This has left people struggling to get their money back and the future still remains uncertain, especially for USA residents. In times like this you may want to have a go at another popular card game – blackjack.

Of all the regular casino games this is the most popular and as you would expect, you can now play it online as well. One of the best things about online blackjack is that it’s very easy to learn how to play and when you use basic strategy the house edge stands at less than 1% making it one of the most favourable casino games to play.

In case you’ve never played before, the basic rules are very simple: it’s a card game and you need to get your hand as close to 21 as you can without going over which results in an instant loss. You play against a dealer and you need to get closer to 21 than the dealer.

You don’t need to worry about coming up against a skilled dealer or anything like that because they follow a set of casino rules rather than following their own instinct. The dealer rules can vary from one blackjack game to the next, but usually they will hit on all card values of 16 or under and stand on 17 or over.

If you’re in a country such as the UK, Canada or Australia then playing blackjack on the Internet won’t be a problem because it’s fully regulated and you have access to the world’s largest gaming brands such as 888 and Bet365.

If on the other hand you’re in the USA then you still face the same problems that poker players are facing. You would have to do your own research into whether or not online gambling is even legal in your state and then you may have a tough time finding a fair casino because pretty much all of the established brands have their virtual doors slammed shut to the USA.

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Many US players are already finding it difficult to deposit at Bodog and it has been that was for a few months now. Because of the way that the Bodog brand is structured it can be difficult to understand what exactly is happening. Essentially, there are different Bodog sites but to the player they all seem to be the same one.

The Bodog poker room is currently operated under license from BodogBrand by different entities. The entity that currently serves the US market will no longer have a license from Bodog from the end of the year, but they could go ahead and find another poker platform to continue to operate in America. It just won’t be Bodog.

As to how the change will be implemented the details are not clear right now.

The effect is still the same though; no more US Players will be allowed in the Bodog Poker room by the end of 2011.

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Success in Poker games is all about knowing your limitations. Many amateurs start sensibly enough in low limit games, but a sudden run of success can be all it takes to think that making the move to higher limits and more dangerous waters is a good idea. Many sharks are attracted to the easy pickings to be had just a few levels up the bottom, and the higher the limit, the quicker you can lose significant cash when you find yourself out of your depth. Be realistic about your abilities – it’s much more fun to win a modest amount regularly than lose a small fortune over a just a few hands.

Always keep sight of the fact that it is overall winnings that determine your success in Poker Games, and not the number of hands won. Taking ten small pots means nothing if you sink it all back into an ill conceived bluff and get cleaned out by an experienced and determined player with a good hand. Knowing when to fold and when to stay in a hand are the keys to success, with ducking out early always the sensible option for beginners if your hand is mediocre and other players are raising aggressively. Don’t stay in a round just because you are eager to play after folding on several bad hands, to avoid being an observer. It’s the cards your dealt and the betting patterns of other players that should determine how you play, and nothing else.

This brings us on to the next point, which is to focus on rational play, and avoid becoming emotional. If you’ve already lost more than you ought to have staked, and are getting upset, never try and claw it back through playing more hands. This emotional or desperate behavior is known as playing ‘on tilt’, letting blind hope override rational decision making. Only stake what you can afford to lose, and when this is gone, leave the table. You can always come back another day, preferably after some sleep.

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First, pick the right poker site.
There are a lot of poker sites out there. Many players will stay with the first site that they ever signed up with and never even look around at what else might be on offer.

Take some time to look around and see what other poker sites are offering prospective new players. You may be playing at a site that does not suit your particular strengths. Big sites like Poker Stars have thousands of players. Meeting the same players might be difficult at a site like that. Maybe you need to ‘know’ the people you are playing against, and a smaller room with less players might suit your style better.

The opposite might be true too. You may be at a small room where the other players know all your weak points. Playing against the same players may be detrimental to your profitability, and a larger, more anonymous site might be ideal for you.

Choose a good bonus
Poker sites give their new players deposit bonuses to encourage them to sign up. Some of these deals can be great for your bankroll. Playing the same amount of poker at a new site that you would have played anyway at your existing site could yield hundreds of dollars in bonus cash. Not all deposit bonuses are good ones though. Make sure that you can reach the requirements that are attached to whatever bonus you want to take before committing to it.

Choose the right table
Once you have picked your site and you have assured yourself that you will be able to release the full amount of the bonus that you are entitled to, take a moment to study the lobby.

If the cash tables are your game, then look at the stats for every table before joining. There will be a ‘viewed flop’ percentage listed for each table. This can be a great indicator of the style of play of the players at a given table. A high number here means that the players are ‘loose’ and a low number means they are playing ‘tight’. Always sit down at a table that is the opposite of how you play.

If you are a tight player, then a long session at a loose table might be very profitable for you, whereas athe same time at a tight table may be a real grind.

Those three simple poker hints could have an enormous impact on your game and your profitability.

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So far they have not changed that ‘temporary’ block and US players can not sign up with any room on the Merge Network right now. A statement from the network, one way or the other, would at least end the uncertainty.

It seems to be a trend at the moment for online poker rooms to not communicate with their players. Full Tilt has made no formal announcement to their large player base about the future of their poker room or, more importantly, the future of the players’ bankrolls that have been tied up in their mess.

Bodog, who ostensibly do accept American players seem to be not accepting the majority of players that try to sign up from the US, but again have made no formal statement about the matter.

It is not a good time for American players, and the lack of communication only leads to more doubt and suspicion.

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Having operated in the American market for the last five years when many other poker rooms had pulled out, Poker Stars and FullTilt became the two biggest online card rooms thanks mainly to their US player base.

On Friday the 15th April the FBI seized the primary websites of Poker Stars, FullTilt, Absolute Poker and UB. The sites are no longer controlled by their owners, but the poker rooms are operating properly and players are still able to log in and play. Both Stars and Full Tilt have suspended cash game activity for their US players, while Absolute and UB currently are allowing all players to play.

It is still early, and most people involved will still be scrambling to find a way forward, but there has been a notable absence of statements by the poker rooms involved.

Of course, the fact that the FBI chose to act on a Friday didn’t help any.

This does not appear to be the end of online poker for Americans though, and a number of sites that accept players form the USA have not been indicted. Sites such as Bodog Poker, Doyles Room, Cake Poker, Poker Host and Carbon Poker are still operating freely and Americans can continue to play on those sites.

That may change as the consequences of this latest attack on online poker is digested by those rooms. Carbon Poker appears to be bullish in their response and are actively advertising that US players are welcome in their poker room.

Players from other countries have been affected by this attack too, as the poker rooms have had to move to new sites and have had to update their poker client software. Players may need to download and re-install their poker software. To do that you will need to go to the new web address for the poker room. These new addresses are;

FullTiltPoker.co.uk
PokerStars.eu
AbsolutePoker.eu
UBPoker.eu

Your existing login information should work just fine, and all your account information will be in your account when you log in.

Bodog Poker could be the biggest online poker site if they continue accepting American players.

Aside from the online poker room, Bodog also has an online casino and a sportsbook.

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Poker has a natural gaming partner in bingo – a statement which although at first seems unlikely is actually very true! Bingo is not only about chatting to friends and poker is not just about the skill and money. In fact, poker has a social aspect too – and there is plenty of cash floating around in the bingo rooms! Poker players can enjoy lots of free bingo games with real cash prizes – in addition to a wide variety of top slot games at bingo sites.

Bingo players have more to concern themselves with than banter. Players need quick reaction times if they are to mark off their numbers, in addition to multi-tasking abilities when managing multiple cards. Concentration is a must and focus is vital – every number counts!

Likewise, poker players have to concentrate fully on their game or else risk making a costly error. The social aspect is where poker players could learn a thing or two from bingo players. Where bingo fans chat merrily in the chat boxes, creating a fun atmosphere, the poker room can often feel much more serious.

Many poker players are turning to bingo as an alternative to the cards, especially with the advent of free bingo available around the clock. Bingo is now the fastest growing online entertainment form. It has been discovered by poker players to be such an enjoyable game for people of all ages that more of them are enjoying themselves in bingo rooms than ever before.

Many bingo sites are offering free bingo to players – another reason for the growing popularity of the game over recent years. These free games are regularly available at online bingo sites and they usually offer players real cash prizes – so you can really get something for nothing with online bingo!

Poker players have been enjoying not only online bingo with all the free offers and bonuses available, but also looking to their local bingo halls for a different kind of night out. These live bingo games can be a welcome alternative to a night at the card club or casino. Card games have an element of seriousness to them that can make the fun of a bingo hall even more attractive. People of all ages can go along to play bingo together, enjoy a drink, a bite to eat and a flutter, while bantering with pals. It is this light-hearted spirit that is drawing in poker players to try their luck.

Of course, there is more than simply bingo on offer at online bingo sites – and it isn’t only the bonuses and promotions attracting players. There are more games available at these sites than ever before, including a range of top instants and slot titles. One of the most popular slots at the moment is Cleopatra Slots. This is a favourite in casinos live and online and has taken bingo sites by storm. The images of ancient Egypt, enchanting music and sound effects and the atmosphere or ancient mysteries is highly attractive to all kinds of players.

There is so much at bingo sites to thrill poker players – from the free bingo available to Cleopatra Slots and other such fantastic instant games and slot titles, there is really something for every poker player in online bingo.

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That’s good news for players though as at least you can now download the Doyles room software, which many players were unable to do for the last month.

The Yatahay poker network has been around for ten years and is home to the first 3D poker room, True Poker.

The loss of the Doyles room players from the Cake network, following closely on the loss of three main poker rooms late last year does not bode well for Cake and should see their traffic ranking fall from it’s already low 25th position.

Existing players will have their account balances moved to the new software, so no worries there. Players will have to download and install the new software and they should be good to go.

You can get the software directly from the Doyles Room site or simply try to start the existing Doyles software on your PC and it should download automatically.

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These ‘leaks’ can drain away a lot of money from both winning and losing players, but they can be easily managed if you know what to watch out for and what to avoid.

Some online poker rooms are even advertised as having a lot of loose casino gamblers that occasionally play at the poker tables and can be a good source of profit for the more professional poker player. Well, for poker players, the opposite of that situation is that they sometimes will sit in at a fast moving casino game and lose a lot more than they just spent the last few hours slowly accumulating at the poker tables.

Part of the reason for the large and unexpected losses can be that they are not able to switch their staking level properly across the different poker and casino games. Players used to betting into $100 dollar no limit cash pots find it hard to sit at a blackjack table and bet in single dollar amounts.

Different betting strategies apply for different games, and poker players will often times flounder when they make a sudden switch to the casino tables.

One easy way to avoid this is to find an online casino that has very low stakes available for the game that you want to play. For example, in some casinos you can play online roulette from as little as one penny. The best way to handle your online leak is find the lowest available stakes when you first sit in and play a few turns at that level before moving up to any thing higher.

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One addition worth noting is the new ‘Knockout tournaments’ where every player has a ‘bounty’ on their head. So even if you don’t place in the money in the tournament you can still come out a winner if you take out enough of the other players.

This is not a new concept of course, as it has been available on Carbon Poker for quite a while, but it is new to Poker Stars.

Other improvements are focused on fixing some of the problems that they were experiencing at the heads-up tables, and as these are specific to that game, you won’t care unless you are a heads-up player, in which case you will probably appreciate the changes.

Another great addition to their tournament line up is the ‘Special Multi Event Satellites’. Simply put, if you make the pay in one of these special satellites, you can choose from the main events on offer. So, instead of playing a satellite to one specific main event, and then finding for whatever reason that you cannot play in that main event, now you can have a choice of main events from just one satellite.

Three have also been a number of cosmetic changes, such as an increased lobby size, and improvements to the various poker table skins too.

All in all, these are some good changes, and are definitely worth checking out.

PokerStars Bonus Information

Last year Poker Stars updated their initial deposit bonus, which was long overdue, and increased the maximum amount available to a reasonable amount of $600 at 100% deposit match.

A great feature of this bonus that should be noted is that you can make up to three deposits in order to avail of the full bonus amount. For example, say you sign up for Poker Stars and deposit $50 just to see how you like the room. Then you find you do like, it so you reload another $500. In this scenario on a different poker site, you would get a deposit bonus of $50 and that would be all.

But with the new Stars bonus in the same scenario you would be entitled to a bonus amount of $550. Worth noting.

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