Launching of a casino guest service program does not have to be tied to the beginning of a new year and the planning process leading up to it. “It’s never too late to start a guest service program and reap the rewards,” says Martin R. Baird, president of Phoenix, Ariz.-based Robinson & Associates, Inc., a guest service consulting firm for the gaming industry. “Fall is just around the corner and now is as good a time as any for casinos to get their service plans in motion.”

It’s Never Too Late to Launch A Guest Service Program;

Five Crucial Steps to Get the Process Going

Launching of a casino guest service program does not have to be tied to the beginning of a new year and the planning process leading up to it.

“It’s never too late to start a guest service judi online  program and reap the rewards,” says Martin R. Baird, president of Phoenix, Ariz.-based Robinson & Associates, Inc., a guest service consulting firm for the gaming industry. “Fall is just around the corner and now is as good a time as any for casinos to get their service plans in motion.”

Baird offers the following five steps to starting, implementing and maintaining a guest service plan.

Number 1: Review and revise your standards. Focus first on your existing service standards and be sure to take a hard look at guests’ standards. “You need to know where your standards are today and where your guests want them to be,” Baird notes. “Set standards that meet or exceed guests’ needs.”

Number 2: Get management to buy in. Outstanding service must start at the top with a commitment and a pledge of support from management. “This attitude must spread to all staff members and management must visibly support the execution of a guest service plan on a daily basis,” Baird says.

Number 3: Give staff members the necessary skills. “Few people naturally excel at providing good service,” Baird points out. “Your employees will need training to learn these new service skills.”

Number 4: Reward, reward, reward. Once the staff has the necessary skills, they need a reason to use them. “Create and launch a reward and incentive program,” Baird explains. “Focus on the positive and let employees know they’re doing a good job.”

Number 5: Make service an ongoing commitment. “No one will buy into a guest service program if they think it’s just the management idea de jour,” Baird says. “Keep the program going and make it the backbone of your casino.”

Owned by Lydia and Martin Baird, Robinson & Associates, Inc., is a guest service consulting firm that provides specialty guest service training, management skills training, presentation skills training, team building programs and employee incentive and recognition programs for the gaming industry. The Bairds have a Web site, www.casinocustomerservice.com, that’s devoted to helping casinos improve their guest service so they can compete and increase revenues. Robinson & Associates may be reached by contacting Lydia at 480-991-6421 or at lbaird@casinocustomerservice.com. Robinson & Associates is an associate member of the National Indian Gaming Association.

 …

The Hard Rock Hotel parlayed big-act entertainment and its table-game focus into a strong second quarter, according to results the property announced Tuesday for the period ended June 30.

Revenue, cash flow and net income were all up, with property executives crediting the increases to additional business generated by new marketing and entertainment spending.

“(Hard Rock Chairman Peter) Morton’s a smart guy,” Bear, Stearns & Co., casino industry analyst Jason Ader said Tuesday. “He understands his market. Mandalay Bay and the Palms and others have targeted his market niche, but he always figures out a way to keep his customers.”

Hard Rock net income jumped 58.9 percent to $3.7 million from $2.3 million, and operating cash flow, defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, was up 4.4 percent, to $9.7 million from $9.3 million.

Revenue was up 4.4 percent to $34.1 million from $32.7 million. Expenses also jumped, up 4.3 percent, to $24.4 million from $23.4 million.

The property reported that it spent an additional $600,000 on marketing and entertainment expenses during the quarter, funding a new national advertising campaign and concerts by groups like the Eagles.

“We believe that the marketing and entertainment expenditures will more than pay for themselves through increased awareness of the property,” Morton said in a statement.

Hard Rock President Don Marrandino said the Hard Rock had a great quarter.

“Our table UFA game business continues to grow,” Marrandino said. The property generates two-thirds of its gaming revenue from its 100 table games, with the remaining third coming from 600 slot machines.

The table-game share of the Hard Rock’s revenue is believed to be the biggest in the city, with many properties almost reversing the ratio.

Marrandino expects a scheduled summer installation of about 360 new International Game Technology EZ-Pay ticket-in/ticket out machines to improve the slot floor’s performance.

Food and beverage revenue was up 6.7 percent, to $5.6 million from $5.2 million, while hotel revenue dropped 8 percent to $1.8 million from $1.9 million.

Marrandino said hotel room rates and occupancy remained relatively constant.

Hard Rock executives have some new changes planned for the property, he said.

New banquet space, a few new high-roller suites and a few new floors on top of the parking garage are on the drawing board, Marrandino said, although he declined to say when the new features would be built.

 …

Aside from special promotions, casino mistakes, and cheating, there are four games one can play in a casino which can be played well enough to gain an edge over the house. They are horse and sports betting, poker, blackjack, and video poker. The notion that the last item on this list, which are nothing more than fancy video games, can be played with a positive expectation may be a surprise to many, but for many folks who manage to get the better of the casinos they visit, this is their weapon of choice. Video Poker–Optimum Play tells you how to get an edge at this game.

The book is accessible to those who have merely seen a video poker machine, the reader is not expected to be familiar with the nomenclature and mathematics of video poker. The book starts with a number of introductory sections explaining these concepts, the principles by which video poker can be beaten, and explains how the mathematics allow this out without the need to comprehend the math itself.

Then Paymar launches in to a description of “Precision Play”, a list of relatively simple rules for Jacks-or-Better, Deuces Wild, and Joker Wild that allow one to play very close to the optimum strategy. Most video poker books provide the same information as a chart of hand rankings, so this is a fairly novel approach. I think a great many people will find it easier to remember the Precision Play rules than some hand rank chart, and everyone who falls into this category will be grateful for this by itself.

The book continues with a lot of information on what one can expect for long and short term fluctuations in bankroll, other games one might encounter, and some information on the machines, tipping, the IRS, etc.. All of this information is quite good, and to have it all collected in one place is extremely valuable. There are also some ligaz11 quizzes so the reader can test themselves on how well they know the Precision Play rules, although these quizzes could have been made more comprehensive.

The book concludes with six appendices and a glossary, stating, at the time of the book’s printing, where the full pay machines and some of the better slot clubs are located, gaming regulations, sources for other information, etc.. As with the rest of the book, I detect no inaccuracies in the data, nor any bad advice. On the whole, Video Poker–Optimum Play is one of the most accurate gambling books I’ve ever read.

If I were to quibble, I’d mention that I was surprised to see Joker Wild included as one of the three games covered rather than the ubiquitous, albeit quite complicated, Double Bonus. It may be the case that a set of Precision Play rules would end up being too complex to be valuable for this game, yet the fact that it’s often the only 100+% game available in many casinos with otherwise good slot clubs means that it is often the game of choice for the experienced VP player.

Overall, this is an absolutely excellent book, certainly the single finest book on video poker I’ve read. I’m on the fence as to whether there is enough new information here to make it worthwhile for those who have already read its predecessor, Video Poker–Precision Play, to upgrade or not. But at its price, its probably worth it to have all this information in one place. Folks who play a significant amount of video poker almost certainly need to obtain and read this book.

Capsule:

The single best book available on winning at Video Poker. There are other books available that are worth reading in addition to Paymar’s masterpiece, but this should be the VP player’s starting point. At worst, the veteran player who already knows this information will appreciate having so much of it aggregated in a single place. At best, it can save the casino patron a great deal of money. Highly recommended.

 …

Hey Max, What’s the best piece of advice you have for a first-time Internet gambler? – A.P.

Short Answer: Set your loss-limit in advance.

Details: I’ve gambled at dozens of online casinos. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And it’s the losing part that hurts! Decide how much you can afford to lose before you wager one dime. If you win, great. If you lose, c’est la vie.

24 Jan 2002

Hey Max, Where can I play blackjack for fun (i.e. not for money)? – Tim O.

Short Answer: Lots of places.

Details: Almost every Internet casino will let you play their games for free in the hope that you will one day make a deposit. Here’s a list of more than a thousand Internet casinos.

Some free games sites offer casino games and give away cash and prizes, too. I sometimes play Gamesville or Virtual Vegas when I don’t feel like risking real money.

If you enjoy the occassional trip to Las Vegas, check out WagerWorks – while you play you earn points redeemable for hotel accommodations and other perks.

Hey Max, I hear all this talk about re-shuffling, playing Vegas rules, etc. I’ve played in casinos all over the western hemisphere and I see NO ONE online playing anything NEAR real casino rules. – Dkw

Short Answer: The rules are the same as you’ll find in Las Vegas, and that’s a fact.

Details: Sounds like you’re referring to blackjack, so let’s talk 21. The only difference between online blackjack and blackjack on the Las Vegas Strip is that Situs Judi Slot casinos shuffle after each round. If they didn’t, card counters would use computer programs to clean them out. Otherwise, the rules are the same as you’ll find on the Las Vegas Strip.

More on shuffling: Many land-based casinos in Vegas and all around the world use Continuous Shuffle Machines to speed up blackjack play. The dealer sticks the used cards in the machine at the end of each round and the machine shuffles them. For the player, it’s like playing an infinite deck — and similar to playing at an online casino.

Just like in Las Vegas, rules vary from casino to casino so check the details before laying down any cash.

21 Mar 2002

Hey Max, Will the Goodlatte bill pass, banning Internet gambling in the U.S.? – Sam

Short Answer: I doubt it.

Details: Last week the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime voted to update the Wire Act of 1961, which bans interstate wagers, to apply to Internet gambling sites. Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte sponsored the bill. The bill now moves to the full Judiciary Committee for consideration.

If I were a betting man — and I am — I would bet against the Goodlatte bill passing. Too many powerful groups oppose the bill, including major Internet service providers and the American Gaming Association.…

Bit of a Betfair joke this one but worth sharing all the same – it made me smile anyway 🙂

Recently the cricket forum over at Betfair has been the favoured posting ground of the nothing if not enthusiastic Big Joe. And a most suitable spot it is as Big Joe likes his cricket. In fact, I dare say he loves it, which has lead to this sticky state of affairs.

Big Joe supports India. OK then, he worships India. To the point where objective betting analysis is replaced by unswerving belief that India will pull off a win in even the most hopeless of situations.

So cue some wag submitting a fake book review at Amazon about Sachin Tendulkar in Big Joe’s name a couple of weeks back. Unfortunately the jobsworths at Amazon spotted the wind up and declined the review.

As some killjoy will no doubt have the review pulled soon here’s what it says for posterity:

“For me, the title says it all. Sachin is simply the world’s greatest batsman, and a personal hero for me and many hundreds of millions of fellow Indian cricket fans. As a cricketer he has no equal, but just as attractive for me is the shy demeanour, boyish smile, and small but perfectly formed athletes body. I would gladly sacrifice all of my wordly possessions for a chance to meet him in the flesh, but until then I will just have to make do with this wonderful book and its full colour photos. Luckily for me it isn’t too heavy to hold with just one hand. ”

Fuck me. What a week. I nearly became a one Domino QQ post wonder there. One of those people who starts a blog with great enthusiasm, makes a post and then disappears.

That’s not the case though – just had some bad news a couple of hours after my first entry. My mum was rushed to hospital with chest pains / dizziness and is still being kept in for observations and tests.

She seems ok thankfully. Didn’t have a heart attack or anything – it was something related to an existing illness. But with all the worry, visiting, making sure dad is ok and phoning round relatives etc I’ve not really had much time to trade at all this week. Let alone feel like it.

Anyway, fingers crossed the panic seems to be over. She has to stay in a while now but is at least in the best place while the tests are run.

Funny. When something like that happens trading, which is a big part of my life, kind of pales into insignificance. Thankfully I’m not in a position where I have to trade everyday because I need the income so was able to just leave it for the more important stuff.

Should be in a position to start again soon though and start saving some pennies for the big day.

 …

“This is the first time that I’ve seen, in years, a concentration of nongaming and gaming improvements in Atlantic City. For 15 years, nothing was happening.”

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Avi Toledo walked past the gambling hall at Tropicana Hotel & Casino recently and headed straight for the new retail stores.

Instead of testing his luck on the slot machines or table games, Toledo, 48, is wagering on Atlantic City; he spent his entire visit trying to find a location on the Boardwalk for his upscale New York-based women’s couture shop.

“I like what they did in the city with all the stores,” said Toledo, as he peered inside a Brooks Brothers men’s store inside the Quarter, a new $285 million, Havana-themed nongambling expansion at the Tropicana.

A combination of new competition and changing consumer preferences has forced a sea change in the gambling industry, and Atlantic City is in the midst of a major transformation: It’s becoming “Vegas East.”

Like Las Vegas, Atlantic City has added luxury casino hotels, golf courses, high-end spas and upscale retailers and restaurants during the last year and a half — and is marketing them as all part of the casino experience.

There is a new urgency for Atlantic City. With Pennsylvania poised to add as many as 61,000 slot machines starting in 2007, gaming analysts predict the new slot parlors could siphon as much as 10 percent of Atlantic City’s total annual revenue.

Last year, New Jersey casinos racked up $4.8 billion, with 74 percent coming from slots. So the city is reinventing itself to offer more than just gambling. It wants to shed its image as a day-trip market.

“All of the new attractions will better position Atlantic City to compete in the future as neighboring states expand the kinds of gambling that they offer,” said Linda Kassekert, chairwoman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which regulates gaming in Atlantic City.

The opening of the $1.1 billion Borgata in July 2003 altered Atlantic City’s landscape, much as the $650 million Mirage did in Vegas when it opened in 1989.

For Vegas, the Mirage was the first megacasino with luxurious hotel rooms, a crowd-pleasing volcanic display at its entrance and a large array of nongambling attractions under one roof.

Atlantic City is drawing a new type of customer, said Tim Wilmott, chief operating officer of Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. Harrah’s is poised to acquire Caesars Entertainment Inc. this year to become Atlantic City’s largest casino operator with four properties.

“It’s attracting a new clientele — younger, not as gaming-centric as Atlantic City has traditionally seen, and that’s very encouraging,” Wilmott said. “That’s really the story for the past five or seven years in Las Vegas, so hopefully, Atlantic City can catch up.”

Just how far Atlantic City has to go is reflected in whom Vegas brings in.

Lara Colagrosa and Isabella Verdi, both from Rome, said they felt at home inside the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace casino in Las Vegas recently.

“We don’t gamble,” said Colagrosa on a balmy afternoon in the resort long known for extravagance, as she and Verdi strolled past the Fountain of the Gods piazza. “We come here for the shopping and dining.”

As the duo shopped, their husbands played blackjack at the Bellagio.

More than 2,000 miles away in Atlantic City, Marion Ferguson and her cousin, Susan Hardiman, were awed by the architectural ceiling patterns throughout the Quarter.

Despite frigid conditions outside on the Boardwalk, it was sunny and festive inside the Quarter. Its imitation palm trees, live Latin band and bright tropical colors evoke Old Havana in its 1950s, precommunist resplendence.

The Forum Shops and the Quarter are strikingly similar. Both have large water fountains in center courtyards. Both feature a variety of restaurants and retail stores. Both look as if they are somewhere they are not.

“It’s fantastic,” Hardiman said, staring up at the skyscape in the Quarter and watching the projected clouds drift by.

Ferguson and Hardiman had something else in common with their compatriots in Las Vegas.

“The boys are in there, and we’re shopping,” Ferguson said, pointing to the gaming floor where their husbands played craps and slots.

Hardiman, 34, from Dublin, Ireland, said she last visited Atlantic City in July 2003, for the opening of the Borgata. On her return trip, she said she was astonished by the city’s physical transformation.

In the heart of downtown, where there were once large vacant lots, now stands an eight-block giant outlet mall called the Walk, with stores such as Bass, Liz Claiborne and Tommy Hilfiger.

Scott Gordon is developing the Pier at Caesars, a $170 million, multidimensional, megacomplex with giant video screens throughout that will resemble Times Square on a luxury cruise liner with retail, dining and entertainment.

The 320,000-square-foot Pier, which will be connected to Caesars’ agen poker online terpercaya casino on the Boardwalk by an enclosed, glass sky bridge, is set to open in late fall.

“This is the first time that I’ve seen, in years, a concentration of nongaming and gaming improvements” in Atlantic City, said Gordon, whose father, Sheldon Gordon, co-built the Forum Shops. “For 15 years, nothing was happening.”

Since the Mirage debuted in 1989, Las Vegas has undergone a near constant metamorphosis.

Long seen as Hollywood’s playground or the place for a quick, no-frills wedding, Las Vegas began attracting more families and nongamblers after the Mirage opened.

The city’s other casino owners took note and responded with their own bigger and pricier attractions.

“As the destination grew, we expanded our market,” said Terry Jicinsky, head of marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “First regionally, then nationally. And now worldwide.”

Celebrity chefs, such as Bradley Ogden and Wolfgang Puck, and trendy nightclubs, such as ghostbar at the Palms Casino Resort, are attracting a younger clientele — the same demographic that Atlantic City is heavily targeting with similar venues such as the Mixx nightclub at the Borgata.

“They all speak to the diversity of our offerings,” Jicinsky said. “Now that we’re attracting 37 million visitors, you can’t work within one market segment.”

On a recent evening in Las Vegas, Celine Dion performed at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace and the circus-inspired “O” by Cirque du Soleil headlined at the Bellagio.

As it neared midnight, Mike Rizk, 27, of New Brunswick, N.J., paid the bouncer $200 to get to the front of a line that stretched for three blocks for ghostbar, located on the 55th floor of the Palms overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.

Ghostbar is an ultra lounge — a hybrid of a traditional discotheque and nightclub. Inside, it resembles an ultrahip, intergalactic space lounge with Art Deco furniture in silver, white and blue.

“This is the place to be,” said Rizk, as a Linkin Park song blared through speakers, and wall-to-wall young bodies mingled or gyrated to the rhythm. “It’s the whole environment — the sights, the sounds. Everything.”

Atlantic City is hoping a little bit of Vegas will go a long way toward shoring up its future.

The Showboat Hotel Casino announced in early January that it is adding a $65 million House of Blues restaurant and music hall — like the one at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

“One feeds off the other,” said Jeffrey Chodorow, principal owner of Red Square, a Russian-themed restaurant operating at Mandalay Bay since 1999 — and which opened in December at the Quarter. “The more you put there, the more reason to go there.”

Toledo, the New York businessman, will open the sixth store of his Parisian women’s couture chain, Montmartre, at the Pier at Caesars — his first shop outside of New York City.

“We like the feeling of new and getting into a new place,” he said. “It’s an opportunity you could really do well with.”…

European football’s governing body illustrated its latest managerial blunder last week, with another thoughtless and untimely intervention. The latest club to feel the wrath of UEFA were Atletico Madrid. The Spanish outfit were found guilty of a number of offences during the visit of Marseille in the early stages of this season’s Champions League. These included but were not limited to the club’s alleged inappropriate treatment of the visiting team’s playing staff, together with the overzealous tactics of the Madridleno police in the away section. The footage obtained and subsequently beamed around the globe via Situs Judi Online24Jam Terpercaya 2021 the usual media networks admittedly provides damming evidence regarding the latter misdemeanour. However, the absurdly late response to the misconduct threatened to serve as little more than another example of UEFA’s inconsistency and incompetence, together with their ongoing disdain for Liverpool fans.

To deal briefly with each accusation in reverse order, I begin firstly with Liverpool, whose supporters are not exactly in favour with the continent’s chief football personnel. This is largely due to their misbehaviour leading up to the 2007 Champions League final in Athens. Although Liverpool fans shoulder some of the responsibility for the events in Greece, UEFA refused to accept any blame for choosing to stage that game in an athletics arena, rather than a football ground (something they have a habit of doing, as we saw in Istanbul two years earlier). In addition, the significance of the perceived injustice of UEFA’s ticketing policies denied many supporters the opportunity to see the 2007 final. As writer Kevin Sampson argued: “Sound familiar, this? The final was to be held at an old, inadequate athletics stadium with checkpoints instead of turnstiles. It had been built for spectators, who observe and applaud, rather than fans, who are, well, fanatical.” And the contempt continues. Just days before Atletico Madrid’s next home game in this season’s competition, UEFA announced that the match was to be played “at least 300km from Madrid” by way of punishment. And the opponents in that first game? Why Liverpool, of course.

Secondly, as no explanation or subsequent detail was offered in this strange directive, staff and supporters from both teams were left wondering where they would be traveling for the group D showdown. To further illustrate their incompetence, the ambiguous ruling was then overturned just four days before the game was due to take place. UEFA effectively admitted the blunder by postponing the punishment until Atletico’s next home game against PSV. Thirdly, although the organization appears fraught with inconsistencies, the irregularity of the messages UEFA send through their decision making is the most concerning. In recent seasons Italy and Rome in particular has proven to be one of the most dangerous locations for traveling football fans. So where did they decide to host this years Champions League final? That would be Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, of course. I only hope the combination of teams who make it to this year’s final does not add further explosive ingredients to what is already a potentially disastrous mix.

After the draw had been made for the 2008-2009 group stage, 4000 or so Liverpool fans booked flights for what was the club’s first competitive fixture in the world famous footballing city. Yet in the days leading up to the match, fans were left clueless as to where the game was to be held. The rumor mill began to accelerate in the intervening period, as message boards and radio and television channels began to openly contemplate the possible substitute venues. Seville was out of the equation as a UEFA Cup match was scheduled in the city the following night, and the competition’s organizers do not permit European matches on consecutive nights in the same city (which to give credit where it’s due, is a sensible policy). Zaragoza’s ground was considered too small, and the likes of La Coruna and Barcelona were thought to be too far away. The obvious venue therefore seemed to be Valencia’s Estadio Mestalla. I was due to fly in to Valencia, and having calculated the distance, knew it to be around 340km from the capital. The selected distance, which at first seemed to have been pulled out of the sky, all started to seem a little convenient. And this was not lost on the hoards of intuitive Liverpudlians intent on making the journey. Before the ink was dry on UEFA’s indistinct initial press release, some Scousers began to re-direct their travel plans for Valencia. Flights, hire cars and hotel rooms were booked, as the traveling Kop awaited the announcement of what many perceived to be a definite replacement venue. Within three days UEFA were kind enough to make and communicate a final decision, yet the details were leaked by Atletico officials to the Spanish football daily, Marca. It wasn’t until this stage that UEFA’s u-turn became apparent, and what away to find out.

Whilst the Spanish club were in no doubt that the ruling had fallen in their favour, the Liverpool fans were less convinced. Plans had to be re-scheduled once again. But for those of us who have already seen Liverpool play in Valencia, the decision was not wholly unpopular. But Liverpool fans are always unperturbed by organizational inadequacies, and so on the day before and the day of the game, supporters in their thousands set off for Madrid. As usual UEFA’s concerns (which on this occasion were apparently focused on “the safety of supporters”) proved to be unfounded. For the city of Madrid together with its very own “people’s club” proved to be the perfect hosts. All over the city we were warmly welcomed by people passionate about their football. They might not have illustrated the fanaticism of some of their rivals, notably the duo from Seville, but nevertheless the people of Madrid clearly love their football. And the Madridleno public recognised the quality and tradition provided by Liverpool.

Due appreciation was afforded to the Liverpool team, managed by Madrid born Rafael Benitez and featuring fellow countrymen Xavi Alonso, Pepe Reina, Albert Riera and Alvaro Arbeloa. Of course the notable absentee from the Liverpool squad was Atletico idol Fernando Torres. Torres had been injured whilst on international duty the previous week, to the frustration of the player, his manager and colleagues, and not to mention the adoring Liverpool fans. Atletico supporters were also clearly disappointed to have been denied the opportunity to express their ongoing affection for the lad they called El Nino. I first saw Torres play in 2004, as his hatrick for Atletico was enough to overcome hosts Athletic Bilbao. His genius was clear to see then, as the whole crowd stood and applauded him. Since his arrival at Anfield fourteen months ago, Torres has blossomed into Europe’s best marksmen. But for the visit to Madrid we were to be denied his services, which would on reflection would certainly have made all the difference.

Benitez’s team dominated the match, but despite taking the lead though Robbie Keane on fourteen minutes, lacked the firepower and quality to supplement the tally. The inevitable then occurred, as the home side equalised through Simao seven minutes from time, thus earning a point their performance just about warranted. Liverpool were made to rue miss chances and absent forwards, but in truth, our minds were firmly fixed on the visit to Chelsea this weekend. The tactical changes illustrated through the manager’s substitutions were clear evidence of that. And despite leaving the leadership of Group D wide open as a consequence, most Liverpool fans were not too disappointed by the result. At long last, priorities at Anfield are beginning to tilt towards the title.

After the game the usual temporary containment of the away supporters provided opportunities for a love-in with the thousands of locals who chose to remain behind. Scarves were swapped by fans keen to formulate and illustrate a mutual respect between the two cities. Both sets of fans raucously booed the playing of the UEFA anthem before the match, and on the final whistle, were united again in singing the name of each other’s team, with the players warming down in the background. Outside the festival of respect continued as the Atletico fans lined the streets to clap us out, which only enhanced the volume of the Scouse support. We took it in turns to sing songs about Fernando Torres, as the fiesta spread across the vicinity. The palm of my hand now aches from all the high-fives I exchanged with our humble hosts. But of course this is a side to fandom UEFA never see.

 …

Meeting Kevin Gallacher wasn’t quite the highlight of the evening – especially for the amiable Scot after I told him that I had been present when he had broke his leg on two occasions – but it came close to matching a dull game between France and South Korea in Leipzig.

Lunchtime was spent with a group of L’Equipe journalists who were convinced that the team was on its last legs and was about to be put out of its Pkv Poker misery. Their pessimistic mood was in marked contrast to that of a group of Swiss sports scribes I had dinner with five days previously, after the Korea-Togo match. Upon witnessing that Korea victory and the subsequent turgid 0-0 draw between their team and France, the writers upgraded their team’s expected finishing position from second to an unequivocal first.

On the afternoon of the game, it was hard to navigate the narrow streets of Leipzig’s historic city centre, filled as they were with people packed taking advantage of the many outside bars and pubs.

The Koreans were louder –they almost always are – as they proved in the stadium. The communist built ZentralStadion looked to be mostly blue upon entrance but the sound that could be heard on a warm Saxony evening came from the red section – one that never stopped singing and dancing.

S.Korea v France

Desperate to avoid more barbs from the likes of L’Equipe, the French started brightly and it was little surprise when Thierry Henry put the team ahead in the ninth minute. On the half-hour it should have been two as Patrick Viera’s header certainly crossed the line before being beaten away by Lee Woon-jae in goal – the ‘keeper has answered his critics with two fine performances so far in Group G.

The Taeguk Warriors offered little as an attacking force but improved in the second half as Park Ji-sung was moved into the midfield from the wing. His energy in the middle redressed the balance somewhat, especially as France seemed satisfied with the scoreline as it was. Korea’s attempts to break through the excellent defensive pairing of William Gallas and Lilian Thuram were helped by the introduction of Ahn Jung-hwan with 20 minutes remaining. For the second time in a week, the Lord of the Ring changed the pace of the game and Korea came more and more into it.

The equaliser was a fairly shambolic one from a French point of view though the sight of the ball looping over a hitherto unemployed Fabian Barthez was a delicious one from the Korean point of view – one not shared by the obviously furious Gallas who booted the ball to Dresden.

There was no doubt which set of fans and players were happier after the game. The Koreans stayed on the pitch to salute their wonderful fans while the French players showed more urgency in leaving the field than they did for most of the second half – a speedy exit matched by their fans. The Koreans stayed to sing and judging by the sounds coming out of Leipzig city centre in the early hours, their numbers were swelled by a number of new Red Devils.

The French were disappointed but not overly so, in the mixed zone their players pointed out that they only had to defeat Togo to reach the second round while the Switzerland defeat of the Africans by two goals mean that South Korea also have to win in Hanover on Friday night to be sure of progressing.

It should be some night.

 …

Like many card games, video poker is based on the rules of statistics. Video Poker Coach 2.0 takes advantage of this fact to teach regular folks how to play video poker correctly, i.e. with the highest probability of beating the machine or online casino. The program features a comprehensive set of learning tools for each video poker variation – Jacks or Better, All American Poker, Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild, Deuces Deluxe, Bonus Deuces Wild, Joker Wild, and others.

The program comes with a detailed history feature with the statistics analysis and an error pointer (error list together with the cost of errors) that shows what kind of mistakes a particular player is prone to make. The progress tracker shows improvements made over time. The program shows statistics for all ways to draw cards and displays hints and warnings, which help a player to build the optimal playing situs slot strategy.

The program features a nice, clean and simple interface with decks created by the famous card artisans from the XVIII century to our days. There are several adjustable training levels available, double down play option, custom pacing settings, and support for both a keyboard and a mouse. Importantly, all payoff tables can be modified. The program has very modest system requirements and runs smoothly even on the old computers.

Tribeca’s Success Continues following ICE 2004

London 12th February – Following the successful appearance at the International Casino Exhibition in London recently; online poker room specialists Tribeca Tables have completed several new poker room deals including that of Gaming Floor.com and Casinos of Mayfair.com.

Tribeca Tables, who are renowned for providing a quality poker software product, have a number of other exciting deals in the pipeline.

Tribeca’s Steve Cook said, “We had an amazing response from companies and people attending the show. We were extremely busy all three days and we would like to thank everyone that took time to see us. We have also been in discussions with a number of potentially large casino and sport betting companies for the last few months, many of which are going to be major partners with Tribeca. Unfortunately it’s too soon for us to reveal any details of these clients, but as they say watch this space!”

Tribeca Tables are leading Togel Hongkong poker software developers and currently their poker room software is being used by Poker In Europe, Golden Palace and Victor Chandler as well as over 100 sub licensees including Racing Post, FHM and the UK’s ISP FreeServe to name but a few.

Tribeca, who were the first to pioneer the poker room aggregator; have developed a highly successful online poker room that provides enormous liquidity, strong retention schemes, real poker community features and very sophisticated anti-fraud and collusion tools; necessary to sustain and operate a poker room 24/7.

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How to Make Your Fashion Brand Stand out: Thrive in a Competitive Market

Fashion is a rapidly-growing industry. There are new trends every year or within a quarter. Apparel, with an estimated revenue of $684 billion in 2025, is the largest category within fashion ecommerce. You’ll also encounter a lot of competition in this booming sector. For your brand to be successful in a saturated market, it must establish a strong identity.

We will be sharing the latest information about fashion today with eight tips for fashion brands to embrace a bold identity.

Fashion Industry Today

Since the mid-19th Century, clothes were still hand-made by tailors. The process of making fashionable clothes has become automated over time. Ecommerce has become a main selling channel thanks to mobile usage and the surprising effects of COVID-19. Let’s get into each movement in order to discover the new opportunities and challenges that brands must pay attention today.

Fashion is becoming more competitive with Theanythingstore.

Fashion businesses are growing in all areas, from local brands to global brands to wholesalers and retailers. The rise of second-hand thrifting stores, which have gained popularity with price-conscious and sustainability-minded shoppers, is another reason. With more fashion companies, customers have more choices.

These diverse business models have helped make the fashion industry more competitive. In this ever-changing industry, innovation is vital.

There has been an increase in the use of mobile and online platforms.

Fashion is a major B2C segment when it comes down to ecommerce. COVID-19 has led to many people moving away from shopping in-store to shop online. The new norm is to scroll through catalogs, select items, and check out online. Fashion brands are looking for ways to offer customers an omnichannel shopping experience.

There has been a shift towards mobile platforms as well. Google’s study found that 59% said mobile shopping is an important feature in deciding which brands to shop with. Numerous mobile apps have been created to cater for such large numbers of potential customers, such as Shopee and Amazon. Many large businesses also have their own native app.

Customers now consider ethical and sustainable sourcing in their purchasing decisions.

Fashion, one of the biggest industries in the globe, is often criticized for its lack of sustainability and other ethical principles. According to UNECE, 10% of all global carbon dioxide emissions are caused by the fashion industry. People are more aware of the negative effects on the environment from clothing production as well as the conditions at sweatshops. These people are choosing to shop less and more responsiblely for their favorite fashion brands.…