Stud: Bluffing the Board

Perhaps more than in any other poker variation, bluffing is the keystone of successful Stud play.
To bluff effectively you need to understand how to read the boards. And above all, avoid the dark-tunnel bluff - a bluff made without rhyme or reason.
Typically these bluffs are made on a whim after some arbitrary decision or read. Often players make dark-tunnel bluffs simply because they want to feel like they're actively playing poker rather than two-card roulette.
To make a true bluff, you as a marked cards player have to understand the current state of mind of your opponents and their table images, the texture of the board, the betting patterns and the odds (both implied and pot).
Is your opponent a math player on a draw? Are they on steaming-mad gorilla tilt? Are they trapping you? Until you know the answer to these plus 101 more questions, you can't make a true bluff.
The Board: Hold'em Vs. Stud
Reading a Stud board is a very different skill than reading the board in a game such as Hold'em. Hold'em is a complex game due mostly to the simplicity of its design. With a five-card community board, the total combination of possible hands, excluding your two cards, is small and obvious.
Here's a quick example of what I'm talking about:
Hold'em: what beats you?
Board:         
Your Hand:    
Obviously, the only thing you lose to here is a set. At any point during this hand, flop, turn or river, the story was the same. You had the nuts, second only to a set (which you had a huge redraw against on the turn).
Stud: what beats you?
Hand 1:              
Hand 2:              
Your Hand:              
You have a strong hand - aces-up. So are you good? What can beat you?
Player one shows three to a straight; should you be afraid?
Note the cards he needs to complete a straight:

• sevens and jacks are most important
• sixes and queens are needed to complete

Howard Lederer playing Stud during the WSOPE H.O.R.S.E event.

Accounted-for cards include two jacks, two queens and one seven. Not to mention all the folded show cards, but being new to the game, you don't remember what any of those are.
Player two is showing a pair of jacks. The only way this player can beat you is to have trips. A jack in the hole or on the river beats you. Again, knowing if any jacks were folded would be very helpful here.
As you can see, reading a board in Stud is a much more intensive, demanding feat than in Hold'em. There's more going on, with each player having their own board. The chances of a misread or of missing what should be a strong read are greatly increased.
Some Numbers
The first thing to know about making a strong bluff in Stud is the odds of players actually having strong hands.
Here are some charts of calculations from MCU. All the following odds calculations are from the brain and pen of Mike Caro.
The Probability of Being Dealt Seven-Stud Starting Hands
(First three cards)
 

The probability that you will be dealt this on the first three cards...	Expressed in % is...	The odds against it are...	Number of possible combos
3-aces 3-jacks through 3-kings 3-sixes through 3-tens 3-twos through 3-fives	0.02 0.05 0.09 0.07	5,524-1 1,841-1 1,104-1 1,380-1	4 12 20 16
2-aces 2-jacks through 2-kings 2-sixes through 2-tens 2-twos through 2-fives	1.30 3.91 6.52 5.21	75.7-1 24.6-1 14.3-1 18.2-1	288 864 1,440 1,152
Three parts of a straight flush Three parts of other flush Three parts of other straight ANY three of a kind ANY Pair	1.16 4.02 17.38 0.24 16.94	85.3-1 23.9-1 4.76-1 424-1 4.90-1	256 888 3,840 52 3,744

The odds against a player having rolled up anything (meaning trips off the deal) are 424-1.
One thing I'd like to point out is that this table can be deceiving to math newbies. You have the exact same odds of being dealt rolled-up fours as you do rolled-up aces. The odds are only 5,524-1 on being dealt any one specific rank.
For the purpose of this article the juice cards only worthwhile numbers in this table are the final five. Get a very firm handle on these numbers, as it's important to know how weak the average Stud starting hand typically is.
Some More Numbers
Chance of Improvement for Various Seven-Stud Hands Long Range:(You hold three cards.)
 

If you have A♥ A♦ A♣:

Probability that the final strength of your hand after seven cards will be ... Expressed as a % is ... Odds against it are ... Straight flush 0.00* 35,312-1 Four of a kind 8.17 11.2-1 Full house 32.02 2.12-1 Flush 0.70 142-1 Straight 0.24 418-1 Three of a kind -- -- Two pair -- --

* Actually 0.0028% If you have A♣ A♦ 9♥:

Probability that the final strength of your hand after seven cards will be ... Expressed as a % is ... Odds against it are ... Straight flush 0.00** 23,541-1 Four of a kind 0.54 185-1 Full house 7.57 12.2-1 Flush 0.70 143-1 Straight 0.84 118-1 Three of a kind 9.89 9.11-1 Two pair 42.05 1.38-1

** Actually 0.0042% If you have T♣ J♣ Q♣:

Probability that the final strength of your hand after seven cards will be ... Expressed as a % is ... Odds against it are ... Straight flush 1.49 66.2-1 Four of a kind 0.07 1,431-1 Full house 1.50 65.9-1 Flush 16.56 5.04-1 Straight 14.91 5.71-1 Three of a kind 3.19 30.3-1 Two pair 17.33 4.77-1

As you can see from these numbers, the chances of improving are very slim. Once you take into account your cards and other show cards taking away outs, these numbers go down. If you're holding wired nines against the A♣ A♦ 9♥, they're now down to catching a running pair, or the case nine, to make two pair. This will impact the percentage of improvement greatly.

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson never forgets a single folded upcard in any pot he's in.

Finally, the Bluffing
What all of this information means to you is that Stud is far more suited to a strong small-ball game than Hold'em. With hands failing to improve past one pair far more often than not in the first four or five streets, players are usually left holding no more than rags and weak draws.
When you do get called, often you're up against a strong draw or combo draw, allowing you to win if they miss. Aggression in the opportune moments is crucial to long-term profit at the game.
The key with Stud bluffing is to truly play the other players, and the other players' hands. You're looking to play off plausibility. If your show cards make it very probable that your hand has theirs beat, it's hard for them to call.
Here are a couple of examples.
Fourth Street
Their Hand:          
Your Hand:        
In this situation your opponent is, more often than not, sitting on a pair of jacks or less. Assume you completed off the deal, or raised, after your opponent obviously bricking fourth street, it's almost a sure thing that they'll fold to a bet here. Even though you literally have nothing, the fact that you're betting show cards makes it seem probable that you're sitting on a pair of aces at the least.
Sixth Street
Their Hand:            
Your Hand:            
In this situation you have nothing but a combo draw. Your opponent is showing a pair of kings. There is a very strong chance this player is on a strong two pair, or even trips. You don't believe they have a house (through your knowledge of odds, the cards you've seen folded and your reads in the hand), which means this is the perfect place for a semi-bluff.
Your opponent has no choice but to give you credit for a flush now, or a straight at the least. Almost all players will fold a two pair here, not wanting to draw to four or fewer odds against a made hand. If you do get called, you have a large number of outs to actually hit the hand.
Any Ace
People live in fear of the ace. Hold'em players have come to learn that the majority of players are known to play any ace they're dealt under any circumstances. When a Hold'em-trained player sees an ace as a show card, they almost automatically assume the player is sitting on a pair of aces.
The fear of aces will make players fold anything but a strong draw. A player holding kings will often believe that they have to catch a third king or a second pair to win the hand. Bricks on their board or strong hands (or ones that look strong to you) can almost certainly win you the hand with some aggression.
The same way the flop in Hold'em can make or break any two cards, the show cards in Stud are always more important than the strength of your true hand. Play off the only information your opponents get to see. If you give them a reason to believe they're beat, more often than not they're going to act on it.
If you want to start playing Stud online for free, low or even high stakes, many of the top online poker rooms offer Stud as an option.

Belting Up: Adjusting (Back) to Live Games

Before the holidays, while most of the population was pondering what gifts to give to their various family members, I opted to put in an extended live session at my local casino.
Because playing online is so ridiculously convenient, or perhaps because I'm becoming increasingly anti-social, I haven't been playing nearly as much live
marked cards poker as in previous years.
In fact, in recent months, I'm probably averaging just one or two live sessions per month.
However, every time I go to the casino, I spend most of the drive home questioning why I don't go more often. Whether it's alcohol-related bravado, peer pressure, or simply some mysterious force that compels people to act foolishly when they enter a casino, the overall caliber of play, at least in this particular casino, is shockingly poor.
Sure, there are plenty of good players, but for the most part, they can be avoided. It's almost like that famous scene in Rounders where all of the New York City regulars are sitting at the same table in Atlantic City waiting for the tourists to sit down.
The local casino I prefer only spreads two different No-Limit Hold'em games - a $1/$2 game with a $200 maximum buy-in and a $2/$5 game with a $1,000 maximum buy-in. Most evenings, there are three or four tables of the $2/$5 No-Limit.
Compared to an average online game, I've noticed the following significant differences in the live games at this casino:

1. The average player plays significantly more hands
2. The typical pre-flop raise is much larger than in a comparable online game (usually at least 6x the big blind and often as much as 10x)
3. You get lots more loose calls
4. Very few pots are re-raised pre-flop

These differences give you lots of opportunity for big profits if the right adjustments are made. Because of the higher buy-in (relative to the blind structure) and the size of the pre-flop raises, the game is actually far more similar to a $5/$10 No-Limit game than a $2/$5 game.
In a typical (nine-handed) online game you might have an average VP$IP percentage of somewhere between 20-26%. In this live game, despite the fact it's usually played 10-handed, the average VP$IP is significantly closer to 40%.
Maybe people simply can't stand folding. They've come all the way down to the casino, waited in line for a seat and only have a few hours to play.
Consequently, they want to play juice cards, and to the typical live player, folding doesn't count as playing. The end result is most of your opponents will be playing way more hands than they should.
Here are some simple adjustments to make to take advantage of these games:
1) Semi-bluff significantly less often
Most players call too much (both before and after the flop). Value bet marginal hands more frequently.
2) Play significantly tighter in early position
Because many pre-flop raises are unusually large, be much more selective when entering the pot from early position.
3) Take advantage when you have position
Play significantly looser from the cut-off and button (especially with hands that play well in multi-way pots such as suited connectors and small pairs) even if the pot has been raised. You'll generally be getting extremely good implied odds with these hands.
4) Where possible, try and manipulate the size of the pot to your advantage
For example, when you're in middle-to-late position, think about making a small, pot-building raise to $25 pre-flop with small pocket pairs and small-to-medium-suited connectors.
This is like making a defensive, or blocking bet. The goal of the raise is to see a relatively cheap flop with a promising hand. By making a small preemptive raise, you hope to discourage someone else from making a larger raise.
5) Stay patient
You have to remember in any one evening you'll only be getting 250-300 hands in a 10-hour shift. This is roughly the same number as you would get in a single hour of online play (assuming you're multi-tabling).
You may only get a handful of playable hands the whole evening. That's just the nature of the game. Don't stray from your strategy.
Utilizing these simple adjustments should let you profit handsomely from the typical live game. Of course, even if you make these adjustments, things will occasionally go badly - it's simply part of the game.
When some complete jackass sucks out on you and wins a ridiculously large pot with an absurd hand, just smile and try to remind yourself that he's playing exactly how you want him to.
It's your long-term results that matter and if you make the correct adjustments, those results should be pretty good.

Vegas for Low-Limit Professionals Part 1

This is part one of a three-part article to help save you from yourself in a city built for high rollers. In Las Vegas, where money is concerned, it can be easy to go 'O'-verboard.
Vegas baby... Vegas
Being a low-limit poker professional requires as much bankroll discipline off the table as it does on the table.
There are people in Vegas whose whole job is researching the psychology of spending. They literally build and renovate casinos trying to maximize the amount of money they can take out of your pocket. To give you some basic examples:
• The carpet in a casino is obnoxious. This is done on purpose; they use obnoxious patterns and colors to make you stop looking at the floor when you walk. If you're not looking at the floor, you're looking at slot machines and table games.
• There are no clocks or natural light. They don't want you to know what time of day it is. People are happy to drink and gamble at 8 a.m. on a Wednesday, just as long as they don't have to be reminded of it.
• The casinos are a maze. You will have to walk past hundreds of tables and slots to find your way out.
• Higher-limit tables marked cards lenses and slots are in more attractive areas, with more attractive people in them. Casinos hire beautiful women to sit and play at higher-limit tables. You won't be the first, or last, guy to sit next to her to chat her up. (These people are known as "props.")
The whole city is built in a way to make you want to play games and limits in which you had no intention of playing. The Vegas culture glorifies any decent-sized wins, and sweeps losses under the carpet.
Don't get me wrong and think I'm talking smack here; Vegas is one of the greatest cities in the world. You just have to know how to keep your roll in your own pocket. This guide should be a great starting point for you.

Best-case scenario is to have a girlfriend who plays as much as you do. Vanessa Rousso would be a fine choice.

The Company You Keep
If you're a low-stakes professional, you will be going to Vegas to work. This will translate into 8-20 hours of poker a day. You will live in the various poker rooms, and be more than content doing just this. As a result you have to go with friends in a similar frame of mind.
If your best friend wants to go with you but he/she doesn't play poker, you'll be making a big mistake going with them. You'll have the choice of making them hang out in Vegas alone, or chilling with them and losing out on playing cards. If you can't play cards, you can't work.
Your goal is to leave Vegas with more money than you had before you arrived. You need to make enough money to cover all the costs of your trip, as well as earning for yourself. To do this, you need to grind.
Ladies: before you write angry letters to me about this next point, please read the reasoning as well.
Guys, it's a mistake to go to Vegas exclusively with your girlfriend (unless of course she's going to be playing too). If your best buddy wouldn't like being left alone to entertain himself, how do you think your girlfriend would feel? I've said it before, and I'll say it again: no girl wants to feel like she's second-best to a card game.
If you go to Vegas just for a vacation, then by all means, there's no one better to bring along. But if you plan to go and play some serious cards, it would be a mistake to bring the old lady. Along with not being able to earn, you're going to be spending significantly more money on entertainment and food if you're not playing all day. That's a double hit to your roll.
Another person to watch out for is the über-gambler. If you bring your friend with a gambling affliction, it's easy to get dragged along. If your friend is rocking the table games all day, you're going to be doing the same. You'll want to party with them, and it's easy to say "Screw it; we're in Vegas!"
I'm not just making these things up. I've been in these situations and made all these mistakes. Luckily for me, "All of it on red" was very good to me. After your fifth glass of cognac, putting all your money on one spin of a wheel can seem like a really smart idea.
Being a low-stakes professional, you can't afford to be giving away a few buy-ins on a roulette table. Playing a little $5 blackjack is one thing, but when you get in with a manic gambler, it's not long before you start pushing $200 bets.
The best way to avoid making such a mistake is to only carry a small portion of your roll on you. Hotel rooms have safes, and hotels have lock boxes. I suggest you use them.

A bed and a bathroom. What else do you really need?

Where to Put Your Suitcase
Anyone who's been to Vegas before will understand why I say "Where to put your suitcase" rather than "where to stay." You're not going to spend much time in your room at all. When you do need to sleep after being up for 36 hours or so, you'll crash so hard that you couldn't care less what the room looked like.
When you go to Vegas to play poker exclusively, it's more of a working trip than a vacation. On a trip like this you won't be partaking in many of the inter-room activities you otherwise would marked cards. (I'm talking about playing big two and Yahtzee!, obviously).
If you're going to be spending almost no time in your room, the quality of the room isn't of the foremost importance. I'm pretty sure my girlfriend would disagree with me on this point - yet another reason why it saves you money to go with someone other than your honey.
Imperial Palace: This is the go-to hotel. It can be booked for as low as $40 a night, and it's literally across the street from Caesars Palace and the Bellagio. All hotels in Vegas cost more on weekends and during peak times, so it can go up as high as $90 a night.
Staying on or near the central Strip keeps your cab costs low. It also makes it easy to stumble back to bed after a long night.
The downside to this wonderland of cheap is it's pretty clear you're not staying at the Ritz the second you step through the front door. Some people describe the place as "creepy," others, "dank." I like to go with "rustic."
It's pretty dark, not the cleanest place in the world, and makes you feel like you've just hit 88 mph in the Delorean. But $40 a night to be across the street from the Bellagio? Fine by me. Plus there was a really awesome, and cute, waitress working the Palace's casino last time I was there.
The Travelodge behind the Harley Davidson café: If reading that hasn't scared you away already, I highly recommend this place as well. It's also across the street from the Bellagio, but a bit to the New York New York side, putting you more of a walk from Caesars and the Mirage. This place looks pretty sketchy at the best of times.
It's also in the $40 a night range, and even sports a pool. I enjoyed my stay here, and found it only to look sketchy. It was clean and friendly and I never felt at risk of being... sketched. This place is my Imperial Palace backup.

The Bellagio is as beautiful and spectacular inside as it is out.

The Bellagio: I bet you didn't think I'd have the Bellagio on my list. The Bellagio is my second-favorite casino in all of Vegas (The Wynn being No. 1). The rooms are spectacular, the place is spectacular, and you're minutes away from the Bellagio Poker room.
The downfall to the Bellagio is cost. You're looking at close to $500 for a room. Don't get discouraged just yet. The poker rate for a room at the Bellagio is $120 a night on weeknights. To get the poker rate, you're required to play five hours a day in the Bellagio poker room.
The lowest limit the Bellagio spreads is $2/$5 No-Limit. And it's a serious action game. So the Bellagio is a great place for medium-stakes poker professionals with a large roll. I put it here for when you move up the food chain.
If you're planning an extended stay it might be really worthwhile to look into this one. If you're staying for over a month, the game changes. You'll play shorter sessions, and spend more time in your room relaxing and sleeping. At this point having a nice room is paramount.
Part two to come will cover poker room comps and where to put in your hours. Stay tuned... same bat time, same bat channel.

Poker's Greatest All-Time Whales: Andy Beal

The "whale" is the holy grail of poker - a big-moneyed, amateur poker player with a bottomless bankroll, an eye for the gamble and next-to-no sense of what's truly happening on the felt.
In honor of the Discovery Channel's now-infamous Shark Week guest blogger James Guill is breaking down some of poker's biggest-ever donators in a five-part series we've dubbed #WhaleWeek.
Next up: Dallas banker Andy Beal
By James Guill
Andy Beal is perhaps the best known whale in poker history.
His battles with an elite team of marked cards poker pros dubbed "The Corporation" are the stuff of legend with the Texas billionaire wagering - and losing - more in one pot than many people will earn in their lifetimes.

Mind for Business

Andy Beal had an aptitude for business at a young age. In high school, he would acquire broken televisions to repair and resell for a nice profit.
Shortly after graduating high school, he began to buy and renovate business properties. He sold those properties for a substantial profit.
By the early 1980's, Beal had graduated to renovating and reselling apartment complexes and began flipping them for millions.
In 1988, he opened Beal Bank and six years later opened another branch in Las Vegas. Those companies have assets exceeding $9.5 billion.
Throughout the years Beal has made money from financing casino properties to buying up airline debt. He's a shrewd businessman that has accumulated a personal net worth of $8.5 billion.

Poker Funded Early Business Ventures

Andy Beal has played poker since his college years. It has been widely reported that he was a fairly successful player during college and it may have helped fund some of his early business ventures.
His journey into poker history came after a visit to the Bellagio poker room in 2001. He played in games against several professionals and finished his stay up over $100,000.
Beal was smart enough to know that his win was likely the result of running good, so he began to work on his poker game.
In time, Beal decided that he had the ability to take on the best in the world. The only thing he needed was a way to get them to play him.
Ultimately, he put up so much money that the pros had no choice but to play him.

The Corporation is Born

Beal wanted to test his poker skills against the very best players in the world and proceeded to challenge them to a series of heads-up Limit Hold'em poker matches.
Starting in 2001, Beal took on a group of pros known simply as "The Corporation." This team consisted of Jen Harman, Doyle Brunson, Chip Reese, Ted Forrest, Chau Giang, Gus Hansen, Todd Brunson and,, eventually Phil Ivey.
For the next three years, Beal played marked card tricks the pros in a series of matches with varying results. Limits first started at $10,000-$20,000 and moved up steadily to $100,000-$200,000.
The book The Professor, The Banker and The Suicide King, written by Michael Craig, chronicles the matches between Beal and the Corporation until March 2004.
One of Beal's biggest accomplishments against the pros was taking down what was considered one of the largest hands in live poker history -- a pot worth an impressive $11.7 million.
Beal would ultimately lose $16 million to the Corporation as a whole and vowed never to play against them again. However, that changed in a big way in February 2006. Beal returned to battle the Corporation.
After a series of matches at the Wynn Casino he decimated the pros to the tune of $13.6 million. This prompted the pros to pool their resources in an attempt to recoup their losses.
When Beal returned a week later the pros decided to put their fate into the hands of Phil Ivey. Over the course of three days, Ivey proceeded to embarrass Beal and emerged from the tables having won $16.6 million.
The $16-million loss prompted Beal to discontinue his challenge against the pros and he has yet to issue a new challenge.

Still Plays, Still Loses

Beal has kept true to his word and has not reopened his challenge to the pros, but he may still have dropped large sums elsewhere.
According to reports in 2011 Beal took part in some underground poker games including actor Tobey Maguire and billionaire Alec Gores.
Some reports claim Beal lost over $50 million in the course of three days while others claim that those losses may be inflated. If those reports are true, then Beal is quickly approaching losses of $100 million lifetime in poker.
While that pales in comparison to his overall wealth it's more money than most pros will ever hope to make in their career.
Beal still plays the game today but on a recreational basis. He has been spotted in Vegas poker rooms while in the city on business but still stays away from playing the Vegas pros.
Of course, should he ever decide to give the Corporation another crack at his money, a chair will be available.

 

Gambling in Sweden

Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige), is a Nordic nation on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders Norway and Finland, and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Øresund.

At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden may be the third biggest nation inside the European Union by location, using a total population of about 9.four million. Sweden features a low population density of 21 inhabitants per square kilometre (54 /sq mi) with all the population largely concentrated towards the southern half on the nation. About 85% of your population reside in urban regions. Sweden's capital city is Stockholm, that is also the biggest city.

Tourism

 

Tourism produced up a reasonably modest a part of the Swedish economic climate in 2005 at two.79% on the country's GDP; at this time, tourism brought in 190.9 billion Swedish Krona, 62.three billion of which was foreign visitor expenditure in Sweden. Roughly 7% of Swedish household marked cards revenue is spent on domestic tourism.

Sweden is primarily visited by tourists from neighbouring nations for example Denmark, Norway and Finland; other supply nations consist of Germany plus the United Kingdom. Sweden's tourist web sites include things like the Vasa Museum, the Millesgarden, along with the Planet Heritage Web-site Drottningholm Palace Theatre; other tourist attractions include things like Sweden's art, literature, modernism and music (e.g., ABBA).

1 tourist route is by way of train from southern to northern Sweden, viewing historical, all-natural and cultural attractions. This route is especially well-liked amongst German tourists.

In accordance with the CIA Planet Factbook, Sweden may be the 21st most visited nation on the planet, with 7,627,000 arrivals in 2006.

Sports

Sport activities really are a national motion with easy cards tricks half with the population actively participating in organized sporting activities. The two primary spectator sports are football and ice hockey. Second to football, horse sports have the highest quantity of practitioners, mainly females. Thereafter adhere to golf, athletics, plus the group sports of handball, floorball, basketball and bandy.

The Swedish ice hockey group Tre Kronor is regarded as 1 on the ideal on the planet. The group has won the planet Championships eight occasions, putting them third inside the all-time medal count. Tre Kronor also won Olympic gold medals in 1994 and 2006. In 2006, Tre Kronor became the very first national hockey group to win each the Olympic and globe championships within the identical year. The Swedish national football group has observed some achievement in the Globe Cup previously, finishing second after they hosted the tournament in 1958, and third twice, in 1950 and 1994. Athletics has enjoyed a surge in reputation because of a number of productive athletes in current years, including Carolina Klüft and Stefan Holm.

Sweden hosted the 1912 Summer season Olympics plus the FIFA Planet Cup in 1958. Other significant sports occasions held right here involve 1992 UEFA European Football Championship, FIFA Women's Planet Cup 1995, and quite a few championships of ice hockey, curling, athletics, skiing, bandy, figure skating and swimming.

Profitable tennis players include things like former globe No. 1's Björn Borg, Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg.

Other popular Swedish athletes incorporate the heavyweight boxing champion and International Boxing Hall of Famer - Ingemar Johansson; Globe Golf Hall of Famer - Annika Sörenstam and several Globe Championships and Olympics medalist in table tennis - Jan-Ove Waldner.

Gambling in Hong Kong

The gambling history of Hong Kong has many parallels to that of Macau, a city in close proximity. The only legal gambling provider in Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). Horse racing commenced in Hong Kong in 1841 with the arrival of the British, and legalized gambling expanded with the introduction of the Mark Six lottery in 1975 and regulated football betting in 2003. The HKJC claims to be the single largest taxpayer in Hong Kong, accounting for over 8% of all taxes collected in Hong Kong between marked cards 2006 and 2007. This amounted to over HK$12.6 billion/year (or approximately US$1.62 billion); Hong Kong has a population of 7 million in 2010[46]. The HKJC donates an average of HK$1 billion/year to charity and community, and compares itself to the Rockefeller Foundation in the U.S.

In addition to these authorized modes of gambling, illegal gambling activities are offered by local bookmakers and unauthorized offshore operators in Hong Kong, including betting on overseas sporting events (e.g., the recent 2010 World Cup in Soccer) and races, as well as the Mark Six lottery. Although the proportion of people betting with illegal bookies has decreased in recent years, the scale of illegal gambling and its associated problems still deserve public attention[47]. Casino games are illegal in Hong Kong, but have become legalized in Taiwan and most recently Singapore. As a result, both places attract tourists from mainland China and other areas or countries.

Most beneficial Issues to Do In Las Vegas

Need to know the most effective things to do when visiting Las Vegas? Your trip would not be total without seeing the world well-known Las Vegas Strip. The strip is nicknamed for the street named Las Vegas Boulevard. Here is where most of the action that Las Vegas is identified for takes place. In this post, you may come across details of a number of the most favorite attractions of the Las Vegas Strip for persons of all ages.

Among the top locations on the strip is the Bellagio Fountains. This takes location in front of the Bellagio Hotel in the center of the strip. This show is really a light and sound show, coupled with a fountain display. You just will need to walk by the Bellagio Hotel to see this unbelievable show. Every person, young and old will appreciate watching marked cards the fountains dance to the beat of the music and lights.

The Bellagio Hotel also offers a Gallery of Fine Art. This is yet another must-see attraction on the Las Vegas Strip. Here you can actually see the amazing exhibits of art that have come from museums and private collections. In case you do not mind spending some cash the Cirque Du Soleil show known as O, can be a should. The show capabilities feats of strength, acrobats, synchronized swimmers, and divers that perform to create an amazing experience.

The Paris Hotel offers an stunning view of the strip from Eiffel Tower Replica. This is actually an exceptional location to see the entire strip too as get pleasure from an awesome dinner. It's also a favorite spot to watch the amazing Bellagio fountain show.

The Mirage Hotel delivers some amazing entertainment, watching a volcano eruption. Every single 15 minutes you may witness this unbelievable attraction. The Mirage is also house easycards tricks to the Dolphin encounter, plus the Secret Garden household to white tigers, white lions, panthers, and leopards.

For the gambling lovers, the Las Vegas Hilton hotel offers gaming classes. These 30 minute classes is usually enjoyable as well as educational. The hotel is also adjacent to the Las Vegas Country Club golf course. The Monorail makes obtaining here fairly easy.

A further need to see attraction on the Las Vegas Strip takes place at The Venetian. Here you may expertise a little bit of Italy ideal in the heart of the Strip. Gondola Rides will take you by way of the Grand Canal in an authentic Venetian gondola. Here, you possibly can ride under bridges, pass by the awesome cafes that are provided by the Venetian and much more. To create this experience even much more romantic, your gondolier even serenades you having a song. This is a definite must-see although visiting Las Vegas.

In case you are a thrill-seeker, you need to pay a visit to the leading of the Stratosphere where you are able to ride on The Huge Shot. This ride will launch you straight up 160 feet. A fantastic quit for some added excitement. Certainly, Las Vegas also delivers casinos, restaurants and nightclubs that are open 24 hours a day. Here you are able to live it up day and night although gambling, consuming and dancing the night away.

The Las Vegas Strip is an absolute ought to for all visiting Sin City. Its world-famous hotels, casinos and nightlife are continually a must to see on any trip. You'll locate these things to do and Las Vegas attractions are fun for consumers of all ages to delight in. 

Online Gambling Addictions Have Become a Common Problem

The computer is a wonderful gateway to every useful item of information one might need to access. It is also a gateway to the kind of nightmare that nobody would wish to be involved in; gambling and betting websites that attract people who are susceptible to online gambling addiction.

In recent surveys there are an alarming number of people addicted to internet gambling. Their involvement in online betting begins with innocent visits in websites that offer low cost betting on roulette tables and playing poker for pennies or even with fake money. As the casino games progress, the stakes become increasingly higher and the cheat poker player is given extra credit on the basis of his or her ‘success’. The choice of terminology is clever and targeted at the desire of the player to win on a large scale.

Within a short period of time, players can get hooked and within weeks they might be seriously addicted to a "hobby" that will eventually ruin their finances and compromise their family life as they gamble away money that is needed for daily household expenses and vital financial commitments.
It is possible to take control of an online gambling addiction and stop internet gambling but it is far better to prevent the problem in the first place by installing blocking software on the computer to bar access to indiscriminate websites that offer online gambling. Gambling addiction help is available and the first step is to install a good quality web filter to shut the gateway to gambling and betting online.
Gambling is an attraction for any age group and even the most serious minded person might be pulled into a website that cunningly lures the player with phrases such as ‘cash prizes every day’ and, ‘everyone guaranteed a daily win’.

How Internet Gambling has Evolved over the Past Decade

A decade ago the online world was very diiferent than today. Online gambling was at an early stage in its development and was largely unregulated.

Today, online gambling is much more advanced. The overwhelming success of online poker has brought online gambling to a massive market all over the world. Technology too has changed casino games almost beyond recognition, since the early internet slots first were launched in 1996.  

Now, online casino jackpots routinely reach over one million dollars. Compare this to Cashsplash, the first ever progressive slot which had a minimum progressive jackpot win of just $6,000. Microgaming Mega Moolah Mega jackpot starts at one million dollars, and virtually all of the major gaming brands have jackpots which pay marked cards over one million dollars.

HoweverBut it hasnt always been postive news for the casino business. The American governments Safe Port Act, effectively made it (very difficult|almost impossible} for {American players|US gamblers} to deposit to online {casinos|gambling sites|gaming sites}, although it did not outlaw {gambling|online gambling|wagering} in most States. Although {some|a few} offshore sites still allow {wagers from Americans|players from the USA}, the gambling industry in the {United States|USA} produces {only a fraction of the revenue|only a tiny percentage of the play} it once did.

So what predictions can be made for {the future|the next decade}? It is likely that the USA will once again allow {wagering at internet casinos|online gambling} but in a very {regulated and taxed way|different form} than before. The online {casino industry|gambling world} could bring {massive|huge} revenues into the {United States|USA} if taxed and regulated {responsibly|properly} marked cards lenses.

Another change {which is likely to occur|which may be on the horizon} is modular casinos. At present, {internet casinos|online gambling sites} tend to utilise the games from just one {casino software provider|casino licensee}. Therefore, all of the licensees of a {particular casino brand|single software provider} are {relatively|pretty much} the same with {similar|the same games and interface}. In the {future|years to come} we are likely to see individual {games|casino games} being licensed, so casinos can {pick and choose|select from} a bigger portfolio of games.

Whatever {the future may hold|happens in the future}, it is likely that online gaming {is here to stay|will still be around for many years to come} and that the next {decade|ten years} will be just as {exciting|thrilling|fun) as the first.

{To learn more about|For more information on} the {best online casinos|online gambling|internet casinos} visit best online casinos

7 Great Gifts for the Gambling Enthusiast in Your Life

Here are five unique gift ideas that they will love!
Customized poker chips.
Give a set of customized poker chips and you are delivering a guaranteed one-of-a-kind gift.  You can order clay poker chips monogrammed with the individual's initials, favorite sports team logo or even the logo of their business.  It's an unforgettable gift that will last for years and years.  They'll love showing off their personalize chips to the folks in their weekly game.
Slot machines.
A great conversation starter for any room in the house, a personal casino slot machine is the gift that keeps on giving.  The recipient can program the machine for any odds setting and even load it up so that it dispenses real money!  Perfect for a game room or rec room.
Automatic card shufflers and casino-used decks.
Authentic casino supplies such as used decks of cards make great stocking stuffers.  And when those card need to be randomized, make sure the person on your list has a cool automatic card shuffler.  Perfect for everything from Wednesday poker night to casino benefit nights, card shufflers get the job done without any strain on the dealer's hands or wrists.
A craps table.
This item is for serious gambling enthusiasts only!  A genuine craps table lets the gamer in your life host big-time craps nights in their home, and also provides a great place to practice their game.  You'll feel like you're on the casino floor.

Books on gambling.
Few hobbies or sports have been trick cards the source for as much literature as gambling.  From "how to win" books to memoirs of great poker hands, there is a wealth of great reading on the subject of gambling.  Pick out a few of the classics and give them as a set to gaming-reader on your holiday shopping list.



Texas Hold Em sets.
Know somebody who loves Texas Hold ‘Em?  Then pick up a Texas Hold ‘Em gift set.  These sets are affordably priced and offer everything needed to pick up and play the world's most popular poker variation, including: cards, chips, buttons and more.
Baccarat.
While sitting down at the baccarat table in a casino can be a bit too pricey, playing at home is a different matter.  Buy a baccarat set as a gift and transform your dad or brother into a home version of James Bond.  It's a great way to practice before hitting the no-limit VIP room at the casino.
This holiday season, the place to go for all your gambling gifts is www.marked-cards.com. Poker chest offers an incredible selection of chips, tables, cards and other must-have poker accessories for everyone on your list.

David Blaine card trick revealed

Perhaps you have were going to learn easy methods to perform a simple card trick just as David Blaine or perhaps you have pondered just what exactly are David Blaine's easy card trick secrets?

With one of his simple card tricks, David Blaine would certainly make a spectator sign a card marked cards, and then he would put the card back into the pack and after that the card would be made to show up from behind two aces. The key in this trick in that David Blaine would provide the spectator two red aces and would actually tell them to keep them. Soon after this, he would fan out the deck and tell the spectator to touch a card, then he would square the deck up, allowing the chosen card to stick out in order for it to be signed and shown.

He is able to do this because he secretly places the card into "palm position" when he squares the deck so he can then effortlessly palm the card when he wishes to. For this trick to be done adequately, the picked card must stick out in the lower corner of the pack, where it meets your inner thumb. David Blaine would then let the man out of the audience sign the card, after that handing them the deck while secretly palming the card infrared ink.

After the audience is assured that the card is lost inside the deck, David Blaine would ask for the aces and subsequently he would  squeeze the face down palmed card in between the two aces, while displaying exclusively the aces face up. He would then convey to the audience to keep the deck up openly when he would be shaking the aces above the pack. After all this, the spectator would be able to see their particular card rise from the deck up into the two aces, plus after the deck is shaken even more, the entire card would show up much to the public's astonishment.

Easy Card Tricks

Probably every kid in the world sometimes thinks about becoming a magician. It doesn’t matter it comes from watching master magicians like David Blaine or Criss Angel perform their amazing street magic acts, or from reading one of the great fantasy novels, each and every one of us sometimes wishes to be able to learn magic tricks and have fun while entertaining an audience. And while it may not be possible to do it quite like Harry Potter or Milamber, it’s fun to learn a few cool easy card tricks if you follow the instructions and tips found on websites like ellusionist or in other sources (like magicrevealed.freehostia.com, or else).
Easy card tricks are very fun to learn once you read a guide or have someone explain them to you. For example an easy card trick that won’t require any optical illusions or sleight of hand (meaning it’s very simple) can be done like this: from your pocket get a normal deck of playing cards, shuffle them and have a spectator pick any card infrared contactlenses, concentrate on it, put it at the top of your deck and cut the cards, once you’ve went through these steps, amaze your friends by guessing the card on the first try. The secret behind this easy card magic lies in the bottom card, while you finish shuffling the deck, take a quick look at it because once the deck is cut, that card will always land on top of the chosen card.
Here I will teach you some very basic but mind blowing easy card tricks that require no prior preparation. For the first trick, you have to follow these instructions.
* Take a deck of card, and shuffle it thoroughly. You can also ask one of your spectators to do it.
* Now hold the deck so that the cards are facing the spectators and the back of the deck is towards you.
* Pull out the second card, third card and fourth card from the deck and hold them in a fan formation, and wedge them at the back of the deck.
* Allow the top card to remain in place so that the spectators do not know about this extra card.
* Display the three fanned cards to the spectators, hiding the extra card behind the fanned cards.
* Ask the spectators to select a card from the fanned cards by making them point at it.
* Assign a number to each card like “one”, “two” and “three” and ask the spectators to remember the card based on the number.
* After the spectator are done selecting a card by naming a number, gather the cards on top of the deck and allow the unseen first card to stay on top.
* Count the number of spectators who have selected the cards and take that many cards from the top of the deck and push them into the middle of the deck.
* Now utter some magic words and display the top card to show the spectator his card that has magically risen to the top trick cards.
For the next trick, you will again need a deck of cards and some prior practice of the trick, before showing it to your audience.
* First prepare the deck of cards by separating it into two decks by color; one black and the other red.
* Put one colored deck over the other without shuffling them.
* Now before performing before an audience, separate the two decks again and place them in a table over a cloth with their face down.
* Ask an audience member to come up and choose a card at random from each pile, memorize them and place them in the opposite pile from which it was selected.
* Now ask the person to shuffle each deck separately and then place the two decks together, one over the other.
* Now you look through the cards and find the two cards that do not match the color of the cards that are surrounding it.
* Voila! You have learnt another easy card tricks for beginners.
These were some easy card tricks for beginners that you can master quickly with a little practice. There are some amazing magic card tricks as well as free easy card tricks for beginners that you can learn online. At this website you can learn many great magician do card magic tricks and that pretty easy actually, just download and watch but don’t forget to practice, enjoy…
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