A review of BLAST poker

Blast Sit & Go Poker is the ultimate SNG gaming experience. The game has been a huge hit with players since its release and is well known for its impressive prize pool pay outs. The rules of this game are fairly simple, and its countdown timer keeps things moving.

The Blast poker platform was developed by 888 poker online, they have one of the world’s largest online poker communities and over 10 million registered players.

It is a great starting point for less experienced poker players, but is also enjoyed by those already familiar with the game.

Let’s take a look at how this game works, how it differs from other poker variants, and what the reasons are for it achieving such high levels of popularity with poker players.

How Blast Sit & Go poker works

This Sit & Go game is a four handed Texas Holdem style game. In this version you do not get to see your opponents before you start the game. You will also not be told what the prize pool is, you pick one of four levels at the beginning to play in. This mystery adds to the thrill and suspense in the game, for a $1 buy in you could be met with a prize pool of anywhere between $2 and $10,000 dollars!

Prize pools can be up to 10,000x times what you initially put in the pot. The buy in you select can be everything from 10¢, $1 or $5 up to $30 per game.

In Blast poker there is a timer that keeps the game going at a rapid and exhilarating pace. As soon as the game begins, the timer will start its countdown.

Games generally last for between six to eight minutes, after this time the winner(s) are determined. You will spot an electricity animation when this is about to happen and all hands will be all-in until these winners are selected. In this SNG, there isn’t necessarily just one overall winner, there may be the top two or even three places with pay-outs, depending on the size of the game.

The process to start playing Blast is really quite simple. Players just need to find the Blast tab on the 888 poker main menu and select their desired choice from the Blast Sit & Go buy in options. You choose your buy in and decide on the number of tournaments that you would like to participate in. It’s then time to sit back and wait to be matched up with your opponents and then get ready for the countdown to begin.

As soon as the game starts the prize draw will take place and the size of the pool is finally revealed to each of the players.

Each of the four Blast poker players are given a starting allowance of 1,500 chips, this is regardless of the drawn prize pool multiplier.

A different percentage of the buy in goes on the fee, depending on the buy in size. For example, for a $30 buy in there is a 6.67% fee or for a $1 game there is a 9% fee. A full breakdown of this and the corresponding Blast probability tables can be found on the 888 Poker website.

There are a number different strategies to the game that you can try out…

During smaller games you may be able to apply the Independent Chip Model strategy but should note that the value of chips do not change during gameplay. The chips you lose are more valuable than the chips that you win. Research poker strategies before playing your first Blast game may help you decide on how you will proceed in different scenarios that may arise.

You may notice that your opponents have a strategy themselves and may begin to see a pattern in their choices and may be able to exploit it. However, in a six to eight minute game, things are moving very quickly and you’ll need to stay on your toes.

You may wish to incorporate the timer into your SNG strategy, particularly near to the end of the game. In this instance you can think about slowing things down to help protect your chip lead if it is going well.

The game is shifting the balance between skill and luck in poker…

Strategy decisions can seem a little confusing to a new player, however the great thing about Blast is that it leans more to the side of luck over skill in comparison to other variants of poker. There isn’t much time for mulling over your next move, quick decisions need to be made before the timer runs out and the final outcome is out of your hands.

Blast Sit & Go poker is a popular and fairly unique version of the game. Its fast pace, engaging visuals and sizable prize pool potential makes Blast a great choice for both new novice players and experienced poker pros looking for something different to play.