Merge Gaming Network and Carbon Poker's Supersonic Sit & Go's (SNG's) come in two flavors, 4max and heads-up (HUSNG). Both types are winner take all & should prove to be "the fastest Sit & Go's on the planet!"

Carbon Poker, the leading online poker site on the Merge Gaming Network, has rolled out a brand new SNG format with todays, Thursday, August 14th, internet poker client update. ProfRB.com has the exclusive first details on this new promotion, including blind structures, formats, sliding entry fees, buy-in levels, rake discount percentages, and screenshots comparing the newly created Supersonic SNG's versus the standard every day hyper turbo's.

Jump to the Cliff Notes

How Fast Are They? - Calling it "Supersonic" Sit & Go's and dubbing it "the fastest Sit & Go's on the planet", these single-table tournaments offer players lightning quick games in a new four player maximum, 4-max, format. These new 4max SuperSonic SNGs feature a very fast 2 minute blind levels structure. In comparison, hyper-turbos, the former swiftest of the swift, has blind levels of 3 minute durations. The new Supersonic HUSNGS sport a 1 minute blind structure, as opposed to Hypers HUSNG which are also 2 minutes. Astute players will notice however, that the blind structure of SuperSonics and Hypers differs. SuperSonics have more blind levels to compensate somewhat for the faster levels.



What Was That You Said About The Blinds? - Two extra blind levels have been added to both the 4max and HU versions SSSNGs. These blind levels were added earlier in the game structure in an apparent attempt to extend the time of play before stacks become too shallow to play effective "real poker." When blinds are too shallow Nash Equilibrium, push-fold type play becomes the norm (and correct) and this seems to be a method of avoiding that coming too soon, which would kill player edges. For the SuperSonic Heads Up games, two new levels were added at the vert beginning. The two new levels being 15/30 and 20/40. When it comes to the 4max SSSNGs one level was added at the very beginning, 10/20, and a 50/100 level was squeezed in between the 40/80 and 60/120 slots.



OK Faster Games, Why? - Well, hopefully the recreational players will love them. Recs like to get in and get it on! These should provide all the fast gambling action they'd ever want!



Yea But What About The Rake? - Good news on the rake front. SuperSonic SNG rake has been reduced when compared to hyper-turbos, in some cases quite significantly. Lower stakes players will see the biggest reductions. Micro stakes HUSNG players will see double digit reductions in rake fees up to 25% at the $1.10 level. High Stakes 4max grinders will see rake reductions versus hypers of over 15%. Even on the low end, rake reductions are at least 5 percentage points.

Did Starting Chip Stacks Change? - Starting chip stacks are identical for 6max hypers and 4max SSSNGs and remain at 1500 starting chips. Starting stacks are also remaining at 300 chips, identical for both HU Hypers and HU Supersonics.



Any Other Format Changes? - Yes, the 4max Supersonics are WTA format. Winner Take All is a change from the 6max hypers which paid the top 2 places out. Heads up sit and goes were always winner take all and will continue to be so!

What Stakes Are Available? - 4max available at $1.10, $2.20, $5.50, $11, $22, $33, $60, $109 and $215 buyins. HU Sonics range have all of the aforementioned levels plus $530 and $1,050 buy-in levels!





SuperSonic SNG Cliff Notes Please:

Blind levels added

Blind level time reduced dramatically

Rake reduced!

4 max and heads up formats

Winner take all for both formats

Starting stacks are the same as hyper-turbos

What Does It All Mean?: - Turnaround time on Supersonics will be very fast. Players will be able to get in quite a bit of volume in a short amount of time. The faster speed will lower player edges, but the added blind levels and reduced rake should compensate for the reduction in edge.

Let's Get In Depth With Those Fees & Rake Discounts Shall We? - The details, with buy-in and fee information, along with the percentage to indicate how much the fee is per buy-in level:

"SUPERSONIC" 4-max: 300 chips, 2 minute blinds, *WINNER TAKE ALL*

Blinds start at 10/20, escalating up to 500/1000 (with an added 50/100 level) as per normal sit & go tournaments.

"SUPERSONIC" Heads Up: 1,500 chips, 1 minute blinds

Blinds start at 15/30, moving up to 20/40, then escalating up to 480/960 (doubles each time after 60/120)

For Comparison's Sake, Hyper SNGS:



Hyper Turbo 6-max: 300 chips, 3 minute blinds

Blinds start at 15/30, escalating up to 500/1000 as per normal sit & go tournaments.

Hyper Turbo Heads Up: 1,500 chips, 2 minute blinds

Blinds start at 30/60, escalating up to 480/960 (doubles each time after 60/120).

Final Thoughts and Commentary:

One of the more interesting facets of this SNG promotion is the rake reduction that will take place in both Supersonic 4-max and Heads Up Sit & Go's. In the 4-max, rake is reduced between 12-15% compared to the hyper turbo 6-max games. And in the Supersonic heads up SNG's, the reduction compared to the hyper turbo heads up games ranges from 4.8% up to 9.2% in $1.07 up to $211.22 events. This goes up to 17% reduction in the $520.70 buy-in level, and just over 25% rake reduction for the $1,031.75 buy-in level.

It's a bold move for Carbon, who has taken it upon themselves to be one of the few US-facing online poker sites to offer a Sit & Go promotion of any sort. Most poker rooms offer the standard regular, 6/9-max, turbo, and hyper turbo SNG fare. ProfRB.com feels that Carbon aims to carve a niche for themselves in the sit-n-go marketplace by adding unique and fast types of games. Players want more games to play, and one hopes that player traffic, which has steadily risen in multi-table tournaments over the typically slow summer season, will rise in the SNG category as well.



ProfRB.com feels this promotion gives Carbon (check out our extensive CarbonPoker Review), currently the second largest offshore US-friendly poker site, a chance to cut into the traffic and game liquidity lead enjoyed by rival Bovada's Poker Room. As well as further distance it self from the third largest offshore US poker network America's Cardroom. Bovada's sheer player traffic advantage gives them a leg up, while ACR (leading poker site on the Winning Poker Network) offers leaderboards and flat 27% in their popular "Sit & Crush" format. As of now, Carbon will not offer a leaderboard for Supersonic SNG's.

Once again, these new Supersonic Sit & Go's are live as of Thursday, August 14th. Stay tuned to ProfRB.com for the very latest in US offshore poker site news, reviews, analysis, and more.

by Alexis Montalban