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Pyramid Solitaire is a fun solitaire game, with a very distinctive opening tableua in the shape of a pyramid. There is a large element of luck involved, but there are certain strategies that can be used to dramatically increase your chances of winning.
The aim of pyramid solitaire is to remove all the cards from the tableua and the talon. Cards are removed in pairs, when their combined total is 13. The exception to this is with Kings, which are removed on their own.
Cards can only be removed when they are completely exposed (ie: When the whole card is visible, with no cards above them)
The combinations of cards you can remove are:
-Ace and Queen
-2 and Jack
-3 and 10
-4 and 9
-5 and 8
-6 and 7
-King
Whilst the rules for pyramid solitaire are quite easy to understand, the game itself offers come interesting complexities. You have to plan out which cards to remove to maximize potential options later in the game. Sometimes you must leave a card for later in the game, or you will create an impasse. And sometimes you have to carefully remember the order of the cards in the talon, or you will have cards left over at the end.
At the start of the game, scan the first four rows, looking for any situations that will make the game impossible to complete. This happens when all the cards that can be combined with a card occur in the triangle below it.
This occurs because a card cannot be selected until all the cards in the triangle below it are removed first.
For example, suppose part of the deal was like this (Taken from Classic Solitaire deal 20064)
. . . 2 . . .
. . J . 8 . .
. Q . J . 8 .
6 . J . 4 . J
All of the Jacks occur in the triangle below the top 2. So to expose the top 2, all the Jacks will have to be removed first… But that’s impossible, because the Jacks can only be removed in combination with the 2’s. We will be able to remove three of the Jacks, but we cant ever remove the top Jack, because the 2 it needs is above it.
So if the four combination cards appear in a cards underneath triangle, then the game cannot be finished, and you may as well redeal.
If only three of the combination cards appear in the underneath triangle, then you have discovered a potential impasse later on. Wherever that fourth combination card is, it MUST be combined with the top card. So, if the fourth combination card is in the talon, you must remember this, and be careful not to use it on any card other than the top one.
Another impasse to check for at the beginning, is to see if all the combination cards appear in the triangle above a card.
For example, suppose the deal was like this (Taken from Classic Solitaire deal 3841)
. . . . . . 7 . . . . . .
. . . . . 8 . J . . . . .
. . . . 4 . 2 . 4 . . . .
. . . A . 6 . 8 . 2 . . .
. . 8 . 5 . 9 . Q . 2 . .
. 7 . 8 . 9 . 7 . K . 4 .
K . A . 5 . 3 . Q . 6 . 10
All the 8’s occur in the triangle above the bottom 5, so the game cannot be finished.
This last case doesn’t occur very often though, so it isn’t worth spending too much time checking for it. Just a cursory glance at the middle 3 cards on the bottom row is normally enough.
So to summarize, before we have even started playing, we check to see if the game is winnable (Make sure there are no cases where the four combination cards occur in the triangle below or above a card). We also check for times when three of the combination cards appear below… as these will need special attention, to make sure we don’t waste the fourth card and create an impasse.
So what about general play?
Well, to start with, always remove Kings whenever you can. There is absolutely no reason not to remove the Kings, because they aren’t used in combination with any other cards, so you gain nothing by waiting.
Another thing to consider is that often there is no need to rush. You can cycle through the talon three times, so often it will be better to wait and see what cards are remaining, rather than jump in and remove a combination as soon as you can.
Finally, try and remove cards evenly between the talon and the tableua. Ideally, you want to finish removing cards from the tableua at the same time as the talon is used up.
You still wont be able to win every game of pyramid solitaire with the above strategy, but you should find your probability of winning has greatly increased.
Technorati tags: cards combination game remove card
Way, way, way back in history the stag party was celebrated in all sorts of ways, and you thought it was a modern day invention, shame on you.
The Vikings stag party would consist of flagons of ale, pillaging, buxom wenches and fighting, well they did think they would only go to heaven if they died in a fight.
Poor Henry VIII, he had more stag parties then a busy working girl in Amsterdam. Do you think he chopped the heads off his wives because he was addicted to stag parties ?? Wow, we are writing history here!
These days, the majority of us have been on holiday with large groups of friends, been to University together, partied together its like getting divorced from your friends and getting married to the one you love. Its not like you won’t see your friends again, is it?
With this being said, maybe it is like being reborn. After the days of Singledon and getting frightfully drunk with your friends maybe it is a time for change, a time for settling down and giving your liver a rest!
Surprise, surprise not everyone drinks so some of these comments would not apply, if you would like further information on Where to go, what to do, how to keep drunken pests in the group at bay click on the following links ” stag Weekend ” and” Stag Night “.
Yours
Everyone at Designaventure
A golf bag is an essential equipment that one uses to transport all golf accessories such as golf balls, golf clubs, markers, tees and even umbrellas and towels.
Golf bags have no influence whatsoever on the result of the game, however, they can greatly affect the players game by way of offering comfort as the player makes his round through the course.
As to how much load in your gear you are carrying and if you are carrying the bag by yourself or using a golf cart or the help of a caddie, can help you decide which bag is for you.
When planning on riding the golf cart on your rounds, then whether the bag is heavy or not does not matter. But if your plan is to walk, then a lighter bag that will be carried along easily is essential.
Types of golf bags:
1. Staff bags. These are the largest types of golf bags. They can accommodate a complete fourteen set of golf clubs and typically have many side pockets for other golf tools and equipment that one wishes to take along. Almost all professional golfers prefer the staff bags as they can hold a lot of equipment and since their caddy carries the bag for them, weight is never a problem.
A good staff bag is one made of quality leather or materials that are of high quality and are expensive.
2. Cart Bags. Are a lot smaller in size compared to staff bags, but are comparatively bulky and unmanageable for the golfer alone, without the caddy’s help. These bags are constructed for use on golf carts; they have lesser pockets and storage capacity.
3. Carry Bags. The smallest type, and are basically made from plastic, nylon and other materials. As these bags are constructed to accommodate the essentials such as the golf clubs, a few small golf accessories and balls they are the right choice for the golfer who favors to carry his own bag.
Choosing the right bag for you
1. Take into account the price and your budget. How much you can afford can determine what kind of bag as well as what materials they are made of; the more expensive it is, the more complex the features of the bag. Keep in mind however, that the bag is not used directly in your game; golf shoes, clubs and balls are more significant than the bag.
2. Features. Know what type of features you need in your bag and what equipment you need to put in the bag. You might consider a bag that can stand alone to make it easier to take out your golf clubs during your game. You might also consider bringing an umbrella along, so you need a bag with a slot for your umbrella. However, if you are the type to carry only the basic gears, then you might want to consider a simple and light bag that can accommodate just the basics.
So you want to make your gambling pay?
Well would you be suprised if I told you that 99.9% of gamblers fail to make a consistent profit by gamblig?
Not suprised?
How about if I told you that a lot of these people don’t have a clue about betting?
Its true!!!
Upto 90% of all bets are made by people who don’t really know anything about the event they are betting on. The others may have some idea but it is actually a very select few who actually make money by gambling.
There are ways to turn a rookie gambler into at least a semi professional one who could actually make a profit from gambling.
Below I will give a few pointers to any aspiring gambler looking to make their gambling pay and why most gamblers never make a profit.
1) Most gamblers bet on every race.
If you go down to a race meeting yu will see hoards of people placing bets on every race. That is great if you are there just to have a bit of fun but the more astute gambler will know this is a big way to make a loss.
The reason for this is not all races are the same. You will get some where the favourite wins and some where a rank outsider wins. The pro gamblers knows which are the best races to bet on and which ones to leave alone.
There will be days when out of all the meetings there will be no selection for the day. This is the way a pro gambler works. They wait to find a good selection then bet it. This is how they can lock in their profits.
2) Favourites only win about 30%-40% of the time.
Yet people mistakenly bet blindly on the favourite because they think it has the best chance of winning. In theory they are right btu in reality they come unstuck by this strategy. Sure there will be days when 3 or 4 favourites at a meeting come in. However the odds can be so low that winnings aren’t really all that great (especially if you get a few odds on favourites). The Pro gambler knows when a favourite is a good bet or one to avoid. This can be done through careful selection and analysis.
3) Gamblers Lose Money becasue they haven’t got an effective staking system.
A staking system is vital to any pro gambler. Its all well and good when you are winning but what do you do when you are losing? An effective staking system can recover previous losses and still make a profit.
4) Amateurs don’t make a profit because they don’t get good value on their selections.
They back odds on favourites but if it wins the returns will be minimal. As I said earlier favourites on;y win on average about 40% of the time so when one of these short priced favourites do come in they are still showing a loss. Th pro gambler knows if a selection is good value and will rarely (if ever) bet odds on because there isn’t any value. A good example would be Chelsea this season. In some matches they are quoted as low as 1/5!! Thats 5 units bet to win one unit. As charlton have shown they are not invincible and can be beat. Ok they may be red hot favourites but how would you feel if you put a 100 bet on to win 20 and they drew? You would be gutted to say the least. Very low returns aren’t going to make you a profit.
5) Some amateurs on;y bet in accumulators!
Don’t get me wrong accumulators are an excellent way of turning a small investment into quite a large win. I, personally have the occasional accumulator just for a bit of fun (you never know) but it isn’t usually very much. I prefer to stick to singles and doubles and if (there are a lot of selections) trebles. Most of the money is made on single bets and thats where the pro gambler makes his money because all you need is one result to let you down and you lose. Some amateurs rely solely on accumulators. Accumulators have their place but they should not be seen as a a sole way of making money off gambling.
6) Amateurs don’t have any kind of system.
Amateurs just sometimes pick a horse because they like the name or the top jockey is riding it. Backing the top jockey can be quite good but it should not be the sole factor in any gamblers assessment of the race. The pro gambler has a reliable system which is supported by statistics and mathematical analysis as well as a humans perspective.
Well I hope that has given you a little insight into the difference between a rookie and pro gambler and if you are looking to make your gambling pay then you can come and visit me at www.pwmarticles.com.
Technorati tags: gambler gamblers dont favourites money
When arriving in one of the most exciting cities on the planet, Las Vegas, Nevada, I could not help but think about how interesting my Company’s meetings would be. I knew it was a time for serious decisions and keeping a focused mind, the meetings were a great success and it was now time to relax and enjoy my environment of bright lights and all night Las Vegas entertainment.
My first encounter in my luxurious hotel’s casino was the sound of a woman behind the roulette wheels screaming for joy after hitting a jackpot of 12,225.00 dollars on a slot machine that took quarters and the crowd that had gathered around her seemed to be just as happy for her as she was for herself. That’s entertainment!
Myself, well, I have always liked blackjack gambling as well as poker, roulette and craps and sought out a black jack table where I could try my hand at it. The Vegas hotels are always full of gamblers. Every gambler around me seemed eager to part with their gambling money and their wagering spirits were high and I fell right in with them and placed my bet. Lost my first two hands but as I visioned, after thirty minutes and two dealers into my evening, I left the table 375.00 dollars ahead. That’s entertainment!
A great accomplishment for an amateur casino gambler such as my myself.
Golf gadgets: Who wants them? Who needs them? These little devices come in as many shapes, sizes, and forms as there are stars in the universe. Unlike short-game training devices or swing aids they do not work directly on teaching you the proper techniques of the golf swing. However they are indeed incredibly creative in unexpected and very imaginative ways. They are made to make the crazy game of golf more fun, a lot less strenuous and simply easier to play.
It is for this reason that the avid golfer in the family can no longer go through any Christmas without receiving one accessory either in their stocking or under the tree. These golf gadgets have become somewhat of a phenomenon and even a tradition in some house holds be it good or bad.
For the golfer who is receiving these gifts it becomes a sheer reminder of how much they need to work on their games. To some it can even become and embarrassment to think that these little golf accessories can help improve their games. For others they give them a great little giggle when they see what some crazy fool has come with to help their golf swing.
Do we as golfers really need them? Some would say yes that these little golf gadgets are essential to improving their performance on the course. These golf addicts will go to every extreme and buy every little gadget out there because they feel that it will help. On the other hand, most of us know that there is no cure other than straight hard practice that nobody really wants to do let alone has time for.
Unfortunately most of the golf gadgets on the market are not perfect and have some sort of a defect or an annoying flaw. That is why most of them don’t make it into widespread circulation and use. Having said that, there are a small number of good little gadgets out there that actually work!
These items include the suction cup on the grip of your putter that makes it easier to pickup your ball form the hole without bending over. Another good one that is almost essential to every player is the divot repair tool that can come in many shapes and styles. You also have the Brush-T that is said to make contact with the ball less inhibiting by making the tee flexible. One other must have for the average golfer is the groove cleaner to help remove the dirt from your clubs so you can hit a crisper shot.
The most important thing to remember about these items is that they are mainly for fun. They’re great to have and enjoy every time you play golf. There are so many golf gadgets out there in the market you just have to pick the ones you think are cool and simply try them!
How many times have you wondered what’s on the other side of that mountain or what’s beyond the next river bend?
Sure, topo and road maps provide part of the picture, but to get a real sense of a particular area, I find it easier to use a combination of topo and aerial photography maps. For hunters, anglers, 4-wheel, camping, hiking, and other outdoor enthusiasts, Google Maps provides a great perspective on the outdoors with its new satellite imagery maps.
On April 5, 2005, Google announced the integration of its Keyhole digital mapping service with the popular Google Maps service (http://maps.google.com). In addition to a great overhead view, Google Maps allow you to click and drag maps with your mouse, zoom and pan, search for specific locations, get detailed driving direction, and more.
How It Benefits Outdoor Enthusiasts
Google Maps benefits outdoor enthusiasts for a number or reasons. The main benefit is that Google Maps allows you to see what you couldn’t see before, at least without spending money on aerial maps, as they provide free access to their satellite imagery.
I live in Springfield, Oregon near the McKenzie River and Willamette River. Both rivers are great for fishing trout, steelhead, salmon, and more. With so much river frontage passing less than half a mile by my house, you’d think it easy to find a new spot to fish. The only problem is that the area is riddled with housing and farm tracts, with no easy way to access the river without traveling a couple of miles near the edge of town or several miles outside of town.
Plus, topo and road maps only tell part of the story. In regards to fishing, what about current, trees, weeds, rocks, gravel, and other structure? We all know that aerial maps answer a lot of these questions. With Google Maps’ satellite imagery, I’ve already determined several locations that I’ll be trying this year. With deer hunting season around the corner, I’ll also be using these maps to scout out some new hunting locations.
I also recently visited Moab, Utah for the 2005 Easter Jeep Safari, and could have benefited greatly from the use of such detailed maps while traversing many of the offroad trails in the area. 4-wheel and offroad enthusiasts, bikers, hikers, and scenery buffs will notice the trails, trailsheads, and landmarks such as Lion’s Back, Arches National Monument, and other spots of interest.
Check out the following links to see the power of Google Maps:
* Cliff Hanger Trail Overlooking Factory
- overhead view
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=moab,utahandll=38.524847,-109.648275andspn=0.015814,0.020900andt=kandhl=en
- from lookout
http://www.discusstheoutdoors.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=12andpos=98
* Lion’s Back and Potato Salad Hill, Moab, Utah
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=moab,utahandll=38.576903,-109.531288andspn=0.031629,0.041800andt=kandhl=en
* Arches National Park, Moab, Utah
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=moab,utahandll=38.680973,-109.514637andspn=0.126514,0.167198andt=kandhl=en
* McKenzie River in Springfield, Oregon
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=springfield, oregonandll=44.064274,-122.905254andspn=0.031629,0.041800andt=kandhl=en
The Good and Bad
Google Maps provides both detailed street level and satellite imagery maps. While the street level maps cover the entire United States, Canada, and the UK, the high resolution satellite images seem to cover only more populated areas. For outdoor enthusiasts visiting urban areas, this is great. But for those visiting rural or wilderness areas, Google still has a ways to go before more detailed imagery is available.
Images seem to be pretty up-to-date, at least within the areas I checked. For example, my house is located near a new housing development, and I can see houses that were started within the last year on the map.
With Google aiming to expand its reach, I’m sure that we’ll see maps with greater detail and higher resolution in the future. That’s good news for outdoor enthusiasts.
Things to Note
* Image resolution varies by distance. At the lowest resolution/farthest distance, you can identify large landmarks such as mountains, rivers, and large lakes. At the highest resolution/closest distance, you can locate specific cars, buildings, trees, hills, creeks, and more.
* Satellite images are current within a year or so, but they are not in real-time.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we thought this would be a great time to share a few tips on caring for cut flowers.
Imagine it’s Valentine’s Day and you’ve just received a glorious bunch of roses. You put them in your best vase and you stand back to admire them. You’d love to make them last as long as you possibly can, but other than keeping them out of direct sunlight, you’re not sure what to do.
Here are some tips on how to extend the shelf life of your roses:
Remove the roses from the vase and put them in a temporary container.
Clean the vase by washing it thoroughly in water with household bleach.
Fill the vase with fresh water and add a half teaspoon of household bleach for each litre (16 fluid ounces) of water.
Remove your roses from their temporary container and lay them flat on a counter top.
Remove any leaves which will show below the waterline in the vase.
Cut about 20 mm (3/4 inch) from the base of each stem immediately before placing it in the vase. This removes any air bubbles.
Don’t place roses in drafts or direct sunlight, or near fruit, heaters, TVs or refrigerators.
Change the water daily to extend the vase life of your roses.
Freshly picked roses can last up to two weeks with a little extra care.
Enjoy!
Fresh flowers should feel crisp or firm. Before you buy, run your hand under the flower heads from stem to petal tip. Proceed gently under the petals so as not to bruise them.
If the flower vendor objects, give them a withering look and enquire in a loud voice, “Are these flowers fresh?”
If the flowers feel soft, cool or damp, don’t buy them.
Keep testing the other bunches until you find a good one. Often there are only one or two bunches older than the others. Look and listen. Really fresh flowers will make a soft rustling sound as you stroke them.
As flowers age:
the foliage will start to yellow from the bottom upwards
the stems will discolor from the bottom up as bacteria spreads from the cut
seeds or pollen on the flower head will open and shed spores
the petals will fade in colour, lose moisture, dehydrate and eventually collapse
Remember:
Change the water daily, recut the stems often and enjoy your flowers longer.
It is well known in professional golf how integral golf fitness exercises are for success at the highest level of golf. Men on the PGA Tour and women on the LPGA Tour understand the benefits of golf fitness exercises in achieving success. Outside the circles of professional golf many questions exist about golf fitness exercises. Questions such as; what are the best exercises to improve golf fitness levels, are flexibility exercises and stretches better than other forms of golf fitness exercises, and what are the benefits of golf fitness exercises for the woman golfer?
These and many questions surround the topic of golf fitness. This article is to provide some answers for you on the topic of golf fitness exercises for woman. It has been well documented in magazines and television how LPGA women such as Annika Sorenstam utilize golf fitness programs to benefit their play on the golf course. Is there a difference between the LPGA player and the amateur woman golfer in relation to golf fitness training? The answer is no. Yes, the women on the LPGA Tour are the best women golfers in the world, but the physiology of the LPGA player and amateur are the same. The skeletal, muscular, and neural systems are the same. The professional golfer has the same number of muscles in their bodies as the amateur. The woman’s professional golfer has the same skeletal structure as the female amateur, and nervous system as well. Granted the LPGA player has more refined and efficient swing mechanics, but the body is the same.
As a result of the body being the same, the principles and structure of a golf fitness program for any woman is similar. Before discussing the specifics of a golf fitness program for women it is necessary to understand a few important principles. The first principle to understand about a golf fitness program is sports specific. Sports specific is a term describing the type of training utilized in a golf fitness program. Sport specific training simply states the program utilized by the woman athlete is geared towards improving them in their chosen sport.
A second principle closely related to sports specific training is cross specificity training. Cross specificity training is the utilization of exercises to develop the woman golfer in the positions, movements, and actions incorporated in the golf swing. The goal of cross specificity training is a transfer of training effect to the field of competition. Simply stated, a transfer of training effect is the ability of exercises utilized to train the female golfer having a direct benefit on their performance during a round of golf.
For example, golf fitness flexibility exercises will attempt to improve the flexibility within the woman golfer. As the woman golfer improves her flexibility parameters in relation to the golf swing. She may be able to create a bigger shoulder turn, which may increase the distance of her drives. This benefit is an example of a transfer of training effect onto the golf course. In summary, the three principles that assist in the development of a golf fitness program for women are; sports specific, cross specificity training, and transfer of training effect. Many additional principles exist that are used as guidelines in the development of a golf fitness program, but these are three essential ones.
Outside of the guidelines governing the development of a golf fitness program for woman. Specific physical components within the body are needed within the body to execute the golf swing correctly. Remember, it is the body performing the biomechanics of the golf swing. In order for the golf swing to be executed correctly and efficiently certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required. These are the actual physical components within the woman golfer a golf specific fitness program looks to develop and enhance in relation to the golf swing.
The golf swing requires the body to move through a long range of motion for an efficient movement to occur. Much of this is contingent upon the ability of the core to coil and uncoil during the swing. In order for these two biomechanical actions to occur efficiently, the development of proper flexibility in the core is necessary.
We utilize flexibility exercises that are cross-specific to the movements in the golf swing to develop flexibility. The majority of these flexibility exercises are rotational and dynamic.
The golf swing is a dynamic movement, indicating that the body is in constant motion. It is crucial to develop a range of motion for the swing in a dynamic rather than a static (not moving) method. The goal of these exercises is to create a range of motion in the core for the golf swing. Flexibility is the first physical component requiring development within the woman golfer.
One needs to maintain, dynamically, a stable body throughout the entire swing. We have all hit balls at the range and know what happens when we do not stay balanced during the swing. Improving the balance and stabilization capabilities of the core translates into a better golf swing. Better Balance equals a Better Swing. Even subtle movements are consistency killers; thus we need to develop and maintain balance for a consistent swing.
Balance is connected to the efficiency of the nervous system and strength of the muscular system working together. The development of greater balance in the core and swing is the result of two types of specific exercise. The first challenges the nervous system creating greater efficiency. The second are exercises that create increased strength in the core. The combination of these two types of exercises permit for the body to maintain posture, promote efficient weight transfer, and create power in the swing. The result is a more consistent, accurate, and powerful swing. This is the second component included with a golf fitness program for women
Remember that the golf swing is a repetitive movement. The mechanics of the swing repeat with each stroke. This process can be repeated hundreds of times in a round of golf. Ever go to the range and hit two buckets of balls? At some point the body starts to tire, and shots scatter.
Proper endurance training enables us to repeat a sound swing. We produce this through a series of exercises developing endurance in the entire body. This nets us a consistent swing through eighteen holes. Increasing endurance leads to lower scores. This is the third physical component of the golf fitness program for women.
Club head speed is a function of power. The more power generated by the body, the greater speed at which a club head impacts the ball. More power to the ball equals longer drives. Developing higher levels of power within the muscular system of the body is achieved through the implementation of power exercises. These types of exercise assist in creating higher power outputs of the muscles involved in the golf swing. Power training is the final component found in a golf fitness program for women.
In summary a golf fitness program for the LPGA or amateur woman golfer is relatively the same. Golf fitness exercises for the woman golfer are sports specific. The exercises contained within the golf fitness program are cross-specific to the movements, positions, and requirements of the golf swing. The exercises within a woman’s golf fitness program induce a transfer of training effect onto the golf course. The golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to execute correctly. A golf fitness program for women will look to enhance these physical components of the body. The end result is an improved golf swing equating to lower scores and more enjoyment on the golf course.