Posted by admin on Apr 30, 2009 in
Blackjack Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games of all time. Its exciting, fun, and can potentially bring in very big profits! Playing professional Blackjack is something anyone can do. Winning is easy to do if you have the right strategies, and the right plan.
In a lot of ways, winning Blackjack is easier to do than winning Poker. Unlike Poker, you only have one opponent in Blackjack (the dealer). There are also various scientific methods proven to help you win more consistently over a long term period.
Winning Blackjack requires discipline and patience. The fear of going bust causes a lot of players to stand. This is especially devastating when hitting would have been the right decision to make.
To win at Blackjack, you need to have a big enough bankroll. A big bankroll is your safety net in times of sustained losing streaks. If you don’t have enough money to survive a big losing streak, you have no chance of getting back into the game.
So many times, players get frustrated when they lose a few hands. Chasing losses by betting too much, which causes big losses, is how most players end up getting wiped out.
Winning Blackjack should be a long term goal, not a short term one. Gambling is a losing game, however, a winning strategy is not gambling. A winning strategy turns a gamble into a long term profit gain (because you are no longer gambling!). Eliminate the element of luck, put the odds in your favor, and you almost cannot lose!
An intelligent strategy + discipline = long term success at Blackjack!
Posted by admin on Apr 30, 2009 in
Blackjack In the last couple of years, poker has emerged as one of the most popular forms of game play online. A popular card game in its own right and an extremely popular way to gamble, everyone from first-timers to seasoned experts can play the game from the comfort of their own home.
The only problem online players have: which poker provider should they use? There's no straight answer to that question. Many of the online providers – the vast majority of them – are highly reputable and recommended by their customers. The question you should really ask yourself: what features am I looking for?
Online poker providers come in all shapes and sizes. Some providers only offer the chance to place poker; some are even more specific about the type of poker you can play and the rules to which you must adhere. Other providers are jack-o-trade for online casino games. In addition to various kinds of poker, you can sign up with some providers to play table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and sic bo. Some also offer slots and video slots.
Most poker sites require you to download some software in order to play. The size of the download might factor into your decision about which provider to use. You might also have to think about sign up processes and fees. For the most part, you have to sign up, providing personal details. If you're a nut for internet security, checking the privacy policies might also be an important aspect of your decision making process.
If you decide to gamble with a bank role online, then you also need to consider options for funding your online account and the withdrawal process. Whenever you share your bank information online, it's important to make sure there's sufficient security to protect your assets.
You may like to read customer reviews or FAQs on the individual poker sites, as it's a great way to find out what problems people encounter and how those problems are solved.
Another consideration is, whether you want to use money at all. Online gambling, whether it's poker or sports betting, is subject to increased controversy due to recent legislature designed to enforce the prosecution of illegal gambling activities. Although poker is not directly mentioned or even targeted by the law as an illegal activity, the more cautious may like to cover all their bases by engaging in the only form of play that is definitely 100% legal: poker that doesn't involve gambling with money but instead offers credits or coupons that aren't exchanged for cash.
You should also ask around for information on the types of players that frequent particular sites and think about the level of game in which you'd like to participate. The larger poker sites have a reputation for attracting players with little or no poker playing experience, so the stimulation for a seasoned player may be limited. On the other hand, many of the worst players are happy to part with their money to more experienced players. Consider your reasons for playing poker – for fun or for income – another factor in your decision about which site to use.
If you're totally new to poker, the number of poker sites is going to seem pretty daunting. While most people find it easier to pluck up the courage to play online rather than in real life at a table, it still takes some nerve to get involved in online games, particularly if you have no experience with the game at all. If you are new to the game and you want to make it a hobby, you shouldn't dive in playing with bad players or exceptional players right off the bat – both will clear your pockets before you have time to acclimatize! Instead, you should find a site that nurtures newbies; perhaps one that offers tutorials and some basic information about strategies and game play. The game may not be as thrilling, but you'll hone some important skills and get the chance to practice the basics if you play first on a site that's tailored to meet the needs of a beginner.
The opposite applies if you're a really seasoned and serious player. You probably don't want to play with people who don't take the game seriously or who are completely new to it so you may want to hunt down an site frequented by intermediate to advanced or even expert players.
Where ever you decide to start out, in the end, you may decide to join or play on more than one online poker site if you have the time and money, which allows for the good old benefit of choice. Check out http://www.gamma-seven.com/top7.shtml to find out more about the top ranked poker sites on the web.
Posted by admin on Apr 29, 2009 in
Blackjack When one thinks about visiting Kenya, they seldom wonder what kind of gambling opportunities exist in the region. Yet, there are a number of casinos in Kenya that can prove the perfect location to plan one’s next vacation. So, just how many Kenya casinos are there and where are to be found? There is a total of thirteen Kenya casinos, all scattered throughout the country. Kenya casinos can be found in Malindi, Mombasa, Nairobi, and Ukunda. Malindi is home to the Casino Malindi; Mombosa has five casinos and the remainder of the Kenya casinos can be found in Nairobi and Ukunda.
Kenya casinos offer an amazing array of gambling. The Casino Malindi located on Luma Road has sixteen different table games including Blackjack, Craps, Indian Ocean Stud, Punto Banco, Roulette and Texas Hold’em. The Casino Malindi also hosts slot machines, thereby appealing to every gambler’s preference.
Alternatively, those visiting Mombasa can visit one of five beautiful casinos, all with something to offer the gambling enthusiast. The Florida Casino in Mombasa is small but fun, offering 5 slots and 7 gaming tables; The Golden Keys offers Poontoon, Blackjack and Roulette; The Leisure Lodge has 4 American Roulette tables and 4 Blackjack tables; The Quarterdeck Casino has Blackjack, Pontoon, and Roulette as well as 28 slots; and finally, the Oceanic Hotel and International Casino of Mombasa, Kenya has 6 Roulette tables, 6 Blackjack tables and 30 slots for gambling entertainment.
Meanwhile, Nairobi, Kenya has no shortage of casinos. The Casino de Paradise is extensive, offering Blackjack, Baccarat, Chemin de Fer, Mini Baccarat, Pontoon, Roulette and an astounding 300 slots! A variety of restaurants easily appease any appetite at the Casino de Paradise: African, Asian, French, and Barbeque delights are all sold on site. Also, the Florida Casino in Nairobi is a smaller and therefore more intimate establishment, supplying guests with 55 slots and ten tables to choose from. Plus, visitors can choose from the International Casino in Nairobi, the Mayfair Hotel and Casino, or the Sixty-Eight Hotel and Casino, as well as the Resort Kenya: all located in the heart of Nairobi.
Finally, a nice diversion can be found in the city of Ukunda, Kenya: the Diani Reef Grand Hotel and Casino fixed along Diani Beach is perfect for both residents and travelers. Offering over 300 rooms, splendid accommodations, diverse menus and table games, gambling connoisseurs truly adore the offerings at the Diani Reef.
Posted by admin on Apr 27, 2009 in
Blackjack Avoid Super Bowl ″needle-in-the-haystack″ propositions and ″donkey bets″ and you could enjoy a profitable Sunday.
So says Fezzik, the single-named sports bettor and blackjack player who is one of the hottest personalities/properties to hit Las Vegas sports gambling since Sonny Reizner lit up the Castaways’ Hole-in-the-Wall Sports Book on a site now occupied by the Mirage.
Fezzik finished second in the Stardust Invitational this year — going 7-0 one week — and was runnerup in Leroy’s College Football Challenge.
He originally made a name for himself locally through broadcasting, filling in last winter for Larry Grossman on ″You Can Bet On It″ and regularly appearing on Stardust Line radio shows.
Fezzik also has had an online presence for several years and hosts a popular forum called Fezzik’s Place.
Some have likened him to the World Poker Tour’s Barry ″Robin Hood″ Greenstein in that both heavy hitters like giving things away.
Fezzik, who plays blackjack for a living, has been handing out plays, taking his lumps and laurels as he goes.
Friday night he appeared at a Las Vegas Hilton Super Bowl seminar and offered advice for proposition players.
Hitting needle-in-a-haystack props can be likened to catching lightning in a bottle or nailing a keno 12-spot; it happens, but rarely.
Sure, the Bus can run for six TDS and 100 yards, but is it likely?
″Look for props you can answer ‘yes’ or ‘no,”’ Fezzik suggested.
Fezzik notes bookmakers often get harried as the public storms about seeking propositions — known to fill 20 or more pages a pop — and mistakes frequently are made.
″Shop around (for the best prices) and read everything carefully,″ he said, noting that yardage figues next to a name don’t necessarily ask the same thing at different stores.
Additionally, Fezzik advises avoiding donkey bets, such as those that ask if there will be an overtime.
″There hasn’t been a Super Bowl overtime in 39 years,″ Fezzik said.
Another tip from the Fezzik files is to ″play your correlations.″
″If you bet there will be a score in the first 6:30 in the game, then bet under on first quarter punts,″ he said.
Fezzik, whose name is derived from a comic strip chatacter, predicted a 24-23 Pittsburgh victory, meaning Seattle would cover and the total would land on 47.
Posted by admin on Apr 21, 2009 in
Blackjack Technocrat: Another little known name of great influence on blackjack Keith Taft. He was an engineer, computer specialist and inventor, he created his first blackjack computer in 1970, before Ken Uston appeared on the stage, just four years after the publication of the second Thorp's book that encouraged him for this work. This computer named ″George″ was used by Uston's teams.
Consider the fact, that at that time, there were not computers at all, to say nothing of miniaturization. The first version used 16bite processor, manually made memory and manually wired-in program. Assembly work and debugging took two years. He protected his device with copper screen from possible clutters and hid it in his boots. At first he was very lucky, but then he lost a great deal. It made him give up independent playing. Keith thought of writing a book, but then contracts with professional players came his way. After a few years the market offered more powerful computing devices.
The basis of the other device was Z80 processor. Keith built it in the pocket calculator. This version of ″George″, later renamed as ″David″, caught Uston's eye. Keith together with his brother made several such computers for his team. They doubled their capital in a week. Trebled in two weeks. Then they were caught, the money and the computer were confiscated. By the way, Uston's lawyer in the case was Oscar Goodman – now he is effective mayor of Las Vegas.
In the upshot the project broke down. And a new one emerged with more sophisticated and secret devices but now without Uston. More complicated computers required new processors and larger memory. New investments from the players and ″Thor″ project made good money for Taft and gamblers. Moreover, this computer remained unnoticed in the casinos. Keith created protection system which in fact repeats the concept of modern ″electronic key″. Then he developed ″7-Up″ scheme which connected 7 (!!) players at the table into the network. Each had a computer and they were united into the network. Just think – this guy – created computer networks!!!! It was 1982! Before Microsoft these people managed computer severs…
Then video cameras appeared. Keith started applying satellite and radio signals. Then again a failure, arrest and accusation of fraud. Charges were again dismissed. A new hi-tech project followed.
Finally when the usage of computers was deemed illegal in the USA, Keith stopped playing blackjack. Now he is living in his house and is working in his laboratory. I wonder, on what?
Things get easier when done together. Blackjack boom in 70-80-s, public description of team playing methods lead to creation of the biggest blackjack teams. The most famous, probably was the team of Massachusetts technological Institute or MIT Team. The idea was innovative– instead of hiring people with money, the operators of the team trained the students of playing the game and offered blackjack as summer earnings during their vacation. They almost posted announcements in the lecture rooms saying ″Blackjack players wanted!″ At first he team was small, however the management drew great funds from outside investors and project became very large. These young guys and ladies lived a double life – five days a week attending the lectures and eating in the campus canteen and on the weekend flying to Las Vegas, betting on 10 thousand dollars in the box, living in luxury apartments and driving in limousines at the expense of casinos.
This is possibly the most highly qualified team in all history of blackjack. In a few years they have won about 10 million dollars. Then everything went pear shaped. First, the risk on the casino's side increased. There was spying on the players, soon it was found out that they were students of MIT and then their names were added to the blacklist all over the country. Besides, the casinos were more aware of team game principles and each big player immediately came under observation.
But it is not the most terrible. A prick was in the team. One of the players betrayed for ″the thirty pieces of silver″ all the members of the team to the casino security service. Moreover, part of the money was simply stolen. It caused the breakdown of the team. Though it revived in different new forms, they were not so successful as before. However, as the rumors circulating, you can come across some interesting announcements in the institute…
Former founders and managers of the team now are very famous people. Semyon Dukach is in sales and purchase of Internet companies, conducts seminars on blackjack and Andy Bloch became a professional poker player.
Team playing, regardless of its pros has a lot of cons of administration nature. It requires great investments into the risky business. That's why 99% of team playing efforts end up in a financial catastrophe.
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Posted by admin on Apr 17, 2009 in
Blackjack Playing Texas Holdem Online
For the beginner there is no finer place to start playing Texas Holdem than online. There are numerous suitable online casinos that cater for the novice. For example:-
http://www.Williamhill.com
http://www.PartyPoker.com
At these online casinos you can play Texas Holdem making fictitious bets so that you don’t win or lose any money until you feel sufficiently confident to play for ″real″. Perhaps a truly sensible way to start.
There are numerous other advantages to starting out on your winning Texas Holdem career online. For example, online many small limit games, such as 50cents - $1, can be played in a very short period of time. Believe me, you’ll find this is an absolutely fantastic way to gain experience fast with minimum financial risk.
However, it is important to increase your stake money as your ability to play Texas Holdem improves i.e. moving on to limits of 2 - 4, 4 - 8, 6 - 12 etc. By doing this it keeps your play progressive as your skills develop. Increasing financial risk improves focus and concentration. Essential abilities if you are to play at offline casinos and continue to be a winning player.
Mental Attitudes Required to be a Winning Texas Holdem Player
Emotional control is the foundation of your Texas Holdem winning strategy. Without it there is no hope. You’d do better playing tiddly winks!
To be a winner it is essential to be always astute, mentally alert and focused during play. Any distraction can cost you money. Conversely, you must be able to recognise when you’re not playing at your peak and have the courage to refrain at such times. If you don’t you are letting your emotions take control instead of you in control of them which can only lead to a downward losing spiral.
Obviously it’s impossible to constantly win every Texas Holdem hand. It’s suggested that top winning players win just 8% - 10% of their hands over the long term. Therefore consistently evaluate your game over the longer term. Don’t think of winning and losing when you’re playing, just think of your poker career as one long poker game. This way your confidence will continue to grow and not be dented by short term setbacks. It’s where you are at the end of a year that matters not just the ups and downs of each individual session.
Bear in mind that over a reasonable period of time, e.g. two months, good, committed Texas Holdem players will win, bad players will lose.
If you are frequently losing then perhaps you’re playing at too high a level so choose a lower stake game until you become more experienced. Also, even if you are winning on a particular occasion, but you know instinctively you are up against better players - move on. Remember there are times when good players will deliberately play less experienced plays just to make a few quick bucks for themselves. Don’t allow yourself to be their prey. Plan to win. There’s no point in throwing your money away.
Never play Texas Holdem to get even. Always play your best then getting even will take care of itself over time.
Set yourself a time frame in which to play, e.g. 8.00pm to 2.00am. Leave at the appointed time whether or not you’re winning. However, if during the period you become tired or for some other reason you’re playing below par, quit, cash in your chips, go home and have an early night. Whatever you do stay away from blackjack, baccarat, roulette or slot machines as an alternative to Texas Holdem on the way out. They are deliberately placed to tempt you BUT I assure you, over time, you cannot win at these games so don’t even bother to try.
I can’t emphasise it enough, to be a winner at Texas Holdem you must be at the peak of your performance whenever you’re playing otherwise more experienced players will recognise your weaknesses and subtly take you to the cleaners!
Money Management.
Keep your Texas Holdem poker money in a separate bankroll from any other money. If you spend a lot of money from that bankroll on other things it’s never going to grow. Consequently you will never get to afford to play in the higher limit or no limit games where the big money is for the taking.
So what amount of money should you have in your Texas Holdem bankroll? (By the way I’m not talking here about the amount of money you take to the table in chips, that’s another issue.) The general rule is you should have about 300 times the big bet in it. So if you are playing 2 - 4 the big bet is $4. Your bankroll should be 300 times that i.e. $1,200.
This means, for example, if you are playing 2 - 4 as a consequence of a $1,200 bankroll and start losing you should move down to playing 1 - 2 until you increase your bankroll up to the $1,200 again. Conversely if you are winning and thereby increasing your bankroll you can start playing 4 - 8 when your bank roll reaches $2,400 i.e. 300 times $8.
Texas Hold’em is a game of both luck and skill. You cannot do a lot about your luck but you can improve your skill to become a winning player to the extent of being able to change your life style if that is your wish.
Posted by admin on Apr 16, 2009 in
Blackjack Blackjack is one of the few games where you can get an edge over the casino.
This is something you can learn and profit from quickly and easily.
Before you learn to card count however, you need to be familiar with blackjack basic strategy, the system that all card-counting strategies are based upon.
Here we will introduce you to why card counting works and dispel some common myths.
Card Counting Myths
Before we begin lets dispel two common myths about card counting:
1. Card counters do not memorize every card they have seen dealt out of a deck or shoe, and card counting does NOT need to be complicated.
In fact, simple systems can be very effective. It is the logic the system is based upon, NOT its complexity that makes a system successful.
2. Card counting also does not allow a player to foresee with certainty what card will be dealt out the deck next.
Card counting is simply a probability theory NOT a predictive theory.
While it puts the odds in your favor longer term, short-term losing periods occur for ALL players, so be prepared!
1. Why card counting works
Players who use correct blackjack strategy with a card counting system can beat the casinos edge.
The reason for this is simple. Low cards favor the dealer in blackjack, and high cards favor the player.
Low cards favor the dealer because they help him make winning totals on his hands when he is stiff, (has a 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 total on his first two cards).
2. Card Counting Your Advantage over the Dealer
In casino blackjack, you can stand on your stiffs if you want to, but the dealer cannot. He has no choice to make but you do, and herein is your advantage.
Rules of the game require that he hit his stiffs no matter how rich the deck is in high cards that will bust him.
It is the fact that you have choices and he does not, which can give you the edge in blackjack.
3. Card Counting Increasing The Odds Of Hitting a Blackjack
The high cards favor the player not only because they may bust the dealer when he hits his stiffs, but because the 10s and Aces create blackjacks.
Although blackjacks are of course, evenly distributed between the dealer and the player, the important fact is that the player is paid more (3:2) when he gets a blackjack.
4. You Don’t Need To Count All the Cards
In card counting, you do not have to count the numbers of each of the individual card values in order to know when you have an advantage over the casino.
You only need to know when the deck is rich or poor in high cards i.e the cards favorable to the player.
5. Card Counting - You Have To Act On Your Advantage!
Card counting by itself can reveal when you have an advantage, but to maximize your profits you need to vary your bet size up when you have an advantage and down when you don’t.
For card counting, to be effective you need to ACT and capitalize on the situations that are favorable to you.
6. Card Counting Technique Learn It In 5 Minutes!
So how does a blackjack player actually card count?
There are many different techniques; some are difficult to master, while some are easier to learn.
In fact, you can learn a simple effective card counting method in just 5 minutes!
Posted by admin on Apr 12, 2009 in
Blackjack Out of a survey conducted by Gambling Portal, 64% of all gamers prefer to play roulette and not poker, blackjack or even slots. Why?
One of the truly worthy games to play at a casino is roulette. It is not just the spinning of the wheel that gives it its class, but the fact that roulette is a game for true champions. Amateurs steer away from roulette leaving it only to the true gaming enthusiasts.
1) Excitement:
Gamers state that no other game they have played can match the thrill they feel after they have placed their individual bets and the wheel starts to spin and ball flies and jumps from one slot to another. They say that your heart jumps each time the ball collides with the wheel..
2) Simplicity:
In comparison to other games, roulette is simple to learn and simple to play. All you have to do is guess where the ball will come to rest when the wheel stops spinning. Even placing your bet is simple. You can either bet on a number, a row, a couple of rows, a column, a row of columns, a colour: black or red or even on odd or even numbers. To do this you do not need to memorize different hand systems like in poker, or calculate whether they will reach twenty-one like in blackjack. You pick a number or a section of numbers and if ball rests on the numbers you picked, you win.
3) Availability of Game Tables:
Unlike other table games where you sometimes have to wait for hours till a seat opens up for you, roulette table seat up to seven or nine players. There are even some larger tables that seat up to ten. In addition, since roulette is a fast action game, players rotate more often than say at a Texas Holdem match.
4) The Croupier:
Unlike other game tables, at roulette the croupier is an active component of the game. When they state out aloud, No More Bets, everyone sits back and waits. The croupier spins the wheel and he waits along with everyone else for the ball to roll down into the inside track and rest on a particular colour and number. Then, the croupier announces the number and hands out the winnings.
5) Coloured Chips:
To make it easier for you to track your chips amidst all the other chips, your chips are of a different colour than all the rest of the players. There is no other game that allows you this option. This means that you can track your chips super easily even if they are at the other end of the table.
6) No Cheating:
People try and cheat at all games. But in roulette, no one is allowed to keep his hands over the table until the croupier finishes handing out all the money won. Even the croupier himself keeps his hands away and uses a long stick to distribute the chips.
Conclusion:
Out of all the different games, those you can bet on at a regular or at home and those you can play for fun on your home computer, gamers seek out and play roulette for all the of the above reasons. They think it is the game that has everything in all one package. They must know what they are talking about.
Posted by admin on Apr 11, 2009 in
Blackjack Keno is a game of pure chance and is very similar to Lotto games. The game was brought to the USA by Chinese immigrants in the 19th century. As with lotto games, it is a dead simple to play, and it is attractive as large prizes are on offer for very small wagers. Keno is played at bars, clubs and community centers all over the world today (I know when I go an play poker at my local club I always run the risk of getting run over by ticket toting Keno players by the hundreds) . Unfortunately it shares another characteristics with lotto games - horrendous odds.
Logically, Keno found its way into online casinos as it was a simple game to develop, and casino operators wanted to capture the huge land based Keno fan base online. What was even more in the favor of online casinos was that many people were used to playing Keno on video terminals, so the move online was less of a hurdle that say with blackjack.
So here is how you play Keno (unless I fall asleep writing this!). You start off by selecting between 4 and 10 numbers from a total of 80 numbers. Each selection is called a ″spot″. In many online keno games, you can buy multiple tickets for the same draw, and in some games you can even pre purchase for future games.
Once you have submitted your selection, twenty numbered balls will ″drop″ into a tube from a barrel. If enough of your sports are drawn, you win. That simple. You will obviously win more if more of your numbers come up, like with lotteries. Most online keno games allow you to buy tickets between 5c and $5, and pay out in multiples of your ticket value. Jackpot prizes of up to $50,000 are not uncommon.
Easy? Yeah. So there must be a catch? Yeah. The house advantage with Keno is 30% or more, the WORST of any online casino game. The odds of hitting a number is 0.25%. Keno is by a long margin the worst game you could possibly play. If you want a game of chance play slots. If you want to throw money away, play Keno. Very few people actually make any meaningful returns.
Posted by admin on Apr 10, 2009 in
Blackjack Do you love to play blackjack? I know I do! Its one of the most entertaining cards games I’ve ever played, and its pretty easy to understand. How good are you at blackjack? I’d like to offer you three simple ways to increase your chances of winning at blackjack. Maybe you already know about these tips? Lets find out.
Tip One - Always Double Down On 11
Generally speaking, you should always double down if you have 11. The chances of scoring 20 or higher are very high.
Tip Two - Splitting 8’s Is Generally A Good Idea
Why is splitting 8’s generally a good idea? Because holding a 16 hand is not very good. If you split your 8’s, you now have a realistic chance of scoring 18 or higher. Even if you don’t win both hands, you should at least win one of the hands, meaning you won’t win or lose any money.
Tip Three - Double Down If You Think The Dealer Will Go Bust
If the dealer is showing a 5 or 6 hand, while you hold a 7 to 11 hand, then I recommend doubling down. Be warned though that this tip is not for the feint hearted. If you cannot afford to lose, or don’t have much money left, then I wouldn’t recommend using this tip. It does work a lot of the time though, as demonstrated by my friends at the casino.
There you have it my friends, three solid tips that should hopefully help you next time you play blackjack. Winning consistently at blackjack is not an accident. Its a skill that can be acquired by anyone at any time.