Category: Gambling and Casinos

When we last spoke, I told you that Caribbean Stud Poker was a fun and exciting game. We went over some of the layout basics and the game setup. Today, I’ll continue the discussion by going over game play from start to finish. You know the setup of the game, so now it’s time to play a hand of Caribbean Stud Poker.

First, placing a wager on the Ante spot is mandatory. Don’t place it and you can’t play. Most tables have a $5 or $10 minimum wager, so this would be the lowest you could go on your ante. You basically have up to three decisions to make each hand and deciding to play by placing the ante is the first one.

Once you’ve anted up, it’s time to make your second playing decision of the hand. Do you want to play the progressive? If so, you need to place $1 into the progressive slot. By doing so, you’re qualified for all the progressive payouts should your hand qualify.

After that’s settled, the cards are dealt. Once you’ve analyzed your hand, the last decision that you’ll make on each hand is whether to fold and call it a day or to stay in and play. If you want to fold, you lose your ante and progressive and the hand is over. Should you stay, you must place a Raise wager. This wager is always double your ante. For instance, let’s say you anted with $10, your raise would be $20. It’s never more or less.

Let’s back up for a minute. After you ante and decide on the progressive, the dealer will deal you five cards. And these are your only cards of the hand (unlike draw poker). The dealer also gets five cards. Your goal is to beat the dealer’s hand. If you think you can beat the dealer’s hand, that’s when you raise and stay in. The dealer’s hand will reveal one card to you.

So let’s imagine that you’ve stayed in the hand. It’s time to evaluate all hands to see who wins. The dealer must have an Ace-King hand or better to qualify. If not, all bettors win their Ante bet only and all raises are simply returned. However, all progressives are paid. We’ll talk about hand rankings and payouts in the next segment of this series.

The downside about qualifying is felt when you have a good hand, like a four of a kind. If the dealer doesn’t qualify and you have a four of a kind, you’d be paid even money on your ante wager, say $10, and that’s it. By the way, antes are always paid even money. The raises are paid based on the hand ranking only if the dealer qualifies.

And that leads us into our next segment, hand payouts and progressive payouts.

Over the past few decades, gambling has emerged as a popular mode of entertainment for a substantial number of people around the world. Not really a new phenomenon, gambling has intrigued people from different countries, races and ethnicity from ancient times. In fact many of the modern games of chance trace back their origin from the ones that were played centuries ago. The ’70s and ’80s witnessed more and more people try their luck at various casinos in Las Vegas, also known as the ‘mecca for gamblers’.

However it was the Internet revolution that lent a new facet to the popularity of gambling and gave it multiple dimensions. With the increasing popularity of the Internet and it’s ever growing reach, several online casinos established shop to cater to a wide population of people wanting to have a great time and make more money sitting at home. Online casinos offer comfort, privacy, multiple payment options and a host of new games for users. Popular games like poker, sports betting, black jack and cards are actually quite the same with most online casinos, contrary to the perception among some quarters that the games played at online casinos are different from the ones enjoyed at traditional land based casinos.

Many online casinos also indulge in charity gambling which has been popular with land based ones for a long time. In charity gambling, popular casino games are overseen by a charity group and the profits go to the charity instead of the casino. There are several online casinos where charity gambling is a permanent fixture.

With a view to understand online casinos even better, they can be categorized into three kinds. Some of the casinos require the user to download a specific casino software in order to play. Most of the times, this software can be downloaded free of cost and offers real life-like graphics, excellent animation and sound besides a host of other features. The second kind of casinos use the JAVA. However, many people prefer to use the software that can be downloaded from the online casino websites.The third kind of online casinos use HTLM and do not require the players to download any special casino software.

Considering that the ever improving technology offers more and more to those using it, online casinos have not been left untouched by the fact. Several reasons can be attributed to the growing popularity of online casinos, despite the fact that land based ones have been catering to people for a much longer time. A big advantage of using online casinos instead of the traditional land based ones, is that one does not have to travel anywhere to enjoy a casino game, and the same can be done sitting in the comfort of home. Several online casinos also offer tempting bonuses to new customers, thereby adding substantially to their initial deposit. And not to mention the fact that online casinos outline rules and offer better payout percentages that are more gambler friendly as compared to land based casinos.

Win with the right online casino

There is not one but hundreds of online casinos marketing themselves aggressively on the Internet and wanting to take the lion’s share of gamblers. It is however, the individual user who has to take the ultimate decision when it comes to putting his money. There are no ‘written’ or hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the right casino. However, some basic criteria can definitely be of instrumental help.

It’s always advisable to play at an online casino which has a track record of honesty and reliability. It is very important that the online casino has a legal license and clients do not feel uncomfortable with its functioning. Double checking the fact that there is no ‘casino fee’ and no hidden costs is advisable. Good casinos like http://www.21onlinecasinos.com and the like are reliable places to play and are known to pass on the winnings promptly to the players.

In a time when there is a big presence of elements wanting to hack information that travels on the Internet, it is also always advisable to choose an online casino that offers a secure server so that none of the personal information like age, address and credit card number is not leaked. A good online casino generally boasts of a good customer support and offers a real time chat or a toll free number.

One doesn’t really has to be an expert in order to determine if a particular online casino is worth playing at. Just a little intelligent browsing should be enough to short list at least 3-4 popular and reliable ones.

Money, money, money. Many of us who play regularly at online casinos would agree that the online payment method which a player selects can make or break the game. After all, what fun is there in playing games at all if your thoughts are focused on the reliability of your payment option? It can be very annoying to be faced with delays due to payment, before being allowed to play. Further, it can be frustrating to encounter unforeseen difficulties in transferring one’s winnings. An important feature of playing at an online casino and enjoying the entertainment is the way you choose to transfer your money.

EcoCard as an Option

When you begin to read about an online payment option, it is important to read all the small writing and details very carefully. Some casinos declare that you can you use a particular method for depositing money – but just watch out to make sure that you can also make withdrawals by the same process. There are often less alternatives for receiving money than for making a deposit. In this article I would like to share with you some of the benefits of using the electronic payment alternative of EcoCard.

Virtual Debit Card

EcoCard offers a secure system that provides privacy and security for your online financial requirements. In my mind, EcoCard provides an excellent solution for all those people who, like me, prefer not to use a credit card over the Internet. This method works rather like a debit card. You transfer money onto the EcoCard for your use. You can then only use the amount that is on the card. This is considered a good way to avoid risks of fraud. EcoCard is simple and safe to use and is recognised by a range of European banks.

Multi-Lingual EcoCard

EcoCard can be used via the Internet around the globe. This system deals in U.S. dollars, the Euro and the British Pound. This card and its support and service staff also speak several languages, including English, French, Italian and Russian.

By making use of EcoCard, you can make financial transactions at home or away from home and more importantly, far away from the bank. This method allows you to deal with your money online in an efficient, quick and secure manner.

Winnings Ways with EcoCard

I mentioned above the matter of making withdrawals online and it should be noted that you can also receive payouts by EcoCard. There is great value in handling both deposits and withdrawals via the same system. Whichever system you do choose for your money matters, it is advisable to ensure that you can both transfer and receive money through your chosen method.

Remember, being confident in your selection of online payment method provides you with the peace of mind for positive play.

In all of the games used for gambling, Blackjack remains the only one in which a participant can actually change his chances of winning during the game. Whether those running casinos wish to admit it or not, Blackjack does involve skill.

Blackjack actually refers to a specific holding (two cards totalling 21). However, this is also the most common term for the game – also known as 21.
You are playing against the dealer at all times. Many people feel that you must play differently depending on where you sit at the table. This is not true. Players sit in a semi-circle around the dealer, but no matter where you sit, you are still playing against the dealer. You owe nothing to the other players – it is your own money you are risking.

In Blackjack, the suits of the cards have no significance. Tens, jacks, queens, and kings all count 10. An ace counts 1 or 10 at the player’s option. Cards from 2 to 9 have their face value. Therefore, if you hold a nine and a five, you have 14. A nine and an ace can be either 10 or 20.

The simple idea of the game is to get closer to 21 without going over than the dealer does. You are dealt two cards and the dealer is dealt two cards also – one always face up, and one face down. You are then given the option of standing with the cards you have (“stick” or “sticking”) or you may be “hit” and be given another card (“hitting”). You may take as many cards as you wish to, but should you go over 21, you “bust” and the dealer wins automatically. The dealer will not take any cards until all players are through at taking cards. Thus the dealer’s biggest advantage is here. Any players that bust, lose their bet – even if the dealer goes bust.

If you stay at 21 or under and have a higher total than the dealer, you win; if both you and the dealer hold cards equalling the same total, it is a “push” and you stay even (not winning or losing). If the dealer has a higher total without busting, he wins.

The pay off if you win is even money (one to one). If you get a “21” or “Blackjack” (21 in two cards) you are paid at a rate of 3 to 2 (bet $10 win $15). If the dealer gets blackjack at the same time, you push – all other players lose.

You may take “Insurance” when the dealer’s first card is an ace. After all players and the dealer have two cards, he will ask “Insurance?”. You may bet another 1/2 of your original bet. Payment is 2 to 1 if the dealer does get blackjack.

At this point, after each player and the dealer has 2 cards, he will start at the immediate right and see if the player wants a card (a “hit”). If yes, the player scratches the table with his fingers or cards towards himself. If not, he places his cards under his bet or makes a negative movement with his hand. Dealers respond to hand gestures only. If you go over 21 “bust” you turn your cards over (face up) and the dealer takes the cards and your bet. If you stay at 21 or under, the dealer will continue to the next player.

As we mentioned, an ace can be counted as a 1 or 11. When you have say an 8 and a 10, you have a “hard” hand. However, an 8 and an ace gives you a “soft” hand. Because you have a soft 19 or a hard 9 if you count the ace as a one.

The dealer on the other hand does not get these options. When all players are through, the dealer turns face up his hole card. He must take a card if he has 16 or less. He must stand (in most casinos) on a hard or soft 17.

Most players try and guess what the dealer has and look at the other cards on the table before deciding to hit or stand. Most players also never win at Blackjack.

At this point, you should understand how the game is played. The following is your best strategy as determined by computer testing:

– Always hit when you have 11 or less.

– Always stand with a hard 17 or more.

On a hard hand: When the dealer’s up card is from 7 to Ace, draw if you have 12 to 16. When the dealer’s card is 2 to 6, stand on 12 to 16 except if the dealer’s card is a 2 or 3, in which case you would draw.

On a soft hand do the following: Always draw to a soft 12. Stand on 18 except when the dealer has a 9 or 10 value card. Stand on 19.

In most casinos, you may double down (double your bet) after your first two cards.

On a hard hand: Always double with 11, with 10 except if the dealer has a 10 or ace, with 9 against the dealer’s 2 to 6 up card.

On a soft hand: With ace 2 to ace 7 double against dealer’s 4, 5, or 6. Also with ace 6 against 2 or 3 and ace 7 against 3.

Another play is the splitting of pairs. If your first two cards of the deal are the same value, you may place a bet the same as your original, and play two hands.

Always split ace-ace, and 8-8. Never split 10-10, 5-5, or 4-4. Split other pairs only when the dealer’s card is 2 to 6. These rules may seem complicated and difficult. However, after playing at home, this basic strategy will require no concentration.