How to Approach Blackjack Tournaments

December 7th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

By now, almost everyone realizes the popularity of poker tournaments.  A similar structure for another popular card game has recently been adopted in the casinos of Las Vegas, Atlantic City and the Caribbean – blackjack.  Tournaments for blackjack are arising everywhere and proving to be just as competitive as their poker counterparts.  Many industry executives have taken notice, and to capitalize on the demand, blackjack tournaments are starting to become a common phenomenon in online casinos.

Why Blackjack Tournaments?

The thrill of competing against other players, instead of the house, is an attractive lure that brings players into blackjack tournaments.  While blackjack tournaments have certainly grown in popularity, especially due to the number of mainstream celebrities who partake in these events, they are still not as prevalent as slots tournament.  Casinos tend to have far more slot machines than they do blackjack tables, which make it difficult for them to close off slot areas for the purpose of hosting tournaments.  For this reason, you will typically find smaller tournaments hosted on weekdays, while the more prominent invitational tournaments run for several days during the weekends.

Blackjack tournaments certainly help casinos reel in additional traffic.  These tournaments typically carry a very nominal entrance fee, making the entire experience quite attractive to interested players.  It is possible to find free blackjack tournaments, but they are a rarity in comparison to free slots tournaments.

Casinos often hold invitational tournaments to reward loyal customers, giving them free rooms during the tournament.  Hence the name, these multi-day tournaments run on an invitation only basis and not available to general public.

What to Consider Before You Enter a Blackjack Tournament

Blackjack tournaments are right on the dime for the true blackjack fanatic.  However, they are still relatively new, and therefore, there are several factors you should keep in mind before you register.

Entry Fee

The first thing you must ascertain is the entry fee and the method of payment required to enter the blackjack tournament.  For example, will you playing with your own money or provided with tournament chips?  Tournaments that provide chips usually have a fixed cost and give players a certain amount with which to begin.  Also take note that some tournaments require that you play with your own money, and chips may not be an option.

The Prizes

Especially if you are paying a tournament entrance fee, then you certainly want to weigh the rewards of your potential tournament prizes. A good tournament will give players back their entry fee as prizes, which in turn, gives them all the incentive to play.

Even if the tournament is free to enter, the prize should still justify the time and effort you put into participating.  Because most casinos list the prizes, you should view this information to ascertain how much players stand to win.  Just because a tournament requires a fee doesn’t necessarily mean it is worthwhile for you.

The Rules

Before entering a blackjack tournament, it is important to fully understand all the rules that apply, particularly the number of rounds and their duration.  As we mentioned earlier, some tournaments last several days, and thus, it is advisable to learn all the rules before making your travel arrangements.  If the company promoting the tournament seems hesitant about providing the rules beforehand, you should consider looking for another event.

Registration Process

Some blackjack tournaments allow you to register the day before the events start.  However, most of the smaller events only require for you to turn in your registration several hours prior to the start of the tournament.

Whether you are playing on or offline, you should make sure that you are already familiar with the rules before playing.  If you have not read the rules up to this point, now would be a good time to review them, as they should be easily accessible to you.  If you have any questions, ask them at this time – and not once the event is underway.

Conclusion

Blackjack tournaments take the excitement and suspense of the traditional game to new heights.  These tournaments often boast huge purses, and if you are on top of your game, you can profit quite nicely.  By knowing how to approach the event, you can learn what to expect and better assure a positive experience whether you win, lose or draw even.

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Punto Banco: Which Side are You On?

December 6th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

Punto Banco is the North American version of baccarat, one of the most popular casino games in the world.  It is essentially a game of two opposing sides: punto (player) vs. banco (bank).  Similar to baccarat, players only need to make one crucial decision: to bet on the player or the banker.  Once this is determined, the game commences, and there are three possible outcomes: win, lose or draw.

In traditional form, a game of Punto Banco is played on an oval shaped table with up to 14 numbered seats and a total of three dealers.  Two dealers are seated at each side of the table, while the third is seated in the center.  Often referred to as the palette dealer, the third dealer utilizes a wooden paddle to pick up cards and move them across the table.  However, in modern casinos and smaller venues, the game is typically played with a single dealer on a blackjack-sized table.

Objective of the Game

The goal of Punto Banco is to simply bet on the game taking place between the player and the banker.  The winning hand is the one with the value closest to the number nine.  Tens, jacks, queens and kings basically have no relevance, while aces have a value of one.  All cards from two to nine have their original face value.  The value of a given hand is determined by adding up the numbers on the cards.

If a hand happens to total double figures, then ten is deducted from the value.  For instance, if the player has a hand with a seven and an eight, the total value is considered five.  Because the value is in double figures, ten is subtracted to give the hand a total value of five.

Playing the Game

To begin the game, players position their chips on the designated boxes on the table in front of them.  These boxes represent the player, banker, and the tie.  Once all wagers have been put up, the player in the first seat deals four cards from the shoe to the dealer, who then places them.

The dealing rotation is as follows:

  • The player receives the first card
  • The dealer receives the second card
  • The banker receives the final card

After each game of Punto Banco, the card shoe is passed on to the next player.  In more simplistic versions of the game, the dealer handles all the dealing.  Once both the player and the banker have the two cards that form their hand, the following rules apply:

Player’s Rules

  • If the player’s hand totals anywhere from zero to five, he or she draws another card.
  • If the player’s hand totals six or seven, it automatically stands.
  • If the player’s hand totals eight or nine, it is called a natural and automatically stands.

Banker’s Rules

  • If the banker’s hand totals anywhere from zero to three, he or she draws another card.
  • If the banker’s hand totals four and the player’s hand ranges from two to seven, he or she must draw a third card.
  • If the banker’s hand totals five and the player’s hand ranges from four to seven, he or she must draw a third card.
  • If the banker’s hand totals six and the player’s hand ranges from six to seven, he or she must draw a third card.  However, this is only the case when the player achieves the total within three cards.  If the player’s total was achieved within two cards, the banker is required to stand.
  • If the banker’s hand totals seven, he or she must stand.
  • If the banker’s hand ranges from eight to nine, both the banker and player must stand.

Winners, Losers and the Tie

After the hands of the player and banker are determined, Punto Banco will either produce an undisputed winner or a draw.  All bets on the game are paid out at even money, while a winning “banco” wager pays out at 19/20.  In simple terms, a 5% commission goes to the house.

Winnings bets placed on a tie are paid out at 8 to 1.   Losing bets are collected before any winning bets are paid out to the winners.  Should there be a tie, the dealer pays out the bettors accordingly, and other players have the option to let their bets stay as is, modify them, or withdraw them entirely.  Those who bet on either the player or banker do not lose their original bet should a tie occur.

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Enter the World of Bingo

December 4th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

Bingo is no longer restricted to the hall on Saturday nights, as the game is widely played online.   If you are not familiar with the game, this article will serve as the guide that reveals all the basics, along with the differences between playing on and offline.

Basic Bingo Rules

Bingo is a simple game and relatively easy to play.  Random numbers are drawn and called while players match the numbers on the cards they selected.  The first player to form the predetermined pattern from the numbers on their card calls out “bingo” and wins the game.

The Bingo game can be played by dozens or even hundreds of people.  Each card is unique to ensure that players have different numbers.  The typical card has 24 numbered spaces in addition to a “free” space that can be checked off right away.  While the winning patterns can vary significantly, the most common are as follows:

One line/Two lines – One or two lines on the card marked when the player’s numbers are called.

Cover all (Blackout) – This occurs when all numbers on the card are covered.

Bingo organizers have been known to get very creative when it comes to winning patterns.   For example, some implement patterns that form the shape of a certain letter or particular design.  Players can also play with a number of different cards, which makes them eligible for prizes that range from material objects to large cash jackpots.

Playing Bingo Online

Online bingo is quite similar to its counterpart played in the brick-and-mortar hall setting.  In fact, it is basically the same game with the exception of some new and improved rules you typically will not find in your local hall.  However, there are some notable differences between playing on and offline.  In many instances, these games can actually make the internet versions even more exciting.

Unlike the mechanisms that spin the balls and randomly select numbers in land-based halls, bingo games in online casinos use random number generators, which are also used for craps, poker and other web-based casino games.   So what’s the big difference?  Well, when playing at a reputable site, online bingo pretty much guarantees that the numbers will be randomly drawn.  This gives you the assurance of fair play and an equal opportunity to win.

Another notable difference is the “auto-daub” feature available in online games, which allows players to have their numbers marked automatically without manually having to do so themselves.  It’s an on-demand world and while this feature seems to cater to the lazy player, it can actually speed of the game and ensure that you don’t sleep on bingo.

Bingo Variants

There are mainly two types of bingo you can choose from: 75-ball and 90-ball games.  75-ball games are common in North America while the 90-ball variant is popular in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.

Rules aside, the primary goal of a 75-ball game is always to mark off the numbers according to the predetermined patterns.  In 90-ball games, each bingo card has nine vertical lines and three horizontal lines.  Each line contains five numbers, making a total of 15 for each card.  The average 90-ball bingo game is played in three stages: one line, two lines and Full House, which is simply a different name for cover-all or blackout.

In a one line game, you are required to mark off numbers in a full horizontal line across the card.  A two card game is the same, with the exception that you must have two full horizontal lines.  In a full house game, you must mark all 15 numbers on the card, which is the same objective of a cover all 75-ball game.  Because the prizes increase with each phase, full house tends to offer the biggest reward.

Conclusion

People from all over the world are hopping online to play bingo right from their computer.   While it can be just as exciting as playing in your local hall, the sheer convenience alone makes the internet version worthwhile for the true fan.  Online bingo still has a long way to go before it reaches the popularity of poker, but right now, this game seems to be drawing tremendous crowds who return regularly to play.

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Introduction to Pai Gow Poker

November 27th, 2009  |  Published in Inrodution

The traditional game of Pai Gow that originated in Asia was played with tile pieces now referred to as Chinese dominoes.  Pai Gow poker is an American version played with a standard 52 -deck of playing cards in which the rankings of the hands are based on traditional poker.

Today, Pai Gow Poker is one of the many variations of poker widely played online and in live rooms around the world.

Pai Gow Poker Rules

As we mentioned, Pai Gow poker is played with a standard 52-deck of cards.  What we did not mention is that there is one joker added to the deck.  The joker can either be used as an ace or a wild card.  The wild can be used to make up a straight, flush, or straight flush.

Pai Gow can be played with up to six players and the banker, who the players are competing against.  While the casino typically acts as the banker, players have the opportunity to bank if they choose to.  This would require that there be enough money to cover all player bets at the table.

If the casino is acting as the banker, the dealer must abide by the “House Way,” which essentially means that the dealer must set their hand according to house rules.  If you are confused or unsure of how to play, you can ask the dealer.  They will use the House Way to show you how the house would play your hand.

Playing Pai Gow Poker

The players make their bet and receive seven cards each.  The goal of the game to assemble two hands: a standard five-card poker hand and a two-card hand.  The five-card hand is often referred to as the high, big or behind hand, while the two-card hand is called the small, big, or in front hand.

When a player forms a hand from the seven cards, the five-card hand must be higher than its two-card counterpart.  For example, if you receive two aces, a three, five, seven a ten and Jack and cannot assemble a flush out of it, you must use the pair of aces with your five-card hand.  Should the player make a mistake, and their two-card hand happens to be higher, a “foul” is called and the player automatically loses.  If both of the player’s hand beat the banker’s two hands, they win.  However, if only one hand beats the banker and the other loses, then a push results and no winner is produced.

If a player’s hand, however, has the exact same value as the banker’s then a copy results, which is simply a tie in which the banker wins.  Obviously, if the banker has two hands that beat of the player’s hands, then the player loses.

Pai Gow Poker Fees

All casinos have fees for playing Pai Gow Poker.  This could either be a fee that must actually be paid to play each hand, or a giving the house 5% of your earnings with each win.  In either scenario, these fees allow the casino to earn money on each hand played as the time required to play each round of Pai Gow Poker can take away from their profit margin.

Co-Banker

The co-banker is essentially the same as the banker.  The exception is that the casino pays 50% of the winnings and the player acting as the banker must arrange their hand according to the House Way.

Pai Gow

In Pai Gow poker, “Pai Gow” is a hand that consists of no pairs.  An example would be a two-hand consisting of a queen and nine, or a five-card hand consisting of a king, seven, eight, six and four.  If a player gets a Pai Gow, the results are often bad.  On the other hand, when the dealer gets Pai Gow, the table is often cheerful as most players will have winning hands.

Conclusion

Pai Gow poker is simple to learn and can provide hours of exciting play on a fairly small bankroll.  It makes an ideal poker variant for laid back players and even the thrifty gambler.  If you have wore out the No Limit tables and Draw Poker has become stale, give Pai Gow a try.  We think you will agree that it is a nice change of pace.

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