Twelve months ago a solid handicapper in the shape of Supreme Prince held on to land the valuable prize while in its inaugural year, the classy Isio was a well-backed winner. Absent since that season, Nicky Henderson’s gelding may well reappear in this race and would be an interesting contender.

On the same day Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Chase, a staying handicap over three and a quarter miles, has been transferred to Lingfield and may well be the chosen target of A Glass In Thyne, who won the Skybet Chase that had also been switched from Doncaster to Southwell in January. Maybe the changing fixture pattern will repeat itself again for Ben Pollock’s improving young chaser.

Champion trainer Martin Pipe has endured a stop-start season but plenty of punters will still be scouring the list of runners for the Imperial Cup at Sandown on March 11 in the hope of unearthing another Pipe hotpot for one of the season’s most keenly-contested handicap hurdles.

Pipe has won the race five times overall and has landed the prize three times in recent seasons. His mass of entries should be studied with the utmost care and may well include progressive sorts such as Buena Vista, Acambo and Desert Air.

The punishing combination of a fiercely-run race and a stamina-sapping finish up the demanding Sandown hill has often meant that lightly-weighted horses have held an advantage over their higher-weighted rivals, while waiting tactics have also proved successful for several of the recent winners. Making all in a race as competitive as this isn’t easy.

The Irish won this race with shock outsider Regency Rake, trained by Arthur Moore in 1999, and any runners from across the Irish Sea should be accorded the greatest respect. Jessica Harrington’s Studmaster, an easy winner of his last two races might take in this contest or wait for the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

On the same day at Sandown make a note also of the EBF Novices’ Hurdle Final, a race that often produces a star of the future. Plenty of classy young hurdlers will have this contest in their sights including the Lambourn-trained duo Mr Pointment, and Wogan while the NickGifford team intends to field Dusky Lord.

In recent years the Irish have held the Champion Hurdle on March 14, the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, in a vice-like grip, winning five of the last seven renewals and looking at the somewhat weakened field for this year’s renewal it’s hard not to envisage the hurdling crown being whisked away once more across the Irish Sea.

Reigning title-holders boast a superb record in the Champion, but recent dual winner Hardy Eustace will have to banish a bout of the blues on his latest and disappointing effort in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopradstown. At the age of nine many think his time may have passed.

Plenty of horses that have been placed in the race previously have put that beneficial experience to good use by returning again the next year to run well. Ireland’s formidable trio of Brave Inca, Macs Joy and Al Eile, who finished third, fifth and seventh respectively in last year’s race will all be fancying their chances of winning this race a second time around.

The home-based challenge looks poor and has been hit hard by a spate of cruel injuries as well as the loss of form of emerging contenders such as Faasel and Penzance. Maybe the best of the British will be Arcalis, whose chances will be much increased by quick ground at Cheltenham, and a return to form for his stable.

Wednesday sees the two-mile heavyweights clash in the stirring championship that is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Predicting this year’s winner revolves around whether punters think dual winner and reigning champion Moscow Flyer is just a jaded member of the old guard ready to be swept away by young pretenders such as the classy Kauto Star and the improving Fota Island.

Disappointing on his two starts so far this season, the mighty Moscow Flyer is twelve years of age and you have to go back almost thirty years (1977) to find the last winner from that age group.

Kauto Star, by contrast, has youth on his side and hails from the Paul Nicholls stable that has the best recent record in this race with winners in 2004 and 1999, and four placed horses since 2000. Kauto Star is a worthy favourite to add to that auspicious tally.

Thursday’s championship race is the World Hurdle, formerly known as the Stayers’ Hurdle and rather like the Queen Mother Champion Chase, it features a past champion in Baracouda attempting to add a third title at the age of eleven in what must rank a one of the most open renewals in living memory.

But for the foot-and-mouth abandonment of 2001, Baracouda would already have three Stayers’ titles to his name but his task this year is made even harder by his advancing years and the presence of a strong domestic and Irish challenge from Mighty Man, No Refuge, Asian Maze and Golden Cross.

Friday March 17 is Cheltenham Gold Cup day and after the brilliant dominance of the chasing blue riband by three times victor Best Mate, this year’s renewal is one of the poorest and also most open in years and likely to produce a surprise result in this greatly-anticipated championship event.

The loss through injury of Kicking King, last year’s easy winner, has left the race wide-open but many backers will be looking to Monkerhostin, runner-up to the imperious Kicking King in the 2005 King George VI Chase, as a possible winner. Seven of the last ten Gold Cup winners ran in the King George, making it a key trial for future Gold Cup heroes.

Cheltenham week closes with the Midlands Grand National day on March 18 and Ossmoses, a course winner last year, will be a leading fancy for the four-mile one-and-a-half furlong prize given his preference for running over long-distances in the mud. On the same card backers should watch out for Sue Smith’s tough mare Viciana in the EBF Mares’ Novices’ Chase Final.

In blackjack, the object of the game is to get the sum of the two cards close to 21. When a person gets cards that are over 21, he or she loses the game.

Normally, a player receives two cards. After the players see their cards, they have to decide whether they would hit or stand. When a person says “stand,” this means the player thinks he or she is closer to 21 already. When a player says “hit,” this means that he or she still needs additional cards just to get close to 21.

Players can draw as many cards as they want until they feel they are close to 21 already. A player who is nearer to 21 wins.

However, there are people who have devised some tips and strategies to get an edge over the other players. There are times that these tips really can help some people win.

Here’s a list of some tips that players may choose to use them so as to win the game.

1. If a player gets 17 or higher, it is always better to stand, and if the player has any number from 13 to 16 and the dealer’s card is 6 or lower, it would be better to stand. But if the dealer has 7 or more, it would be better for a player to hit.

The theory here is that, if the dealer is showing a card of six or lower, the dealer may take a card, assuming that the dealer’s card facing down is a ten. The players, then, assume that the dealer is banking on a bust hand, so the other players have the tendency to maintain a lower card number.

The rule of thumb: players should always assume that the dealer’s down cards is 10.

2. If a player has aces or 8’s, it would be better to split them regardless of the dealer’s showing card.

3. A player should remember not to split 10’s. Chances are, they might end up getting busted.

4. If the dealer is showing 4, 5, or 6, it would be better for a player to stand on hard 12, or hit hard if the dealer is showing 2, 3, 7, or higher.

5. In order to win, players should always remember not to split fours, face cards, and fives.

Basically, you use chips to place your bets on a variety of number and colors on the roulette table. The Croupier (dealer) spins the wheel and a number and color is chosen. As the wheel spins, a small ball rolls around the wheel and lands on a destination. This is just an example of the basics of roulette gambling.

Roulette gambling can be as simple as placing a bet and watching the wheel spin. Winning in roulette gambling is a combination of strategy, odds and luck. You will not win every round; knowing the odds of the game can greatly influence your success in roulette gambling. Practice does not necessarily make perfect in roulette, although the more you play and the more experienced you become, the better you will be at gauging the odds.

You can always try roulette gambling at an online venue to begin with. Many websites offer free roulette gambling and this might be a great way to learn the game and test your abilities. As you feel more comfortable with the game, you may decide to play at a casino or at an online venue that is pay-to-play.

Winning at a casino slot machine depends entirely upon luck. We have all heard stories of people striking it rich after depositing only a few coins. Those of us who have played casino slot machines also know how easy it is to keep feeding the machine because playing is so much fun.

You can play casino slot machines at various casinos across the country. For those in the Southeastern United States, Tunica, MS is a grand hotspot for casino slot machines. Every year, thousands of people from surrounding, non-gambling states pile onto charter buses to spend a night or weekend gambling their time away. Casino slot machines are one of the primary attractions. Other gamblers will agree that Las Vegas casinos are the best place to play slot machines. You will certainly find no shortage of casino slot machines in Vegas.

Casino slot machines were first thought to be a very effective means of occupying the bored wives of the high-rolling gamblers of Vegas. The first casino owners who came up with this brilliant plan certainly had no real idea of what was in store for casino slot machines. Little did they know that those menial machines would eventually account for millions of dollars in revenue each year.

The World Series of Poker is the most anticipated and crowning event in the world of poker. It wasn’t a fad that was made to be televised into some sort of fashion. It was quality poker.

Back in the day, men smoked cigars and sipped whisky while eyeing up their opponents. It was a game made for men like Nicolas Dandolos, commonly referred to as Nick the Greek, and Benny Binion. These two were champion gamblers and poker players back during the 1940s. It was no wonder then when Nick the Greek approached Binion to set up a world class match. Nick challenged the supposed champion of all poker players, Johnny Moss.

Binion agreed to the plan and he set up the match between Dandolos and Moss. There was one exception though, Binion made sure to attract as much attention to the event as possible by holding it in public. It was to be on public display and seen as a marathon. After five long months of discussion and compromises, all parties agreed to continue with the match. Thus, the World Series of Poker was born in 1949. It was a grueling event where the players only took breaks to catch up on sleep. Moss came out on top and reportedly took home around $2 million in cash, nearly an entire casino’s worth in 1949.

Nearly 21 years later, Binion decided to try his hand with the WSOP again. It was 1970, and this time he officially deemed it the WSOP. And once again, Johnny Moss did what he does best and walked away with the pot.

By now Binion knew he had something particularly special in the poker world. He continued the World Series of Poker yearly from then on. By 1982, there were 104 top poker players signed up for the WSOP. Now in 2006, at the height of the poker craze, everyone believes he or she is the next gift to poker. Last year, there were 5,619 people entered into the main event. This year, the numbers are predicted to be over 8,000 entrants. The size of the WSOP has changed, but the quality has not. It is the biggest, most anticipated poker tournament for any poker player.

As well as gambling, I love to have a few beers. It was during one of my nights out drinking when I met an old school friend. His name was John and we had not seen each other for around fifteen years. The conversation soon turned to talking about various forms of gambling and we realised that we had very similar interests.

John told me about some of his more profitable days and I responded by talking about some of mine. I must say his seemed far more impressive than what I had ever won. John then told me that he was very good friends with a local trainer and that he had some information that I might be interested in.

This night was becoming more interesting by the hour and I enquired as to what type of information he had. He started talking about a horse which the trainer and its connections thought could not lose. The horse was going to run in ten days time and was of a far higher class than what the other horses in the race would be. The trainer wanted the horse to have an easy victory so that it would gain some confidence from the race.

I told quite a lot of people about this horse over the next few days, this was to be a big mistake, a mistake I will not be repeating in the future.

The big race day arrived and I was very excited. I will not tell you how much I placed on the horse but lets just say it was a lot of money. The odds were five to one and I believed that this was going to be the easiest money I would have ever obtained.

The race in question was a three mile hurdle and with only three fences to go the horse was cruising. It was challenging the long term leader who was fading and being strongly ridden. Approaching the second to last fence the horse took the lead but disaster was to strike, yes it fell at this fence. I could not believe it, the horse would have won if only it could have jumped those last two fences.

These are my horse racing tips, beware there is no such thing as a racing certainty and only gamble what you can afford to lose. Gambling can be lots of fun and you can have some great days and nights out, I now treat it like a hobby and have decreased the amount I bet as I now have a family to support.

Top Lists
In all their catchy, short attention span suiting, bottom-line giving glory. A good online casino directory will cut straight to the bone and save you the trouble of sifting through the reviews their writer-players so tirelessly toiled over. A great sampling of top lists might include the following: Top Casinos, Top Casino Payouts, Top Bonuses, Top No Deposit Bonuses.

Casino Reviews
The meat of the online casino directory (or its heart if you prefer). Online casino savvy writers visit each of the sites reviewed, peruse its offerings, play its games, and compare and contrast one against the other.

CasinoBrain’s reviews give you a comprehensive idea of what criteria a good online casino directory should examine in evaluating an online casino: An overall summary, screenshot(s) of the actual casino itself, overall score/grade, bonuses and promotions, payout percentages (by game), software and graphics, games (including game-specific info on limits and stakes), payouts, cashouts, and Security (including payment methods accepted for each, procedures for each, and encryption technology employed), and customer Support (including methods of contact — email, telephone, live chat).

CasinoBrain has even created a system of eye-catching and colorful icons that represent some of the more common attributes of online casinos for quick and easy reference when perusing the online casino directory reviews. Attributes like: Progressive Jackpots, MultiPlayer Games, Sportsbook, No Download, Signup Bonus, and others!

Casino Game Rules
A good online casino directory should teach you how to play the games offered at the online casinos they list. At the very least, an online casino directory should teach the rules of the most popular games, such as Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, Keno, Roulette, Slots, and Video Poker.

Betting Systems
Some players swear by them. A good online casino directory devoted to giving players all the facts possible should explain in depth the most widely-used betting systems online or off. These include: the 1-2-3-6 System, the D’Alenbert System, the Labouchere System, the Martingale System, the Parlay System, and the Paroli System.

Gaming Software
A quality online casino directory will list the various major software makers that are used to run the online casinos, even allowing you to sort online casino by the software they run. Examples include Microgaming, Playtech, Real Time Media and WagerLogic.

Payment Methods
Of interest to many players also is information about the various Payment Methods you could choose to use to fund (and withdraw from) your online casino accounts.

Here are 9 golden tips on how to ease your transition from playing online to playing in a live poker tournament.

1) If you have difficulty facing pressure in daily life, do not think that playing in front of watchful eyes and a roomful of people will have no effect on you. If you are very easily moved and influenced, I suggest you keep your money and forget about playing in a tournament at all and this is relevant even more when talking about a live poker tournament.

2) Wear comfortable and not fashionable clothes. This is not a fashion show: this is poker. Thus, wear those clothes that will help you feel comfortable and at ease. I have known a woman who wore tight jeans and then all through the round, she kept fidgeting uncomfortably. Regardless to say, she was the first one to lose and all because she was dressed uncomfortably.

3) Drink only water and even then only a little so that you will not feel thirsty and also will not get the urge to go to the lavatory. Either of the two feelings are disastrous to a poker player in the midst of a hand.

4) Do not drink alcohol or even sugared soft drinks. Alcohol will cause you to lose your concentration and sweet drinks give a false sense of well-being; both will work against you when you play in a live game.

5) Do not sit next to the dealer. Most poker tournaments allow you to pick your seat in the earlier rounds. It is best to sit opposite the dealer so that you will be able to look at each and every poker player.

6) Try not to change positions while playing. If you really begin to feel uncomfortable, change your position after a hand ends. In not circumstance should you move while playing.

7) Go to the toilet when the break is announced and do not hang around talking. It is best to loosen your gall bladder than exchanging a few words with other players.

Watch how others are doing. Those about to lose will opt to play only when they have strong hands; those with a large stack will be more willing to risk it.

9) Learn the rules and regulations of the particular poker tournament you have entered so as to save unnecessary losses.

Live poker games are against people and so if you can read people well, you will have an advantage when playing in a tournament.

There is a better option. Base your bets on information that you collect about the different horses and then make a calculated guess. I have listed here the 8 Golden Rules you should look out for when judging how good a particular horse will fair in the race you are going to bet on.

1. Check out the weather, and then check how the horses in the race fared accordingly. Certain horses have a tendency to outlast others in the rain, while others charge unstoppable to the finish line on cloudy days. Why? I don’t know, but what’s important is that its true, and it has worked for me.

2. Do not think that older horses run slower than three-year old ones as the season comes to a close. This is just not true. What you have to check is how many races each horse did run. Sometimes horses compete in too many races and this slows them down, but this has nothing to do with age.

3. Surprisingly, though you might think that there is a direct ratio between the weight of the jockey and how fast the horse can run, but this is not true. Since most of the jockeys weigh approximately the same, its actually the relatively heavier ones who manage to win.

4. Similarly, heavier horses can run faster than lighter ones, but only up to a point. A colt weighs about a hundred pounds more than fillies and thus they are more likely to win long distance races.

5. Just because a horse has new blinkers does not mean that the horse will run faster. I know this sounds crazy, but a friend I met at the horse-track offered me this piece of advice, and I had to refute it to spare the heartache from any who do fall for it.

6. Check the pedigree of the horses. Remember to keep whatever information you find. You can even buy one of the books on certain horses at your local bookstores. After you have gathered all the relevant information keep in mind that a colt doesn’t need as much of a pedigree as a filly to run very fast.

7. Don’t rely too much on pedigree at the lower class races. This is the place where those horses with a weak pedigree tend to shine.

8. Female jockies are starting to make a name for themselves, so don’t underestimate them when they race.

Here are smart gambling tips :

Know thy game

Don’t play any casino game seriously unless you know it really well. It’s one thing to spend a few bucks while learning or just having fun, but it’s another to play it over and over without knowing the fine details of odds, strategy, etc.

Know more than one game

It’s fine to “specialize” in one game, but you should know two games or more well. There will be times when it’s smart to walk away from a game. Maybe your head just isn’t working well at that time or the game is too hot the wrong way.

Slots are for fun

Show me one player that’s played slots a ton and has won a lot and I’ll show you either someone that happened to get lucky by hitting a very large jackpot or a liar. Slots are for fun, not profit. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying them in doses, but don’t make this your main game.

A tip is a loss

This is for the guys and gals playing in the real world. It’s a common courtesy for players to tip good dealers or the cocktail waitress. This is fine, but it’s money lost, so you need to treat it as such. If you’re playing $1 Blackjack and you’re up $10 when the cocktail waitress comes around think for a minute. If you tip $1, you’ve just lost 10% of your profits. I’m not saying don’t tip, but you need to keep it relative. And all money out is money lost-good cause or not.

Love what you do

It doesn’t matter if Baccarat (House Bet) is the best bet in the house if the game bores you to tears. You’ve got to love what you’re doing. If not, you’ll get mentally lazy and that’s when money is lost for sure. Stick with your passions.