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Gambling was not my cup of tea for a long time. Each time I would hit a casino game, be it slots, roulette, or blackjack, I would never win a significant amount of money that I could brag of. But only until now!

Blackjack has been my all time favorite. I like this game so much that I would spend all my bankroll on blackjack, hoping to turn the tables and be a millionaire in one night. That has not happened yet. But I must say something good has happened to me after I have learned how to “cheat” at blackjack. I have started to win more and lose less.

The cheating in question is not really a cheating at all. It’s more of an advantage play. I use the technique called blackjack basic strategy. This technique is very popular among blackjack players the world over. To use it, you need to take a look at a chart. Once you’re dealt a hand, compare your hand total with the dealer’s up card and then take the action suggested on the chart. As simple as that. No complex methods to learn. No quick calculations whatsoever.

Most blackjack players get confused when it comes to take an action such as hit, split, double, or stand. These confusing actions are clearly mentioned on the blackjack basic strategy chart. One more thing, these actions are based on the actions taken by millions of players over many years. So, be sure that nobody cooked the blackjack basic strategy overnight or so.

A golden rule as accepted by a large number of blackjack players suggests you to hit if your hand total is less than 17, and stand otherwise. Never forget to double your bet if your hand total is 10 or 11. Your chances of getting a 20 or 21 are very high then.

But like many other gambling games, luck plays a major role in blackjack too. Even the blackjack basic strategy can fail. It has happened to me as well. But my gambling log shows me that I have won more money than I have lost over recent months. And all that has happened because I use the strategy, or rather “cheat” at blackjack.

Give the cheating a try. You never know when the things will turn in your favor. All the best!

I always followed the “more is better” philosophy until recently when I won a couple of dozen hands of Baccarat. It left me with a pretty decent amount of money.

Baccarat is a popular and well respected casino game the world over. Usually, casinos allot a special room for Baccarat tables because the game involves high stakes. Players play against one another, assuming the responsibility of the dealer from time to time. The game lasts for a long time usually but “quicker” variations of Baccarat are also available where you play against the dealer and not against other players.

In my first encounter with Baccarat, I played against the dealer. I placed my bet on the banker hand, which I had no clue about, and was dealt two Kings. A hand total of 20 was before me. I am a seasoned Blackjack player and 20 almost got me on my feet. The dealer who was playing on the player hand received 15. I was about to explode with happiness because I had placed a $500 bet and got a 20. But much to my surprise, I lost. I must say I screamed with consternation. I could not believe it. The number 20 beats 15, any mathematician would tell you that, I argued with the dealer.

The dealer calmly replied to my question and said, Baccarat is played under rules that differ from Blackjack. If you get a hand total that exceeds 9 points, the tens position is dropped. Therefore, a hand total of 20 becomes 0 and a hand total of 15 becomes 5. Outrageous, I said out loud.  Loud enough to be heard by the casino management. They asked me to maintain the decorum of the casino or leave. That wasn’t a very happy ending. A loss of $500 added to the frustration.  Well, I thought to myself, I’m going to stay and play a couple more Baccarat hands without caring about winning or losing.

Today I am a regular Baccarat player. I still play Blackjack and other casino games, but I must say I have developed a good taste for Baccarat, and I am much more comfortable with the “less is better” philosophy.

This quiz is designed for Blackjack newbies who are struggling to learn to play Blackjack. But seasoned
players will also find it very refreshing for their skills. Here goes:

Welcome to this short Blackjack quiz everybody. This quiz is not intended to rate you on your knowledge of
Blackjack. Rather, it is designed to help you learn to play Blackjack effectively. This quiz is based on the Blackjack basic strategy, but is different from other quizzes because it not only tells you “what to do” but also tells you “why to do so.”

Q1: What would you do if you are dealt a pair of 9s, and the dealer’s up card is a 9?

(a) Stand  (b) Hit  (c) Double  (d) Split

Ans: The correct answer is (d) Split.
Though 18 is pretty close to 21, your chances of winning are 41% and the chances of losing are 59%. Furthermore, when you split, you have two hands with 9 as the first card. Your chances of winning increase
to 47% and the chances of losing  decreases to 53%. So, it’s preferred that you split your pair.

Q2: Your hand total is 15 and the dealer is showing a 7, 8, or 9, what should you do?

(a) Stand  (b) Hit  (c) Double  (d)Split

Ans: The correct answer is (b) Hit.
According to basic Blackjack strategy, you should hit if the dealer shows a 7, 8, or 9. But if the dealer shows a 10 value card, you should go for a split, if allowed, otherwise hit.

Q3: The dealer is showing a 7 and your hand contains a 10 and a 6. What would you better do?

(a) Stand  (b) Hit  (c) Double  (d) Split

Ans: The correct answer is (b) Hit. Blackjack players usually follow this unwritten rule: hit if your
hand total is 16 or less,  otherwise stand.

Q4: Your hand contains a 10 and 2 and dealer shows a 2. What do you think is the correct action to follow?

(a) Stand  (b) Hit  (c) Double  (d) Split

Ans: The option (b) Hit is the right choice. Your chances of getting busted are quite less. Only a 10
value card will lead to a bust.  Any other card of lower value is favorable. You can get 21 or a hand closest to 21. So you should draw or Hit another card. Remember, if the dealer’s card is higher than 3,
you should stand and not hit with a hand total of 12.

Q5: You hold two Kings, or any two 10 value cards. The dealer has an Ace and asks you for an insurance. Would you go for it?

(a) Yes (b) No

Ans: The correct answer is (b) No. Insurance does seem like a good choice but it is not. Even if your
cards are different, you should not go for insurance. Insurance pays 2 to 1 on your insurance bet  if the dealer indeed comes up with a Blackjack. But if the dealer fails to come up with a Blackjack, you lose your insurance bet. If you look at it from another angle, you see that if you win the insurance bet, you are bound to lose you other bet because the dealer’s Blackjack will eventually beat your hand. So you only break even.  Also, just because the dealer’s up card is an Ace does not mean the dealer will come up with a
Blackjack.

Q6: Imagine that you are holding a pair of 10s. The dealer’s visible card is also a 10. What action should you take?

(a) Stand  (b) Hit  (c) Double  (d)Split

Ans: The correct answer is (a) Stand. Regardless of the dealer’s up card, always stand. To cut a long joke short, a man at a Blackjack table asked a woman standing next to him, “What is the perfect time to split 10s?” The woman replied,  “When you want to vacate your seat.”  Jokes apart, 20 is a pretty good hand. The only hand that can beat a 20 is 21 or a Blackjack. So, you had better stand and hope for a win.

Q7: You are dealt a pair of 5s and the dealer is showing a 6. What is a good action to follow?

(a) Stand  (b) Hit  (c) Double  (d) Split

Ans: Option (c) Double is the right answer. Just pretend that you are dealt a 10. The highest card that
you can get is 10 or an Ace. In both these cases, your hand will total 20 or 21. Your chances of getting “too many” is next to impossible. So, you should double down and take a chance to win a relatively bigger amount.

Q8: You are dealt a hand that contains an Ace and 7, the dealer is showing a 5. What should you go for?

(a) Stand  (b) Hit  (c) Double  (d)Split

Ans: You get full marks if you say (c) Double. The figure 18 is quite close to 21 but the statistics say
that you can make 10% more money in the long run by doubling down each time on a set of Ace and 7, if you consider it a soft hand (where Ace is equal to 11). Besides, the dealer has more chances of getting “too many” with a 5, as he cannot opt to stand, until he hits 17 as per rule s in most casinos.

Well that’s the end of the quiz. You are not going to get any grades for your performance though. The
purpose of the quiz is to make you aware of the possible actions that you can take in different situations. Now you can go ahead and apply your knowledge learned through this quiz on a fresh game of Blackjack. Play Blackjack online for some time and see for yourself how helpful the quiz really is.

Pigs are good news for insurance companies these days. With the swine flu sending tremors up the spine, insurance companies are seeing brisk business. Seems like anyone who has to travel is seeking insurance cover. There is no telling where the dreaded influenza A(H1N1) virus is lurking.

With more than a 100 cases reported in the US, schools are closing down. Despite the insurance, people hesitate to take risks. Perhaps that explains the sudden influx of traffic we are seeing at www.coolcat-casino.com.

We hear people are staying indoors at Arizona, California, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas –where suspected swine flu cases have been reported. When you are home-bound, the best thing to do is visit a good online casino like Cool Cat Casino.

We have a variety of games, including Blackjack, Craps, Slots and Video Poker.that you can play. And hey! We even offer insurance. Yeah, okay…. and pigs can fly, you may retort. But why not? If there are insurance policies to protect you from terrorism, natural disasters, job loss and even swine flu, then why not against the money that you risk while gambling?

We have just unveiled insurance plans afresh at the casino:

Make a $100 deposit, and rest assured with a 100% bonus insurance.

If you shell out $250 as deposit, you can avail a 150% bonus insurance.

And if you decide to chip in $500, you will earn a 250% bonus insurance.

So, don’t worry…just relax and gamble fearlessly with our generous insurance plans this month.

If you have been into lottery gaming, then you are definitely familiar with the long queues that you have to stand in, to buy the lottery tickets. Then follows an interminable wait for the announcement of results.

Say goodbye to all the hassle involved in regular lottery games. A cool option is now available in the form of scratch card games. It is rapid, instant and easy to play. Buy a scratch card of your choice and scratch off the silver coating with your nails or a coin to reveal the rewards instantly. Better still, just log on to any reputed online casino and treat yourself to some scratching fun.

To be frank, there has been times when I myself don’t have the patience to scratch my brains on 20 hands of Poker till I finally win something worthwhile. I am basically a speed freak and like to see instant results. Scratch card games on the Net are a perfect answer. Especially these days, when there are versions that come with the “Scratch All” option. It is quick and gives out immediate results, killing the suspense in seconds and flashing my fate on the computer screen within a jiffy.

Among all the online scratch card games, the Five Diamond Blackjack is my personal favorite as it provides the thrill of Blackjack. But at the same time, it saves me from the hassle of card counting and employing strenuous basic strategies. In contrast to all those complex calculations, here, a mere scratch can throw up a natural total of ‘21′ or a total more than the dealer, while I sit back relishing rewards of up to 4000 times my bet! Of course, I have to lucky enough to win…it has not happened so far, but I live on hope!

The other scratch card games, including Hot Dice, Magic 7’s and the Lucky 8’s takes the player for the most thrilling casino ride with some incredible bonuses features. I still remember my first scratch card experience. What a surprise when I discovered a free card beneath one of the scratch cards!  Lucky 8’s gave me a fortunate entry into the world of scratch cards. I went on to win the maximum payout of 4000 times –having bet a measly $1, you can well imagine how I felt with $4000 in my pocket!

So, why don’t you take a break from complicated casino games such as Blackjack and Poker. Put your gambling spree on fast-forward mode by scratching off awesome rewards online.

The Internet is full of free stuff. Now who does not like freebies? Online casinos have zeroed in on the magic of “free” and managed to get every Tom, Dick and Harry to play online games, gratis. It is amazing how many people who would otherwise run scared of gambling, turn up regularly at online casinos to try their luck on the free games.

Doing a one-up on online casinos are applications hosted by social networking sites which have literally hijacked the free game platform. Latest reports suggest that Facebook applications for casino games like Texas Hold’em Poker have attracted millions of players.

So much so, it is competing with long-time champion of online games, World of Warcraft.

Facebook applications – mostly hosted by online casinos –provide hundreds of casino games such as Bingo, Slots, Poker, Blackjack. Of course, many of those who play for free finally convert to “play for money” players at reputed online casinos.

Usually free online games are not played with real money. Instead, some “casino chips” are funded into your account for you to enjoy free games. The biggest advantage of playing free games is that you become well-versed with a game. You can try out all the strategies and tips suggested by game experts. You don’t feel uncomfortable when you play the same game by putting real money on the line. And when you start playing with real money, you don’t feel uncomfortable or unsure about the moves you are expected to make.

The downside to this is that children without access to cash may also try their hand at the free casino games. This has the authorities worried and there is a clamor for some fool-proof verification of age. A recent survey by the Oregon Department of Health Services has found that underage participation at free Internet gaming sites is on the increase among 12- to 17-year-olds.

Well, the online casino industry has always managed to work in some self-regulation and encourage responsible gambling. The strict vigilance over registrations for play for money can easily be extended to free games as well. After all, teens who participate in online gambling are most likely to become gambling addicts later in their life. However, it is not just websites but parents too who should keep an eye on kids’ activities on the Internet. Gambling is no child’s play and a free gamble should not be mistaken for a joy-ride.

Gambling should be fun, though you can not separate the risk of losing from gambling. Even Webster defines gambling as “to stake something on a contingency; take a chance.” Tips can prove to be invaluable, not only to navigate your way through this maze of games, but to win too. But only if you know how to interpret and apply them. This is especially true of online gambling, where a new player is flooded with information, which he may not know how to use.

When I started playing Blackjack, I was amazed to find the Internet full of information on the game. There were sites devoted only to the game, with several tips and strategies. I decided I had all I wanted to make it as a successful Blackjack gambler. I had found a basic strategy card and thought I followed it to the letter, expecting to win. I was very disappointed when I lost –not once, not twice but all through the day! I continued thinking that a win should happen at the end, making up for all my losses. But I was sadly mistaken.

That was when I surfed some more and found other Blackjack players in some chat rooms, forums and networking sites. It was only on interaction with them that I discovered that I was a victim of what is widely known as “Gambler’s Fallacy.” I was waiting for a winning hand, on the mistaken notion that it would follow many losing hands in a row. I had misread the strategy card too. One of the players gave me a tip: “Always Stand if your hand total is more than 17.” It was only then that the truth hit me. Of course, if I ‘hit’ and drew another card, I may bust! I felt foolish. I looked at the basic strategy card with new eyes, realizing only then that I should co-relate the Dealer’s hand with my own!

When playing online –especially a game like Blackjack—the lack of interaction turns many a player into a zombie, following tips and strategies without using logic. Let that not happen to you.