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January 28, 2006

Slang Names for Poker Hands


In poker, players may often use slang terms for particular types of hands. Though most are recent neologisms, others date to poker's antiquity. All such slang terms typically connect a common concept (from life experience or storytelling) to the hand, in order to more easily characterize its general status relative to other hands.

Dead Man's Hand: Two pair, aces and eights. This is the hand held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was shot and killed, and plays a relatively wide cultural role.
Pink, All Pink: Flush of Hearts or Diamonds
Blue, All Blue: Flush of Clubs or Spades
Puppy Feet, Pups: Flush of Clubs
One Jack Off: JJJxx
Four Pips: AAAAx. (Each ace has one pip.)
Harlem Night: Spades with clubs (from the racist term of spade for African-Americans and Harlem’s reputation for violence).


Motown: JJ55x (Jacks and Fives, Jackson Five)
Devil's hand: 666xx (refering to the Number of the Beast in the Book of Revelation)
Wheel: Ace to five low straight, also known as a Bicycle, or "The Name of the Game" in Bicycle.
Steel wheel: Ace-to-five straight flush. So called because it's one of the strongest hands in the game (only beaten by higher straight flushes).
Big Bobtail: An open ended 4 card straight flush.
Boat: Short for Full Boat which means Full House, shorthanded as XXXs full of YYs, such as "Aces full of Jacks" where the hand is AAAJJ.


Klan Rally: Three Kings (KKKxx). Also known as Alabama Night Riders and Three Wise Men
Trips,Set: Three of a kind. The term "set" is usually used with the rank in question: "a set of Xs". In hold 'em games, the term set is used to refer to the situation when the player has three of a kind with a pair in the hole, but not when there is a pair or three of a kind on the board.
Quads,Quartet: Four of a kind. When spoken, either "quad Xs" or "a quartet of Xs" (less common) would be used.


Sometimes, four-of-a-kind is jokingly refered to as "two pair". If the quads are of low rank, they're often called "two small pair." This description is almost always followed by "a pair of red Xs and a pair of black Xs," where X is the rank of the four-of-a-kind.
Two pair is commonly shorthanded as Xs up or Xs over Ys, with the top pair as X and the bottom pair as Y. For example, KK998 would be "kings up" or "kings over nines".
Full house is commonly referred to as Xs full of Ys where X is the three of a kind and Y is the pair. For example, 555KK would be "fives full of kings".

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Texas Hold 'Em Slang


The following refer to hole (pocket) cards:

A-A: Pocket Rockets, American Airlines, Bullets, Two Pips
A-K: Big Slick, Machine Gun (AK-47), Anna Kournikova ("looks great, never wins")
A-Q: Little Slick, Mrs. Slick, Catch of the Day, Doyle Brunson (see note at bottom)
A-J: Blackjack, Ajax, Apple Jacks, Jack Ass, Apple Juice,Pheonomanal
A-10: Johnny Moss, Corners
A-8: Dead Man's Hand (by analogy with Wild Bill's aces and eights)
A-3: Baskin-Robbins (plays off the number 31: 31 Flavors)
A-2: Michael Jackson (Big hand touching little hand), Hunting Season (bullet and duck)
K-K: Cowboys, Penn and Teller, Elvis Presley, King Kong, [Brokeback Mountain] (two red kings = two bleeding cowboys)
K-Q: Marriage, Royalty
K-Q suited: Royal Marriage
K-Q offsuit: Mixed Marriage,Fork and Spoon
K-J: Kojak, King John
K-J offsuit: Bachelor's Hand (play on words: "Jack-King, off"), Bill Fillmaff
K-9: The Animal, Canine, Sawmill
K-8: The NY Heart Attack (a NYC player died holding this hand, April, 2005), Kokomo
K-7: Columbia River
K-3: [[Seafood] hand (King Crab)
K-2: Steep Climb, Dr. Shakeoff
Q-Q: Ladies, Siegfried & Roy, Snowshoes, The Hilton Sisters, Dykes
Q-J: Oedipus, Maverick
Q♠ J♦: Pinochle
Q-10: Q-Tip,Varkonyi (named after Robert Varkonyi, 2002 World Series of Poker main event champion, who rather liked this hand)
Q-9: Quinine
Q-7: Computer Hand (according to a computer simulation, the median hand between generally profitable versus generally unprofitable Hold'em starting hands)
Q-3: Gay Waiter, San Francisco Busboy ("Queen with a trey|tray")
Q-3 suited: Posh Gay Waiter
J-J: Fishhooks, Hooks, Jokers, Kid Dynomite (after J. J. Evans), Jay Birds
J-T: Cloutier (play on name: T. J. Cloutier)
J-7: Jack Daniel's
J-6: Railroad hand
J-5: Jackson Five, Motown, Redmond Special
J-4: Flat tire (play on words: "What's a jack for?")
10-10: Rin Tin Tin
10-8: Rosary (a Buddhist and Catholic rosary have 108 beads), Hail Mary
10-7 offsuit: Negreanu (offsuit only) (Negreanu has said that this hand is his favourite hand as "it can make two flushes")
10-5: Five and Dime, Woolworth (deprecated)
10-4: Good Buddy, Over and Out and Roger That (play on radio code 10-4)
10-2: Doyle Brunson (see note at bottom)
9-9: Barbara Feldon, Wayne Gretzky, German Virgin ("nein, nein" means "no, no" in German)
9-8: Oldsmobile
9-6: Big Lick, Porno, Dinner for Two, Good Position, Sit On My Face (play on number 69)
9-6 suited: Prom Night ("Sixty-nine suited")
9-5: Dolly Parton (she sang Workin' 9 to 5)
9-4: Gold Rush, San Francisco (play off the number 49)
9-3: Jack Benny (deprecated: Jack Benny always claimed to be 39 years old)
8-8: Little Oldsmobile, Snowmen, Infinities , Dogs Balls
7-7: Walking Sticks, Sunset Strip, Hockey Sticks
7-6: Philadelphia, Union Oil
7-5: Pickle Man, Heinz, ketchup (play on number 57 found on bottles)
7-4: Double Down, Blackjack hand
7-3: Hachem (named for Joseph Hachem, winner of World Series of Poker, 2005 who won the $7.5 million prize with this hand when he flopped a straight)
7-2: Beer Hand
7-2 offsuit: The Hammer!, Teddy Lee, Jamaican Air, The Spanish Inquisition
7-2 suited: Prom Night Teddy Lee
6-6: Route 66, Pocket Buddies, England (Football World Cup winners in 1966)
6-5: Retirement, Jägermeister
5-5: Presto, Speed Limit
It is traditional to exclaim "Presto!" while revealing the pocket fives if the hand wins.
5-4: Jesse James, Colt 45 (both play off the number 45), Moneymaker (winning hand of Chris Moneymaker, 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event champion)
4-4: Sailboats, Midlife Crisis
4-3: George W. Bush (the 43rd President of the United States)
4-2: Lumberman's hand, Bill Clinton (the 42nd President of the United States), Garcia, Jr. (supposedly favored by General Garcia)
3-3: Crabs, Larry Bird
3-2: Michael Jordan (he wore number 23), Can of Corn, Hooter Hand, Mississippi Slick
2-2: Ducks, Swans, Sleepers
A-Q is called the "Doyle Brunson" because Brunson rarely plays this hand. 10-2 is also called the Doyle Brunson because he won the World Series of Poker with it twice in a row (1976 and 1977).

In addition, two types of hands are called "blackjack hands":

Hands which are naturals in blackjack: any ace with any face or ten.
Hands whose numeric total is 11: 9-2, 8-3, 7-4, 6-5. (In blackjack, such hands are very good for players.)

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
  • This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License
  • January 27, 2006

    Online Blackjack Table Game

      
      

     

    Blackjack : Quickstart Guide   by Jason A. Martin

    Having been a blackjack dealer and gambling instructor, I have taught countless people how to playing the game of Blackjack. The game of Blackjack is a very simple one to learn and you can be on the table playing in just minutes from now. On my main website (WiseBettor.com), I go more in detail about gambling, but this quick start guide will give you everything you need to play a game of Blackjack. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on playing Blackjack online.

    Before you can play a hand of Blackjack, you must place a bet on the table. The minimum bet amount required to play depends on the table you are at. All winning bets at the Blackjack table are paid even money, with the exception of a dealt Blackjack, which is paid three to two. If, for example, you have a $5 bet on the table and receive a Blackjack, you would be paid $7.50.

    The game starts with you receiving two cards and the dealer receiving two cards. One card of the dealer is placed face up for you to see. This card is called the "up card" and gives you a little help in guessing what the dealer holds. Each card has a count that's equivalent to it's number. So, for example, a two is worth two. The Jack, Queen and King cards are worth ten. The Ace is worth one or eleven--you decide. At the conclusion of each hand the player closest to twenty-one wins. However, the object is not really to get as close to twenty-one as possible, rather to beat the dealer.

    As the player, you go first. You can hit, stand, split, double down or surrender. Here's a description of each action.

    Stand: You stay with what you have and end your turn.

    Hit: You take another card. You can continue to do this until you are satisfied or bust (go over 21).

    Split: If you have two cards of the same type (example: two tens), you can split them up and make two separate hands. You can only split your first two cards.

    Double Down: When you double down, you double up your bet and take one final card--and end your turn. You can't double down after you have more than two cards.

    Surrender: You kill the hand by taking back half of your money and giving up. Most casinos offer this now. You can only surrender when you have your first two cards.

    Once your turn ends, the dealer completes the hand by drawing if needed. Most casinos are setup so that the dealer must hit until the dealer holds a 17. If the casino hits on soft 17, that means any 17 made with an ace (example: ace and a six) is hit. A hard 17 would be something like a ten and a seven.

    You are now ready to hit the Blackjack table and have some fun. It would be good to read up on some blackjack strategy before playing--to maximize your potential. You will find out some key times to not hit no matter what you have and times to double down. Blackjack is a fun game and the house has a low advantage over you--if you know how to play right.

    About the Author

    WiseBettor.com is full of articles on gambling, gambling strategies, gambling reviews and more.

    If you want original gambling content for your website, visit GamblerContent.com.

    1

    Texas Holdem Poker TV

    A Couch Potato's Guide to Poker on TV!   by Paul Bayliss

    I love Poker. I love to play it. I love to read about it. I love to watch other people play it, especially on TV. It's an inexpensive way to learn from the pros. You can see what they do in real-world situations, not just what they say they would do in their books. Watching Poker helps improve your game. You can learn pot odds, combinations, order of hands and many other basics as well as advanced, psychological strategy such as tells.

    I watch a lot of Poker on TV. Yes, I do. Apparently, the networks are taking notice of the TV-viewing public. A lot of us are crazy for Poker. In this article, I'm going to discuss several, TV series that are still running now, that I highly recommend and regularly watch.

    1) Celebrity Poker Showdown. This is on Bravo, usually on Thursday nights. Poker Pro Phil Gordon and comedian Dave Foley (Kids in The Hall, News Radio) are the moderators for this light, fluffy show featuring celebrities such as Alex Trebek, Ben Affleck, Rosie O'Donnell and Camryn Manheim. Some of the celebs are really very good. Of course, there is also that wonderfully evil moment when you can watch someone on the D-List or above sink on the river.

    Phil gives expert commentary. There's a short film each week in which the basics of No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em and the betting rules are explained. It's entertaining TV even for newbies, pros and the star-struck alike.

    2) The World Series of Poker. ESPN is currently showing episodes of the 2005 WSOP. The other night, I saw Johnny Chan win his record 10th WSOP bracelet in the Pot Limit Hold 'Em event. It was awesome. He beat out Phil 'Unabomber' Laak to take the lead against Doyle Brunson and Phil Hellmuth, who were both present during the match, for the all-time record bracelet wins. Hey, don't feel too bad for Mr. Laak. His girlfriend, the beautiful Hollywood actress, Jennifer Tilly, won the Ladies' Event at the WSOP this year.

    A week or two prior to that, I got to see Josh Arieh, a very good player who doesn't get too much airtime (yet), play - and win - the Omaha tourney. It was great to see Omaha Hold 'Em played on TV for a change. I loved it.

    Even if you're not a poker junkie like I am, you can appreciate the epic nature of the World Series of Poker with its international field featuring the best of the best - and a few Cinderella stories thrown in for good measure.

    3) World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel. Travel the world from your chair and watch pros play in the World Poker Tour. They play in exotic locales such as Aruba and Paris. Host Mike Sexton is so knowledgeable about the game that he makes up for his co-host Vince Van Patten's shtick. The man tries to give nicknames to any hand combination possible. Some of his groaners include:

    QQ - Siegfried & Roy or Paris & Nikki (Hilton) 55 - Sammy Hagar (after the song, 'I Can't Drive 55')

    Rounding out the commentator group is the lovely Shana Hiatt. She interviews the pros and showcases different aspects of the poker-playing lifestyle on each episode. The WPT hosts names like Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer and more. It's a veritable who's who of Poker and it comes fresh and new into your home each week.

    These aren't the only Poker shows on TV. ESPN has a drama called TILT starring Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) and Eddie Cibrian (Third Watch) which is a fictionalized version of a poker pro's dirty and dangerous life.

    E! Entertainment Network, beginning on St. Patty's Day 2005, aired several episodes of E!'s Hollywood Hold 'Em Game. Laura Prepon, of That 70s Show, produced the show and starred in one of the episodes with her live-in love Chris Masterson (Malcolm in the Middle) and some friends, including Chris' brother and That 70's show star, Danny Masterson (Hyde). Other episodes had Mila Kunis (Family Guy, That 70s Show), Macauley Culkin - yes, that Macauley Culkin. He's Mila's beau - and Shannon Elizabeth. I haven't seen it on recently; but, I desperately hope that it comes back. It was pretty good poker and Phil Laak was the dealer/mentor/host.

    The Game Show Network has Poker Royale. This is a 6-person tournament that runs for several weeks. There are several elimination rounds, then a finale. The first had all pros. It was men vs. women. The men won each individual match; but, the ladies, led by Kathy Liebert, Jennifer Harmon and Cyndy Violette took the final - and decisive match. The second installment had Celebrities vs. Poker Pros. I found it to be a watered-down version of Celebrity Poker Showdown. I missed Phil Gordon and Dave Foley, gotta admit. The third installment, which is currently airing, is the Comedians vs. Poker Pros. I didn't find this one too fun or funny; but, I've had other things to do lately.

    Actually, I dropped watching that because the Fall Season picked up; and, well, I'd rather watch the Poker Superstars Invitational on FSN! This is awesome. It's a turbo tourney - the blinds go up really quick and the play is fast - featuring Johnny Chan, Carlos Mortensen and other luminaries. It's action-packed, high-stakes poker that goes by in the blink of eye.

    If you can't find a good online or home game, why not sit down and watch one on TV? Chances are - there's one on the television right now. Go. Watch!

    About the Author

     

    This article is provided by Real Casinos - to read more articles please visit our gambling articles section.

    Online Casino & Poker Room

    Depositing Funds to Your Online Casino & Poker Room Account
     by: Andrew Denton

    Ways To Deposit

    When I first wanted to start playing in online casinos and poker rooms, I thought it would be as easy as 123 to start playing – surely all you need to do is to download the software enter your credit card details and away you go?

    Well yes kind of, but you may already have seen there are a multitude of different payment and deposit methods available ranging from credit and debit cards right the way through to the good old snail mail check!

    There are a range of options but it is vitally important that you choose the right one otherwise your casino and poker play may not be as rewarding as you first think.

    Credit Cards

    Historically credit cards have always been the first thing people think of when looking to deposit money – and why not – these days most of the major banks offer internet fraud protection and depositing via credit card is pretty instantaneous – so what is the problem – well there could be a few.

    1, A lot of US credit card issuers now will not allow you to use their cards for gambling transactions, this is also now starting to hit the rest of the world with other big issuers.

    2, Mastercard now prohibit winnings from being re deposited back onto cards bearing their logo.

    3, Some banks both in the US and UK who do allow their credit cards to be used to deposit money, account for these transactions slightly differently and as a result charge interest differently usually with no interest free period and certainly in the UK with interest rates in excess of 21% AER.

    4, There may also be limits with some online casinos and online poker rooms on the amount of money you can deposit and have re deposited back onto your card so if you win big you may not get it all back!

    Debit Cards

    Now becoming more standardised around the world but used heavily in the UK and Europe, don’t tend to suffer the same restrictions as credit cards and of course because the money is coming directly out of your bank account – unless you have an overdraft facility you are not exposed to the excessive interest rates associated with credit cards.

    Bank Transfers

    Still used a lot to make payments for bills etc, one of the biggest issues with bank transfers is the time – funds are not moved immediately so you often have to wait before you can use your gaming account for anything upto five days – during which lets be honest the banks will be earning some interest off your money, and at the same time the banks will charge you for the privilege of transferring your money this way.

    Online Payment Services

    I guess Paypal may well have started this trend off but now there are a whole host of online payment services to choose from (Paypal incidentally not being one of them as when they were took over by Ebay they stopped allowing Paypal to be used for casino transactions)

    The best known ones are Neteller, Moneybookers, Western Union & Stormpay but there are others such as Citadel.

    All pretty much offer a similar service in that you open an account with them – for free and you can then deposit money into them using either a credit or debit card or by wire transfer etc, once you have deposited money into them you can then use this account to deposit and withdraw funds from your online casino or poker room account – in most cases immediately.

    All have a range of different services attached to them and, obviously they have to make there money somewhere, a range of different charges – as an example I deposited £25 into my Neteller account from my UK credit card and was charged a 98p handling fee by Neteller – which was taken directly off the credit card – approx 4% charge which is quite a lot especially if you are depositing large amounts into the account.

    However one of the main advantages of using services such as this is that you can accept money and deposit money in different currencies – all converted at the payment services conversion rates and you can use one account to fund a range of different casino and poker accounts – and of course one account to receive all of your winnings!

    One final word of caution on this though – when using your credit card to deposit funds into your payment service account just check with your card issuer that they do not treat these deposits in the same way as they would treat a deposit to a casino and sting you with high rates of interest on the transaction.

    Snail Mail Methods

    Need I say anything – if you really don’t want to use any of the above or you are scared about leaving your details on the internet then you can always send a good old cheque (check!) and wait for it to clear – some (not all) online casinos and poker rooms accept this method.

    Conclusion

    There are a myriad of different ways for you to enjoy your online gaming and deposit and withdraw money safely, if you do struggle to use your credit card then one piece of advice which the banks would kill me for saying is to balance transfer the money off your credit card into your bank account then use your debit card to deposit the funds (thus avoiding the hefty interest charges) – be careful though for balance transfer fees but this is a whole different article!

    About The Author


    Andy Denton runs a number of websites including one specifically on poker strategy and poker site reviews - http://www.haveaflutter.com and has extensive experience in the financial services industry.

    This article may only be reproduced if a link is retained back to haveaflutter.com
     

     

    Online Poker Room

    Online Poker Room Raises Stakes By Launching Europe's Most Exclusive Poker Tournament
     by: Simon Prodger

    All eyes will be on London this July as Europe’s newest and most exclusive poker tournament hits town. A collaboration between Britain’s largest independent bookmaker Victor Chandler, and leading casino operator London Clubs International, The Victor Poker Cup will offer a half million prize pool and a first prize of £250,000.

    Taking place between 21-23 July in the historic elegance and luxury of Six Hamilton Place off London’s Park Lane, The Victor Poker Cup will be contested by an eclectic mix of one hundred celebrities, poker professionals, internet qualifiers and high-stakes gamblers. Following three days of competition, one player will walk away with one of the most coveted titles in poker and a cheque for a quarter of a million pounds.

    The tournament will be filmed and distributed globally to millions, ensuring that The Victor Poker Cup is one of the most watched poker events in history. The TV production will also debut many new features and innovations to take televised poker to a new level and provide the most engaging and rewarding viewer experience yet.

    The Victor Poker Cup will, according to Chairman, Victor Chandler, “be a truly ground-breaking event that will give European poker an event to rank alongside anything seen in the United States.” Mr Chandler goes on to add “We’re proud to be sponsoring a tournament that will become synonymous with the glamour and excitement of high-stakes poker. At every step we’ll be ensuring that The Victor Poker Cup is the Rolls Royce of poker tournaments.”

    Costing £5,000 to enter, The Victor Poker Cup is open to anyone. Players can register online at www.victorpokercup.com, directly over the phone on 020 7862 0045 or via email on victorpoker@octagon.com. Alternatively, a range of online qualifying satellites are running at Victor Chandler Poker (www.vcpoker.com) where at least 14 lucky internet players will find themselves with a ticket to the biggest game in town.

    About The Author


    Simon Prodger is the Product Marketing Manager of Europe's fastest growing online poker room, Victor Chandler Poker (www.vcpoker.com).
    simon.prodger@vc-bs.com
     

     

    January 26, 2006

    Online American Roulette

    Free American Roulette Game Glossary
     by: J Finney

    Learning the “lingo” used in American Roulette will help make you familiar with the game and therefore give you a more comfortable level of play. Here is a basic glossary for terms used in American Roulette:

    Black: An even-money bet on the ball to land on any black number.

    Block bet: A type of bet where you place your chips on the intersection of four different numbers, therefore betting on all four numbers at once.

    Column bet: A type of bet in roulette where you are betting on one of the bets within a particular column to win. The payout varies according to which bet won.

    Double zero: Bet placed on the green 00 number. It is quite hard to win, but pays 35:1 if you do hit on it.

    Dozens bet: Bet where you predict that the ball will fall on one of a dozen numbers in a sequential column- 1 to 12, 13 to 24 or 25 to 36. The odds are 2:1 if you win.

    Evens: An even-money bet on the ball to land on any one of the even numbers on the table.

    Green: Refers to one of two numbers on the wheel that are green- either the 0 or 00.

    High: A bet on one of the 'high' numbers on the table to win. High numbers are 19-36.

    Inside bet: Name for a particular set of bets. All inside bets are located on the inside of the table that include the boxes for the number bets. The odds vary according to which bet ultimately wins.

    Line bet: A 5:1 odds bet that the ball will land on any set of six neighboring numbers on the table.

    Low: A roulette bet on all of the 'low' numbers on the table. The word 'low' refers to the numbers 1-28 on the table.

    Odd: Name for a bet that the ball will land on any one of the odd numbers on the wheel.

    Outside bet: Opposite of the inside bet, this means that you predict that one of the bets on the outside of the table will win. The bets vary and therefore so do the payouts.

    Red: A bet that the ball will land on any one of the numbers in red on the wheel.

    Six-line bet: A bet for a set of six particular numbers on the table all at once.

    Special line bet: A bet on either zero, one two or three to win. It involves putting your chips on the intersecting line of these numbers so that you can bet on all of them at once.

    Split bet: A bet on two neighboring numbers on the table. You put your chips on the line between the two so that you can bet on both at once.

    Wheel checks: The chips that are used specifically for roulette tables only. There is a different color for each player at the table. They have a value according to what the player wants, and must be bough and cashed out right at the table.

    About The Author

    J Finney

    To learn more about online roulette strategy, please visit http://www.online-gambling-system.com and http://www.online-gambling-system.com/roulette.html

    Winning at Roulette

    Roulette Basics
     by: Mansi Gupta

    James bond plays it and so does a large part of America. A table a wheel which has about 37-38 pockets many pockets where the ball must land after it is spun by the croupier. The scene is really common at the casino setups across America. The players with high adrenaline pumping and high risk bearing capacity are expected to be seen around the roulette table trying their luck with spinning dolly. The croupier, or the dealer representing the house, takes the wagers and pays out all bets at the table. The croupier has no personal stake in the roulette game. The game has seen its popularity grow due to the reason that as the wheel slows down the people are more and more betting on the numbers.

    Beginners bet on up to 8 numbers with smaller stakes. The champions however take greater risks. The bets are allowed on the table till the croupier gives a signal to the players regarding the bets to be stopped. The people are allowed to take a pick of 8 numbers and any of the tem winning gets a share of the other stakes and thus he gets the chips to be converted into money at the counter. As the wheel is slowing down the accuracy of the number where the dolly stops increases. And thus the stakes sky rocket at the end of the wheel spin. The bigger bets include the betting on the number along with color of its base. If they are matched then the prize too is multiplied. Thus the players prefer to take different combinations of colors and numbers and thus increasing the probability of win.

    What makes the game nerve wrecking is that there is no rule of winning it. So there is no trick or system of betting that maximizes your chances of a win. So if one fine morning if one feels lucky then he can try his hand at the roulette table that evening. It’s just as simple. All you need is a load of luck and some amount of experience to understand a particular roulette table. This fact also repels some people from the game as it attracts. Bu the game has not lost its charisma among the fortunate ones. The roulette tables are the ones with the most visitors lined up for the bet. The game is played with utmost etiquette and the winners are expected not to over react as there is no big trick or tact to win the game. The simple rule is that if you are winning it its sheer luck and if you are loosing it’s just the same.

    People have been seen getting robbed off their whole money at the game of roulette and some times the person gets so crazy playing it that he just looses the track of his capabilities and there are examples where the player almost lost their homes at the roulette table.

    A lot of attachments come with the thrill of the game. Allegations of rigging the wheel to tempering the dolly have been rampant across the 200 year old history of the game. But the game has not lost its following throughout the world. A casino without roulette tables is not imaginable at all. Roulette has seen people rise and fall and historians have seen it in the same manner. But for sure the game is here to stay in all its glory.

    About The Author

    Mansi Gupta writes about roulette topics. Learn more at http://www.guidetoroulette.com.

    mansigup@gmail.com

    Play Roulette Online

    Play Roulette Online
     by: Chen Ching-feng

    Virtual casinos have opened a doorway, allowing all casino games available at real casinos, to be played online. Gamblers around the world play roulette online because it provides a secure online casino gambling experience.

    Roulette is undoubtedly one of the most popular games played at real casinos and because of this it was one of the first online casino games available. There are many reasons why players are choosing to play roulette online at a virtual casino instead of land-based casinos.

    Firstly, the main attraction of online gambling is that there are no crowds to deal with and you don't have to struggle to play your favourite game because it's occupied by someone else.

    Online roulette offers a level of convenience and security which most elite casinos cannot; you never have to worry about not being able to play your favourite game, and an online casino is accessible to anyone, from anywhere in the world.

    The security built into a virtual casino makes it almost impossible for someone to steal your money. Your money is actually more at risk at a crowded land-based casino than if you were playing on the internet...

    About The Author

    Chen Ching-feng is a successful writer and online gambling expert providing valuable tips and advice for those interested in gambling and online gambling strategies. His numerous articles found on virtual casino web, provide useful and factual gambling information and insight.

    virtual-casino-web.com

    January 25, 2006

    Free Online Casino BlackJack Game

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    My Casino Blackjack Variation Game.....

     

    By: Kerry Mann
    I have played millions of hands of blackjack. I started sneaking into the casinos when I was 16. I have played online blackjack, I have counted cards, and worked with a team for a short while. With all that said I have still lost a lot of money at blackjack. The casinos have made it nearly impossible to beat the game.

    I still enjoy the game and play on a regular basis. Over the years I have played a variation of blackjack called "The Take it Leave it Method". You will not get rich with this method or beat the house, however you will have a lot of fun. This method is based on the fact that blackjack seems to be a game of streaks. When you're hot your hot, and when your not you're NOT! So this is what I do-

    I play basic strategy blackjack. When I lose I bet the table minimum on the next hand. Lets say $5 . If I lose again I bet $5 again etc. Once I win I take the $5 paid to me and bet $5 again. If I win this hand I leave the $5 paid to me and bet $10 total. If I win again I take the $10 paid to me, and if I win the next hand I leave it for a total of $20. I keep betting this way "Take it Leave it etc". Once I lose I lower the bet back down to $5.

    I am very strict and never "chicken out". It gets very exciting sometimes. If you win a few hands in the row your bets go up very quick. Before you know it you are betting $100-200/ hand. I have had great streaks a few times now. I left a $5 table at the Luxor a few years back with $750 after 45 minutes using this method! And a few months ago in Vegas I left a table with $1200!

    You must understand that you can lose much faster this way too!. But it really makes the game more exciting. And you will be surpised at the streaks you notice playing this way. Below is a chart of what you would bet if you kept winning at a $10 table.

    Bet$10 Take $10 paid to you Bet$10 Leave $10 paid to you for a total bet of $20 Bet$20 Take $20 paid to you Bet$20 Leave $20 paid to you for a total bet of $40 Bet$40 Take $40 paid to you Bet$40 Leave $40 paid to you for a total bet of $80 Bet$80 Take $80 paid to you Bet$80 Leave $80 paid to you for a total bet of $160 Bet$160 Take $160 paid to you Bet$160 Leave $160 paid to you for a total bet of $320 Bet$320 Take $320 paid to you

    If you left at this point you would be up $630 !!

    Its dificult to go on a streak this long, but it does happen. And when it does you must NOT deviate and lower your bet or the end result won't be the same.

    Have fun

    About the Author: Kerry Mann is a professional Online poker player and writer. He makes his living playing poker on the internet. Visit his website for more information on making a living at online poker: http://www.pokerliving.net

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    Can You Really Win At Casino Slots?
    By: Eric Madsen

    Playing online casino slots is the next best thing to visiting a casino. In fact, for a lot of people it's even better! You don't have to travel, which can be very expensive and time consuming, and you don't have to put up with the crowds and the noise.

    And don't worry about whether or not the online slots casino will pay off. All of the legitimate internet casinos are regulated and they WANT you to win. Imagine how fast an online casino would go out of business if the word got out that their casino slots never paid off. Would you ever play at an online casino who had a reputation of taking your money and never giving any of it back?

    The people who program online casino slots try to make them as realistic and fun to play as real land based casino slots are. They have all of the expected sound effects and spinning wheels, and they even do their best to simulate flashing lights and the sounds of clinking coins in some cases. The best part of playing online casino slots is that your arm doesn't get tired pulling the lever up and down! All you have to do is click your mouse.

    The best online casino slots require you to download thier casino software that will run on your local PC. The software connects to the internet casino and the game and wagering data is passed back and forth. While this way sound technical it's really as simple as clicking on a link and waiting a few minutes while the online slots software downloads and installs itself. Then you simply make your deposit and start playing! Winnings are tallied in real time and you simply bet any part of your available pot up to the machine's limits.

    If you like variety in your casino slots you won't be disappointed. All of the usual multi and single-pay lines types are represented as well as progressive jackpot casino slots. Some online casinos have over a 100 different games of casino slots for you to choose from. You'll never get bored at these internet casinos because of a lack of choices.

    Many of the online casinos that offer casino slots also offer casino bonus plans that will either offer you match play money or run other promotions where you can get some of the casino's money to use as your own. Many even offer casino slots "player's clubs" and “VIP status” where you get a percentage of your daily casino slots wager back at the end of the day.

    You can even find casino slots that offer other bonuses for playing including the chance to win big cash prices, progressive jackpots and even luxury cars, boats, trips and more.

    There is a world of fun and potential profit waiting for you when you play casino slots. get started now and you could be the next winner.


    About the Author: Eric Madsen is an avid slots player. Eric is the webmaster for http://www.slots.onlinebettingreview.com

    January 24, 2006

    Texas Holdem Poker Rules

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    Texas Holdem Poker Rules
    By Joe Boggs | Published 12/20/2005 | Texas Holdem |

    Play of the hand

    Play begins with each player being dealt two cards face down. These are the player's hole cards. These are the only cards each player will receive individually, and they will only (possibly) be revealed at the showdown, making texas holdem a closed poker game. The hand begins with a "pre-flop" betting round, beginning with the player to the left of the big blind (or the player to
    the left of the dealer, if no blinds are used) and continuing clockwise. After the pre-flop betting round, the dealer deals a burn card, followed by three face-up community cards called the flop. The flop is followed by a second betting round. This and all subsequent betting rounds begin with the player to the dealer's left and continue clockwise. After the flop betting round ends, another card is burned, and a single community card called the turn (or fourth street) is dealt, followed by a third betting round. A final burn card is followed by a single community card called the river (or fifth street), followed
    by a fourth betting round and the showdown, if necessary.

    Betting structures

    In casino play, it is common to use a fixed limit and two blinds. The limit for the first two rounds of betting is called a small bet, while the limit for the third and fourth betting rounds is called a big bet and is generally double the small bet. The small blind is usually equal to half of a small bet, and the big blind is equal to a full small bet. (In some cases, the small blind is some other fraction of a small bet, e.g. 10 is a common small blind when the small bet is 15; this occurs mainly in brick and
    mortar rooms where higher-denomination chips are used. The double-blind structure described above is relatively recent; until the 1980s, a single-blind structure was most common.)

    Occasionally, the fourth bet is larger still (a big river bet), and the big blind is sometimes less than the small bet, in which case it is treated the same way a sub-minimum bring-in is treated in stud poker. Antes may be used instead of, or in addition to, blinds; this is especially true in tournament play. The game also plays very well at the no-limit level, and many tournaments (including the above mentioned World Series championship event) are played with this structure.

    In no-limit hold 'em, any player may wager all of the chips that he has on the table at any time. This is known as an "all-in" wager. If another player still in the hand wants to call the all-in bet, but doesn't have enough chips on the table to match the bet, he may call for the amount of chips he has in front
    of him. The original bettor then takes back the part of his bet that exceeds the amount of the call, unless there is another player also in the hand who calls the bet, in which case a side pot is created between those two players for the amount in excess of that matched by the caller with the fewer chips.

    The showdown

    If a player bets and all other players fold, then the remaining player is awarded the pot and is not required to show his hole cards. If two or more players remain after the final betting round, a showdown occurs. On the showdown, each player plays the best five-card hand he can make from the seven cards comprising his two hole cards and the board (the five community cards). A
    player may use both of his own two hole cards, only one, or none at all, to form his final five-card hand. If the five community cards form the player's best hand, then the player is said to be playing the board.

    If the best hand is shared by more than one player (e.g. if no player is able to beat the board), then the pot is split equally amongst all remaining players. However, it is common for players to have closely-valued, but not identically ranked hands. In particular, kickers are often needed to break ties. Nevertheless, one must be careful in determining the best hand, because often
    the board nullifies kickers. (See the second example below.) Straights often split the pot, and multiple flushes may occur. In the case of flushes, the flush is awarded to the player with the highest flush card which completes a flush and beats the board's flush cards. If there is a flush on board, (i.e. if all the board cards are the same suit), then under cards in that suit do not play, and if no one has a card in the flush suit beating the board, then the pot is split. The sole exception to this rule is the case of a straight-flush.

    The best possible hand given the five community cards is referred to as the nuts. The lowest possible nuts is three queens (this occurs with, for example, 2 3 7 8 Q on the board, with no more than two cards of any one suit).

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    Roulette: 5 Gambling Mistakes You Should Avoid
       by Mahal Ramapois

    In this article I'd like to share with you the 5 biggest gambling mistakes of most average gamblers. Las Vegas thrives on people making these mistakes and makes more money this way.

    Since it's time you started winning follow these tips so you win more and lose less :)

    Discover how to turn professional at the casino using my time tested advice and tips that have won me thousands of dollars, and have got me banned.

    "The 5 Biggest Mistakes That you should avoid!"

    For years the casinos have been ripping off players just like you for hundreds of years, to generate insane profits in the billions every year! Within this article I'd like to share with you the five most common mistakes gamblers make that maximize your odds of losing, that you may not even know you do!

    The 5 Biggest Gambling Mistakes:

    Most gamblers visit a casino in hopes of winning some money but ultimately you gamble for fun. Unfortunately people wholely on pure luck to win nearly always lose. If you want to win then make sure you follow these rules...

    Mistake #1. Not setting a bank roll limit.

    When you go and visit a casino only take a certain amount of money with you for gambling purposes, and leave all your plastic cards at home. When you spend your entire bank roll move on and find something else to do, don't bother getting emotionally involved with the games you're playing because it's the quickest way to spend much more money!

    Mistake #2. Not knowing how to play.

    When you choose a certain game to play at the casino, you should know well in advance exactly how the game works and how to play it scientifically so you win more money. Most players hit games they don't know, thus they lose more than they can gamble.

    Personally speaking, if you truly want to super charge your results, then I highly recommend you uncover every tip and strategy for maximizing your odds

    Mistake #3. Impairing your judgment.

    The casino loves to fill their guests and customers with free booze of all types and kinds. Drinking impairs your judgement and gets you emotionally involved within the game thus losing feels worse, and most importantly you won't be able to play using scientifically proven strategies that shrink the odds of the casino winning.

    Whatever you do, don't gamble if you are going to be drinking. It just makes no sense and just drains your bank roll!

    Mistake #4. Choosing the wrong games.

    In order to win you've got to choose the games that pay out the most money and that the casino has less power of making the odds of the game in their favor. Not all games are created equal, so find out which games pay out the best and then start practicing, studying and playing those games in real life or the net, until you master it!

    Once you've mastered a game then and only then are you truly ready to fork out cash to play at a real casino.

    Mistake #5. Picking the wrong casino.

    Like the games themselves casinos are not all created equal some casinos may pay out much better than others, and it's your job to find the best paying casino. If you are searching for a list of loose online casinos that fork out free 25% signup bonuses, you can review my personal list of favorite casinos by visiting my website:

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    Publisher's Directions: This article may be freely distributed so long as the copyright, author's information, disclaimer, and an active link (where possible) are included.

    Disclaimer: Statements and opinions expressed in the articles, reviews and other materials herein are those of the authors. While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information and every attempt made to present up-to-date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur. The author will not be held responsible for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any information within these pages or any information accessed through this site.

    Raymond Lai, a mathematician, statistician and roulette system creator provides a solid, common sense approach to solving problems and answering questions relating to roulette system and roulette tips. His website seeks to provide free roulette tips and roulette system. Visit raymond at: http://www.101roulettewinningtips.com...Read More:Roulette: 5 Gambling Mistakes You Should Avoid

    About the Author

    Mahal Ramapois is a successful writer and online gambling expert providing valuable tips and advice for those interested in gambling and online gambling strategies .
    His numerous articles found on vegas casino secrets ,provide useful and factual gambling information and insight.

     

     

    The Difference Between Bankroll and Money Management   by Jess Kirley


     

    I am sure you would have heard comments like, 'if you don't have good money management skills then you simply won't win'; or how about 'money management is much more important than the selection strategy used'; or even 'you won't win if you don't have good money management skills'.
    There will always be a group of punters who is always bleating about the virtues of money management. These punters believe that this mystical term 'money management' is a saviour, which will turn their otherwise unprofitable approach magically into a highly profitable one, simply by changing the way they stake. I can tell you that there is as much chance of this happening as there is of Jess going on a date with Nicole Kidman.
    Now I realise, that I might be stepping on your toes a little here, especially if you too have been brainwashed by the folks who worship these two words. As with anything else in the newsletter, it is just an opinion and you are free of course to ignore completely what I have to say.
    I admit that I probably should not really feel as strongly as I do, but I tell you, I get some really horrible thoughts entering my mind whenever those two words are spoken.
    Okay, what is all the fuss about? Just what is the difference between bankroll management and money management?
    Money management (in my opinion) is when a punter is trying to make money from any form of gambling, purely by using some sort of staking approach. As we all know, it doesn't matter which game we choose (horse racing, craps, sports betting, roulette etc), if we bet 'blindly', make no mistake about it, we lose. That is to say, that if we bet on number 7 on a roulette wheel for long enough, eventually the casino will end up with our money. We might get lucky in the short-term however, but reality will set in over a half reasonable time period.
    However, if you think you can beat one of these games by purely changing the amount that you stake per race/bet/spin/hand etc, then you are still playing a losing game. That is, you are trying to use money management to beat the game. Playing a poor game, but trying to win simply through staking.


    We know that if we exercise our skills and knowledge, then we can turn the majority of gambling activities into profitable exercises. (Some games are easier to beat than others).
    Bankroll management, on the other hand, is the decision how to stake your selections ONCE you have found a profitable approach.
    It is when you are winning, that you need to think about how to stake your money, NOT before you have shown that you can turn a profit, using a specific approach by betting level stakes, which is simply, the same amount every bet.


    Essentially, that is the difference. Punters who try to beat a game solely through staking are using money management. It may be great fun, don't get me wrong, but not so good for the wallet.
    Now it would be ignorant and arrogant of me not to mention the fact, that this whole idea of staking is quiet contentious. There a millions upon millions of punters who will swear (maybe even the majority of punters) that you can turn a losing approach into a profitable one through 'clever money management'. If that is the case, then please, don't let me stop you. The best thing that any punter can do is continue with whatever is successful for them. Very simply, if your staking approach works for you, then by all means, go ahead and continue.


    I, on the other hand, prefer to use approaches, which actually may be proven to work, and that is where we get into bankroll management. How to make the most of a profitable approach is what bankroll management is all about, NOT how to find a winning approach through staking. If you don't have a profitable approach, then there is NO way that you can find a profitable approach through simply staking your selections differently. This is not an idea or a hunch - this is a decade old mathematically proven fact!
    Whether punters want to listen and discover what is proven to work, or if they want to throw their heads in the sand, and claim that this is all 'academic wank' and that it does not work (as a number of punters have kindly told me), is of course up to them.


    In saying this, the question has to be asked, that if it were possible to beat an otherwise unbeatable game simply through staking, it would have to be one of the greatest mysteries in the world as to how casinos would be able to exist. Casino games, such as, roulette have much lower house margins, than say, the horse races, sports betting or keno. (For example, 2.7% house advantage on roulette, against 15% - 25% on horse racing, or 5% - 10% on sports betting.) Therefore, if it were possible, one would think that the casinos would be the first to be cleaned out. Wouldn't you?


    However, I say to you, when ones livelihood depends on these types of decisions, I feel much more confident in relying on approaches, which may be mathematically proven to be successful, even if it is all 'academic rubbish', rather than to rely on hunches and hot streaks. In my experience, hunches and hot streaks do not put the food on the table.
    Now in a tournament sense, much of the above does not apply. This is because an entrant is playing directly against another opponent, which makes this the exception to the above rule. This is where it may make sense to use some sort of staking approach which will vary, depending on the opponent's position. In a tournament, such as a casino roulette or blackjack tournament, simply playing your game in a steady and conservative manner will many more times than not, result in you maintaining, or possibly increasing, your bankroll to some extent. However, to win such tournaments, it is essential to use a somewhat more aggressive approach to beat the other players.


    Therefore, in closing, if you are a money management fan and believe that the facts are just 'academic wank', and believe that games such as roulette can be beaten purely through staking, then you have one thing over those using the more mathematical approaches - you will always be welcome with open arms at any gambling establishment.
    PS. We plan to delve into the staking approaches in reasonably great detail in the coming months. We will be supplying the approaches, which we believe are mathematically sound methods to handle your bankroll once you have found a profitable game, and no, they will not all be packed full of maths. There are some quick and easy ways to improve your bankroll management.

     

    About the Author

    Australians Matt Elliott and Jess Kirley, have been investing together professionally on sports for over 3 years now. They take a very mathematical approach to their betting, and liken it more trading a commodity like stocks than actual gambling. Visit http://www.puntingace.com  to discover how you too can turn your hobby of betting into a profitable endeavour.


     

    January 23, 2006

    10 Online Gambling Tips

     

     

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    1. Know your local law regarding online gambling. You should be aware that some places it is in fact illegal to be gambling. The law probably still count even if you are gambling online. Make sure online gambling is not illegal in your area before you start wagering online. In case you don't know, contact the local authorities.

    2. Know the casino you are placing your bets with. You should read about the casino before you start playing with a casino. Simply visit the casinos own website and Investigate if they have a proper license to run a online casino. You can usually read a lot of info about a online casino on the casinos "About Us" page. Also It would be nice to know who actually owns and runs the casino and how the casino banking is handled. A good online casino will tell you all about it on their own website.

    3. Play Casino Games For Free. Most serious online casinos will let you try their casino software for free. You should try to play at a couple of casinos for free before you decide where to play. There is no reason to deposit money in the first casino you stumble upon. Play for free and find out what is available and what your preferences is.

    4. Look around for the best Customer Support. Before you deposit money with a online casino - it is a good idea to find out how the customer support will most likely react, if you run into problems of any kind with the casino. Will they be available at all? You should be looking for phone numbers and email addresses on the casinos website. The customer support should be reachable by phone 24/7 - 365 days a year. And e-mail should be answered within a couple of hours 24/7. Do the casino have a LIVE support chat program on the website - superb. Perhaps you should even try to send them a email with a question, call them or try out the Live support chat.

    5. Know what Payout options you have. Find out how the casino pays out winnings to you. Do they charge a fee for doing this and what options will you have to choose from if you are lucky and win big? Also you should be aware that a few casinos will only payout up to 5000 a week. So if you are a highroller you don't want to play with such a casino.

    6. Check out the Bonuses. Most online casinos give away free bonuses to new players - and some even to returning players once a month. This is free gambling money. BUT remember to read the fine print found in the Terms & Conditions on the casinos website. Normally a online casino will require you to be placing a minimum number of bets before you are allowed to cashout the free bonus money they give you.

    7. Know the games and how they should be played. You should be aware that variations in the rules of 'the same' casino games can affect your chances of winning - for example a blackjack game at casino A might be better then the blackjack game offered by casino B. Similar a video poker machine is not just a video poker machine - you will have to look at the video poker paytables to find the best video poker machine. Small variation in the rules will affect your chances of winning - just like in Las Vegas the rules will not be exactly the same from casino to casino.

    8. Protect your personal data. All serious online casinos use a secure line to protect your personal data. When you are about to type in personal data - you should make sure that you are on a secure line with the casino. You can look for one of the following: A small lock symbol on the bottom of your browser window and/or that the address to the casino starts with https:// and not just http:// - the (s) stands for "Secure Line".

    9. Play to win money. You should know what casino games that gives you the best expected return and how to play the casino games properly. If you want to play blackjack - remember to print out a copy of my free blackjack chart. If you want to play Jacks or Better video poker - remember to print out a easy strategy for jacks or better video poker.

    10. Have Fun. Remember that it is supposed to be fun - It will never be as fun as real Las Vegas but there is no reason why it should not be funny. Granted, you are playing in the comfort of your home but you might as well do whatever it takes to get the most out of the online gambling experience. Pour yourself a drink, fire up a good cigar, whatever. There is nobody better to pamper the player than you.

    January 22, 2006

    Learn How To Play, Free Online Poker Strategy

     
    Poker Strategy Tip: How To Advertise  
    by J Finney

    You can use many methods to keep others from telling your moves. Let just think of trying for free cards bluffing, check then raising, semi-bluffing, and slow -play are some of them. Still this is not all because there is a more different and sophisticated way. This type of play is called an advertising play. It basically means that you will play badly, crazy and do all the wrong moves when you are sure everyone can see that. By doing this you will lose hands for nothing and mess with the other players heads, misleading them, but after a while you can play good poker and win big from those exact players. Advertising plays must be done only with persons you are sure you will play again so you can benefit from them. There is no point in advertising a play on a table where you won't stay and with players that won't see you again.

    There are certain types of hands you should consider advertising first, they have priority because they are easy to advertise and most importantly they will get you a believable play overall. When you engage yourself into an advertising play you must not do it with whatever hand you might have. Choose carefully the hands that you will advertise so that it looks real and you still stand a decent chance on winning the pot. Advertising plays like 3-9 in the first position are just bad moves and won't help you create that image you are going for. They will just make you lose and show you don't know how to play poker, and that is not your purpose here. The best way to advertise your play is to play little connectors like 7-8 suited, 5-6 suited and Ace with another card suited or small pairs. Play these hands very aggressively when you get them and want to advertise your play but make sure it gets noticed otherwise it will all be in vain.

    For example let's say you have a hand of 7-8 suited. You are in first position, so normally you would just drop this hand. When you intend to advertise, you will have to bet with this hand, raise and re-raise until you work your way up to the river. Or if you are last, you will re-raise the bets that have been made so far and continue with the aggressive streak of moves from there on. Occasionally you might get caught with your reckless bluffs on the river. You have to be absolutely positive that everyone at the table sees your hand so they can all realize with wonder how badly you played such a hand.

    Still, on rare occasions you might get lucky and win the pot. In this case don't show the hand, it is better this way. The bright side is that you won money you wouldn't have normally played for and you can begin the advertising "campaign" right after that with the new unexpected funds sitted right beside you.

    So, a little advertising and then back to normal so you can play them. Once they saw your way of playing they will make bets and calls on you because they still think you are playing crazy. This is the advantage you now hold on your opponents and this way you will get them bet lots of money on mediocre hands, thinking they are doing the right thing and you are again holding a bad hand.

    About the Author

    Read up on your favorite pro poker players like Daniel Negreanu and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson at http://www.poker-player-profiles.com/ today.

     

    How To Win Playing Poker: Learn To Play Your Opponent  
    by J Finney

    When you are entering the world of poker you must be aware of the fact that in order to achieve the best performance you must become skilled not only at playing poker as a game but also at playing poker players as persons. This basically translates through a play that is generally perfect when it comes to techniques and that will also be adjustable to the other's style and skill. You play must rely on the weaknesses of you opponents and take shelter from their strong points. To do this you have to constantly observe them and pick the most appropriate strategy in each specific case.

    You have to consider things like advertising you game. This will give you a variety in your game when mixed with raises with low hand and calls with high hands and will not allow others to play you. As always defense is the best offence so take advantage of it. This strategy includes playing more hands with weak players and loose players and also players known to play badly after the first turn. Also play fewer hands when dealing with experts. Bluff good players and aggressive ones but never bluff a weak inexperienced player because he will ruin your game.

    You must make good use of your position in the game. It is an important factor and it is proven that you must sit left to loose players and weak or maniac ones because you can easily control them. When playing against tight players do the opposite thing: keep them to your right if possible. This way you and your maniac player are isolated when you will raise and you can better play him.

    When dealing with aggressive players the trick is playing them back using their own weapon: aggression. You will spend more money on hands having to raise and re-raise hands you wouldn't normally do, but you will make them a bit more passive this way. When you have a good hand you must let them do their bets and raises and then you start yours, trapping them into many other bets as well. When you are dealing with passive players, they are safer to play. They will fold and check when they have almost nothing and they will bet only when they have a good hand, so if they bet you can fold cards, cards that you would've kept if you were dealing with an aggressive player.

    Participate in more hands next to the loose players and play tight against the tight persons. You should not bluff a loose player ever, maybe just when you have an excellent opportunity on your hands. On the other hand, tight players are to be bluffed as often as possible, a lot more than any other type of players.

    About the Author

    Read up on your favorite pro poker players like Gus Hansen and Howard Lederer at http://www.poker-player-profiles.com/ today.


     

    Poker Pot Odds: Why They're Vital If You Want To Be A Winning Player   by J Finney

    Poker pot odds, just what are they?

    When we are referring to pot odds we are actually talking about a crucial element in the game of poker. The pot odds are determined by evaluating the size of the pot and the bet that is about to be made. Let's take a little example for clarification purposes: the size of the pot is $20 and a bet of $5 has been made and now you are about to call it. The pot odds in this case will be 20/5 that means odds of 4:1. If the call would be done for $10 instead of $5, then you would get pot odds of 2:1. Generally, the pot odds are identified by dividing the size of the pot to the amount of the bet when all bets of the round are equal.

    The size of the pot

    You must always be aware of the size of the pot if you are planning to calculate the pot odds. When playing in a Limit room, the odds will also depend on the numbers of the bets in the pot, instead of the actual amount of the pot. For double bets like some games of hold'em have when on the river you will count twice, that means two small bets for each double bet. If the limit is put only on the pot or if you are playing no-limit hold'em, then the amount of bets is a little harder to calculate and the resulting pot-odds will be more as a guideline than as exact facts, but you still have to try and calculate them at all times.

    Using pot odds

    In order to use the pot odds, you first have to know them for your game. After you calculated your pot odds, they must be evaluated in a direct connection to the value of the cards you are holding. This includes evaluating the hands of the other players too, and making a plan or a statistic of the outcome of your own hand, calculating the chances you can get to have the best hand in the game. Let's say you are playing hold'em and are currently on the flop, having a flush draw. Your opponent is most likely to have at least a high pair. The cards you should concentrate on are the outs, the nine cards that can give you a flush once you already can see four of the cards that will be used in your flush. The chances to get the card you need on the turn or on the river are of about 35%, or 1:2 for you, so in order to be sure you are making the right choice, you calls on the flop should be made only if they are based on 2:1 pot odds.

    The implied odds

    The term of implied odds asks for a calculation of the pot you are most likely to win if you do win. The implied odds are relative and dependent on the evaluation that you provide the game with. They are the relation between the actual size of the pot and the expected final size of it. Let's consider one player bets in a limit game $5 and the pot is $20, so if you call your implied pot odds would be of 5:1 because you are betting a fifth of the expected winning. This is where we should tell if your opponent is either going to call or raise later on the game. Then the implied odds can get to 6:1 or 8:1 depending on the future bets that you must predict.

    About the Author

    Read up on your favorite pro poker players like Annie Duke and Phil Ivey at http://www.poker-player-profiles.com/ today.



     

    Casino Vegas Odds, Arizona Casinos

    1

     
    Vegas Odds & Ends   by Lynda Collins

    Folks aren't necessarily talking baseball when they say World Series these days.

    They might mean golf's old World Series, the long-running World Series of Poker or the relatively new Orleans Annual Horseplayer World Series, which begins Thursday, Jan. 21, and runs through Saturday, Jan. 23.

    The event costs $1,000 to enter and players will compete for a $500,000 top prize, based on 1,000 entries.

    "This is the big one," said Sam's Town handicapper and former Los Angeles Herald-Examiner turf editor Gordon Jones.

    "I don't really like the contest at Bally's that's connected to the Daily Racing Form and the Hilton's (Pick the Ponies) contest is too small," Jones continued.

    "This is the one where you'll see the big players and that lets you pick your own tracks.

    "Half of it is being able to pick your own tracks."

    The contest format requires contestants to make 11 $20 win and $20 place mythical wagers per day during the competition's three-day run.

    *****

    Churchill Downs is launching its Kentucky Oaks and Derby pools a month earlier than usual in 2006.

    The two races will be run on May 5 and 6 this year.

    Derby pool dates are Jan 26-29, March 2-5 and April 6-9, coinciding with some major racing dates.

    The road to Lexington officially started last weekend.

    Stevie Wonderboy remains among the favorites, despite his second-place finish to Brother Derek in last week's San Rafael Stakes.

    *****

    Jeff Pollack, Harrah's vice president of sports and entertainment marketing, has been named the first commissioner in World Series of Poker history.

    The gaming giant also announced formation of a six-member Players Advisory Council that will provide input on a wide range of issues involving the WSOP.

    Members are Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and Scotty Nguyen, two former WSOP champions, Jennifer Harmon, Howard Lederer, David Negraneau and Robert Williamson III.

    *****

    The 2006 WSOP will be held June 25 through Aug. 10 at the Rio Suite Hotel and Casino, with the $10,000 Texas Hold'em main event slated July 28 through Aug. 10.

    A $50,000 buy-in HORSE event has been added to the menu; the game combines aspects of Omaha, razz, stud and eight or better, giving the WSOP a total of 45 competitions.

    *****

    Currently, the AFC is listed as a 3 1/2-point favorite and the total at 45 in Super Bowl XL in Detroit Feb. 5.

    The number had been as high as AFC minus 10 when Indianapolis and Peyton Manning were still in the picture.

    About the Author

    Lynda Collins is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of her articles at

    www.procappers.com/Lynda_Collins.htm


     

    Arizona Casinos   by Adel Awwad

    Arizona casinos are located in the "valley of the sun," in the Southwestern part of the United States. Arizona is known for its climate and magnificent scenery; from the desert to the mountains, the landscape is as varied as it is beautiful. The population of Arizona is over 5,000,000, and the capital and largest city is Phoenix, with a population of over 1,400,000.

    Arizona casinos were legalized on Indian or Native American reservations in the 1990's, and tribes are given "slot allotments" for the number of slot machines allowed in each casino. There are 15 cities, with Arizona casinos, run by various Indian tribes. The minimum age for gambling at Arizona casinos is 21, and the majority of these casinos are open for 24 hours. Harrah's Phoenix Ak-Chin Casino Resort, in Maricopa, is open 24 hours and has 40,000 square feet of gambling space, with 950 slots, and eight table games. Casino Arizona, in Scottsdale, is open 24 hours, with 30,000 square feet, 500 slots, and 36 table games; and the Paradise Casino, in Yuma, has 30,000 square feet, 750 slots, and 15 table games.

    The largest of the Arizona casinos, Casino Del Sol, is located in Tucson and is open 24 hours. This 240,000 square foot casino has 1,000 slots, 20 table games, and six restaurants. Another one of the larger Arizona casinos is the Desert Diamond Casino in Sahurita, with 185,000 square feet of gambling area, 498 slots, 15 table games, and four restaurants. The Desert Diamond Casino is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday. There are several other large Arizona casinos, including the Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde, with 140,000 square feet, 575 slots, and ten table games; and the Gila River Casino - Vee Quiva in Laveen, with 89,000 square feet, 675 slots, and ten table games.

    In addition, the Blue Water Resort and Casino on the Colorado River in Parker, Arizona, offers blackjack and poker, as well as slots, bingo, and keno. One of the most popular Arizona casinos is the Fort McDowell Casino in Fountain Hills, with daily no-limit poker tournaments, 24-hour tableside food service, and the highest poker jackpots in Arizona. Some of the smaller Arizona casinos include the Yavapi in Prescott, with 6,000 square feet, 250 slots, and eight table games; and the Spirit Mountain Casino in Mojave, with 9,500 square feet and 260 slots.

    Arizona casinos offer great entertainment and non-stop gambling in true Las Vegas style.

    About the Author

    This article is the property of Arizona Casinos . Before you use my article(s), you must agree to my Terms of Service .

     

    Getting the best deal on a cruise   by Tony Robinson


     

    For many people, cruising is the ultimate budget vacation, since everything, from lodging to food to entertainment, is included in the basic price of the cruise. Cruises serve just about every part of the world, offering a great mixture of free shipboard entertainment, relaxation and pampering, all for an often great low price.

    The beauty of cruises is that they are able to cater to every taste, and serve visitors of all socioeconomic levels. There are ultra luxurious cruise ships that cater to the very wealthy, and there are also budget minded cruise ships and cruise lines that cater to providing the greatest amount of value for the least possible amount of money.

    Another great thing about any type of cruise is the huge variety of onboard entertainment that is available. Cruise ship activities range from simply lounging by the pool with a drink in your hand to hitting the slots on shipboard casinos. In addition, cruise ships provide plenty of other options, including swimming, volleyball, shuffleboard, basketball, table tennis, gymnasiums, and even golf.

    The fitness options for cruise passengers are many, and many cruise lines employ personal trainers and massage therapists in addition to offering all manner of workout and onboard sports options.

    And the opportunities for excitement and adventure are not limited to the trip. Most cruise passengers love the off ship excursions that are offered at every port, and water sports enthusiasts will love the opportunity to water ski, jet ski and scuba dive.

    Cruise ship operators pride themselves in offering a wide variety of dining options as well. The shipboard buffets available on cruise ships are renowned for good reason, and the number of buffets offers everything from burgers, French fries and hot dogs to veal cordon bleu and salad bars. And best of all, many shipboard buffets are open day and night.

    Nightlife is another thing that makes cruises such a unique form of travel. The nightlife onboard a cruise ship is quite varied, offering everything from discos and bars to casinos and theatres. In addition, many cruise ships offer classes in everything from poker and bridge to ballroom dancing.

    There are also myriad opportunities for enjoying a number of excursions at every port of call. For instance, guests on a Mediterranean cruise may enjoy a night at the opera or a day at a local soccer game, while visitors to Caribbean ports of call may enjoy diving and enjoying the local coral reefs.

    Cruises are a favorite with travelers on a limited budget, since the cost is known up front. Unlike many other types of vacations, where the costs of lodging, meals and entertainment can quickly get out of hand, on a cruise everything is included.

    There are often a great many specials on cruises available, particularly in the off season and the shoulder season. It is important to check the internet and your local travel agent frequently to get the best deal on the cruise of your dreams.

     


    About the Author

    Tony Robinson has travelled extensively throughout this wonderful planet with his family in tow. For great travel saving tips, techniques and articles on visit http://www.budget-travel-site.com

     

    Online Dice Game

    Dice games basics 
      by Mansi Gupta

    The young and the old relish it, it governs the game with its different numbers, and it declares the winner who bags the business- 'Dice', the most significant element of a game. Dice is the life of each dice game but players hardly throw any attention to it. This article will be a talk about 'dice', its history, its types, dice games and little of their strategies.

    A Delve into the Past

    Numerous other things like fruits, nuts and stones etc. were used as a dice before the latter was made. The Greeks and the Romans had bones to play the dice games. The invention of dice came about around 6000 B.C. While several others believe that dice was born around 2000 B.C. Initially throwing of dice had different dimensions. People used to attach supernatural powers and other deities to the outcome of the dice. It is deemed that the Romans were the foremost users of the dice. The tradition later passed on to the French, Europeans and Chinese.

    Variety of Dice * There are different types dice that are commonly used. The Standard Dice is that which is most often made up of plastic, at times of wood, stone and glass. This dice has indentations that make it lighter on the sides and due to which the dice favors high numbers.

    * The Perfect Casino Dice is handmade and involves wonderful accuracy. Almost all of these dice are transparent red and are set in a right handed format. The holes of this dice are filled with a weighted substance after drilled.

    * Crooked Dice are according to their name. They are cooked up in such a manner to make the odds assist the player who is deceitful. Elements like lead, gold and platinum etc. are the added as adulterants to the dice that make it a heavy one. The extra weight of the dice cats as a preventive measure against the crooked dice.

    * The dice that functions by changing weight distribution within the dice is known as the Tapping dice. Within the dice there is a mercury chamber or wire with a weight that ratchets up and down the wire. The outside of the dice can also be tampered with.

    Apart from the va