Archive for the 'Fun Stuff' Category

Like Open Books in Another Language

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

It’s a pretty common story in poker, you start learning to make reads at the casino, and you soon find yourself surprised that you were missing so many in the past. I mean, this one guy always raises with KK in late position, the exact same amount, regardless of an Ace on the flop. And this and many others you’ve started getting good at become second nature. Then, you decide, “I’ve conquered this level, time to move up.” And you stumble, slip, stutter, fumble and miss your way to a losing streak and wonder why in the world you’re losing. And more than that, why are your reads so off? Well it simply comes with the fact that you’re playing better online poker players. What were simple reads at the level below, are now complicated, as the players are more adept and more than that, they’re as good as you. It’s a little known psychological term called confirmational bias. What this means is simply that you have some belief so strong, you only see things your way. And is this starting to make sense now? You’ve not adapted! You’re using what worked with your old reads and are insistent that they’re right so you keep losing. See, it happens all the time, we convince ourselves we’re right, and since being right and seeing results is easy, we continue to try to convince ourselves of our rightness. But in poker, such a bias is sure loss of stack after stack, and a sure way to reload again, and again. See when you move up in levels, you’re not playing as you used to, instead, you’ll be playing at a level above what you’re used to, and therefore have to adapt to become adept, and start winning again. If you can’t open your reading book back up again, you’ll simply be making reads in the wrong language.

The E-Lottery System Promises a Lottery Prize to Every Last Player in the El Gordo

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

The first time you hear about the El Gordo Loteria, a part of the Euromillions Euro lotto, you’ll certainly want to learn more. The lottery is famous for top payouts that number amongst the biggest around the world – payouts as high as more than two and a half billion Euros. Even that isn’t all that is remarkable here. The El Gordo Lottery offers up more than thirteen thousand prizes, which ultimately gives you a winner for every six tickets. When compared with the prizes given by other lotteries, that’s nothing to be scoffed at.

Once a month the Euromillions Euro lotto holds a draw. Even richer prizes can be expected from special lotteries held during three months around the year. Biggest of all these lotteries is the Xmas lottery, “Elgordo” ( Spanish for “Fatso”), while the two other special drawings are in January (“El Nio”) and during the summer (“San Ildefonso”).

Unusually for lottery systems, the balls used in the Elgordo lottery draw display five digits on each, these numbers ranging from 00,000 to 84,999. The system presses two bowls into service, with one used in determining a winner, while the second decides the prize value.

Now, if you would like to enter you can get a full ticket called a “serie”. You can also choose the more affordable option known as a “d©cimo”, which is worth one tenth of a full ticket. Neither option is particularly cheap, though, and obviously neither has better odds of being one of the 1/6 winning tickets. That is why many players of the Euromillions Euro lotto use the e-lottery scheme.

The e-lottery system guarantees a prize to everyone who takes part. You will automatically be assigned a team follwing your buy into the El Gordo Lottery syndicate. These teams are assigned a number from zero to nine, the last number on the winning ball in the draw identifying the team which wins the payoff. Every member will then receive an even share . After that, subscriptions are offered ready for the next drawing.

It’s typical to feel some concern as to whether it would be worth sharing these jackpots. But when you consider how much 2.6 billion Euros really is, there’s still plenty to go around. No reason to worry with this system simply because you’re guaranteed to win your share in a prize during each draw, and a share in the e-lottery is the cheaper approach to playing. The syndicate is the truly smart way to go…

Click here and go to our #1 web site for “elottery co” guidelines…

At Belvoir Castle Sky Lanterns Are Freed

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

Belvoir Castle will be having a Fireworks display on Saturday set against the awesome back drop.
For the second year in a row MLE Pyrotechnics is holding the event in the premise of the Duke of Rutland’s family house with the crowds performing as judges.

Vanessa one of the promoters, said: “It’s a genuinely good place to be hosting such a night. The fireworks are all set off from behind the lake and are reflected in the H2O.”

Visitors will be treated to 3 organisations from across the land vying for that extra pizazz to win over the audience’s voting.

The firms are Celebration Fireworks from Evesham, Pyromania Displays, Knaphill in Surrey and Spyrotechnics from Chesterfield a 10 or 15 min show with music will be presentation but that isn’t the end of it

Before the contest there will be a demo to hear about the various types of pyrotechnics and see how the teams use them to make their marvelous presentations that dance to the music.

And while guests are voting the nite will be capped off by a breathtaking pyro-musical presentation by the promoters.

With beginnings in 2002 this annual show, Is proving to be immensely successful. The three lead professional firework companies chosen for this year’s event have gained many important titles between them including the British Champions, British Musical Champions and Firework Champions.

And it’s more than fireworks, a Khoom Fay or Sky Lanterns are seen to fill the sky as they softly float in the distance.

Parking and camping is of avail on site and visitors can turn up from 5pm so enjoy the intellectual nourishment and drink accessible from accredited vendors or contribute a hamper while loosening in the glorious grounds of Belvoir Castle.

Sky Lanterns Take off at Glastonbury

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

With Glastonbury Festival approaching there is one specific product that comes to mind, sky lanterns. They have, in recent years, become an integral part of any Glastonbury-goers experience. In an interview last year the headliner’s, Kings of Leon, cited the release of sky lanterns from the Stone Circle as their most powerful memory of the festival. If you do not directly release one from the tranquil Stone Circle you are likely to witness their ghostly presence as they drift up and across the roaming Somerset countryside. It is no surprise that the launching of the lanterns, with their connotations of serenity and hope, have become intrinsically linked with the Stone Circle. This area is where festival goers seek respite in the depths of the night, sitting around and talking communally around fires in the trusting spirit that remains at the heart of the festival. As is traditional with sky lanterns, a wish is made with each one released. It is a close to numinous experience to watch from the hillside of the Circle as the wishes rise across the packed festival, oblivious to the manic crowds beneath them, up in to the sky and out of view. Watching the sky lanterns take this journey in to the clouds is a pure moment to ponder and escape. It is one of the reasons that in spite of its ever sprawling size, Glastonbury remains unrivalled.

Sizing up the Table

Friday, May 29th, 2009

When you sit down to a cash online poker game with people you are unfamiliar with, then it is wise to take a few moments to get a read on the table. What is the overall tone – aggressive, tight, reckless, weak?

How can you get a feel for the poker table’s general tone? First, observe the pre-flop betting. Is there a lot of pre-flop raising, or do most flops come out with just the minimum bet? If there is pre-flop raising, what seems to be the standard raise – 3x, 5x or 10x the big blind? Knowing what the standard pre-flop raise tends to be is a good guide to how many chips you should buy, and how you should bet. Figure out if there is any pattern to the betting post-flop. Are there players who call regularly to see a flop, then mostly fold once a bet comes out? If so, you can try to steal some pots by betting post-flop, especially when scare cards materialize.

What types of raises are most players making? If they are small, undervalued raises, you may be able to scare players off a pot with big raises.

By going against the overall tone of the poker table, i.e. betting aggressively when it is tight, and being a rock when you’re up against maniacs, you have a better chance of fooling and trapping your opponents.

Once you have a general idea about how most of the betting action is going, then look for the exception at the table. There will probably be one or two players who go against the tide. Adjust your play to their actions based on your position at the table.

Awesome Split

Monday, December 8th, 2008

It had been a long night. I had started out strong, playing good poker. I’d been down a bit, and after a few hours, a few dealer blackjacks, texas holdem poker and some poor decisions on my part, I had found myself about a hundred bucks in the hole. And I was really attached to that hundred bucks.

Then came the hand that turned it all around for me. I was getting impatient (another mistake) and I decided to bet twenty-five dollars on the next hand. I got a King and a Queen for twenty, not a bad hand to stand on. Then I noticed the dealer was showing a six, so after a brief bit of soul-searching I decided to split my hand. I put another twenty-five on the table and crossed my fingers. Another King showed up, so I split again. The next card was a Jack, and I split one last time. I ended up with four hands-a twenty, a sixteen, a seventeen, and a twelve. The dealer’s down card turned out to be a ten, and she drew another ten for a beautiful bust, putting me right back in the positive and turning my luck around for the rest of the night.

Don’t get down when you’re on a streak, there are opportunities everywhere in blackjack, and even poker. Stick to your game and keep an eye out for your chance to get back in the game.