect a lot of novice players at Carbon Poker. They're attracted by the freerolls and easy site to learn on - good and friendly too. The cash games offer some excellent profit at times but there are also some really good players already taking advantage of this. Feeder and Satellite Tournaments into major events (WPT, WSOP, Aussie Millions type events) tend to have a godd mix of players with skills to offer some great competition too.
Good tournament play opportunities including Freerolls, Sit 'n' Go and Multi-Table with Limit, pot-limit, and no-limit options across a range of table stakes from $0.01/$0.02 to $30/$60. You can host your own tournament. Daily and weekly guaranteed tournaments plus satellites into the major WSOP events. $35,000+ guaranteed in weekly Freerolls - a $50,000 Monthly freeroll too. Satellite & competition entry into most major online & in-the-flesh poker events.
At Carbon Poker you can play Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Badugi, Razz, 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo, 5-Card Stud, 5-Card Draw, Ace to Five Lowball (A-5 Lowball Triple Draw Poker), Deuce to Seven Lowball (2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Poker) - and an excellent Blackjack. NEW: HORSE tables & tournaments, 3xvideo pokers, roulette and Caribbean Stud.
Last page update: 2 February 2010
Carbon Poker - WHAT's HOT
A nice 'boutique poker room' feel, ultra-friendly, sleek and great-to-play software, lots of really free Freerolls, a great site for learners - and cash game fishing. Reputation for High roller play growing fast! Deal it Twice - unique to Carbon Poker
Carbon Poker - WHAT's NOT
Not as flashy and high profile as some of the bigger branded sites and poker networks, off peak traffic at mid to high stakes is fairly light. Table timeouts perhaps a tad slow?
Links to the Latest REVIEW of Recommended Online Poker Rooms
CarbonPoker software v4.6 now out!
NEW PLAY FEATURES include Timebank and a new side game player v player Euchre
First Deposit Match Bonus:
100% to $600 - Use Bonus Code "UPTO600"
NEW: Great new play options like All-in or Fold SNG's and MTT's, Heads up no blind SNG's and Double-up SNG's and MTT's
CARBON POKER - OVERALL RATING
Carbon Poker table format & features are just so sleek and simple it's tempting to play multiple tables at once. The latest poker software release is great for beginners as well as old hands with some unique play features like a deal it twice option (just like TV High Stakes Poker). The poker room is friendly too, and still welcomes US residents to it's mix of global players.
A great poker freeroll venue, Carbon Poker offers really free freerolls every few hours (no real play required for entry). The game choice is amazing too - Carbon Poker has Razz, Badugi, 2-7 Lowball, 5-Card Stud, Omaha Hi/Lo - HORSE...and more. Host your own private poker tournament and challenge your friends online.
Carbon Poker also offers great casino side games too - including very popular blackjack.
