PLAYING CARDS:

Roulette System - Online Roulette: FAST Roulette System ... - By: Matthew Hilton
Who said you can't consistently win at roulette?

Roulette is probably the easiest game to understand, but one of the hardest to master. Fortunately, you don't need to be a master of the Roulette table because Roulette System Tool does that for you!

Online Roulette can be an amusing game of chance. There are certain tools you can use to help your Online Roulette earnings. But you need to dispose not only your tools but also strategies with some good luck to help you come out on top. To make things easy you might want to use Roulette Software to help you choose the right bet at the right time.

These Roulette Systems can be easily found online but be careful of the simulation. You will need to use something that shows some results. You also want to be a member of a site that is legal. If it is not legal in your state then don't even bother wasting your time and money on "the money maker machine roulette system" because the trouble isn't worth it at any price.

By now you figured out it is legal in your area to use a gambling site and the casino site. Playing Online Roulette and making money is fun but not if it ends up being trouble for you.

Finding the right Roulette System might be a bit difficult but if you do the right research and choose a reputable company you should be fine with your choice of Roulette Software. First see if the company offering the Roulette System gives good support. Ask questions and see if they return your email with an answer. Find reviews of the software around the web. You should be able to get a grasp on what you are buying.

Also see what kind of info your Roulette System offers. Some Roulette Software can be used to be automatic it can set multiple bets, set profit goals, give you a time limit, give history reports, set up a profile etc. The more intricate the software the more chances you have to increase earnings.

The Roulette Software you choose could mean the difference between fun winning or not fun losing. The software should do all the hard work for you. The software you choose will have algorithms and betting strategies built in to it. If it has bugs you would expect to get support and there should always be free updates to the software. These are all variables to choosing the right Roulette software.

For more information visit the official Money Maker Machine website!
Also you could find our web site in big search engine like that: Google, Yahoo, MSN, AltaVista� The keywords are: roulette tool, money maker machine.

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The Rules of Blackjack - Teaching Yourself This Exiting Game - By: Dennis B.

Blackjack's rules are simple to understand, but there can often be many variations, which have an influence on the odds. Being aware of these variations, and knowing how to change your game, can be a big help. If you take the time to understand the nuances of the game, then earning good cash from your cards is certainly possible. Blackjack is one of the few games in which players can be expected to win money, based largely on skill.

Most casino activities rely on fortune, in spite of any techniques that might be hinted at, but with Blackjack, there is a gain in being able to remember the cards played. It is this ability which can offer an advantage. Naturally, before competing with a casino, you require knowledge of basic rules.

Blackjack is a card game based purely on numbers. The only valuable part of any card played in Blackjack is the number, regardless of color. All the matches played will concentrate only on the numbers. Clearly for the cards worth two through to ten these are plain. So apparently the five of hearts is rated as a five, the nine of spades as a nine.

The Ace of any suit can be either of two values, depending on what is more to the player's advantage - counting as 1 or 11. The picture cards, such as Jacks, are always worth ten. The tenet is for the players to create a hand, totaling 21 or under, the closest to the value, but never more. If either the player or the dealer's hands are valued at 22 or higher, they'll be bust, and beat.

Blackjack is initiated by each contestant being given a pair of cards. Once the hands are dealt, players see, and choose what to do next - hit, that is they'd like to add a card, or stand, meaning they'll keep what they have. You can keep on hitting, until either you decide your hand is as close to twenty one as possible, or you go bust.

A game of blackjack meeting the opposition from the dealer. The dealer will also have two cards, and will also be striving to achieve the worth of twenty one. In the event that both dealer and you don't go bust, and don't make 21, it is the one with the highest cards who is the winner. The tenets are different, and in some cases the dealers are allowed to go on hitting until they reach 17, at which point they must stop. Naturally, if the dealer has cards surpassing 21, they become bust, in which case you win anyway.

One of the things you need to keep in mind before playing Blackjack is that there are different rules and tricks for playing it. For example, by not forcing dealers to stick at 17, your chances of winning reduce dramatically. In some instances you are allowed to divide your hand. The way it works is by letting you to part the first two cards into distinct hands, should both cards be of equal worth, say, both fives. By playing each hand separately you can be the victor twice in one round, or lose one and win one, regaining what you lost. You should know whether splitting is allowed, since otherwise a player's opportunities are decreased.

Blackjack's the successful achievement of 21 on your 2 first dealt cards, which does occur quite frequently, and in such cases it is helpful to know the prize - often 3/2, so a $20 bet will be rewarded with $30. Since casinos do diverge widely, ensure that you verify this return, and the other different provisions, so that you are playing with the optimum conditions.

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There are three main ways to play gin rummy - By: victory

To begin with, two players are dealt ten cards each, with the remaining 32 cards placed face down, forming the 'stock pile'. To begin the game, the top card is turned upwards and removed to become the first card on the 'discard pile'. Players take turns to pick a card from either pile, discarding one from their hand in the process.

The players' aim is to complete their hand of cards, by sorting their hands into 'melds' or 'sets' of cards, comprising of three or more cards of the same value or a straight of the same suit. For example, three jacks would form a set, and so too would the ace, two, three and four of clubs.

The end of the game is signalled by a 'knock' from one of the players. A player is able to knock once the value of his 'deadwood' cards is ten or less, where 'deadwood' refers to the cards that are not used in the player's sets. Points are calculated using the face value of the cards, with an Ace being one point and 10, jack, queen and king all worth ten points each. A score of zero, i.e. having no deadwood cards, is called a 'Gin', and is the ideal outcome for the player.

Once someone has knocked to end the game, both players are obliged to show their cards, and the player with the lowest value of deadwood cards wins the hand. If the player who totalled the lowest score was not the player who knocked, then they are said to have 'undercut' their opponent.

Gin Rummy Formats

There are three main ways to play gin rummy - first-to-knock, matchplay and moneyplay. First-to-knock is extremely simple, in that the first player who reduces their deadwood cards to ten points or less can knock and win the game, as well as the money at stake. This is the fastest version of gin rummy, and relies far more on luck than the other two versions, although it can be an excellent introduction to the game itself.

Matchplay requires several hands of cards, and adopts a scoring system in order to determine the winner. Points are calculated as the difference between the winner's deadwood points and the loser's deadwood points, with the scores accumulated each hand until one of the players reaches an agreed number of points, usually 50. Bonuses of 25 points are awarded for winning with a zero-deadwood hand, as well as winning by undercutting your opponent. The winner takes the money staked at the beginning of the game, but no more.

Moneyplay is the most popular offline form of the game, and is generally played to 100 points, using the same scoring system as above. The difference is that the money is paid per point difference, opening up the possibility for some big wins. When a player reaches 100 points, they are awarded an extra 100 point 'target' bonus and a 25 point 'line bonus'. The winning player then takes the value of the difference in the points.

For example, say player A is leading player B by 90 to 84. The next hand is won by player A, with the total of his deadwood cards being 5, with player B registering 15. Player A takes the 10 point difference, which moves his score on to 100, meaning that he has won the game. Player A is then awarded the 100 point target bonus and 25 point line bonus, taking the difference in scores to 225 - 84 = 141. If the players have agreed to play $1 per point, then Player A receives $141, provided this amount doesn't exceed the buy-in, which is also agreed prior to the game.

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The non-dealing player may take the up-turned card and then discard, or he/she can leave this option to the dealer. - By: victory

One of the most popular versions of rummy is gin rummy, which is normally played with the fifty-two cards standard deck, and the number of players is two. The objective of this game is to meld your cards as fast as possible. Melds are either runs (sequences of at least three cards of the same suit) or sets (three or four cards of the same rank).

The dealing player can be chosen randomly, or by cutting the deck or drawing a card from the deck. Either high card or low card deals, according to the players' decision or to gin rummy rules specific to a certain location. Each player receives ten cards. A discard pile is then started by turn the next card face up. The reminder of the deck serves as stock and all the cards in it are face down.

The non-dealing player may take the up-turned card and then discard, or he/she can leave this option to the dealer. If neither player takes the upcard, the non-dealing player starts the game by drawing the first card from the stock and then discarding. Players draw cards and discard in turns. Each player is supposed to sort his/her cards into melds. All the cards that a player holds except one can be sorted into melds. The final discard is made facedown, and the hand is put faceup on the table, with melds and deadwood (the cards that are not matched in any meld) clearly separated. This is called laying off, which is not allowed if the count of your deadwood is zero (you have no deadwood cards- all of them are matched in melds). Your deadwood count should not exceed ten points, and, anyway, it is not advisable to knock when you have a high deadwood score. When you knock, your opponent can match as many deadwoods he/she can to your melds, which can considerably reduce your opponent's deadwood score.

When it comes to scoring, face cards count ten points each, aces count one point each, and all the other cards count their numeric value. If a player gins (all his/her cards are matched into melds, typically three of them) he or she gets a twenty-five-point bonus plus the opponent's count of deadwood points. If a player knock, his or her score will be difference between his deadwood score and that of his opponent, provided that the latter's is higher.

You can play gin rummy either the traditional way, or on the Internet. Online gin rummy is now available from a variety of sources. However, the most comprehensive source should be the one that allows players not only to play gin rummy online, but also to learn all rules and strategies, and get all the tips before starting to play for real money. That's right, you can play gin rummy just for fun, or you can get your adrenaline pumping by playing online gin rummy for money.

Everything you need to know about online gin rummy can be found on such specialized web sites. You are virtually one click away from having fun playing cards online. But online gin rummy can be a lot more than an excellent pastime; it can be a source of income. Once you have learned all the rules of online gin rummy and have gained considerable experience, including strategies, you can easily beat beginners, because gin rummy is not a game of luck. When you play gin rummy, you have to pay close attention to the discarded cards.

You can play online gin rummy with players from all over the world in tournaments, or you can play it just for fun with your friends- it's all up to you!

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Enjoy The Magnetic Addiction of Texas Hold’em - By: Wain Roy

One of the most dramatic and interesting varieties of poker, Texas Hold'em has the magnetic power to make you 'shuffle up and deal' without break. This poker variant is different from other classic poker games like stud or draw, where each player holds a distinct separate hand. In contrast, Texas hold'em is a community card game, where each player may use any combination of the five community cards and their own two hole cards to make a poker hand. It's interesting to note the kind of exposure that Texas hold'em received in films and television, accounting for the increase in popularity over the past few years. The simplicity of the game has inspired the publication of numerous strategy books for game enthusiasts.

A tight aggressive approach is what most poker authors recommend. Some of the basic Texas holdem poker tips have been mentioned below:


It's good to play only premium starting hands. In a regular game, no more than 20-25% of flops can be registered.



Discretion should be applied in your choice of table. Avoiding competition with strong players is always advisable as there are chances of your losing out the stronger counterparts. Try to go for loose games where 30% view the flop on an average and play their hands a little too far.



Ensure pot odds while drawing and call a bet only when the pot justifies the call. It would be an advantage to anticipate the holdings of your opponents and try to anticipate their strengths as the game proceeds in later rounds.



A sharp observer is what is required to be a good player. Try to remember the playing styles of your opponents- the kinds of hands they raise, or the types of hands they check raise with.



A brilliant hold’em player always bets or raises when warranted. Make sure to have a good side card to your highest card, the reason being, a weak kickers often prove expensive in the long run.



If you are in the late position, make haste to steal the pots. Besides, it's essential to make little changes in your playing style. You can try it out by occasionally limping on "raising hands" or bet/raise on some "calling hands". You can try this out both prior to and after the flop to avoid being a little too predictable.



One of the most important tips for playing successful Texas holdem is to fold your game in time. Do not draw when you realize that you are beaten and the pot does not warrant a call.



Last but not the least, make sure your opponents are weak before attempting to bluff.


The following tips would definitely help you take an upper hand over your opponents. Just check out poker rooms at different websites and enjoy free games Texas hold’em online. There are numerous websites offering free online poker room downloads. In fact, most of them attract customers by offering special. So just be online and enjoy a great deal!

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Make Money with Money Maker Machine Roulette System Tool - By: Matthew Hilton

Here are the results from the last 20 test sessions I have played. These sessions were not played one after the other or even on the same day. You must come to your own conclusions regarding the results:

20 sessions played in fun money mode using the MMM analysis feature. All used "Black Arrow" static system. All sessions where set to win $100.

I needed 2 MMMR's to win the 1st session.
I needed 1 MMMR to win the 2nd session.
The next 2 sessions (3 & 4) won without the need of MMMR's
I needed 2 MMMR's to win the 5th session.
I needed 3 MMMR's to win the 6th session.
The next three sessions (7, 8 & 9) won without the need of MMMR's.
I needed 1 MMMR to win the 10th session.
I needed 1 MMMR to win the 11th session.
The next four sessions (12, 13, 14 & 15) won without the need of MMMR's.
I needed 2 MMMR's to win the 16th session.
I needed 1 MMMR to win the 17th session.
The next two sessions (18 & 19) won without the need of MMMR's.
I needed 4 MMMR's to win the 20th session.

So, for a "profit" of $2000 I would have needed to use a total of 17 MMMR's.

I get 3 free MMMR's every month so would have had to buy a further 14 to win my $2000.

14 MMMR's @ $75 each = $1050.

$2000 - $1050 = $950 actual profit.

The sessions took about four hours to play = $237.50 per hour won.

If I take into account my 3 "free" MMMR's and valued them at $75 each ($225) that would make my total profit $775. ($193.75 per hour)

If I had to pay for all the MMMR's for each session as I played it here is the result:

Session:

1) 2 MMMR's ($150) to win $100 = $50 loss
2) 1 MMMR ($75) to win $100 = $25 win
3) Win $100
4) Win $100
5) 2 MMMR's ($150) to win $100 = $50 loss
6) 3 MMMr's ($225) to win $100 = $125 loss
7) Win $100
Win $100
9) Win $100
10) 1 MMMR ($75) to win $100 = $25 win
11) 1 MMMR ($75) to win $100 = $25 win
12) Win $100
13) Win $100
14) Win $100
15) Win $100
16) 2 MMMR's ($150) to win $100 = $50 loss
17) 1 MMMR ($75) to win $100 = $25 win
18) Win $100
19) Win $100
20) 4 MMMR's ($300) to win $100 = $200 loss

As you can all see, I had mixed results. Some sessions good - Some not so good and a couple pretty bad!

Bear in mind that, in my opinion, the total outcome is more important than individual sessions. I have also had 8 x 100 unit wins, one after the other, without needing MMMR's on another session I played. This post shows just the last 20 sessions. I am sure the next 20 would tell a completely different story.

Anyway, like I said at the beginning of the post, you all need to draw your own conclusions as regards the final outcome of my tests.

You can find Money Maker Machine, Roulette Tool in GOOGLE, MSN, YAHOO, ALTAVISTA, etc.

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The Game 5-Card Stud - By: Andrew F

5-Card Stud poker was at one time the favorite of all the poker games. Up until the Civil War 5 Card Stud was the game that poker players sat down to play. The game moved up the Mississippi River from New Orleans and then west in the saloons of the old west. During the Civil war the game became popular with soldiers on both sides of the conflict and a version of poker has remained popular ever since that time.

5-Card Stud is a relatively simple game to play as each player is dealt 5 cards one at a time. The first one is dealt face down and then another face up. There are variations of how the betting starts at this point, but the usual way is for the lowest card showing to start the betting. A round of betting follows the face up card. Those players that make the call are then dealt another face up card. A second round of betting follows and those that call are dealt another face up card. At this point each player has four cards. Any player with a high value pair has a very strong hand. A player with high cards still has a draw. Those players that call are then dealt a final face up card. The betting is completed and the cards are turned face up. The best high poker hand wins the hand and rakes in the pot. If a player wants to see the way the game was played in the old days rent the movie Cincinnati Kid and watch the play.

It isn't as easy to bluff the other players in the game because it is quite straightforward to work out what every player has as their best hand. The trouble in the game is that there are so few hands that the player may have in their five cards. The deficiency of variations has caused the other poker variants to become increasingly more popular with card players. However it is still a fashionable card game variation which can break up the play from holdem games.

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Money Maker Machine Ultimate Roulette Tool System - By: Matthew Hilton
Money Maker Machine Ultimate Roulette Tool System is Amazing software for all Gamblers.

I found also the website of Money Maker Machine by chance! I was looking for something to beat the roulette but most offers on the internet are scam. I found Money MAker Machine and began to read the website, this project was looking really different from what ive seen in the past but this project was looking also very logic and smart. And now i am a proud owner of Money Maker Machine, Why? because it IS the tool to use if you want to win at the roulette. You can't find something like that elsewhere! At first when i saw the software i was thinking that Money Maker Machine was only a tool based on the known well martingal system. But i was so wrong! It do really help to win at the roulette! How? this is simple..

When you lose 7 consecutives times, MMM will analyse the situation and recommand you where to bet. And this really work, furthermore you can configure the 7 STEPS using a static palette or dynamic one.

The palette system of MMM is what tell the tool where to bet from STEP 1 to STEP 7 (Bet 1 to 7). And you can configure this the way you want! Also the software is very easy to understand all you have to do is starting the software, clicked on palette and choosing static or dynamic, configuring STEP 1 to 7, entering starting balance and ending balance and your done! you can begin winning !

You can find Money Maker Machine, Roulette Tool in GOOGLE, MSN, YAHOO, ALTAVISTA, etc.

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What is Live Baccarat and How it is Played - By: Bob Tharten

Baccarat is a card game that has been around for quite some time. It was first introduced during the reign of Charles VIII of France in 1483 thru 1498. There are three different variations of the game but only one that is recognized in North America. The game is called Punto Banco and there is absolutely no skill, no strategy or anything involved in playing this variation. This variation is built on chance and a whole lot of luck. The game of Baccarat has three outcomes, the Player will win, the Banker will win or there will be a Tie. Keep in mind that these are simple terms they do not refer to anything. In most games when you hear banker you would assume that they mean the house but not in Baccarat, these are just places on the table where you can place your bet.

The cards have a 2 thru 9 face value. The tens and the face cards are not worth anything and the Aces are only worth one point. The players who are playing the game can count the score by adding their cards and reaching ten points. When you hit a ten or above the tens digit is dropped from the hand. There are 2 cards dealt to each player, now for example if you get a 6 and a 2 that equals 8 so 8 would be your score. If you get a 7 and a 7 that equals 14 but the tens digit is dropped and your score becomes 4.

The Punto Banco game is played in the United States, Canada, Australia, Sweden and Macau. You as a player can choose to place your bet on the Player spot on the table or the banker spot. The cards are dealt face down , one goes to the player and the other goes to the banker and then again so both spots have two cards. Then both cards are turned over and they are added together. The hand that has the highest score will win the bet. The player and the banker may draw one card or stay.

The house will deal the cards and they will announce which spot one the player or the banker. If you lose then you just restart with a new bet but if you win and most casinos do this, when you win the house will collect a 5 percent commission is paid to the house. If both the player and the banker end up with the same total then the game ends in a tie. If you bet there would be a tie, in most casinos ties are paid at 9 for 1 or 8 to 1.

There is more happening at this table than any other. There is a croupier who directs the game and there are 2 dealers who are in charge of collecting and paying out bets and keeping score of the houses commissions. There are usually 6 to 8 decks of cards that are shuffled together to create one huge deck. The game is purely chance and all you can do is sit back and watch.

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Three Tarot Cards Interpreted: The Emperor, Star, and Lovers - By: Neoli A. Marcos
The Emperor Tarot Card


The Emperor stands for leadership & control. The Emperor is that character who gave the Fool his inspiration, his new guiding light in his quest for happiness: control of the mind to balance the workings of the heart.

As such, the Emperor Tarot Card touches the enthroned ruler that lies within each of us. We are, after all, still masters of our own fate.

It is the card that forces us questions like, Who rules over you? What else would you like to be in control of? Whom do you rule? What kind of boss are you? Who would you rather rule over you?

You may not know it but you could be a benevolent leader, an incompetent ruler, OR even a ruthless tyrant in your workplace, in your home, in your health, in someone's heart.

Sometimes, it takes a humble ego to reinvent one's self.

The Star Tarot card
A woman kneels by a pool under a sky lit by eight stars. An urn in each hand, she pours out water from one urn into the pool, and onto the earth, from her other urn. She is both replenishing the thirsty pool and bathing the arid earth.
The Star Tarot Card is a card that tells of good things to come, a welcome insight into the future.

It symbolises mostly positive things: help on the way, soothing calm, a good quench and nourishment, relief, hope, spiritual awareness and psychic illumination, as provided
for us by two basic elements--water and gentle (star)light.

On the negative aspect, the Star Tarot Card warns us of self-doubt and disbelief that hinder us in our happiness.The Star tarot card may give temporary relief and quench to our thirst, but in the end it is up to the querent to find his or her way to a more concrete and lasting oasis.

The Lovers Tarot Card
Originally called just Love, the Lovers' card has an angel (Raphael) or cupid, a man and a woman, two trees (in Waite, it is Adam & Eve under an apple tree with a serpent). In some decks, one tree is flowering, but the other has fruit. Also in some decks, there are two women for the man to choose from.

After a tiring, aimless journey, the Fool arrives at a tree which beckons him to stop, rest for a while, and decide his next move/mission. The blossoming all-knowing tree is supposed to be his landmark, but lo and behold, a Woman is there waiting, as if for him.

It is not coincidental that before the Fool arrives at the fruit-bearing tree, he had visited the Emperor first. The Emperor signifies control, power, being on one's guard, stiffness, and structure—everything that is the opposite of what the Fool is about to find out in love.

For love is a surrender to all power. And in that surrender, a new power is energized—one that braves all odds. More than anything, the Lovers tarot card is not just about Love, but also Choice. And realising that he is equipped with Choice, the Fool knows better to follow his heart.

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The Five Most Addicting Games of All Time - By: Chris Robertson


Every person who loves games has their favorites. But not all games are addicting games - even those considered classics, like Monopoly. I’m a die-hard fan of addicting games - those that you’ll stay up playing until the wee hours of the morning, or those that get worn out from so much use. My choices for the five most addicting games of all time might not be yours, but if you haven’t played them in awhile, give them a try - you may be pleasantly surprised!

Board Games

Of the classics, Scrabble will always be in my top ten. I love words, and although I’d never make it to the Scrabble championships, I get enormous satisfaction out of coming up with clever words. Sometimes the tiles just won’t cooperate, but I’ve been known to sacrifice points for the sheer pleasure of placing a clever word on the board.

Again, because I’m such a fan of words, I love the game Taboo. It’s a totally addicting game for four players where you have to get your partner to say a certain word without uttering that word - or any form of it - yourself. It’s an enormous challenge, but one that’s an absolute hoot!

Another truly addicting game is called Therapy. It’s one of those unique board games you need to play with people you know - or people you’d like to get to know a lot better! Each player has his or her own couch, and each player has to answer trivia questions about different life stages that are based on psychological research. When you land in a "therapy" space, you’re "in therapy" with the player who owns the space. He or she has to predict how you’d answer a personality question. If your answers match, you’re out of therapy; if they don’t, you have to stay for another session. It’s both hilarious and insightful!

Card Games

I find many types of card games addictive - from hearts to rummy to pinochle - but as far as specialty card games go, I’ll choose Uno every time. My family actually has a much-anticipated Uno tournament every Fourth of July. I love the way alliances quickly change, depending upon who is on the verge of going out, and the utter desperation you feel when you have a fistful of cards.

My second choice of specialty card game would be Uno’s cousin, Skip-Bo. It’s a great kid’s game for the whole family, since anyone who can count up to 12 can play it. It’s been great watching it dawn on my son that there’s a strategy to the game, and seeing him hold back cards so that he could play a greater number of cards in his next turn. When we go to my sister’s house to visit, we all play for hours at a time.

Other Games and Puzzles

I haven’t included any video games or jigsaw puzzles in my personal list of the most addicting games of all time, but they very well may be included in your list. Whatever your personal favorites, but all means, play often and play well!

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Casino games history or how people have learnt to count cards Part5. - By: Arthur Prudent


Heroes of our Time.
What is the present situation in the sphere of war between the counters and players? Are there people to follow nowadays? Fortunately, despite great changes in the game itself and in the counteraction of casinos-players, blackjack is till alive and very popular. Thanks once again to Edward Thorp.
Now we are living in Internet era. If Uston at his time was able to stand apart from the crowd only due to his self-spin off and publicity, now everyone can easily communicate with blackjack stars.

Peter Griffin – is a great mathematician, blackjack theory developer, now the deceased. No expert of black jack would utter a word without referring to Griffin. Arnold Snider is a prominent player, strategy developer, the author of many books. A man of an excellent soul with a perfect sense of humor, always contradictory. Stanford Wong as always a little reserved and a bit of introvert, but extremely scrupulous and always fighting against the casino. Don Schlesinger was able to explain the most intricate detail of blackjack in simple and clear language.

Internet abounds in many resources where you can meet the greatest world players and ask them any question you like. There are still so many questions left unsolved.

A lot of unique books were published; new systems and game techniques are being developed. Every day gambling forums answer and ask thousands of questions. The players are getting more educated, intelligent and well-prepared. In spite of evident worsening of the rules, blackjack still can be won.

Casino is more and more paranoiac to “Advantageous” players. Attempts to worsen rules and terms of the game even to the prejudice of their own reputation and profits, mass blacklists, efforts to legalize beneficial for them laws – all these are not only American. During half-century of the struggle, the casinos did not understand that they are cutting their own throat. The fact that you can win at blackjack attracts so much money. More than 1% of world players are hardly of any risk to casinos. However aiming to save every single dollar, the casinos are spending millions of dollars on the most advanced computer technologies, programs for personality identification, computer databases, they are creating new devices for fighting the counters. Moral ethical norms are often violated and the legal limits are abused.

Happy end.
What future holds for an ordinary counter? There are only two opposite opinions so far.

The gloomy one:
Technologies will kill the game. The casinos will develop some electronic dirty trick that will not allow a professional competent player gain an advantage. Blackjack will die away turning into another slot-machine. The casinos will poke on all the players, all the blacklists will be united into a common one and the game on advantage will cease to exist.

The optimistic one:
“What one person has built, the other can easily dismantle”. Blackjack just can’t get away from it!
First, the players will always continue to invent something new responding to the changes in the game. There is no such thing created by a person, that can’t be overdone by another person. Second, casinos finally should realize that major part of their profits is due to the theory that blackjack can be won. Transformation of this intellectual game into fighting with stupid slot-machine will deprive casinos of the money.

Personally I hope that human intellect will win. Let the war between the casinos and players continue for ever. Let both parties rack their brains how to beat each other. Let this struggle be vehement, but honest and respectful to the rival.
Intellect will always win.
© Copyright 2006-2007 www.bonus-map.com

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Casino games history or how people have learnt to count cards Part3. - By: Arthur Prudent


Gladiators .
Mathematical developments of the game pioneers and creation of simple and efficient counting systems incited the appearance of a great galaxy of professional players and experts of blackjack.

Revere invented a new simple counting system and first described the method of reducing the current score to the real one. Stanford Wong amplified and improved Hi-Lo system, and also developed the Halves system. Lance Humble, Brison, Gordon, Harvey Dubner, – all these giants made a great contribution to the development of the methods of the game.

In late 70s the professional gambler Al Francesco, probably created the first blackjack team in history. He hired the enthusiasts, taught them Lawrence Revere’s counting system and sent them to play. He invented and put into practice the principle of "BIG PLAYER" – when the part of the team is humbly playing low and some drunken and wealthy fish makes high bets on the given signals.

Ken Uston also belonged to this team. Uston was the vice president of fund stock exchange at that time. However after meeting Revere he quitted the stock exchange and changed his strict outfit for magnificent bush of hair, golden chains and silk shirts with huge collars in the style of that time.

Uston played for Francesco’s team for quite a long time and with varied success, but his ego did stand it under the pressure of his own ego. He had a very high opinion of himself and wanted to be the first in everything. He left Francesco and wrote several books about his adventures. The books simply exploded the gambling world.

The book "BIG PLAYER" revealed the secrets of team game. The Book "Million Dollar Blackjack" is stuffed with unbelievable stories in intervals explaining the technical aspects also presents different cards counting systems. Uston made people believe that one can beat casino playing blackjack. Win a lot. Millions of dollars. Also everyone found out how casinos react to the professional gamblers – slams, insinuations, blacklists, crooked gambling, false accusations. Uston was in the blacklists all over the world, having won with his several teams about 8 million dollars.

By the way, Al Francesco and many other players are still dissatisfied with Uston’s actions who decided to publish the methods of the game which were then available only to the few. But Uston would not be himself if he had not done it.

The next outburst of his popularity was in early 80s, when Ken won the case against a casino in New Jersey (Resorts International Hotel Inc.). Since then no casino of this state (unlike, for example, Las Vegas in Nevada ) is not eligible to prohibit playing to person who can count cards. On the other hand, this verdict made the rules in Nevada much worse than in Vegas.

The next wave of the struggle between the casino and counters relates to Uston’s era. The casinos understood, that well-financed team of pros can cause great losses. And then the multidecked games, frequent riffle were coming into fashion and several good rules just died away. There appeared special detective agencies who spied on the professional players, collected the necessary information about them and distributed it among the casinos.

Uston created new methods of the game, used makeup, recruited more and more people in his teams and started playing abroad. He also was writing new books, was starring on TV, was writing new articles, was developing new counting systems. By the way Ken, wrote the book on optimal game strategy for Pac-Man (arcade video game). It’s a video game not for money, he was just interested in it.

One of the most scandalous Kenny’s projects was creating the team against the casino with using the computer. They used hidden on the body and in the shoes micro chips that calculated the current situation in the game more precisely than any other "human" strategy and gave the necessary signals to the player. His teams almost broke several casinos, but in a while they were caught, arrested and accused of fraud, the computer was confiscated. However, the experts including FBI experts, proved that there was no fraud and the accusations were withdrawn. In two weeks the Supreme Court of the USA of Nevada State made the usage of computing devices in casinos illegal….

Kenny was a good guy, the heart of the company, first class jazz musician, loved by women and press. He had great plans on making a film, writing new books, arranging one more trial, and surely new projects on blackjack. His life was suddenly interrupted in 1983 and the version that casinos are privy to his death is not cast back yet.
© Copyright 2006-2007 www.bonus-map.com

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Casino games history or how people have learnt to count cards Part2. - By: Arthur Prudent


Thorp’s Era.
If you don’t know, now we are living in 43th year of Thorp’s era. This person had such a great influence on the blackjack and all the gambling industry, that I seriously consider that he is worth of setting up a monument while alive, by the way at the casino’s expense.

Being a young scientist, Edward O. Thorp regularly read mathematic journals. When he was a student, he was pressed for money. The idea of outplaying the casino on the basis of calculations appealed to Thorp and he decided to check the results of the “excellent four” and see what will come out of it. The result of his activity was a phenomenal book Beat The Dealer, now its sales are approaching million of samples.

Thorp chose the other way – he did not make analytical calculations, but with powerful at that time computer IBM (they were also called mainframe) he wrote several programs on Fortran, creating quite original methods for 60s. By the way, Thorp together with his research instructor Claude Elwood Shannon, a great scientist, were also involved in solving the problem "how to outplay the roulette?"

From his calculations Thorp understood that dead cards had a considerable affect on the gambler’s chances this or that way. His main idea was about memorizing the dead cards in somewhat simplified way and when the situation is beneficial for the player, make high stakes. By the way, this system still remains the basis of any methods and counting systems of blackjack.

The counting system introduced by Thorp, was rather complicated for usage in real casinos, required great concentration and large amount of mentally arithmetic actions. However with good training there was nothing impossible in its application.

Thorp’s book immediately became a success and bestseller. Everyone understood that with quite simple actions you can get an advantage. Every reader dreamt of enormous prizes. However, the casinos also knew the score.

Panic seized them. And in 1962 after Thorp’s book, all Las Vegas Casinos without exception changed their rules being afraid of mass influx of "system players". The quality of the rules worsened terribly and no counting system could ever help you to win. Though the effect for casino turned out to be quite unpredictable and reverse - people stopped playing blackjack. And during several months, all the casinos had to return to the former rules for their own survival.

Another interesting effect caused by Thorp’s book- incredible popularity of blackjack outrunning the favorite American craps. A lot of people, after reading the book considered themselves potential winners and rushed to the blackjack tables. However, most of them had a bad understanding of the mathematical principles of the game did not become winners but quite vice versa. Therefore, casino got more clients and moreover losing clients. Since then their number is only increasing.

The system presented in the first edition of Thorp’s book was quite difficult even for professionals and only the few could apply it under the conditions of a real game. Something should be simplified.

The power behind the throne.
Julian Braun is quite a unique personality. He had hardly ever played a deal in real blackjack. But he played millions and maybe even billions of deals on the computer. Braun was a good mathematician and programmer and he got interested in Thorp’s idea and offered him cooperation in the sphere of calculations and programming.

Braun became the person who first invented the counting system Hi-Lo. He was behind the development of all modern systems the authorship of which belongs to Revere, Humble, Wong and Uston. He wrote the only book How to Play Winning Blackjack, but what a book!

Braun upgraded Thorp’s system on FORTRAN and made considerable changes and the second edition of Thorp’s book also contained Hi-Lo system in its modern form. It was quite a revolution in gambling world. Braun worked in IBM corporation and had access to probably most powerful computers of that time. This fact helped to build simple and efficient tool in struggle with casino.

Using Braun’s calculations the gambler mostly known as Lawrence Revere developed his own counting system and presented his results in the form of convenient tables which are applied in most counters of the world. Lance Humble based his HiOpt systems on Braun’s experience.
Regardless the fact that Julian most probably had never been to the casino, he became a power behind the throne of the blackjack and all the mathematical modeling of the game fell on him.
© Copyright 2006-2007

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Blackjack Rules - By: Will Win


There’s a common misconception that the object of the game Blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible. This could not be farther from the truth. The actual goal in Blackjack is to beat the dealer-plain and simple. Players who go in with the mentality of getting close to 21 are possibly in for disaster. There are many times when 13,14,15,16 and so forth will win just fine. Many times you just have to stand pat and let the dealer bust. Today, I am going to briefly go over the procedure for playing Blackjack at a table with multiple players.

First, it’s important to know how many decks the game is played with. Blackjack could be played with 1,2,4, or 8 decks. Single deck blackjack (live version) is becoming a thing of the past. Most games are dealt from a shoe, which means they are 4 or 8 deck games. The more decks involved, the lower your changes of winning consistently. You can still win at shoe games, but you want to play at single deck or double deck games if possible. There are still many double deck games around. If you play online, it’s important to ask so you know how many decks they are using.

The game starts with the dealer dealing two cards in a clockwise fashion starting with the player on his or her left. One card is dealt to each player at a time. The dealer will show one of his or her cards. This is called an up-card. Once the dealing is complete, the first player to the left of the dealer is first to act. The dealer will always be the last to act-this gives casinos the edge. If you are brand-new to the game, imagine that the dealer has an 8,9 or 10 under his up-card. Once you get the feel of the game, it’s time to move onto more advanced card techniques.

When it is your turn, you have a few options. You could hit, which means to request another card. You could stand, which means to stay where you are and pass. You could double down, which means to double your bet and take one last card. This option can only be performed if you have not taken a hit yet. You can also double for less if you like. If your first two cards match-like two 8’s-you can split them and make two hands, which also means you double your wager.

Each card is worth the number printed on it. The face cards are worth ten, and an Ace is worth 1 or 11-your choice. After all, players take their turn, the dealer turns over the unseen card. Most houses make the dealer stand on 17. If the dealer has less than this number, he or she hits the hand and continues to do so until the count is at least the stand amount or the hand busts. Blackjack is a fun game that’s easy to learn and profitable.


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