[Games,Arts - Entertainment,Communications]

Casino games history or how people have learnt to count cards Part3.

2008-02-23T10:12:00.000+07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Casino games history or how people have learnt to count cards Part2.

2008-02-22T12:48:00.000+07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Casino games history or how people have learnt to count cards Part1.

2008-02-19T19:45:00.001+07:00

The dream of capoting a casino is as old as the notion "casino" itself. Every gambler wants to win. Every other invents his own "system". Every hundredth attempts to carefully analyze the game. And only the few of millions succeed.

The most famous achievement in the sphere of "system" game against the casino was the so called "card counting" at blackjack – mathematically based methods of game allowing to get some advantage over the casino. The casinos, surely, knows about the existence of "counters" and are trying to oppose them – from changing the rules to banning the game. Sometimes even exceeding the limits of reason and legality. In fact, all the history of the blackjack is the struggle between the gamblers and the casino which is more clever.

More than half a century passed since the first attempts of beating the casinos in blackjack, based not on the marked cards and intuition. There has been a peck of salt eaten since then, but the struggle is still going on….

Mammoth.
Probably the first person in history who applied mathematic analysis to the game blackjack was Jess Marcum (originally Marcovitch) was born on 30th December 1919.

It happened at the turn of 1949 and 1950, when Jess, being an excellent mathematician and physicist-theorist got to Las Vegas. Then his mathematic flair prompted him that most possibly not everything depends on intuition in blackjack.

Marcum started analyzing blackjack. First, the uniqueness of his attempt is that he performed absolutely all calculations with his pen on the paper, on principle without using any technologies whatever weak they might be at that time. Second he had found the solution!

Jess manually developed what is now called basic strategy and counting systems ten years before someone else has done that. He counted that theoretically he had an advantage over the casino of about 3% –under the conditions of that time it was quite real. Moreover, Markum had been playing blackjack in all known to him casinos- both in the USA and abroad. His name appeared on the pages of the newspapers as an example of "lucky man" who managed to hit the jackpot.

Jess Markum also went down to history as probably the first man thrown out from the casino because of cards. Though at that time casinos did not understand that such system existed. Jess lived in Las Vegas for about a year. The casino owners exchanged the information when they gathered at the general meeting. And they were terrified. After that Markum was not admitted at all Vegas casinos. He went to Reno. The same story- in half a year after unbelievable "luck" the casino owners started making inquiries about the incredible gambler. Then other states and cities. Then Cuba, the Bahamas. Nobody knows how much money he has won during that time. One thing is known for sure- in fact, Jess Markum started the war between the gamblers and casinos in blackjack, that is still going on and getting more and more strained.

He did not share his calculations with anyone, and completely gave up playing against casino after a wide public publication of blackjack methods by other authors.

Jess Markum died in 1992, at the age of 72.

The four of Neanderthals.
The next effort of great influence on the blackjack math was made in 1956 by the group of four mathematicians- Roger Baldwin, Wilbert E. Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott.

These people had never played in casino before, having spent a great number of m/hr, they created basic strategy of playing blackjack according to the most popular at that time rules and published it together with the calculation methods in the specialized math journal for statisticians – Journal of the American Statistical Association entitled "The Optimum Strategy In Blackjack".

They made several slight mistakes in calculations which is nothing serious taking into account their enormous contribution. A year later they issued a small book Playing Blackjack to Win, which is now a bibliography rarity.

In fact their book and the article did not spark much furor, and remained almost without attention regardless of their innovative approach. However, the word almost turned out to be the key for all the gambling industry, as someone did paid close attention to the research of the excellent four.

? Copyright 2006-2007 www.bonus-map.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Arthur Prudent

Discuss poker: join a poker community

2008-02-19T19:39:00.000+07:00

The next formula is deep-rooted: have you ever thought that poker is more than a plain card game? Well, you haven’t thought it wrong. This happens because when you play poker you are entering a poker community. And, similar to what is happening in other types of communities, members of a poker community share the same enthusiasm and appetite for one common occupation: the poker game.

The development of an online poker social network takes place fairly speedily, because the need of players to chew over the game and its strategies while accompanied by the supportive, sympathetic eyes and ears of a poker buddy is pretty high. As a result, a poker social network will appear as remarkably strong and fervent: just think about the zeal, the fervor of the members of a poker community, of the particular enthusiasm they place in a game of poker, and the sometimes exuberant aspect of a poker community will no longer be a reason of astonishment.

When joining a professionally managed poker community, players themselves help at creating, expanding and maintaining a reliable, strong poker social network. By learning to connect, to communicate, members of a poker community have the chance to learn some new hot hints, some approaches of strategies they have not tried before. Therefore, it is only by means of connecting that they are improving their performances.

It is more or less similar to one well-established saying: practice makes perfect. In a poker community, it is not only your practice which helps you in the further development of you poker skills, but also the other members’ practice. Everybody’s practice and their readiness to explore their experience together as a group is the element defining not just a poker community, but communities in general.

What does a poker community offer to its members? Keep in mind that, in fact, it’s the members who are building the structure of every poker community; there exists no community if there are no members. Therefore, what do members of a poker community usually share? First of all, there will always be a segment reserved for poker news, offering detailed reviews of various poker rooms, useful information on poker legislation, and even interviews with poker professionals talking about their experience in the field.

Then there is the great possibility that affiliates to a poker community should feel like sharing some story concerning poker or, the other way around, reading something similar. Additionally, a section of frequently asked questions is generally included, just to help the entire poker community with broad-spectrum guidelines concerning issues like deposits, bonuses, potential problems during online tournaments, and so on.

Moreover, as a member you should expect that the community displays a specific segment of poker strategies, particularizing on diverse lines of attack necessary to play poker well and, of course, profitably. Furthermore, poker blogging is very popular within these communities; it’s the greatest manner of staying up-to-date with the latest experiences of all kinds of poker players.

In the end, the commonsensical rule is to share all your interest in a poker community. If you begin on an enthusiastic line, continue like this, do not just abandon after the first disappointment. Such communities are normally long-lasting because their poker playing members do not quit the updating of stories, questions, blogs, and even jokes concerning the game of poker. Regularly, this is what happens: at the beginning of your joining a community – which might just be the moment when you have learned some poker basics – you are very keen on sharing how exciting a game of poker may be and how exciting is to communicate this to other people who understand the feeling; then, as you get to know better some of the poker strategies – for instance, you begin dealing better with several bluffing circumstances – you think that learning even more would cause you no harm, so you maintain you interest in the community.

The difficult part is when it happens that things run bad for you – for instance, it might occur that one day you are outdrawn on the river each time – and when you could get discouraged. This is where the community brings its greatest assistance. One notion must be kept in mind: every poker player is important in each of the stages which mark such a community: its creation – or establishment, its development, and its maintenance.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: David Yuri

How To Learn Texas Holdem

2008-02-18T19:52:00.000+07:00

No Limit Texas Holdem is enjoyed by millions of poker buffs. As the name states, in the game there is no limit for betting. The game allows players to bet different amount of money in four betting rounds.

In this game players can bet on all of their chips, From a beginners point of view it is quite easy to play the game. However they need to be very careful on how much money they bet. The most important thing is to consider probabilities, hand rankings, and odds. It is easy to learn the rules of the game, however to win the game one need master the game to its subtle intricacies.

The game is same as the ordinary Texas Holdem. The game is played with standard 52 cards.

It starts with two cards dealt to each player. Known as Hole Cards, these cards are dealt face down. The first round of betting begins after each player is dealt with hole cards. Same as Texas Holdem, in the game also there are community cards. Known as The Flop, these cards are placed in the middle of the poker table. The players are allowed to use these cards to make the best possible poker hand.

No Limit Texas Holdem Forced Bets

Usually there are two forced bets in the game known as the Ante and the Blinds. An Ante bet is usually seen in tournament play, in which each player need to place a specified amount as bet before the game begins. The ante is not counted towards any future bets.

According to Texas Holdem rules for Blinds, two forced bets need to be placed by players on each hand. There is a small blind in the game this is half of the low limit bet size, and a big blind, which is generally same as the low limit bet size. Before each hand begins, the player positioned immediate left to the dealer is forced to post the small blind and the big blind is put up by the next player towards left. These bets are regarded as live bets as the players can select to raise even if nobody else has.

The main aim of the game is to make the best poker hand with the cards in your hand and the community cards.

The game will be a test of ones own judgment of character, mathematical skills, and common sense. The game has more money at stake when compared with the other Texas Holdem games. The potential gains and losses are also higher than other poker variations. It is better to keep off from competitive No Limit games completely If you are not a skillful player.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: christian louis

Poker: Benefits of Playing Online

2008-02-18T19:51:00.000+07:00

Playing online poker can be not only a good alternative for those who cannot visit a mortar casino, but also an educational experience of virtual gaming available these days due to technological developments. Before you engage in online poker gaming, you must explore the issue and learn the advantages of virtual gambling in order to judge this experience objectively and to avoid possible dangers hiding in the forest of virtual reality. So, in order to decide whether this form of gaming is good for you, please read on and we will discuss the advantages of virtual poker gaming.

How can online poker work to your advantage?

The first clue will be current accessibility of online poker rooms. Everyone with a computer and fast internet connection can play his favorite poker games online as we speak. In other words, online poker rooms annul the need to travel far away and spend money on plain tickets and expensive hotels if all you wish for is a decent poker game.

Furthermore, where did you see a casino open 24 hours a day seven days a week? Virtual gaming has a perfect answer to satisfy that need and to provide fun poker games online to please enthusiastic players at every given moment. All they have to do is log-in to the site and start playing from their homes.

The second clue will answer the need for fast games. In online poker rooms, poker players can play more hands, therefore if you are looking for fast games and fast profits, online poker rooms is the place to search for it.

The third clue is a nice gift for the beginners since it addresses the issue of practice game and allows players to activate their skills with play money. There is nothing wrong with a little exercise before the actual session takes place, think about it like an athlete before his next competition.

We cannot ignore the level of integrity and security that big poker rooms guarantee the players. Licensed poker rooms care about their good reputation and you can be one hundred percent sure that financial transfers and similar affairs are protected and encrypted by suitable organization.

Playing at poker rooms online brings another charming advantage - the ability to keep track of the pot odds. Computerized systems simplify this process and it is a lot easier to keep track of the pot odds when you are playing in front of your computer monitor. All the information is spread in front of you, what makes the decision process much easier and doubles your winning chances.

Of course, we must not forget the issue of confidentiality since you cannot see your virtual opponents. This option is specifically good for shy players who have the opportunity to play poker in calm atmosphere of their own room. Moreover, since you cannot bluff in online poker rooms, the game receives some democratic equality for all players involved in the online game. Your opponents will not be able to spoil your game using the oldest tricks in the book: facial expressions, mimics, body pose and verbal interaction.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Jack Reider

Caribbean Stud Poker Player

2008-02-17T16:15:00.000+07:00

Do you like Caribbean Stud Poker? I sure do. For me, it’s exciting and relaxing at the same time. I wanted to write an article for those who are new to the game or thinking about playing. One of the keys of winning at any casino game is to know the odds and tips. In Caribbean Stud Poker, players have one main decision to make. Will my hand beat the dealer’s hand? Sure, you could join a government program and try to improve your physic ability, but I rather play by the probabilities.

Hand Probability

It can really help your game if you know how often certain hands come up. Sure, anything can happen at the card table, but the following list will give you more of an advantage than if you didn’t know any of the hand probabilities. I have rounded the numbers so we don’t need to be mathematicians to understand the data.

A hand with nothing - once every 2 hands
One Pair - once every 2 hands
Two Pair - once every 21 hands
Three of a Kind - once every 47 hands
Straight - once every 256 hands
Flush - once every 526 hands
Full House - once every 694 hands
Four of a Kind - once every 4,167 hands
Straight Flush - once every 72,202 hands
Royal Flush - once every 649,351 hands

Looking at the data, we can easily see that our hands, and the dealer’s hands, will likely be one pair or nothing at all. If you hand has nothing at all, you are playing according to the highest card. If that card is not so high, it’s best to fold right away. Should your hand be at least one pair, you really have to play. The downside of the data is that the dealer is going to have a lot of non-qualifying hands, which means those nice hands will largely only get paid a flat ante fee.

Quick Caribbean Stud Tips

Tip One:

If you have at least two pairs, you must stay in. Just look at the data above. You have an excellent shot at beating the dealer. Personally, I stay in with one pair or better. It’s hard to fold that one pair when you know the dealer has a good chance of having nothing.

Tip Two:

Don’t play that progressive jackpot. I know it’s so alluring, but it will suck you dry in the end. When you finally hit something, you will have most likely put in many times the amount you won into the progressive already. Just don’t do it. If you only get a flush every 526 hands, you will be paying $526 to win $50 or $100. Not too smart.

I hope these Caribbean Stud Poker tips, and pieces of information help your game. If you are an online player, shop around. Not every game is the same. If you just can’t resist the progressive, you will be glad that you looked around for the best deal.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Will Win

Blackjack Rules

2008-02-17T16:14:00.000+07:00

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Terminology

2008-02-16T15:50:00.002+07:00

By now you, probably know that there’s a lot of money to be made playing poker online. It’s completely true. Poker players around the world are making a living by playing cards in the comfort their own homes. Many more are making good money doing the same. The majority of poker players are enjoying Texas Hold’Em. In today’s article, I am going to go over some of the initial terms that every poker player should know.

Basic Poker Terminology

Hole Cards: The first two cards dealt to you in Texas Hold’Em.

Rake: A small commission the poker room takes out for their services.

Pot: All the money that’s been wagered. The winner(s) win the pot less the rake.

All-In: When a poker player bets all of his or her chips.

River: In Texas Hold’em, this is the fifth and final card dealt to the community. Many fortunes have been won and lost on the river.

Turn: In Texas Hold’em, this is the fourth card dealt to the community.

Flop: The first three cards dealt to the community. All three are shown at once.

Call: To match a bet. For instance, if the current bet was $4, calling it would mean you bet $4 as well.

Raise: To raise a bet. For instance, if the current bet was $2 and you raise, you would first match the $2 and then raise it higher.

Fold: A folding player has given up on the hand. Any money entered into the pot is lost.

Check: To check is to pass your turn.

Blinds: The blinds are basically the players that must ante up. There is the big blind and the small blind.

Bottom Pair: The lowest pair on the board.

Top Pair: The highest pair on the board.

Buy-In: The amount of money required to play in a game of poker. For instance, if a tournament is $5+$1, the buy-in is $6 to play.

Connectors or Suited Connectors: When you have two cards that are only one rank apart, like KQ, you have connectors. If they are the same suit, you have suited connectors.

Limp: Someone that simply calls a bet pre-flop.

Nuts: When you have the best possible hand, you have the nuts.

Overpair: A pair that’s larger than anything on the board. For instance, if you have KK and the board is showing Q J 2, you have an overpair.

Rank: The rank is the numerical value of the card.

Under the Gun: The first player to act.

There you have it. Memorize these crucial poker terms and you will be well on your way to better understanding the game of poker. The only thing left to do is stake your claim to the poker riches being amassed in online poker.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Will Win

Poker Strategies for Women

2008-02-16T15:50:00.001+07:00

The gambling world is a man’s world, and poker is a man’s game, of course it does not have to be this way, and naturally there is a chance it will change sometime in the future. For now, it does not necessarily have to be a disadvantage for women gamblers. The trick is to recognize the differences between male and female players and to act on them in the best way possible.

So if you have tried you way around the internet in a few of the best online casinos and you want to try the real thing at a land based casinos, these tips are for you.

First thing about being a woman in a men’s world is that it is not far from being a tourist in a foreign country. Even tough you don’t know the code of behavior, and you are constantly make basic mistake, you being forgiven for not knowing the rules because you do not really belong here and the locals are usually very patient and understanding towards foreigners.

Inside the gambling world you can easily feel the competitive atmosphere, which brings out different qualities from the average person. I am speaking of qualities such as distrust, aggressiveness and sometimes even paranoia. At this kind of state people tend not to get close to anyone they do not know.

If you are an outsider, who appears clueless and harmless, you will be able to get information and special treatment that other players, who appear more threatening then you, wouldn’t. So it doesn’t matter how well you know the game or not, if you act as if you know close to nothing you will get a lot of inside tips that can help you win big. What is that have to do with being a woman? Well, it is easier for a man to believe that a woman knows nothing in this area then if it was a man. This is a female advantage based on a male disadvantage.

The second female advantage I would like to talk about is the natural advantage of the gender interaction. Women have the natural gift of confusing men and the last thing you do not want to do at a casino is get confused. Now I know not all man get confused by women, but it is not just a sexual thing, but also an energy kind of thing, if a woman knows how to operate her natural charm, it does not matter if the man in front of her prefer women or not.

The third female advantage is the ability to do several things at once without getting any of them damaged by another. At the poker table the players have to be concentrate on the game, on the other players and on the bettings. This ability allows you women to do all in a better concentration level then those of the male players playing against you.

The last tip, but certainly not the least, is to enjoy the game. Whether you win or lose, you have done absolutely nothing if you did not enjoy the journey.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-

Introduction to the Game of Carrom

2008-02-15T12:18:00.002+07:00

The game of Carrom is also called as Carroms which is known as a family game played on tabletop. This game has a similarity between the games, table shuffleboard and billiards. Carrom game has many kinds of names across the globe, such as carum, carrum, karam, karom, karum or simply called Indian finger billiards. The origin of this game is unsure; according to some sources this game of Carrom has an Indian origin, while some say that it has a Chinese origin. Countries like Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and North Africa seem to play a role for the origin of the Carrom game. However in the West this game is somewhat similar to billiards.

The game of Carrom is played on plain plywood which is about 74 centimeters or 29 inches. The border of the playing board in bounded with wood bumpers. Here instead of balls like in billiards, here wooden disks are used. It is also called as Carrom coins or pucks. Generally there only four types of coins, black, white, red and a striker. The aim of the game is to strike the coins with the help of the striker and move them into the corner pockets. The red colored coin/puck is called the ‘queen’. Carrom can be played with two to four players. The Carrom board has variations; it is available in smaller size for children and boards with larger corner pockets for beginners to learn the tricks and practice the game.

The American version of the game is quite different as the game is played with cue sticks with checkers or chess like patters in the middle of the board. You can note that, the corner pockets of the board are much larger than the traditional/original Carrom board. The American Carrom was played in 1950s and 1970s in South California, using larger square board and with cue sticks and wooden rings. The Filipino Carrom is played in Philippines which is called ‘pool table’ or ‘Karombola’. The Australian Carrom is similar to the Indian Carrom which is know by the trade mark ‘Puckpool’ which is played using hands without cue sticks. However the Australian Carrom is played only with eight coins, black and white coins plus with a queen or crown puck. The International Carrom Federation (ICF) is the international governing body for the game of Carrom, which has delegates from Sri Lanka, Malaysia, India, Germany, Maldives and Switzerland. The ICF sets the Laws for the Carrom game.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: sreejos

Top 2 Ways To Buy A Pool Table

2008-02-15T12:18:00.001+07:00

Possibly the most misunderstood part of pool table buying is how to really go about getting the best deal you possibly can. Heck, I sure didn’t really know how to go about it. And boy, did I want a pool table. Playing pool is great fun and I’ve spent many hours at the local bar..uh, I mean pool hall sharpening my skills. I decided that I had to have a pool table for myself. However, after buying a pool table, it becomes pretty clear that there is a right way to go about it and wrong way.

Ebay is your friend. But not for the reasons you might think. Everything in the world is for sale on Ebay. And guess what, that’s great for market research. Look at how much pools are selling for. Watch the pool table sales for a week or so. This will be a great way to get a feel for what they sell for and the different types of pool tables available in the marketplace. And, after you’ve watched a whole bunch of sales happen, you might want to start bidding on pool tables for yourself. In full disclosure, I haven’t personally bought a pool table from Ebay. Therefore, I’m not sure what sort of shipping and handling charges would be charged for a pool table. Cross country shipping could conceivably get pricey. However, it is a great research tool for everything you could imagine.

Now, this is THE best way to buy a pool table- if you can do it the right way. Why pay for a brand new pool table when you could buy one that’s almost as good but just has had a prior owner. However, as is the deal with all used equipment (of any kind): buyer beware. There is a right way to buy a used pool table. If the deal looks too good to be true, it just might be. If I’m selling a pool table for 50% off retail and it looks brand new, it might have come into the owner’s possession under dubious circumstances or it might have a defect that isn’t patently obvious to the inspector. Make sure you know all about used pool table buying or all research will have been in vain.

by: Ryan Tenney
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Josh50

How to Play Dominoes—and Why You Should!

2008-02-14T08:09:00.001+07:00

In the United States, too often the dominoes game is a pastime that falls by the wayside. We’ve got dozens of card games, chess, checkers, board games, and video games from which to choose when we’re looking to liven up an evening. That doesn’t even count the TV, movies, shopping, sports, and other entertainment that fills our free time.

Most of the rest of the world would list playing dominoes games among their favorite pastimes—if not as their most favorite pastime. You know those European and Asian “domino rally” tournaments where they set up thousands—or millions—of dominoes for hours only to knock them all over and watch a pretty pattern form for a few minutes? Well, that kind of dominoes game is not the only pastime on their minds!

The dominoes game is a game that’s been played for nearly nine hundred years. It combines the expansive table-top play of chess or checkers with the luck and approach of card games. Read over the dominoes rules below, but don’t let yourself get confused! The dominoes rules seem more complex than they are.

The most frequently played version, Double Six, is played with 28 tiles, or “bones,” each with two numbers of dots, or “pips,” from zero to six. The bones on which there are two of the same number of pips are called “double-that number,” with the double-six being the highest value bone.

To play the dominoes game, which can be played with two to four players, shuffle all of the bones facedown and let each player draw six bones that they keep hidden from the view of the other player(s). Place the leftover pile of dominoes aside, still facedown.

What’s the first of the dominoes rules? Whoever has the double-six bone plays that bone to start the dominoes game. If no one has the double-six, the next highest double-numbered bone is played. If no one has a double-numbered bone, the bones are reshuffled and the players draw again.

Play continues to the left of the first player. The next player must place a bone with at least one number that matches the first double-numbered bone. For example, if the first double-numbered bone was the double-six, the next player may play a tile that has six pips on one end and four pips on the other. He or she lines up the new tile perpendicularly to the first tile, with the matching numbers touching.

After this, there are always two chains of play as an option for each player. In this example, the next player may play another bone with six pips on one end at the opposite end of the first double-six bone or they may play any bone—double-numbered or not—with a four on it at the other end.

The double-numbered bones are the only bones that appear on the dominoes game playing table perpendicularly to the neighboring bones. Otherwise, tiles should be laid end-to-end, unless the players run out of room on the dominoes game table. If there is no more room, players are allowed to start a new chain of bones at a right angle to the other chain.

If at any time a player does not have a bone with the right number of pips to match either chain of play, they must continuously draw from the leftover bone pile until they are able to place a bone and then the play passes to the next player. If there are no leftover bones left to draw, the player must knock on the table and announce that they have to pass.

The first player to run out of bones in his or her hand wins! If you would like to play more than one dominoes game, you and the other players can decide on a predetermined amount of points, like 100, that will decide the overall winner. When a player wins a game, the other player(s) count up the pip value of al of the bones left in their hands and that amount of points is awarded to the winner.

If you can’t find anyone with whom to play a dominoes game—especially considering its inexplicable lack of overall popularity in the United States—head to the Internet to play a dominoes games online! One place to play a completely free online dominoes game is www.dominomatch.com.

You can start playing your free online dominoes game at DominoMatch.com against one to three computerized players until you get the hang of the game. If at any time you need a refresher on the dominoes rules, click on DominoMatch.com’s information page or “help” button. Once you get used to the dominoes rules and play, try playing against one to three live Internet players from around the world!

The dominoes game can be every bit as fun as Poker and every bit as challenging as checkers. With free online dominoes game sites like DominoMatch.com, playing the dominoes game is easier than ever. Take a crash course in the dominoes rules and start playing dominoes games online today!
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Groshan Fabiola

Tips for Improving your Carrom

2008-02-14T08:08:00.000+07:00

The origin of carrom game is yet unclear. It is well-liked in Asia and is played well with family and friends. It is a game of fun and rules are set aside to a minimum. In the early days there were actually no written rules and it was all hand written down by word of mouth. All games must be played with the only motive of enjoyment. As with all other games the part of contest creeps in. You desire to show that you are better than the other person in playing the game. However, if you are the loser all the time then you lose importance of carrom.

In the UK, Carrom has recently started to gain popularity and competitions are taking place at all levels. To a greater extent rules are being introduced like setting time limits among shots; not talking to your challenger in case you put them off; not being clever to stand up during a game to extend your legs; not being able to shout and leap in the air when you are unbeaten after a tricky shot etc. Adjust your move toward to the game depending on whether you are in a contest or playing for fun amongst friends. There are different ways of flicking the striker with one of your fingers. Try all of them and then choose the technique, which suits you the best. You might find later on that shifting your style might perk up on your accuracy.

Regardless of which technique you select two things are important. The first is stable your striking pass on the carom gear board with the base/edge of your palm, and/or thumb, and/or non-striking fingers. This makes sure that the striker is flicked and not pushed. The other thing is to confirm your striking finger is as close as you could to the striker, touching it if possible. This has the outcome of pushing the striker without affecting your finger. If your finger is a far away from the striker, when you flick it your nail will hit the striker that could simply cause pain in your finger. If you get more pain than pleasure from this game I don't think you should desire to continue playing, otherwise it is the most brilliant game to be played for fun.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: sreejos

Use Psychology to Win at Chess

2008-02-13T21:11:00.000+07:00

Have you watched any tennis or snooker recently. How many times have you seen the players stop dead before the serve or take a shot because someone in the crowd has coughed or flashed their camera. All these years practicing and a small noise can put them off so much that they refuse to play until the noise has abated. What has this got to do with chess strategies? Well I do not condone trying to put your opponent off but I have studdied psychology at university and know that very small changes in behaviour can have a detrimental effect on your opponents concentration. And to me this is all part of the chess strategies we can use.

Here is an example. I played the other day against a player I know all to well. He attacks with his bishops, usually both on the same file and this can be devastating against an opponent. Now if you have read my previous essays you will have noted that I go against the grain and like to take at least one of my opponent's Knights out when I get the chance as I hate playing against 2 attacking knights and my opponent knew this as well. Nevertheless, 6 moves into the game and I changed strategies and exchanged his Bishop for my Knight. He was totally perplexed by this this and I could see him trying to think of another strategy he could use which would not include 2 Bishops.

But more importantly was his attitude to the game. I could see from his expressions that he was desperate to beat me now but every time he developed a piece which looked threatening I would exchange it for one of my undeveloped pieces. In the end he made to uncharacteristic mistakes and lost the game. I had totally put him off his stride and won.

During most games I have anticipated my opponent's next 3 moves at least. Therefore when it comes to my move I usually play quite quickly especially if I have set a trap and my opponent has walked into it. I think it is only human to play quickly straight after she has moved to show that it was a plan and you had calculated this out from the very start My advice: Don't do it I have lost a number of games doing this where I thought I had considered ever possible move my opponent could make only to find she knew one more and scuppered my strategy. Always take at least 1 minute to go over your next move again. Now his piece is in position it will be easier to see if there is any flaws in your plan. This is using psychology as it shows you think out every move thouroughly and this can install negative thoughts into your opponent.

By the way, on the subject of taking your time over each move, it is quite acceptable to stand up and stretch your legs. Take your eyes away from the board and rest them. Think about something else for a minute then come back to the board a little fresher. Have a look at the you and your opponents position and reevaluate it. It is amazing what you will find which you may have overlooked. Walk behind your opponent and have a quick look at the board from his end. You my be surprised and what the pattern of play looks like from this angle. Do not spill hot coffee down the back of his neck this is not acceptable. Taking a long time to think about your next move does agitate opponents. Does it not agitate you?

By the way, a short walk before any major chess game will help you feel refreshed and ready to go. A bar of chocolate and a cup of coffee have been proven to increase your brain power so go for it. Back to the game .

Never show any concern or emotions during a game of chess. Even if you lose your Queen in the first few moves. Play on as if it is a strategy and tactic which you always use. Remember it is a GAME of chess. What is the worst that could happen. Get over it and get on with the game. I have lost major pieces through my own carelessness at the beginning of many games and have fought back to win. Remember, a Queen is not usually used until the middle game as it is quite dangerous to bring her at the start as she is easily trapped. Therefore, use this knowledge to your advantage. At the beginning losing your Queen will not affect the game that much apart from psychologically. You must put it to the back of your mind and use all the pieces including the pawns to work as a unit to ultimately win the game. Take a leaf out of football,s book. How many times has a player been sent off but the team playing with only 10 men hold out for a draw or even win. This is because all the players double their efforts. the pressure is off as they are not expected to win. They work as a single unit fighting and battling for each other. Remember, your opponent is a piece up and may now be complacent. Concentrate on traps and tricks, forks and pins to get your piece back.Pounce on any mistakes she makes she makes. Try to spring an attack out of the blue on her King before she realises what has hit her.

As soon as you have made a mistake do not show any emotion but put a very slight rye smirk on your face. You want her to thing this is a sacrifice and you are willing her to take the bait. Do not say anything as this would be deemed unsporting. You never know, she may refuse to take your piece if you
put on a good act.

Finally, one of the oldest chess strataegey cons in the book to put your opponent off. Concentrate your eyes on one side of the board while planning to attack the other side. You can learn more chess strategies at: chessstrategy.blogspot.com

You can do it: Use psychology

For more visit
http://chessstrategy.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Barry Newton

How to use trial carrom board?

2008-02-13T10:31:00.001+07:00

Trial carrom board is other wise called as Warm-up carrom board. There are two trial boards before starting the carrom game.

• A player needs to take the trial board very seriously as these two boards are extremely supportive in game of carrom. These two boards give you potency and power to play the carrom.

• A Player needs to set his / her sitting place i.e. body position, Height etc.

• A Player needs to sense the carrom board’s setting i.e. any kind of abnormality in board.

• A player needs to spot carrom board’s speed.

• A Player needs to perceive his / her striker speed and if roughing required then use roughing paper.

• A Player needs to get ready and try to pocket a carrom coin as you are playing a Real game.

• A Player needs to distinguish the opponent susceptibility of playing his power and weakness.

• A Player has to regulate in the surroundings, like crowd etc. so these two boards are most excellent to adjust.

• A player could make good control and attention in game.

• The Trial carrom boards are the possibility of preparation.

• The Trial carrom boards are not to loiter or not to play as it is a rule.

There are many people that don’t take trial carrom board seriously and because of that they loss first two to three boards as those board work trial for them and as of that they could loose their confidence. These are like warming up boards and every player needs to take up the profit for it. The ultimate objective of the carrom game is to tap a striker to hit and pocket your carrom coin. The coin could be pocketed into any pocket. Depending on type of game played, either some or all the carrom coin is genuine to be targeted or trial board gives you practice to do this.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: sreejos

Preparing a Carrom Board

2008-02-12T19:44:00.001+07:00

The main objective of the carrom game is to flick a striker to hit and pocket your carrom coin. The coin could be pocketed into any pocket. Depending on type of game played, either some or all the carrom coin is legitimate to be targeted.

Play Preparation

Set the playing coins in the middle of the carrom board. Players should stay seated all through the game. Decide which player suppose to the start first shot (or break). The break then alternates and then rotates from player to player.

Carrom Scores

Carrom is generally played to 29 points. With a greatest of 14 points on the table, a game might need the board to be set up at least three times, often more.

• The score is only added up at the end of a “board”
• Only the champion of that “board” scores all points
• The winner gets one point for each of the opponents pieces remain on the board
• The winner scores a 5 point extra (the queens’ premium) if one pocketed and covered the queen.

Foul shots

Foul shots could result from unintentional, irresponsible or bitter play and involves payment of a penalty if they occur. There are a number of foul shots for which penalties might be applied:

• pocketing your striker
• pocketing an challengers piece
• pocketing the final coin before the queen
• pocketing an challengers last coin before the queen
• Making any coin or striker leave the table.

The fouling piece is as well returned to play with the challenger being capable to place any returned or penalty coins anywhere in the middle circle.
If a foul shot happens before any coins have been pocketed then a “due” is owed and should be paid as soon as possible.

Other illegal shots

Other shots, which might be deemed illegal and could incur a penalty or even worse, disqualification, are:

• Pushing the striker intentionally
• Striking with any part of the body spanning a “foul line”
• striking from an unlawful position
• Standing up and pushing the coin
• Striking backwards from the carrom board

Back shots

Many versions of the carrom permit back shots. This typically makes for a quicker game. Back shots are best carried out using the thumb that keeps the body within the foul lines.

Cut Moon

The circles at every end of the carrom board might not be partially covered. The striker must cover it totally or not at all.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: sreejos

Basics laws of Carrom board

2008-02-12T17:44:00.000+07:00

Playing Surface

The playing surfaces of a carrom board suppose to be of plywood or could even be of any other wood. The only criterion is it should be equally smooth and not less than 8 mm in thickness and of a smallest amount of 73.50 cm and an utmost of 74 cm square with its surface totally smooth. A Carrom Board should be capable to have at least three and a half runs of a usually smooth Striker of 15 Gms weight, when hit with the greatest force, from one of the Bale lines, to the contradictory frame of the Carrom Board.

Frames

Adjoining the playing base of the Carrom Board there have to be wooden frames with in curved corners shaped of Rosewood or any other hard wood with high-quality resistance, with a minimum height of 1.90 cm and a greatest of 2.54 cm from the playing base. The breadth of the frame should not be less than 6.35 cm and even not be more than 7.60 cm. Suitable bracings shall be offered beneath the playing base and fastened with the frame.

Pockets

The pockets of the four corners where carrom coin drops of the Carrom Board should be round inwardly and not outwardly and be of 4.45 cm in diameter with allowable disparity of not more than 0.15 cm. The piece of plywood adjacent the corners of the frame should be cut off.

Arrows

There should be four Arrows, all black in color, of not more than 0.15 cm thickness should be drawn at each corner of the Carrom Board at an position of 45 degrees to any of the adjoining sides and each of them should pass through the gap among the two Base circles and point towards the centre of the strike leaving a obvious distance of 5.00 cm from the edge of the other pocket.

Centre Circle

Exactly in the centre of the Carrom Board there has to be a circle of 3.18 cm in diameter drawn only in black color with admissible variation of 0.16 cm. It need to be known as the Centre Circle and shall be colored in red.

Outer Circle

A circle of 17.00 cm in diameter with the centre point of the Carrom as its centre should be drawn black in colour with an admissible variation of 0.30 cm. It shall be called the Outer Circle. Any pretty design in this circle is also permissible.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: sreejos

All about Carrom Grip

2008-02-11T20:22:00.000+07:00

The most important aspect of carrom board players is their grip. Having a proper grip is very vital for having consistency accuracy in ones stroke. Here in this article we would examine some of the basic grip configurations and discuss their advantages and disadvantages as well.

The Straight Grip

Straight grip is probably the most commonly used grip in carrom today in all the forms. For the straight grip, the hand is held palm side down, with your finger tips staying lightly on the carrom boards. You wrist has to rest on the frame of the carrom. The shot is then made by your index finger (or at times by the middle finger also) with a slow forward “push” of by your finger. Many player of carrom believe that if they hold the striker between the thumb and third finger, and then release the striker as they are making the stroke on a carrom coin, it adds greater stability and increased accuracy to their shot.

A common mistake is normally made by the starter; that is to “cock” their index finger behind the tip of the thumb, and then release the finger violently, “stapling” the striker with the tip of their finger. This could in turn have a bad result, and more significantly, it becomes very difficult to have accuracy level when making such shot in this style. A better way is to rest the index finger lightly on the carrom boards, straight behind and simply touch the striker, and then make a shot with slight “push” of the finger. This approach would in turn result in far better accuracy and more fun experience of the game.

The Scissor Grip

Scissor grip is less common grip that is used for forward shots. In scissor grip, the stroke is made by the middle finger that is laid horizontal on the carrom board and perpendicular to the planned path way of the striker. The index finger stays atop the middle finger, holding it back until the moment of release that offers a “snap”, which could make great power when performed correctly. As a result, many players who use the straight grip for their usual shots are recognized as to use the scissor grip when breaking.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: sreejos

Roulette: most glamorous and social casino games in the world

2008-02-10T12:08:00.000+07:00

Roulette is a casino and gambling game named after the French word meaning "small wheel". In playing the Roulette game, your objective is to pick the winning number that will appear on the Dal Negro Roulette Wheels.

There are actually 3 main versions of the game; French Roulette, American Roulette, and British Roulette.

In the game a croupier spins a wheel in one direction, then spins a ball in the opposite direction around a tilted circular surface running around the circumference of the wheel. The ball eventually falls onto the wheel and into one of 37 (for European Roulette) or 38 (for American Roulette) colored and numbered pockets on the wheel.

Roulette is one of the most glamorous and social casino games in the world today. Contrary to its image, the game is very simple and easy to learn and play.

The entire range of roulettes proposed by Dal Negro all have wheels mounted on ball bearings. These quality roulette sets are made of solid sapelli mahogany. Both roulettes and mats are available in the classic version as well as the "double zero" version:

- De luxe roulette set
- Roulette Montecarlo cm 50
- Roulette Montecarlo cm 50
- Roulette cm 35
- Roulette fantasy set 35 cm
- Roulette montecarlo cm 36

Roulette has a rich history. Today, the game is considered one of the most glamorous of all the casino games despite its simple rules. James Bond, in the 007 movies, immortalized the glitz and pomp surrounding this popular gambling game.

The main pockets are numbered from 1 to 36 alternating between red and black, but the pockets are not in numerical order around the wheel, and there are instances of consecutive numbers being the same color. There is a green pocket numbered 0, and in American Roulette there is also a second green pocket marked 00.

Players can place a variety of ’inside’ bets and ’outside’ bets. The payout odds for each type of bet is based on its probability.

In playing the Roulette game, your objective is to pick the winning number that will appear on the Roulette wheel.

There are usually posted rules for table minimum and maximum bets, and these rules usually apply separately for all of a players ’inside’ and ’outside’ bets for each spin.

Other than the individual numbers, you can also bet on the combination of numbers or choose the color, odd or even. For many newbie, it is not as easy as it seems. Hence, let go back to the basic to learn how to play Roulette and understand what your chances to win in Roulette game are.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Michele De Capitani

Teaching a Child Chess

2008-02-10T12:07:00.000+07:00

Raising children in the world today has become much more complicated than it was even 20 years ago. Among some of the influences that seek to effect the youth of today are a "got to have it now attitude" and related to that, a lack of foresight as to how choices will have consequences later. There seems to be a deteriorating of values and concern with basic moral character. Responsibility, effect of choices and thinking before acting are among these traits. With the world becoming more complicated children need these skills to be equipped to meet its expectations, challenges and the many problems that will arise. A person does not need to go to extremes to help their child, its as simple as teaching the game of chess.

Benjamin Franklin said, "Chess teaches foresight, by having to plan ahead; vigilance, by having to keep watch over the whole chess board; caution, by having to restrain ourselves from making hasty moves; and finally, we learn from chess the greatest maxim in life - that even when everything seems to be going badly for us we should not lose heart, but always hoping for a change for the better, steadfastly continue searching for the solutions to our problems." Some say chess is just a game, after all, but what it teaches seems to put its position higher.

The traits that chess develops not only effect the game, but help develop the skills to be applied to all of life. There is not just one skill required to play chess, but several working together. With a game lasting at times hours, chess teaches focus. Many things want a person’s attention and the ability to focus on what is before you allows for the problem to receive full attention and to be solved. One move can lose the game and before a piece is moved a player needs to think about the possible effects that move will have, this teaches thinking ahead. Concentration is required to play chess. Each choice needs to be made consciously and deliberately, not just making a move to make it, but deciding the best move. There is no force of a choice or move to be made in a certain amount of time and this teaches responsibility of choice and consequences. Chess not only requires these skills, but allows for them to be developed. With the complexities involved in chess some may wonder if it really is a game for children.

Learning chess is a natural progression, and as a child grows and matures their skills will develop and the complexity of the game will increase for them. A child can start to learn the pieces, points and direction of movement as young as 4 or 5. There are many ways to help a child learn strategies, understand the effects of their choices and be able to see things from their opponent’s view. One important tool for an adult to use to teach chess is asking questions. For example, as you are contemplating a move, ask the child the value of that piece, explain why are you doing something or ask what might happen if that piece is moved. Another helpful thing to do is to turn the board once, or more during a game. This not only allows for a child to gain back the advantage and help them be successful, but it also allows for them to learn perspective and how a move or placement of pieces looks to the other player. They need to not only see the possible moves they can make on their side, but their opponents as well. Another helpful skill is to encourage them think forward to how a move will effect the board, and how will the board look after their move. Encourage them to make two to three moves in their mind before moving a piece instead of doing the first one that they see. This will help them look forward to the consequence of their choice and train their minds to think before they act. Encourage them to gain ownership of their game by asking questions about why they did something and getting them to explain their thought process out loud. This will allow them to feel responsible for their own decisions. Never throw the game. Winning needs to be earned to allow for feelings of accomplishment, it does not help a child to be given the win. They should also sometimes play against someone their level, they will win sometimes, lose sometimes, but will learn to be gracious in both instances.

Just a game? Perhaps, but the skills developed will benefit a player beyond the scope of the game. Their mind is sharper, their thinking more complex and their ability to make choices and feel responsible for those choices has increased. Who better to benefit from learning these skills than a child?
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Francesca Black

Free Play vs. Real Money Online Backgammon

2008-02-09T17:59:00.000+07:00

Online backgammon is a popular game that has been played in many different cultures for thousands of years. This game for two combines elements of luck and skill which is what makes it fun and enjoyable. Backgammon is often played for real wagers but can also be played for fun. With the dawn of the Internet age came a flood of classic games that have been adapted for the Internet and can be played online via gaming software. The great part about such software is that it allows people to play for free or for real money games.

Backgammon online is readily available on the internet and online software simulation programs have made great strides since they were first introduced more than 10 years ago. Players can easily play backgammon against either a real opponent or the computer. Once they have selected from a number of different software providers available on the net, they can download the software and play backgammon online.

Alternatively, some software is available in no-download flash version. This is what’s called browser-based gaming and rather than download the software to the PC and install it, the player can simply click and play right in a web browser like internet explorer. The may also offer several backgammon game choices like one-on-one of a freeroll tournament. It’s always recommended that the player firs read the online backgammon rules before choosing a game to play. Tournaments for instance may have special rules regarding entrance fees and minimum number of players.

Real money online backgammon has gained a lot of popularity in recent years with players from all around the globe, but you don’t have to always wager money in order to play. Many online software games are available in free play mode. This is a fun way to learn the game and to practice your playing skills. It can also be an effective way to improve your strategy and technique. Once a player has built up his skills and confidence at free backgammon, it is then time to try out a few real money games.

Remember that real money backgammon is serious business and you may be up against some skilled players with a lot of experience, so be sure you are ready to play before you play backgammon online for money. There are many sites and portals on the net that are completely dedicated to the game of backgammon so be sure to take advantage of all that free information. That, in conjunction with free play games, will help you improve your skills and ultimately your overall chances of winning.

Internet backgammon is a great pastime hobby that combines the luck of dice rolls with real player skills. You need to think quick and read the backgammon board in order to succeed at this game. Try free play software to polish your abilities at online backgammon and then try out a real money game.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Gene Marshall

Learn The Right Moves For Sucessful Chess Play

2008-02-09T17:58:00.000+07:00

For many people they find the tactics and strategy of chess play very complicated, even computers are unable to work out the best strategy against every situation in a game of chess. As there are literally millions of different possibilities involved in each game of chess it is impossible for us to evaluate them all.

Over the years chess strategy has gradually been getting more advanced and the Chess Masters who write books about their various strategies will eventually influence the next generation of chess players to come along. It also means that being able to observe a particular player’s strategy can often make it easier for other players to work out how to beat them, despite them not knowing much about the game of chess itself.

Whilst the more advanced chess play strategies and tactics can take some one years even a life time to learn and in fact you will soon discover it is pretty much impossible to learn everything about the game of chess. However, below are 2 of the more basic moves which should help get you started.

Generally the most common move made in any game of chess is to ensure that you pin the other player’s pieces. What we mean by pinning is that you use one of your pieces to stop your opponent from one of theirs and thus allowing you to take one of their more important pieces such as the Rook or Queen. Certainly a more skilled chess player will be able to easily stop you from moving anywhere and thus controlling not only their side of the board but yours as well.

Then there is the skewer move which is very similar to the pin move, but only the other way around. So the more important piece (Rook or Queen) is at the front and the less important one is behind. Although it looks as though you are moving your most important piece into the line of fire you have actually in reality got it covered. Thus if your opponent decides to take your important piece they will then leave their most important piece open to be taken by your less important one. Because of this your opponent will be forced to move their more important piece out of the line of fine and leaving their weaker ones that are behind open to attack.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Lee Dobbins -

[25]How To Play Backgammon - Moving Your Backgammon Chips

2008-01-10T10:31:00.000+07:00

When you are ready to play backgammon, after setting up your backgammon chips and understanding the board, it can be just as confusing as learning the set up of the board itself. There are specific rules to playing backgammon and this article is going to show you just how to begin your first game.

After setting up the board, choosing which backgammon chips you will use, black, or white, and you are ready to play; it is time to grab the dice. Each player rolls one dice to determine who goes first. Depending upon how you decided to play, the first player will either use that roll for his or her move, or they will roll again.

When it comes to moving your backgammon chips, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, you will always move forward, never backwards. However, keep in mind that you will be moving against your opponent and vice versa. Your goal is to move your chips to your inner board. Now how you move your backgammon chips will be determined your dice roll. Now since you have two dice, you have two choices. Each number will represent one point. For example, if you roll a 5 and a 3, the 5 represents five points, the 3 represents three points on the board.

Now, for you this could mean moving two backgammon chips or one, depending on your strategy and availability. In other words, you can move one of your chips five points and another one of your pieces three points. On the other hand, you can even opt to move one dice eight points if you have an open path.

Now determining an open path is a little more difficult. The main thing to be watchful for is a point that has more than two of your opponent’s chips on it, which means a block, you cannot move your chips onto this spot. The only points your chips can land on are those containing your own chips, vacant, or those with just one of your opponents chips on them. If you have no legal moves, you have to forfeit your turn. In some cases, you may be able to legally move one chip, but not others, you will have to take this move.

Now a special case is when you roll doubles with the dice. In other words, if you were to roll two threes, you would have a variety of options available for moves. In this instance, you could move backgammon chips as followed:

- One chip twelve points
- Two chips six points (per chip)
- One chip nine points, as well as one chip three points
- Two chips three points (per chip), as well as another chip six points
- Four chips three points (per chip)

Now, you will notice above when I mentioned your backgammon chips can land on a space occupied by only one of your opponents chips. This chip is referred to as a blot, you landing on it constitutes an attack. Now, when you have landed on a point with your opponents chip on it, the chip will then need to be removed from the board. It is placed on the bar in the center of the board.

Now what is good about the blot is the fact that your opponent cannot make any other moves until they can legally move the blot from the center piece and it can only be moved into the inner board, which is like them starting all over again. The bad part of the blot is the fact that it can happen to you as well.
To win the game, you must have all your pieces on your inner board. This means they must all be on your one through six points. Then you can begin the “bear off” part of the game, which is essentially removing your pieces from the board on your rolls. The first person to rid all of their backgammon chips from the board wins. You can obtain a double victory, however, if your opponent fails to bear any of their chips off the board. Now, to the name of the game, if your opponent has not reached the bear off phase and there are still any blots sitting on the bar or any chips within your side of the inner table, you are awarded Backgammon, which is a triple victory.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Lee Dobbins -

[24]The Brief History of Bingo

2008-01-10T10:30:00.000+07:00

Bingo originated from a lottery in Italy at the beginning of the 16th century. When Italy was unified in 1530, the country-wide lottery named Lo Gioco del Lotto d’Italia was born. Lo Gioco Del Lotto d’Italia, now called Lotterie Nazionali, is still played in Italy every Saturday and it has become an important revenue source for the Italian government.

At some point it migrated from Italy to France where it became very popular among the wealthy upper-class under the name of Le Lotto in the late 1700’s. The initial Le Lotto cards had three rows and nine columns with five numbers and four blank spots placed randomly in each row. The first column had numbers from one to ten, the second from 11 to 20 and so on up to 90. Numbers were wooden tokens drawn from a sack by a caller. Each player had one card and the first player to cover all five numbers in a horizontal row was declared the winner.

During the 1800s, Germans used a different variation of the game for educational purposes mainly to teach their kids the multiplication table.

Bingo was brought to the United States during the 1920s by a pitchman whose name is now lost in the annals of history. Prior to coming to the United States the pitchman was traveling with a carnival in Germany where he came across the game called Lotto. He modified a few rules and called it Beano. Players used beans to cover the numbers and shouted Beano! when horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines were covered.

Edwin S. Lowe, a toy salesman from New York, was driving to Jacksonville, Georgia in December of 1929. He was a few miles away from the city when he was attracted by the lights of a county fair. He stopped and was mesmerized by the room full of people playing Beano. He waited ‘till late at night and after the game, spoke to the pitchman who told him the story of how he came up with the game.

When Lowe returned to New York, he started playing the game with his friends at home. One night when calling the numbers, he saw that one woman was getting very excited and when she closed the line her tongue froze and she stuttered “B-b-bingo” by mistake. And that’s how the name came to be.

At the beginning, Lowe only had 24 unique cards in the bingo set and the next step in Bingo evolution is owed to a Catholic priest from Pennsylvania whose parish was suffering from a lack of donations. The Father purchased few of Lowe’s sets and used them in the same game to raise charity and, of course, quickly realized there was more than one winner in each draw.

To solve the problem, Lowe hired professor of mathematics at Columbia University, Carl Leffler, to make 6,000 bingo cards with unique number combinations. The professor delivered, but lost his sanity in the process. In the 1930s, bingo spread like fire throughout churches across the nation.

After this, it was impossible for Lowe to thwart the imitators so he graciously asked them to pay one dollar a year in fees and called the game Bingo.

Nowadays, bingo is played everywhere worldwide – in churches, at social gatherings, at fund raisers, etc.

Online bingo is gaining popularity very fast due to its convenience – sometimes we are too tired to drive to the bingo hall and nothing is more relaxing than a few games of bingo. You can also play free bingo online if you don’t feel like spending a buck or two.

Bob Acton

Bingo Online
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Bob Acton

[23]Is BackGammon Really As Confusing As It Looks?

2008-01-10T10:29:00.000+07:00

A game for two players, Backgammon is played on a board of twenty-four long triangles (points), which are divided by a thick line that distinguishes the outer board from the home board. Each of the points are numbered 1 through 24, though Player 2s points are numbered exactly opposite of player 1s. For instance, Player 1’s starting point in the home board is point 1 to her, but is point 24 to player 2. Both players begin the game with fifteen checkers (White for Player 1, Red for Player 2). The players respectively start with five checkers on their Thirteen Point, three on their eight point, and five on their six point.

Aside from the board and checkers, players also have two sets of regular dice and one doubling die (with 2-64 on its sides), as well a dice cup. Rolls of the regular dice signify how much movement the player is allotted. If the player rolls a six and two, for instance, they may either move one checkers eight points forward, or one checker six points forward, and another checker two points forward. Checkers must always be moved toward one’s home board. The object of moving one’s checkers is to have all of them into one’s home board, and then to move them off of the board (Called bearing off, or sometimes shoving off.)

Even when one chooses to use both of his dice moves on a single checker, it is still considered two separate moves. Therefore, on a six and two roll, one may only move a single checker eight spaces if the intermediate point on the board does not have an enemy checker on it. If one rolls a double, they may move their checker(s) forward by the amount shown, twice. This is considered four moves instead of two, and the rule about intermediate points still applies.

A player must use all of his available dice movement, unless this is impossible. If one movement or another is possible, but not both, the player must use the largest movement. If neither dice roll can be used, that player is blocked and loses his turn.

An open point has no checkers on it. An occupied point has more than one of the opponent’s checkers on it. When there is a point with one enemy checker on it, it is referred to as a blot. If an opponent
lands on a blot, the checker previously occupying that point is placed and is hit, and knocked out of play (generally placed on the thick bar which divides the backgammon board.)

When a player has checkers out of play, it is his obligation to put them back in: the dice roll corresponds to the opponents points incases of re-entering the backgammon board. For instance, if player one rolled a five and a two, she could put that checker onto either her opponent’s five space, or her opponent’s two space. If the dice roll presents her with only blocked spaces, she loses her turn.

Bearing off, the final process that a player must undergo in order to win, can only occur when all of his checkers are in his home board. While bearing off, the dice rolls correspond with numbers on the player’s home board. For instance, if player 2, while all of his pieces are on his own home board points, rolls a one and a four, he may bear off a checker from the one and four position. If a player, while bearing off, has no checkers in the designated point, he must make a legal move with a checker on a higher number. If no legal moves remain, he must bear off one checker. The first player to shove off all of her checkers wins.

The doubling dice is used to set and keep track of the stakes for the game. A player, during his turn, may offer to double the stakes at any time. If the other player refuses, she loses a point and concedes the current game. Otherwise, she accepts the doubling of the stakes and continues playing. The player who accepts the double then has possession over the doubling dice, and he is the only one who can offer to double the stakes. The dice is passed back and forth in this manner.

If the game ends and the losing player has shoved off at least one checker, she only loses the point value shown on the doubling dice. If, however, she has not shoved any checkers off, she is Gammoned, and loses twice the point value shown on the doubling dice. A player becomes Backgammoned when they lose the game without any shoved off checkers while having a checker in stasis (out of play on the bar) or in the enemy’s home board.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Bill Urell

[22]Dice Sports Games That Are Fun; The Baseball Game

2008-01-10T10:28:00.000+07:00

This is the third installment in a world of incredibly fun sports games played with dice. In the first installment I taught you how to play the college version of Dice Football. Then in the second you learned the Pro Football dice game. Now it is Dice Baseball, which is the first dice game that I ever invented. Just as in my football games you will need two dice, notebook paper and a pen or pencil to play dice baseball.

You will recall that in the college football game you got your box score set up so that you can begin the game and just take turns for four quarters. In the baseball game you will have to make a box score sheet that has nine boxes split in half. These two halves represent the home team and the visitors. Remember that in baseball the home team always bats last and should be on the bottom of the two box halves.

As in real baseball each team rolls for nine innings. The exception of course is the home team. If the home team is winning after the visitor has finished his half of the ninth, then there is no need for the home boys to roll the ninth. Just like in real baseball the game is over and the dice can hit the showers.

Batting is pretty simple. Each team gets to start their half of an inning by rolling the dice once. If the two die total an even number then they can roll again. That is because even dice totals equal one single. An even dice total will be one of the following combinations; 1+3=4, 1+5=6, 2+4=6, 2+6=8, 3+5=8, 4+6=10. If the next roll yields an even number then there has been another hit. Now in baseball terms this means that there are, two men on base. The rolling player now gets a third roll. As you can see where this is going, another even number means that the bases are loaded. A fourth consecutive even dice result will bring home the first run and each consecutive roll will continue to bring home runners until the roller finally rolls an odd dice total.

Any odd dice total represents the end of an inning. Thus, if a player rolls an odd number on his first roll, then that inning is over. The odd dice totals are as follows; 1+2=3, 1+4=5, 1+6=7, 2+3=5, 2+5=7, 3+4=7, 3+6=9, 4+5=9, 5+6=11. A really cool thing to do during this game is to see if you can get a no-hit game. You can do this by simply putting a dot in the innings that a player rolls an odd number. You can start this on their initial first inning roll. Each consecutive inning thereafter that the player continues to perform a first odd roll continues the no-hitter up until the player finally rolls an even number. If they fail to roll at least one even number in nine innings that means you pitched a no-hitter. Time to call Cooperstown!

So where are the homeruns? I bet you are glad that I asked. Any time a player rolls a double-dice roll, he has hit a Homerun! That is all that it takes; doubles aka, two of a kind. Better yet, if there are any men on base then they score with the homerun. Yes, with the bases loaded a homerun is a grand slam.

This is an example of how the baseball game can be played. Let us say the visitors roll a 2+3 on his initial first inning roll. The visitors inning is considered over and with no hits. The home team rolls a 4+6 (10) on the first roll. That represents a base hit or one man on base. The home player then rolls a 3+5 (8) thus getting a second man on base. Then he rolls a 1+4 (5). The inning is over. End result of the first inning is 0 to 0.

The visitor starts his second inning with a pair of threes (3+3). Boom, he hit a homerun. He then rolls a 2+5 (7), which means the inning is over. The visitor has scored a run in their half of the second and leads the game, 1 to 0. The home team starts with a 2+4 (6) single. Then on the next roll the home player rolls a pair of fours (4+4). The home player has hit a two run homerun since there was a man already on base. The next roll is a 3+4 (7) out and that ends the second inning with the home team ahead, 2-1.

Now for the rest of the game neither team scores again until the ninth inning when the visitor strings together six consecutive even numbers before rolling the inevitable odd number. That means the visitor scored three runs and now leads the game, 4-2. Then the home team follows with three consecutive rolls of doubles (homeruns); which means they won the game, 5-4. What a comeback!

If the score ends in a tie after nine innings then just keep playing one inning at a time until someone finally wins. That is what baseball calls, extra-innings. In the next article I will attempt to teach you about the college basketball dice games. Till then, keep on rolling.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[21]Beginners Backgammon: How Tough Is It?

2008-01-10T10:27:00.000+07:00

Just how challenging is backgammon to play? It’s a question anyone new to the game will ask. Quite truthfully, the game is not that challenging. The basic rules are fairly simple so that anyone can pick up the game. But playing expertly can be a challenge because a lot of the correct plays can be counter-intuitive.

Placement of one’s checkers can be essential to actually winning a game, as leaving yourself open to hits isn’t very smart. But moving around the board to your home area can take some thinking and good dice rolls. It may sound contradictory, but in the beginning of a game it’s must better to leave a checker open to a hit, rather than later. That is because it’s much easier to get back on the board and through your opponents home board in the beginning when they won’t have many checkers there to block you in as later in the game. This can be determined by odd dice rolls early on and help you later in the game to win by getting past your opponent with those individual checkers.

One thing that is a challenge in the game is setting up a five-point in your opponent’s home board (defensive anchor). This is will keep your opponent from bearing in if you can accomplish it. Another good thing about pulling off this move is making sure your opponent can’t block you out if they hit you. This move also takes some luck with the dice to only move your two checkers in your opponents’ home board to the five-point location however other hit checkers may jump in to help make that anchor too.

On the same note, you will want to get your own five-point filled up to keep your opponent in your home board when you hit them. This won’t be as difficult if you have a opening roll of 3 and 1 or if you slot a piece down there and don’t get hit on your opponents roll. But trying to do both without losing too many checkers to hits can be hard if the dice are not giving you what you need.

Playing the game will teach you how to win by learning what you can each time. Playing against better players will teach you other ways to win. But these tips can make it easier to challenge the next person you play. And possibly make them wonder just how long you have been playing.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Shawn Somerville

[8/20]Common Men’s Health Issues that you Should be Concerned About

2008-01-03T14:09:00.000+07:00

It is well known that men are much less likely than women to seek basic
or routine preventative medical care. However, there are certain
common men’s health problems that are treatable if caught early enough, but
can be permanently debilitating or even fatal if they are not detected
until symptoms make themselves known. Common issues of this type
include heart disease, prostate problems, and hypertension. These are all
potentially silent killers that can be prevented or treated if detected
early enough.

Heart disease is the most common killer of both men and women in
America. In the U.S., an estimated 61.8 million people live with
cardiovascular disease. The sad fact is that most Americans eat high fat
diets and do not exercise much if at all. This leads to high cholesterol levels
that can block the crucial cardiac arteries causing heart muscle failure or can
lead to blood clots elsewhere in the body that can progress to the
heart and cause a heart attack. Fortunately, if heart disease is detected
before major damage to the heart muscle has occurred then treatments
are available. Lifestyle changes are the first line of defense in prevention and
treatment of cardiovascular disease. Medical interventions range from drugs to surgery. Taking medication and by following a physician approved program of diet and exercise means that men can live a long and full life, even with heart disease.

The statistics on prostate cancer are grim. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, excluding skin cancers, in American men. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that during 2006 about 234,460 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States.It is estimated that eighty percent of men who reach the age of eighty will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. As Americans continue to live longer lives, the overall impact of prostate cancer is becoming more prevalent. Fortunately, prostate cancer is easily treated if it is detected early in the disease’s
progression. For this reason, it is very important that men over the
age of forty receive annual prostate examinations. Typically, the
progression of prostate cancer is quite slow, and many people can live with
the disease for years without experiencing any symptoms.

Some of prostate cancer Symptoms:
Increase in urination frequence, specially at night.
Difficulty in starting urination with painful or burning sensation
Painful ejaculation
Blood in urine or semen
Pain or stiffness in the back, hips, or upper thighs

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is often called "the silent
killer" because it is usually asymptomatic until a heart attack or stroke
occurs. For this reason, everyone should receive regular blood pressure
screenings regardless of age or sex. If caught early enough,
hypertension can be treated via medication and/or by change in lifestyle.

By: Simmi Virdi

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/19]Learn To Play Chess Today

2008-01-03T14:08:00.001+07:00

Have you ever watched a chess game and wondered how the heck the game works?

On one level it looks kind of like checkers, but not all the pieces are shaped the same and they move in strange and mysterious ways. If you've ever wanted to be one of those intelligent looking folks sitting on either side of the chess table, then this guide can help you learn how to play. It's not that difficult and you can even be playing your first game by the end of the day!

To make it easier to talk about chess pieces and moves on the board, a special method of notation has been devised. In chess the rows on the board are called ranks and the columns are files. In this notation the files are identified with a letter and the ranks are identified with a number. So when looking at a chessboard from the "white" side, the leftmost file is 'a', the one next to it 'b' and so on until the last file which is 'h'. The closest rank for white is 'rank 1', the next one is 'rank 2' and so on until the last rank, which is the back row for black and is 'rank 8'. So the when using chess notation, the leftmost back square for white would be called 'a1', the square directly above 'a2' an so on. Isn't that easy?

A game of chess has 3 basic phases - the opening, midgame and endgame. The opening begins the game and is the first 10 or 15 moves. During the opening you should concentrate on getting your pieces into a good position (called promotion). But what is a good position? Typically it is good to control the center of the board and of course you want to be sure your king is protected. You should have some sort of general plan in mind when promoting your pieces - don't worry as you get more experience playing it will be easier to come up with these "plans". The middlegame is when you play your battles and try to take more of the opponenets pieces than he takes of yours. The endgame comes when there are only a few pieces left to play with and eventually ends in either a draw or checkmate.

Not all the chess pieces behave the same. Each one moves in a different way and has different rules. A piece may capture an opponents piece by landing on the square of the opponents piece - the captured piece is then removed from the board. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponents king so this piece must always be protected. The King can only move 1 square at a time but he can go in any direction, vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The only restriction is that he cannot move into a square that would allow him to be captured (or checkmated) by the opponenet as this would be a huge blunder that would end the game. So, looking at an empty board with a king on e4, he can move to e3,e5, d4, f4, d3, f3, d5, f5.

Th Queen is the most powerful piece and can move in all directions but unlike the King can move any number of square without having to "jump over" another piece. A Queen that is on d4 has 27 possible moves and can move to any square on the d file, any square on the 4th rank all 7 squares on the a1-h8 diagonal as well as all 6 squares on the 'b7-g1' diagonal.

The Bishop is initially placed on either side of the King and Queen and can only move on diagonals but can move as many squares as he wants. Because of this, the Bishops will always stay on same colored squares. He is slightly more valuable than a Knight.

The Knight is placed next to the bishop and is the piece that looks like a horse on a typical chess set. This piece moves in a strange way - the movements form an L. It can move in any direction and is the only piece that can skip over other pieces. Namely it moves two squares horizontally and one vertically or vice versa. Therefore, a Knight on d7 (Nd7) can move to b8, b6, c5, e5, f6 or f8.

The Rook is placed on the end squares next to the Knight which often looks like a castle. It can move along files and ranks as many squares as it wants. The Rook is the second most valuable piece. A Rook placed on b5 can move to all 7 squares on the fifth rank, as well as all 7 squares on the b file.

The Pawns are the smaller pieces that are in the front row and have the simplest moves as they can move only one square forward. There is one exception - on the pawns initial move, it can move two squares forward. Unlike other pieces it cannot capture a piece directly in front of it but can only capture on a diagonal. The pawn is the least valuable piece but it does have the distinction of being able to be "promoted". If a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board it can be replaced with any same color piece of the players choice which is most usually the Queen.

By: Lee Dobbins

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/18]Win More Chess Games Using the Ancient 36 Strategies

2008-01-03T14:06:00.000+07:00

Chess is a game of substitute war, so you will win more chess games by taking advantage of the ancient wisdom distilled from the art of military strategies. This includes a collection of strategies compiled in China at least 1,500 years ago.

These strategies are taught to school children all over China, Japan and probably much of the rest of Asia even today.

If you think Chinese children learn the 36 Strategies as "classic literature" the same way American children must read Mark Twain . . . you are too foolish and naive to be allowed near a serious chess tournament.

You also should never try to do business in Asia, but that's another article.

You must first of all understand that the essence of warfare is deceit. This is challenging in chess, because both players can see the entire board and all the pieces.

You must learn to make moves that advance your strategies and tactics without revealing them to your opponent until it's too late. Of course, this is easier to write than to pull off in an actual chess game.

And it does require you to work, study and plan.

Your opponent can see the chessboard -- but not what's going on inside your mind.

You must learn to use that to your advantage. It requires a mental attitude and preparation which studying the 36 Strategies can help you acquire.

Some of the strategies to adapt to your chess game include:

Surrounding Wei to Rescue Zao -- do not attack your enemy where and when he is strong. Avoid direct confrontation. Aim for their weak points.

Make the Enemy Work While You Wait at Leisure -- when you are in a weak position, delay the confrontation.

Watch the Fire Burning Across the River -- Exercise patience and allow favorable events to progress.

The Plum Tree Sacrifices for the Peach Tree -- this is an ancient stress tactic. Sacrifice a piece for the greater good of your game.

Walk the Sheep Home Just Because It Is There -- take advantage of all opportunities to gain an advantage.

Trade Your Brick for a Piece of Jade -- if you want to trade pieces to your advantage, convince your opponent your brick is worth more than their piece of jade.

Pretend to Be a Pig to Eat the Tiger -- make your enemy believe you are weak so they will attack and fall into your trap.

Be Wise But Play the Fool -- make your enemy underestimate you.

Provoke Strong Emotion -- upsetting or angering your opponent can encourage them to make mistakes. You must learn to remain calm so that you don't fall into this trap.

The Empty City -- when you are in a weak position, emphasize your vulnerability, to confuse your opponent.

Chain Links -- this simply refers to using a chain of interlinked strategies to attain your goal.

Of course, real chess masters apply tactics against their enemies away from as well as on the chess board. Boris Spassky was reportedly a master at keeping a poker face during games, so that his opponents didn't know whether he was feeling good or bad about his moves, his position or his plans.
However, Bobby Fischer made so many demands during their famous tournament that he was able to Provoke Strong Emotion.

In MORTAL GAMES: THE TURBULENT GENIUS OF GARRY KASPAROV Fred Waitzkin relates how during one of his world championship tournaments against Anatoly Karpov, Kasparov's business partner Andrew Page played a "dirty trick" to upset Karpov.

They were all flying from New York City to Lyon France. The tournament organizers had given First Class tickets to both Kasparov and Karpov and Economy class tickets to their trainers. Page bought Business Class tickets for Garry's grandmaster trainers, paying for them out of his own pocket. Karpov's group was made to feel angry and resentful of their inferior accomodations.

Later, Karpov may have gotten a blow of his own in. Gata Kamsky proposed that their chess organization change the rules so that defending world championships would have to compete to play in the world championship tournament just like all other contenders, instead of simply defending their title against the winner of the playoffs.

It was designed to make defending champion Kasparov angry, and one of his people told Waitzkin the idea probably came from Karpov who was friends with Kamsky. Gata was a teenager at the time and not likely to propose such a major rule change on his own. But if Karpov had proposed it directly, it would just have made him look bad, since he was the world's number two player and would therefore most benefit from it.

Bottom line: learn the 36 Strategies if only to recognize when your opponent tries to use one of them against you.

By: Richard Stooker

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/17]Chess - Its Origins And Development

2007-12-31T10:31:00.000+07:00

Chess is one of the world's great board games. For centuries chess players around the world have been mesmerized by its challenges, and its great masters have been revered as superstars of a different order -- superstars with brains.

** Origins and background of chess

Like many of our popular board games, such as checkers (draughts) and backgammon, chess originated sometime in the first millenium AD, somewhere along the Silk Road that ran between Europe, Egypt, India and the Orient. Most historians trace its origins back to northern India or Afganistan sometime around 600 AD.

As one might expect, there is a good deal of controversy among chess historians about both the date and place of the origin of chess. While some place its origins in China, the most common theory is that the version of chess we are familiar with evolved from a game played in northern India called ashtapada. This game used an 8x8 board (like ours), but had 4 players, and moves were determined by the throw of dice.

As some historians point out, the unique features of ashtapada, and its successor called chataranga, were deeply embedded in Indian culture of the time. The fact that it was a "four-handed" war game was consistent with the division of the country into many kingdoms. And the use of dice to determine moves was a reflection of the importance of Karma in Indian religious thought.

** Evolution into modern chess

The gradual appearance of different types of Indian military forces in the Indian board game known as chataranga -- elephants, chariots, cavalry and infantry -- was consistent with the transition of the game from a relatively simple "race" game to that of a war game.

In a race game players do not capture or extinguish their opponents. If a player lands on the same square as an opponent, the opponent would simply have to go back to the beginning and start over.

But when the principle of capture or extinction was accepted -- where the captured opponent's piece is taken off the board -- this involves a different game concept -- a different "mind set". And it was then just a matter of time before different types of military forces, with different powers and values would be introduced.

This transition from race game to war game is important. But perhaps the most significant evolutionary step -- and the one most difficult to explain -- was the elimination of the dice as the means of determining moves. As Yuri Averbakh, a Russian chess historian, points out, this was not something that would happen "naturally" within a pure Indian context.

As he says, "To change the Indian war game into chess it was necessary to throw away the dice. Unlike the previous stages which were typical for the evolutional way of the game`s development and were not contrary to the customs of the Indians and their religious beliefs, giving up dice was a radical, a revolutionary step forward that not only changed the game itself but also its philosophy. In fact, that step meant the withdrawal from the principle of Karma - the basic principle of the Indian philosophy. Now the result depended entirely on the players' will, on their choice. They became complete masters of their destiny."

According to Averbakh this would not have happened without the influence of Greece upon northern India. This influence stretched back to Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and developed even further within what historians call the Indo-Greek Kingdom. This was a large area including much of Afganistan and northern India which was conquered by the Greco-Bactrian kind Demetrius in 180 BC.

This kingdom lasted for about 200 years in which time the region underwent a profound synthesis of Greek and Indian religion, culture, languages and symbols. As Wikipedia says, "The Indo-Greek kings seem to have achieved a level of cultural syncretism with no equivalent in history, the consequences of which are still felt today."

The Greek influence was felt for hundreds of years after the demise of the Indo-Greek Kingdom. According to Averbakh it was this Greek influence that "helpd the Indians to make the final step for chess to appear." In particular, he mentions that Greeks brought with them the war game petteia. Although it was a simpler game, it had two of the features that chess would eventually gain -- players could "kill" each other, and there were no dice. "It was the player himself who decided where and which pieces should move. He had complete freedom of choice."

** Chess in the Kushan Kingdom

Another writer goes even further in placing the origins of modern chess in the Afganistan/Northern India region, but places that development much earlier than 600 AD. Gerhard Josten, in his article "Chess - A Living Fossil" claims that modern chess is an amalgam of a number of different games. We know this, Josten claims, because of its completely unique feature of having three different types of characters:

1. A relatively immoble center piece -- the King -- the capture of which is the object of the game.
2. A number of pieces that can make varying long moves -- moves that cover more than one space.
3. A number of pieces that can only make short moves -- moves that cover only one space.

Josten claims these different pieces originated in different games, and were amalgamated in what we know as modern chess. He claims type 1 pieces originated in Chinese games, type 2 pieces originated in Mesopotamian divination rites -- in particular, the Babylonian astrolabe, and type 3 pieces originated in Indian race games.

According to Josten, chess did not spring fully developed into existence in 600 AD but evolved over the first two or three centuries of the first millenium -- in particular between 50 BC and 200 AD. This development took place in a number of places -- India, China, and all along the Silk Road to Europe -- and each of the areas would have influenced the others.

But the most likely place where it all came together was the Kushan Empire, the eventual successor to the old Indo-Greek Kingdom. This was the central Asian area encompassing much of northern India, Pakistan, and Afganistan.

As we saw with the Indo-Greek Empire, this area stood at the crossroads of Europe, India and the Orient, and was deeply influenced by Greek culture. Most importantly, the Kushans were cultural, religious and linguistic synergists. They took elements from various cultures and forged these elements into something new and different.

This, according to Josten, is exactly what happened to the game of chess in the early centuries of the first millenium. It is also why we have so few hard facts about this influential period. As he says,

"Following the gradual disintegration of the Kushan Empire, the neighbouring conquering states each claimed to be the intellectual authors of chess, with no mention of the losers of the battles, the Kushans.... The fall of the Kushan Empire may thus be the main reason why so many facts have been lost and so many unbelievable legends have arisen around the genesis of chess..."

By: Rick Hendershot -

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/16]Eat to Win More Chess Games and Tournaments

2007-12-31T10:29:00.000+07:00

Bobby Fischer ate meat, cheese, hardboiled eggs and herring. Drank ice water, tomato juice and cola.

Boris Spassky ate sandwiches and drank coffee and orange juice.

Therefore, during their epic World Championship Chess Tournament in Iceland in 1972, Spassky probably consumed more carbohydrates than his American challenger, from eating two slices of bread along with whatever was in the middle of his sandwiches. He spiked his blood sugar level with a high glycemic index drink and squeezed his energy reserves with caffeine.

Depending on how much tomato juice and cola he drank, Fischer may have eaten more carbohydrates than the optimum, but at least he ate a lot of high protein foods to balance the carbs.

Is it possible that Spassky would have given Fischer a better fight for the chess title if he'd eaten few carbohydrates?

Chess tournaments are a physical as well as intellectual and emotional strain. To win, you need any and every edge.

Many world class chess players realize they have to exercise before a high level tournament. They understand that although chess is a mental game, our minds function better in brains inside healthy bodies. Especially those with good blood circulation and oxygen utilization.

Not enough chess players realize that what they eat both before and during the tournament has a lot to do with their performance. They can either support or undercut their physical hard work.

Yes, there're thousands of books out there on how to eat healthy. For my money, the most scientifically based in the Zone by Dr. Barry Sears, who's written many bestselling books on the Zone diet.

Dr. Sears has worked with the Los Angeles Rams, Stanford University's swimming teams and many other athletes. In 3 Olympics, athletes he's worked with have won twenty-one gold medals.

You're a chess player, not a swimmer or football player, but to be at your best through a long chess game or tournament, you need to have your hormones in balance. That provides you with the solid, continuing energy you need to focus, think and play your best.

That requires eating a proper balance of healthy carbohydrates (most fruits and vegetables), low-fat protein (low fat meat, fish, cheese and eggs) and health monosaturated fat.

If you do nothing else -- eat protein and healthy carbs at every meal. That does mean eliminating all but very small quantities of sugar and grains. No bread. No cake. No rice. No candy. And so on.

Also, eat small quantities at intervals so you do not get hungry, but do not overeat. When you eat too much your body sends lots of blood to your digestive system. During a chess match, you want your blood available to carry lots of oxygen to your brain. But you need to eat enough to keep your blood sugar level high enough for your brain to function well.

One more way to eat to win more chess games and tournaments -- Omega 3 oils.

This is "brain food" at its finest. Omega 3 oil, best taken through capsules of pharmaceutical grade fish oil, is the best "smart drug" available. It's a secret weapon for chess players.

Omega 3 is an essential oil that we normally can get from our diets, but unless you eat huge quantities of fish, you don't get enough of it through your meals. It contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain fatty acid that is critical to the brain for synapses (which transfer information) and the mitochondria, to make ATP. Your brain cannot perform at its peak level during a chess tournament without adequate DHA.

Omega 3 oils supplies that DHA. Plus encourages the flow of blood to your brain. It reduces inflammation, the loss of neurotransmitters and excess cortisol (the stress hormone). Also, high-dose fish oil increases dopamine levels, which enables greater concentration for your chess matches. And increases serotonin, which increases your threshold to stress.

Active tournament entering chess players should take 8 capsules a day of pharmaceutical grade fish oil.

To learn more about how you can improve your chess game with the Zone Diet and Omega 3 oils, read Dr. Sears' two latest books, THE OMEGARX ZONE and THE ANTI-INFLAMMATION ZONE.

Of course they don't replace the study and practice of chess itself. But they'll help you play your chest.

Your carbohydrate-bloated, brain DHA-deficient chess opponents will wonder how you got so good।

By: Richard Stooker

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/15]How to Choose a Chess Set

2007-12-28T10:49:00.000+07:00

Chess is one of the oldest board game and is also one of the most popular games worldwide. It is an easy game to play, with simple equipment, straight forward rules and virtually unlimited combinations. The game is considered an intellectual game and is considered a test of concentration as well as memory.

It is believed that chess was first played in India many centuries ago and was known as “Shatranj”. The major rules and attributes of the game are still the same while some new moves and minor changes have been added over time. A chess set consists of the standard chess board and 32 pieces of chess pieces. Chess sets consist of 16 black pieces and 16 white ones. The chess board is comprised of 64 squares. There are a variety of chess sets available, which differ in the playing surfaces and arrangements. The chess sets range from cheap plastic sets to expensive sets with hand-made artwork.

When children initially start learning the game, it is advisable to go for plastic chess sets which are not only cheap but also durable and unbreakable for children to handle with ease. These chess sets are manufactured by toy companies and are available in many toy shops.

Chess clubs usually prefer cheaper varieties of chess sets. The clubs prefer vinyl boards, which can be very easily rolled and can be taken anywhere. The choice of the chess pieces is generally plastic. The idea is that this type of chess sets are easily portable and the game can be played in any location of your choice.

If you have decided to invest in a good quality chess set, your choice is indeed unlimited. The chess boards and chess pieces come in various styles and materials. The different types of chess sets available include marble sets, glass sets, leather sets and all custom designed sets where imagination is the only limitation you run into. There are also chess sets made of precious stones and metals. Chess sets are also available with magnetic pieces that stick to the board. These kinds of chess sets can be used while traveling to ensure that the game does not get disturbed by pieces moving or falling.
As far as the style of the chess sets are concerned, the Staunton chess sets are considered most popular and are widely used in tournaments. The style of the pieces in this chess set is such that they are recognized by people easily. There are chess sets that depict the armies, some movies, and TV characters.

These days, chess can also be played on computers at home or on-line. While playing on a computer, players can easily choose the kind of chess set that they want to play with. Many games offer the choices of colors, models as well as many other options. It is easy to choose different levels of difficulty as required such as novice, intermediary or expert. These also give you a chance to practice play strategies many times to learn the moves of experts.

By: Julien Raynal

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/14]4 Ways Computers Can Help Improve Your Chess Game

2007-12-28T10:47:00.000+07:00

Although the famous Man Versus Machine matches of Garry Kasparov against IBM's Deep Blue supercomputer and the upcoming match of Vladimir Kramnik against Deep Fritz coming November 25, 2006 get the media attention, this article is more about how computers have helped people play better chess.

You can find articles on how to beat chess playing computers. Personally, unless you're a famous chess star playing a famous chess computer for lots of money, I don't see the point. I don't want to beat computers -- I want to beat people.

For example, one tip for playing computers is to open with a highly unusual move. Computers know all the common openings and if you open with Your Own Silly Unorthodox Suboptimal Invented opening instead of Ruy Lopez or the Caro-Kann, it's forced to use up processing time to calculate the optimum response instead of saving that for the mid-game.

But if you want to use the Sicilian Defense or The Queen's Gambit Accepted when you play a real person, then why practice something you made up just to trick the computer? What use is it in a real game or tournament?

Of course, if you've discovered a brand new super-opening and want to test it out against a computer, then more power to you.

Fortunately, computers can help you do that, and analyze the game at any point.

1. As a training tool.

2. As a resource to make it easier to learn from past games

3. To analyze the game

4. To practice and play with when no person is available.

There're a wide range of chess computers and software you can buy. And these functions overlap, of course. The same computer you play when you have nobody else to play with can also teach you what you're doing wrong.

1. If you're a beginner or novice then of course a good chess computer or software program can help you. They'll play against you and point out your errors.

You need to learn the basics. That includes learning from the best books, playing other people and playing with a computer that provides good feedback.

If you're already a grandmaster, you don't need me to tell you that you need computers to support your strategies against your opponents, not to teach you.

In Mortal Games: The Turbulent Genius of Garry Kasparov, Fred Waitzkin relates how part of Garry Kasparov's team during the world championship tournament of 1990 against Anatoly Karpov was a database of past chess plays and someone who constantly scrolled through to research them.

If Karpov opened a game with the Zaitsev, then that night they would research that opening on the assumption (possibly false) that he would open with it again. And of course he and his team thoroughly researched his King's Indian defense.

Naturally, computers have been used to analyze chess theory and positions. Although chess is too complicated for them to have yet to come out with a totally optimum start to finish guide (the way they have come up with a Basic Strategy for blackjack), they have analysed the end game. Chess computers have databases of all 3, 4 and 5 piece endgames.

Chess computers include: Excalibur, Novag and Saitek.

There're three types of chess computers: hand-helds, portable chess computers and desk-top chess computers.

Chess software includes Shredder and Fritz.

By: Richard Stooker

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/13]The Game of Chess Has Asian Cousins

2007-12-27T08:50:00.000+07:00

To the best of our knowledge, the history of chess started out in Northern India about 1500 years ago, where it was called chaturanga.

There're allegations that it actually started in China, perhaps as long as 3000 years ago. So perhaps chaturanga was really an Indian version of some long lost Chinese board game. There's no way to know for sure.

We do know that chauranga became a two-handed game called shatanj, which is the Arabic word. It spread from India to Persia and Arabia and by the 9th century it reached Europe. Europe changed some of the pieces to fit European culture -- and voila, chess as we know it today.

However, what's not widely know is that shatanj didn't disappear -- it not only spread to Europe and became chess, it spread throughout Asia and became:

Shiang K'i (Chinese Chess)
Sho-gi (Japanese Chess or The General's Game)
Changgi -- Korean Chess
Sittuyin (Burmese Chess)
Mak-ruk (Siamese Chess)

Xiangqi (or Xiang Qi or Hsiang-Ch`i or Shiang K'i or Jeuhng Keih) is a popular game in China and Southeast Asia.

It translates as the "Elephant Game." The "qi" syllable refers not to childish pursuits, but to strategy games, one of China's four traditional arts. Obviously, the ancient Chinese also regarded their form of chess as mind training for war.

The Xiangqi board is consists of ten horizontal lines and nine vertical lines. The two sides are separated by sort of no man's land called a river. Each side of the board contains a palace with a cross connecting its four corner points.

Like chess, Xiangqi is won by checkmating your opponent's king. It has a rooks, knights, elephants instead of bishops and pawns. Also 2 Mandarins and 2 cannons.

Around 900 to 1100, the game crossed over to Japan. Shogi in its present form was played in Japan by the 16th century, and there are many variations.

Again, you must checkmate your opponent's king. The board is similar to chess except it's all one color. Pieces include pawn, rook and bishop -- but also a Gold General, Silver General and Lance.

Also, after you capture pieces from your opponent you can return them to the board as your own.

Changgi (or Jangki or Tjyang Keui) is played in Korea. Board is similar to Chinese Chess, only there's no river and the pieces are set in the intersections of lines rather than within the squares the lines form.

Sittuyin arrived in Burma close behind its play in India, in the 700s. Within a few hundred years it was a fashionable court game.

It was seen in quite a religious light -- as symboling the battle between good and evil. The pieces were modeled after characters in the Hindu classic the Ramayana.

It's an unusual variation in that players get to choose how to arrange their pieces at the beginning of the game, although still behind the pawns.

Vladimir Kramnik has played Mak-ruk, the Thai version of chess, and praises it.

The board is 8 X 8 squares. There is a space between the row of pawns and the row of other pieces. There is no castling.

The Cambodian version of chess is almost the same as Mak-ruk.

Other Asian variations include:

Hiashatar - Mongolian chess

Shatar -- also Mongolian

By: Richard Stooker

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/12]Does Communism Produce Better Chess Players?

2007-12-27T08:49:00.000+07:00

On the face of it, the answer is obviously yes. Except for the brief period when Bobby Fischer held the title, the World Championship was in the hands of Soviet players from the first tournament following the end of World War 2 until the collapse of the Soviet Union.

After Fischer gave up the title without a fight to Anatoly Karpov in 1975, it has been in the hands of Russians or former Soviet empire citizens -- except for 2000-2002 when Viswanathan Anand of India held the title.

The current picture is unclear. The FIDE World Champion is Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, which was technically not part of the old Soviet Union but certainly a part of its empire. The PCA World Champion is Vladimir Kramnik, a Russian.

In chess for only women, Xu Yuhua of China is the new Women`s World Champion. She beat out the Russian Alisa Galliamova. Two other Chinese women, Xu Jun and Zhu Chen, have held that title.

From the end of World War 2 until the end of the Soviet Union, the Women's World Championship title was held by a Soviet woman. Since then it's gone back and forth between Chinese women and Susan Polgar of Hungary (one of a famous family of 3 chess champion sisters) and Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria.

America is represented by one loony tunes genius who defaulted his title.

This does tell us that communism decided soon after consolidating power in the Soviet Union in the early 1920s to use chess for propaganda.

First, it encouraged the widespread playing of chess among average people and their children. Before, it was not a game for the Russian workers and peasants.

The more people who play a game in a country, the greater depth of talent that trainers will have to choose from. American kids universally play baseball. 99.99% are not good enough to play in the major leagues, but the ones who do make it to the major leagues are outstanding.

In a country where every kid is encouraged to play chess, the ones with the most talent will stand out from the rest. Then the government can teach and coach them them to perform even better. Much the same system was done with athletes.

In America, really smart kids can become doctors, scientists, engineers, inventors, economists etc. All of these professions pay more money than chess champion -- and some of them offer the opportunity to become quite wealthy. Many such smart kids play chess, but as they grow older it normally remains a hobby.

In communist countries, really smart kids can become doctors, scientists and engineers, but those professions don't pay much and there's no chance to become wealthy. The privileged elite are the Communist Party members and successful athletes who bring propaganda victories to the country.

So if you live under communist and you're a really smart kid and not a natural athlete, what would you do if you wanted to live a life of privilege and respect?

Especially if you did exhibit any natural talent for the game of chess?

You'd concentrate on improving your game so you could have a nice apartment of your own, a government stipend to support your study of chess and the opportunity to travel outside your country.

If you're not smart enough to see the advantages of becoming a great chess player under such a system, you're too stupid to be successful at it anyway.

You get more of what you reward.

Reward the channeling of high intelligence into a board game, you get great board game players.

Reward the channeling of high intelligence into scientific research, applied engineering and entrepreneurship -- and you get a wealthy country.

Communists win World Chess Championships.

The free world won the Cold War.

By: Richard Stooker

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/11]The Politically Incorrect Reason I Want My Children to Learn Chess

2007-12-26T16:48:00.000+07:00

Yes, sure chess is good for developing the ability to think, to reason, to ponder, to calculate and analyze. Sure it develops the ability to read and remember. To look and think ahead, to carefully reason out and foresee the consequences of actions and to make the optimum move.

All that's fine and dandy. And I guess I wouldn't object if I had a chess prodigy child who'd grow up to be a world champion and rake in big bucks. Though, to tell the truth, if I wanted to make money off my children they'd make more money as successful models/actors or tennis players.

(And given the strange psychological relationships between some famous chess prodigies and their parents -- such as Bobby Fischer and his mother, Gata Kamsky and his father -- I'm not sure I'd want to be the parent of a chess prodigy.)

To tell the politically incorrect truth, I want my children to learn chess because despite political correctness it is still what it started out as -- a nonviolent form of war.

Peaceniks want to gloss over the history of chess, but there's no doubt that it began as a pastime for rajahs in India who had to be prepared to fight to defend their territory and developed as a evening activity for kings in Europe who had to be prepared to fight to defend their territory.

I'm not in favor of war, but it's obvious that the world is still full of violent people and if you're not prepared to defend your family and your country, you'll lose them.

On a lesser scale, this is just as true of everyday life. It's too much of a cliche to compare chess to life -- but whether you're a businessperson strategizing a new marketing tactic or an engineer designing a car that runs on hydrogen . . . you need the skills and attitude of chess.

Yes, sometimes your "war" may be against a technical problem rather than another person. Fine, you still need the attitude that there's an optimum move you can make to take advantage of the properties of the metal you're working with.

The great thing about chess is that it's all out in the open. Your opponent sees the same board you see. Unlike another great game -- poker -- nothing is hidden. Unlike poker and life itself, chance plays no role in chess.

Your advantage is only between your ears. It's your ability to think more clearly and farther than your opponent. To some extent face to face chess is like poker in that it can help to "read" your opponent's body language. Do they appear confident because they're "bluffing" -- or just because don't want you to know that they just made a bad move?

Chess is a great game, but it's a game.

Beyond the game is something called "real life." You win in real life to the degree that you can shape your world to make you happy.

This often calls for intellectual thinking and knowledge, but you must know how to go beyond that. You must know how to compete for the money and career goals you desire. You must be willing to defend your home, your family, your job -- yourself.

Hopefully violence won't be necessary -- but an attitude of competition is.

An attitude that says that learning every variation of Ruy Lopez is important not as an intellectual exercise but because it increases your chances of checkmating your opponent's king.

Those old time rajahs and kings understood.

Chess was an entertaining way to practice warfare when you weren't actively chopping off heads.

By: Richard Stooker

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/10]A Chess Set Will Give You Many Years Of Enjoyment

2007-12-26T16:46:00.000+07:00

When you're ready to buy a chess set, make sure you get one you will be happy with. A chess set is a special kind of purchase. You should never go cheap. Having a chess set that you can be proud of and that you feel good about will add to your enjoyment as you play. It really makes you feel connected with all the grand traditions of the game of chess.

Here are a few things to consider when buying a chess set.

**Looks are important

Chess sets are available in a wide range of styles and quality levels. You can buy anything from a very cheap plastic set to a stunningly beautiful set carved from pewter, rosewood, onyx, camel bone, and many other materials. Whether you are looking for a future family heirloom, a personal set for yourself, a set to start the kids playing or a gift for that chess enthusiast in your life, look for something you are impressed with, something you will be honored to use or give as a gift.

When looking for the quality of the carving, look closely at the Knight. The Knight is the piece that allows craftsmen to best show their skill. After you compare Knights from a few different sets you'll realize that the better sets have Knights that show detailed eyes, nostrils, teeth and manes.

**Weighting is important too

A well made chess piece is properly balanced so it acts and feels right when you move it, or as it is sitting on the board. Chess pieces should move with elegance, and they should not be easily knocked over. Accidental spills happen. But proper weighting can avoid ruining a game over a simple nudge of the board. Double and even triple weighted pieces are available.

**Get the right size board

Choosing the right size board takes a bit more thought than you might realize. First, it must fit the space where you most often intend to use it. Second, it has to work with the size of your chess set. Third the colors and materials of the board should complement your chess set. And fourth, it should be large enough to allow some room for putting down your captured pieces.

Start by measuring the diameter of the base of your King. Make sure the squares on your board are a bit larger than this diameter. Say, for instance, the base of your King is 1 7/8". Then make sure your board squares are at least 2" square.

Since the board has 8 squares across, that means your board will have to be 8 x 2"= 16". Then add about 2" all around to give you some space for placing captured pieces. That means to accommodate your pieces you would need a board that is at least 20" square.

Put a bit of thought into your chess set purchase and it will give you many years of enjoyment.

By: Rick Hendershot -

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/9]Backgammon Pieces, Are You Sure You Know Them?

2007-12-19T18:04:00.000+07:00

Backgammon pieces look similar to those of the checkers. They are usually round in shape and serve the same purpose as checkers do. Backgammon pieces can be anything from plain plastic that you can find in any store with any normal backgammon set to specially made ones. Whatever your backgammon pieces are made of, I am sure that they serve their purpose.

Usually the pieces for the game come with the backgammon board. These come as sets and can be found in any board game aisle. They are not expensive and make great gifts for any child or even adult that is new to the game. You can also find almost any of the pieces for sale on the Internet.

If you are looking to give someone who has been playing the game for a while, the gift of backgammon, then maybe you want something a little more special. If you want to do this, then look into special pieces for their backgammon game.

You can purchase beautiful pieces or chips made with unique metals and colors. Some are hand made or carved by craftsmen. A serious backgammon player would love the quality that is put into the manufacturing of these hand made creations. This would be the perfect surprise for any board game lover.

Along with the pieces, you can even find special backgammon boards or sets. There are compact sets that can be used for traveling or even at work. There are also handcrafted boards made from wood. These have beautiful details and are so unique that you can be sure that the receiver does not have one already. What a great gift for the backgammon lover.

A wonderful touch to any backgammon gift would be for it to be personalized. Have their name or a special date engraved on the board or box for the game. This makes any gift more special and more memorable.

If you are wandering where to find unique pieces or sets for backgammon, it is very simple to find. If you are having no luck with stores, you can always turn to the Internet. Ordering online is very simple and almost everyone had done it at least once.

If you do not want to use the Internet, then there are catalogs that specialize in this kind of thing. You can usually find backgammon set there and you can always have them personalized later.

It really makes no difference what the pieces to your backgammon game are made of, or decorated with, just as long as they play the game.

© backgammonholygrail.com

By: William Smith

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/8]Leather Backgammon Sets Are Very Popular

2007-12-19T18:01:00.000+07:00

Backgammon is a well-known game that has been around for many years. People of all ages have been playing backgammon in their homes around the world. If you have been playing for a while you may own your own backgammon set. Leather backgammon sets are very popular. If you have a leather backgammon set, you have a durable and beautiful accessory that will last you a long time.

If you are a person that plays the game backgammon a lot, then it may be a wise idea to have your very own backgammon set. This way you will feel more confident and ready for the game anywhere at any time.

If you or someone that you know is really into the game of backgammon, then maybe a nice leather set would be the perfect gift for them. This would make a great Christmas gift or birthday or any occasion gift. Just run a search on the Internet.

Even if you do not know anyone who is big into the whole board or backgammon games, you can still give them a backgammon set as a gift. This could open them up to a whole new game and get them interested in it. When you have a special set to play with, you will be surprised how much more interested in the sport you will become.

You can give backgammon sets to anyone of any age. What a better way to start someone on the game then to give a small child the gift of learning backgammon. This will help them with motorized skills. Playing board games at a young age will get children started on the skills that they need for other sports. It will get their mind moving and get them motivated with a safe and fun game.

These are great gifts to give to a wedding party or best man or maid of honor. It is something that they can have as a keepsake and use from time to time.

Backgammon sets can be purchased at any sporting store or even in some cases at special gift shops. If you are having a problem finding them there, then you can always find them online. There are sites that specialize in selling leather and personalized sets for backgammon. You may even be able to find them at discount prices or get better deals online.

© backgammonholygrail.com

By: William Smith

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/7]Backgammon Rules That You Must Know

2007-12-17T10:20:00.000+07:00

Backgammon has been the same for many years. Many people have been playing the game and taking the challenge of backgammon. The backgammon rules have not changed in the past years that it has become so popular. Backgammon rules are easy to follow and simple to catch on to.

The main idea of backgammon is to move all of the game pieces into his own home board and the eventually off the board. The first player with all the game pieces off the board is declared the winner of the game.

The roll of the dice, when each player tosses it, will determine how many points the player is to move his game pieces.

A checker can be moved only to an open point. The numbers on the two dice are for two different moves. For example, if a player rolls a 4 and 3, then he can move one game piece four spaces and the other piece three spaces. The player always has the option to move one game piece seven spaces to an open point if that is what they want to do.

When a player rolls a double, they play the numbers shown on the dice two times. The player must use both of the numbers when it is possible. When only one number can be played, the player has to play that number. If neither on of the numbers can be moved, then that player looses his turn. If they roll two many numbers, then the player can move as many spaces as there is open.

When it comes time for the end of the game, if the loser has got off at least one game piece, he loses only the value showing on the doubling cube. If the loser has not got any of the game pieces off the board, he is gammoned and loses two times the value of the doubling cube. If the player who is determined the loser has not got any of the pieces off the board and still has a piece on the board, he is back gammoned, which mean they lose three times the value of the doubling dice. What a great thought if you are the winner.

The rules may be overwhelming at first, however if you are new player to the game a smart idea would be to keep a copy of the rules on hand when you are playing the game. This way you can always refer back to them when you get stuck or are confused about a play.

By: William Smith

© backgammonholygrail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/6]Get The Proper Backgammon Game Table

2007-12-17T10:18:00.000+07:00

You do not have to play anywhere special to have a good time. There are special backgammon game tables that you can purchase or you can make your own backgammon table yourself. This is your choice.

There are certain tables that you can buy to play backgammon on. These tables come with their own board already set up on it. It is printed on the top of the table and has slots and spaces for the accessories that come with the game. These types of tables are for the true backgammon player.

There is no reason why you have to go out and purchase your own backgammon table. You may decide that you can make one on your own. If you are handy at making your own crafts, this is defiantly something that you can do on your own. All you have to do is get wood and make it into a table with a top and legs and then print the game board on the tabletop.

You can get as creative or keep it as simple as you want. Just make sure that you follow the basic outline of the board game to keep things as similar to the original as possible. You can even make your own game pieces. These could be made out of metal or wood or any other type of hard material that you have. Again, you can make them as simple or as creative as you want.

If you do not want to make or buy your own table for backgammon, then you can set the game up on your kitchen or dinning room table. You can even play the game on your living room floor. As long as you have a flat surface to play and keep the game pieces in place, you have what you need to play backgammon. Most people like to play on some sort of table.

If you are buying a backgammon table, you can look at department stores or game stores for one. You can even buy one online or you can find on in a catalog. They can be found at reasonable prices. There are many different sizes and shapes for these boards. It just comes down to your preference and where you play the game.

By: William Smith

© backgammonholygrail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/5]Learn Proper Backgammon Board Set-up

2007-12-15T19:17:00.000+07:00

If you have ever played checkers, then you can learn to play the game backgammon. Backgammon is very similar to the checkers. It is basically the same concept, only with a little twist. Backgammon boards set up is easy and takes little or no time at all. You can have a backgammon board set up in a matter of minutes.

The set up for backgammon is easy. The board and the game pieces usually come together in the box. If you are someone who has been playing backgammon for a long time, then you may already have your very own board and game pieces.

The boards are found in any department or game store. They can be bought for little money and make awesome gifts for any child or adult. Both adult and child will probably enjoy the games.

To set up the board, you have to take it out of the box and place it on a table or flat surface. There should also be thirty game pieces of two different colors. Take them out and divide them by color to each of the players. These will be known as your game pieces or checkers.

Along with the game is a pair of dice. These dice are used to determine the number of moves each player can make with their game pieces. Each player will take turns rolling the dice and moving to the opposite end of the board.

The object of the game then is to get all fifteen of your players to the home board and the off the board completely. The first player to achieve this is considered the winner of the game.

The board set up is fun and easy and the clean up is even faster. You can even play this game on the go. You can have fun and excitement playing this game wherever and when ever you want. The travel boards are the same only smaller and come in a compact case. This makes it easier to keep all the pieces and board in one place so that they do not become lost. You can keep these in the car or in the office for safekeeping. For sure mom will know where to keep the games.

If you do not want the typical cardboard board, then you may decide to make your own board. You can do this with wood or plastic or any other lasting material. If you are an avid player of the game, this may be the right idea for you so that the board does not get worn out too quickly.

By: William Smith

© backgammonholygrail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/4]Learn The Proper Backgammon Directions

2007-12-15T19:16:00.000+07:00

Backgammon directions can be a little confusing to a new player. If you are a serious backgammon player, then you will find that if you are determined and have your mind set on playing the game, then you should have no problem getting the hang of this game. The backgammon directions usually come with any normal backgammon board game.

Setup
Backgammon is set up to play with two players. It is played on a board that has twenty-four triangles, which are called points for each one. The triangles are alternated with color and are grouped into four categories of six triangles in total. These categories are also known as the players home board and outer board. And the opponent’s home and outer board. The home and outer boards are separated with a line down the center of the board, which is considered the bar. This may sound a little confusing at first but it really is not.

The points are number for each of the players starting with the player’s home board. Each player will receive fifteen game pieces of his own color. The normal order of the game pieces is two on each player’s twenty-four point, five on the player’s thirteen point, three on each player’s eight point, and five on each of the player’s six point.

How to Play
The main goal of the game is for the player to move all of his or her game pieces into his own home board and the get them off before your opponent. The player to do this first is considered the winner of the game.

The fair way to determine who plays first in the game is to roll the die and whoever gets the higher number moves their game pieces according to the numbers that come up. After the first roll, each of the players will alternate throwing the dice and taking turns.

The roll of the dice will indicate how many points the player can move there game piece. The game pieces are always moved in the forward direction to a lower-numbered point.

Rules
A point taken by a single game piece of either color is called a blot. If the opponent game piece lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar. If a player has one or more pieces on the bar, his first resort is to enter those pieces into the opponent’s home board. A game piece or checker is entered by moving it to an open space or point that goes in accordance with one of the numbers rolled on the dice.

Once a player has got all of the fifteen pieces into his home board, he may then get or bear off. A player bears off a game piece or checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point where the piece resides and then taking that piece off the board.

There are many different rules and regulations to this game; however, it is a fun and exciting game to play once you understand all the necessary rules. You can then teach your friends and family how to play and have a great time doing so. Have great fun with backgammon.

By: William Smith

© backgammonholygrail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/3]Do You Really Know Your Backgammon Game Rules?

2007-12-15T19:13:00.000+07:00

Backgammon is a great challenge between two players. It is a fun and exciting way to pass the time, whether it is at home or on the go. No matter where you play, backgammon rules stay the same. There are directions included with any game that describe how to play and a complete guide with backgammon rules.

The first thing is backgammon is to set up the board. You sit opposite of your opponent on both sides of the board. You both will roll the dice to determine who goes first. The player who rolls the higher number will go first and move their game pieces in accordance to that number. You both may even decide that the lowest number goes first.

In the game of backgammon, you move in a counterclockwise position. You can only move your game pieces to open spaces on the board. You are not allowed to move onto points (or spaces) with two or more of the opponent’s checkers. You can only move your pieces or checkers in pairs.

The player with all of their games pieces off the home board is declared the winner.

There are some things to remember when you play backgammon. Rolls of the dice do not count if they land on a checker or if they fall off the board or on their side. If both of the dice land with the same number facing up on any roll after the first, the player gets doubles and gets to move two times the roll. If you are lucky enough to get two sixes, that means that you will get four moves of six. Wouldn't that be great?

You are allowed to move any of the checkers or game pieces that you want to. However, remember that the object of the game is to get all of the pieces into the home board.

This game is easy to learn and fun to play. There are a lot of rules to the game, so it may be a wise idea to keep the directions and rules for the game nearby so that if you get stuck, you can get the answers you are looking for. Getting the proper answers makes for a rewarding and fun game.

There are certain rules that do change for backgammon tournaments and challenges. These rules are set by and agreed upon by the people and player in charge of the tournament.

Playing online is the same as playing at home with the board. The rules and strategies are generally the same. The only real difference here is that online you may be playing for money.

By: William Smith

© backgammonholygrail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/2]How to Improve Your Backgammon Board Game

2007-12-15T19:11:00.000+07:00

If you are looking for a game to play with your family and friends, you should take a chance at backgammon. Backgammon board games are fun and anyone can learn to play them. If you are looking to plan a family fun night, think about adding backgammon to your list of games to play. It will be fun for the entire family.

Backgammon is a game that is played between two players, and even though you may have more than that joining your fun night, you can take turns and have playoffs between the best players.

If you want, you can have different boards set up for the others to play. You can have face offs between the best players. This can be a lot of fun, and even add a little more competition. This makes things more exciting and fun for the family. Competition is great for creating interest.

There are many board games out there that you can play. Some of the other board games are for certain age limits and genders. Backgammon is fun for all groups and all ages. Any child or adult can learn to play this game. The rules are not hard to learn, and it is a pretty simple game to understand.

These backgammon games can be bought at any department or toy store. They are not expensive at all. The game usually comes along with the game of checkers. It is usually found on the back of the checkerboard. You can use the same coins used for checkers on the backgammon games. This makes it very convenient for you to keep on hand when you want to play it. Two games in one is a super gift.

There is even a travel game that you can buy. This is nice for the kids in the back seat or for whenever you are on the go. It is also nice so that the kids can play in the backseat so that when you are traveling the kids will have something to do. Having a travel backgammon game will make long trips a breeze when you have kids. Just think, more interest in the game than rest stops.

If you are looking for a board game that will not make you bored, think about getting backgammon. You cannot go wrong with this game and you will find yourself getting attached to it before long. Your friends and family members will have fun playing the game with you too. You will have the chance to get good at the game and you can make memories with your loved ones as well.

By: William Smith

© backgammonholygrail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

[8/1]Exclusive Backgammon Accessories

2007-12-15T19:08:00.000+07:00

Are you searching for the perfect gift that includes backgammon accessories? Backgammon accessories are a perfect gamers gift, for all occasions, for birthdays, holidays, even for graduations! In this guide, we want to tell you about some of the backgammon goodies you can purchase for the gamer you know and love most. Plus much more than you probably expect.

One of the favorite accessories a gamer will love is the entire backgammon set for the traveler, one that is hand held and which is electronic. While you will find various types of electronic backgammon our there, the best is going to be the game that has multi levels for those who are advanced in this game and need a little challenge. This makes a great accessory for their life because they can practice alone when on the go, or they can use their handheld to play multi player when on the go and traveling. Adults and children alike love this accessory.

Another great accessory for the backgammon lover is the personalized dice cup. This may or may not have the players name on the cup, but it could have a favorite scene, picture, date, or be a color or made from a type of material that the player loves to hold in their hand. Fabric covered cups, colored picture cups, or soft flexible dice cups are favorites. Most are at reasonable prices.

Great backgammon accessories include those that make the game portable. Leather carrying cases, hard board boxes so all the pieces never get lost, and then there are the accessories that personalize the game board.

Leather carrying cases make the game portable and lovely to look at. Leather comes in a variety of colors so you will be able to find one you enjoy. Hard leathers, soft leathers and leathers that are tinted in color.

Personalize the game board with letters or stickers that will adorn the playing board, or the carrying case of the player. You can find all types of stickers that accent the other interests of the game that you can use as accessories for the board. Laminating paper, stickers, and even glue can be used to create those perfect accessories that will make the gamers dreams come true so they never lose their game boards. Personalization makes for a deeper gratification from the gamer.

Dice are the other accessory you can purchase to complete your personalized backgammon set. Dice from glass, crystal, plastic, colored, or even that are filled with water are the dice that no one else is going to have! Every backgammon set has dice in the set, and the best types of backgammon gamers have a great set of dice to match their cups. Find a set of dice that are legal for the game, yet different from others to give you a great feel of the casino right in your own game.

By: William Smith

© backgammonholygrail.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com