Friday, September 29, 2006

GameAccount Re-invents Blackjack

Multiplayer Blackjack Tournaments for the Poker Generation

GameAccount, the world’s largest provider of person-to-person (P2P) games this week introduced Multiplayer Blackjack, a unique skill-based version of the casino classic. Players rely on their card-counting skills and mastery of strategic play to outwit their opponents in real-time multiplayer tournaments.

GameAccount, short-listed for two 2006 eGaming Review Awards, has rolled out next-generation tournaments for all multiplayer games including Gin Rummy, Backgammon and Multiplayer Blackjack, a world first for any P2P games service provider. Players in the GameAccount Network can now compete online in professional tournament formats popularised by online poker operators.

GameAccount’s browser-based Multiplayer Blackjack allows players to play live and in real-time against up to five online opponents simultaneously, never directly against the ‘House’. Starting with an imaginary chip stack of $1,000 the objective is to build a larger chip stack than your opponent over ten rounds of cards dealt to both players and the automated in-game dealer. Using a 4-deck shoe of cards and no auto-shuffler, Multiplayer Blackjack openly encourages optimal strategic play and card-counting unlike conventional casino blackjack. This demonstrates GameAccount’s philosophy to empower players with a serious alternative to existing forms of casino blackjack where over time players can never defeat the traditional ‘House’ edge.

Kevin Dale, CEO of GameAccount commented, “Multiplayer Blackjack marks another leap forward in adapting recognisable casino products to encourage skilful game play without losing the aura or excitement of the original. We also provide the industry-standard guaranteed prize money tournaments that make Poker such an exciting offering. We see this as the future of Skill Gaming: Skill, with a bit of luck.”

As the leading provider of person-to-person games to sportsbook, casino and poker operators GameAccount offers a real solution to operators looking to generate incremental extra revenues from new, existing and lapsed customers. The suite of game products have been bolstered by next generation tournament technology: Cash Games; Non-stop ‘Sit and Go’ tournaments, money-added scheduled tournaments; guaranteed prize money tournaments; feeder tournaments and regular scheduled Freeroll tournaments. Millions of dollars, pounds and euros are paid out to players within the GameAccount Network each and every month.

“Our exciting new lobby-based tournaments go hand-in-hand with our expanding product portfolio – one simply can’t exist without the other. Scheduled tournaments are a must-have for both us and our blue-chip partners, allowing branded tailor-made tournaments exclusive to certain operators as well as offline tournaments fed by online satellites. We see serious potential for both Gin Rummy, Backgammon and Blackjack tournaments in the near future. Our Backgammon product is already being featured on TV in the UK on the PokerZone channel.”, added Mr. Dale.

Hollywood Loves Poker

Top Ten Poker Movies of All Time
Hollywood has long known a high stakes poker table is a powder keg of dramatic potential. Aces.com’s sexy new poker flick, Aces the Movie, is the latest in a long line of poker classics. The popular online casino is celebrating the DVD release of Aces the Movie -- dubbed “the Charlie’s Angels of Poker” at the WSOP this summer -- with a gala star-studded event in Beverly Hills next week. Hundreds of L.A.-area Aces.com players will attend the event – five of them flown in from all over the U.S. on VIP tournament prize packages.

The recently re-designed Aces.com site features a tribute to Hollywood’s love for poker. The Top Ten Poker Movies of All Time has concise reviews of the poker classics.

Matt Damon revived the poker movie genre in Rounders (1998), but Hollywood has been fascinated by poker and poker culture since Hopalong Cassidy saved the day by posing as a newbie poker player in Sunset Trail (1939),and Gene Autry starred in the classic poker murder mystery, Loaded Pistols (1948). In Maverick (1994), Mel Gibson and Jody Foster needed $3000 dollars to enter a winner takes all poker tournament. California Split (1974) directed by Robert Altman (M*A*S*H) and starring George Segal & Elliot Gould, showed the day-to-day life of card-playing, sports-betting, sleep-till-noon gamblers. Like the main character in Aces the Movie, the heroine in Big Hand for a Little Lady (1966) had never played poker before she sat down to the big table. Steve McQueen manages to get into the highest stakes game of his life in what most consider to be the ultimate poker classic, The Cincinnati Kid (1965).

“Poker isn’t just about rules and strategy,” said Aces.com Manager Rene Quesada. “It’s a culture. With so many people playing poker online now, it’s a lifestyle that millions dream about.”

The retro Vegas-style online gambling site has sponsored and promoted ‘Aces the Movie’ all summer. Thousands of free DVDs have been given to new players and awarded as contest and tournament prizes.

Aces.com’s Top Ten Poker Movies
Aces the Movie (2006)
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Rounders (1998)
Big Hand for a Little Lady (1966)
Kaleidoscope (1966), Maverick (1994)
The Gambler (1980), California Split (1974)
The Sting (1973)
High Roller - The Stu Ungar Story (2003).

The complete Top Ten Poker Movie list is at: http://www.aces.com/contest/movies-poker.php.

As they say in the movies…

"If we shoot him, we won't have anyone to play with."
Wyatt Earp in Cheyenne Autumn

"A deck of cards is like a woman -- usually when you pick one up, you wish you hadn't."
Flame of the Barbary Coast

"When your opponent is holding all the aces, there's only one thing to do. Kick over the table."
Robin and the Seven Hoods (1964)

"Is this a game of chance?" "Not the way I play it, no."
W.C. Fields in My Little Chickadee

Monday, September 25, 2006

Free Roll Champ Latest to Win Hollywood Movie Premiere Trip

Texas Hold ‘Em Free Roll Winner to Attend Gala ‘Aces the Movie’ DVD Release Party

Last week’s Wednesday night Texas Hold’Em Free Roll winner is just the latest Aces.com free poker tournament champion to win a VIP trip to Los Angeles to attend the Vegas-style site’s Hollywood Movie Premiere Party. Terry W. of Alabama won the tournament and the all-expense paid trip last Wednesday joining four previous VIP prize package winners.

“I’ve played in the Wednesday free roll a few times before,” said Terry. “They usually have some sort of special prize. But it was well into the tournament that I even realized that there was a big trip up for grabs this time!”

The prize package includes airfare and hotel accommodation for the tournament winner and a guest. They’ll be flown to Los Angeles for the Aces.com star-studded gala celebrating the DVD release of the movie they’ve sponsored and promoted this summer. “Aces the Movie” is a sexy new poker movie about three beautiful but cunning college students that devise a high tech scheme for winning on the underground card room circuit of Las Vegas. When they’re caught by a ruthless high roller, they find themselves in Rio de Janeiro playing the game of their lives.

Christina Morris, star of “Aces the Movie”, will attend the Aces.com Hollywood party as will director/producer Daniel Zirilli.

“The last time I partied with Daniel was in Las Vegas this summer when Aces.com took us all there for the WSOP,” said Morris. “This DVD release party has been a long time in coming. I hope he’s recharged his batteries since Vegas ‘cause I sure have!”

VIP Hollywood Movie Premiere prize packages have also been awarded to four other Aces.com free tournament winners.
Steve M. of San Ramon, California won his trip in a Free Roll Tournament in July. Russell D. of Pennsylvania won the same tournament in August, as did Brian B. of Miami in September. Brad K. of California won Aces.com’s weeklong Three Card Poker Tournament earlier this month

“Brad will get his VIP Movie Premiere Party pass all right,” said Aces.com Manager Rene Quesada. “But for his all expense paid trip from Orange County to Hollywood I think we’ll get him a limo rather than a plane ticket!”

Free tournament winners aren’t the only Aces.com players attending the gala event on October 7th. Hundreds of Los Angeles area Aces.com players have received invitations to the soiree.

“We’re not flying them all in and putting them up at a fancy hotel like the tournament winners,” said Quesada, “But we’ve got celebrity party planner Alex Quinn organizing the event for us. Everyone’s going to feel like a movie star!”

Known more and more for celebrity events and free tournaments, Aces.com offers gamblers everything they enjoy in Las Vegas: casino games, sports betting, poker and horse racing.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Three Card Poker Champ Wins Trip to Poker Movie Premiere

Aces.com Player Will Attend Hollywood Party for ‘Aces the Movie’

The winner of last week’s Three Card Poker Tournament at Aces.com will be one of the most excited VIP guests at the Vegas-style site’s Hollywood Premiere next month. Brad K. won the free poker tournament and will receive airfare and hotel accommodation to attend the celebrity event in Los Angeles October 7th.

Brad won the VIP Hollywood Party Package by having the highest chip count at the end of the weeklong online tournament. Like many Three Card Poker players, Brad just plays the easier game as a break from Texas Hold’Em.

“Three Card is popular in Vegas and I tried it last time I was there,” says the free tournament winner. “I mostly play Hold’Em buy when it’s time for something a little less intense, I often play a few hands of Three Card. But believe me, the final hours of this tournament – with that prize in reach – that was definitely intense!”

The tournament champion will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the Aces.com Hollywood Movie Premiere, a celebration of the release of the DVD of the movie Aces.com has sponsored and promoted all summer. Organized by celebrity party planner Alex Quinn, son of Academy Award winning actor Anthony Quinn, the Aces.com party is expected to attract an A-list crowd.

“There’s a few of our players that have won all-expense-paid trips to the party,” said Aces.com Manager Rene Quesada, “But we’ve also sent invitations to hundreds of our players in the Los Angeles area.”

‘Aces the Movie’ is a sexy new poker movie about three gorgeous college students that devise a high tech scheme for cheating their way through the underground card rooms of Las Vegas. The stars of the movie have hosted weekly free roll tournaments at Aces.com through the summer, and Aces.com Manager Quesada took them to Las Vegas for the WSOP. (See their blog for stories and photos from that trip: www.acesmovie.blogspot.com.)

While supplies last, new players registering at Aces.com will receive a free copy of the ACES the Movie DVD. And an invitation to attend the star-studded gala on October 7th!

Asian Poker Classic Brings Poker to Continental Asia

India’s first ever professional poker tournament with guaranteed $1million prize pool

Asian Poker Classic is bringing poker to India with title sponsor, MaharajahClub.com -- the first major professional poker tournament in the country. With a $1million prize pool guaranteed by Maharajah Club, APC will be held in Goa, India from March 1-4, 2007 at the breathtaking InterContinental, The Grand Resort Goa.

Based on No Limit Texas Hold’em, APC is certain to attract people from all over the world who hope to win the prestigious tournament and their share of $1m, including celebrities as well as professional and online players. Over two hundred players are expected to attend the ground-breaking event so MaharajahClub.com is offering satellite tournaments for chances to win $7,500 packages to join them in Goa. Starting from as little as $4, daily online satellites are available on the MaharajahClub.com website. One in 10 players has a chance to win a seat to the weekly satellite and 1 in 25 will win a $7,500 satellite package.

India boasts one of the most rapidly growing economies in the world with highly educated, affluent communities expanding at astronomical rates, a familiar environment for the gaming community. Goa is located on the west coast of India and is known as ‘the pearl of the Orient’. It has magnificent scenery, incredible temples and fabulous beaches. With an 880m-long exclusive beachfront, the five-star Intercontinental Resort overlooks the largest golf course in Goa as well as the Arabian Sea. So, in addition to taking part in this landmark tournament, players and guests will attend a series of incredibly lavish parties and affairs in the stunning region, including a celebrity golf match. Numerous Bollywood celebrities are slated to attend, led by Maharajah Club ambassador, Gulshan Grover.

Tournament director Thomas Kremser, MD of TK Poker Events International says: “There’s been nothing like this before in India – it’s going to be absolutely amazing. With the stunning beauty of Goa, superb hotel and the totally unique nature of the tournament itself as a back drop, this will be the poker tournament of the year!”

Sachin Pawa, CEO of Maharaja Gaming adds: “We are very proud to sponsor the first Asian Poker Classic, there is just a natural synergy for us with APC. People will be clamouring to be at the Asian Poker Classic and, someone is going to be the first ever winner of a tournament that is already ranking among the best in the world. APC will provide a poker experience which has never been created before and an experience that will bring people back year after year.”

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Slotland.com Honoured at Mobile Entertainment Awards in London Tonight

Pioneering web site – the first to launch real-money slots for mobile phones – finalist in Best Gambling Company category

At a gala awards banquet in London tomorrow night, one of the world’s oldest gambling websites is being honoured as one of the first to offer real-money gambling for mobile phones and PDAs. Slotland.com, which just celebrated its eighth anniversary online, launched its first mobile phone game a year ago and has been adding original new slot machines to its mobile gambling suite ever since. The company is one of five finalists in the “Best Gambling Company” category of the inaugural ME Awards.

Slotland.com has committed itself to developing innovative, original games – no small feat for the relatively small company. It is also dedicated to providing customer service with a human touch.

“One thing we know from eight years online is that players like to try new games,” said Martin Smith, Slotland.com’s Mobile Games Manager, “And that they don’t want to see the same games they’ve seen at a dozen other sites.”

“We are excited to be one of the pioneers of mobile gambling and strive to emerge as one of the leaders in mobile games in terms of quality and uniqueness of our games, customer service, security and banking, as opposed to sheer quantity of games and services,” continued Smith. “This has always been our goal in the web-based gaming and we are sticking to it in the mobile games arena as well.”

“Some online casinos just think about being as cost-effective as possible and forget that their players are people – humans,” said Hannah Morante of Slotland.com. “We think communication with our members should be personal, not fulfilled by some external customer service that doesn’t care.”

The first annual Mobile Entertainment (ME) Awards are produced by Mobile Entertainment Magazine to honour excellence among those that provide content for mobile devices. The award for Best Gambling Company will be given to a company that has created a downloadable gambling game or set up a server platform for handling billing and player registrations – or both. Other categories, such as Best Adult Services Company, Best Music Label, and Best Video & TV Service Provider show that on the new mobile entertainment platform content is king. However, the list of awards also includes Best Handset Company and Best Payment/Billing Provider.

Slotland.com was voted “Most Unique Slot Site” and “Best Progressive Jackpot Site” by Strictly Slots Magazine readers and was named “Best Web TV” in a Gambling Online Magazine poll.

Juniper Research estimates the current mobile gambling market to be worth approximately $315 million worldwide and forecasts that the mobile gambling sector will be worth up to $16.6 billion by 2008. Experts predict that by then more than 450 million wireless subscribers will be playing some form of mobile games and that four out of five mobile users – 200 million people in Western Europe and the U.S. -- will be playing internet games on their phones. The Asia-Pacific region currently hosts 70 million mobile gamers with wireless gaming revenues totalling $1.1 billion.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Voting for Bluff Magazine’s Annual Readers Choice Poker Awards in Full Swing

Bluff Magazine, America’s leading poker magazine, is taking online voting for the first ever Bluff Magazine’s Annual Readers Choice Awards.

Categories for the 2006 Bluff Reader’s Choice Awards include: Most Entertaining Player to Watch, Best All-Around Online Poker Room, Best Online Customer Service, Best Live Poker Tournaments and Best Poker Commentary.

Online voting commenced Thursday January 12th and will close on Oct 20th. The results will be revealed in Bluff Magazine’s World Series of Poker preview issue that hits newsstands on Dec 20th.

Bluff Magazine readers and poker fans worldwide can participate in Bluff Magazine’s Annual Readers Choice Awards by visiting www.bluffmagazine.com or directly at www.bluffmagazine.com/readersChoice/. Bluff Magazine will be randomly giving away an IPod Nano to five voters.

“Bluff Magazine is once again at the forefront of the poker industry by giving their readers influence and a voice in shaping the future of poker. Never before have poker players been able to deem, 'The best of the best,' in over 20 different poker categories. What this means is the Bluff Magazine awards will be a true testament to the companies who receive various accolades,” said Eric Morris, Co-President of Bluff Magazine.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Free Three Card Poker Tournament Begins Monday

Champion to win trip to Aces.com’s Hollywood Movie Premiere
_______________________________
Free 3 Card Poker Tournament
September 11 – 18
All-expense paid trip to Hollywood gala
_______________________________
Free Blackjack Tournaments
September 10, 14, 22 & 25
Thousands in cash prizes
_______________________________

The Vegas-style casino site famous for free tournaments has added more free chances to win cash and prizes to its September line-up. The champion of the free Three Card Poker Tournament that starts on Monday will win an all-expense paid trip to Aces.com’s Hollywood Premiere Party for ‘Aces the Movie’. Four free Blackjack tournaments beginning Sunday offer cash prizes.

The grand prize for the week long Three Card Poker Tournament includes flights, hotel and two VIP passes to attend the exclusive gala party that Aces.com is throwing to celebrate the release of the sexy new poker movie they’ve sponsored. The star-studded event will be held at Vanguard Hollywood in Los Angeles on October 7th. (Second and third place players will receive cash prizes.)

Winners of the four free Blackjack Tournaments this month will each receive $200; second and third place players will receive $100 and $50 respectively.
There is no entry fee for these free tournaments. Winners are the three players with the highest chip count at the close of the tournament.

Aces.com free tournaments tend to attract primarily regulars of the retro Vegas-style casino site, but new players are always welcome to enjoy the camaraderie at an Aces table.

“Over the summer, we’ve had the stars of Aces the Movie as special guests at our tournaments,” says Rene Quesada, Manager of Aces.com. “The other night, one of our regulars was pretty sure he was going to win until Lacey got a bunch of good cards, made some smart bets and left him in second place. So I sent him a silk poker shirt just for being such a fun guy that night.”

Lacey Toups plays one of the three sexy college girls in the hot new poker movie that Aces.com is involved with this summer. Aces.com is distributing thousands of free copies of ACES the Movie to their players. Christina Morris and Sheena Chou are the other two members of the team dubbed “The Charlie’s Angels of Poker” when they partied with Aces.com at the WSOP last month. (Details on the actresses’ blog.

Pioneering Slots Site Known for Service Celebrates 8th Anniversary Online


When Slotland.com launched their first online slot machines in 1998, the Internet was new and online gaming was in its infancy. Eight years later, the pioneering site is still one of the most popular and trusted online casinos and is one of the first to venture into the new mobile gambling frontier.

Although technical advances over the years have made things like payment processing simpler and more secure, Slotland.com still offers the same simple, safe and friendly environment that players, especially older players, are comfortable with.

“Technology has changed a lot, but the way we approach our business has stayed the same,” says Hannah Morante of Slotland.com. “We keep it simple -- our games are easy to use, no downloading. And we treat our customers with the human touch.”

Over the years, Slotland.com has created nine unique slot machines – some that offer simple fun to newbies and some with more complex strategies for experienced slots aficionados.

“Some online casinos use more technologies and just think about how to make their business as cost-effective as possible but forget that their players are people – humans. We think communication with our members should be personal, not fulfilled by some external customer service that doesn’t care,” said Morante.

Slotland.com was voted “Most Unique Slot Site” and “Best Progressive Jackpot Site” by Strictly Slots Magazine readers and was named “Best Web TV” in a Gambling Online Magazine poll. They were recently selected as a finalist in the “Best Mobile Gambling Company” category of the ME (Mobile Entertainment) Awards to be given in London this month.

Asked why they’ve stuck with Slotland.com over the years, players mention Slotland’s warm customer service and quick payouts, and they love how long they can play with just a few dollars, but mostly they talk about fun:

“I love to watch the wheels go round almost as much as I like winning!” JAZZY60, USA

“Slotland’s games are definitely original and are by far the best and clearest to be played. Fast loading and easiest games to play with great payouts!! I love the bonus spin features on magic and golden 8!!!" FRANK35

“I have been around for 70 odd years now and have played in too many places.... Slotland's people have always gone the extra distance to accommodate.” GEORGIE1874

“I've been to Atlantic City and Harrah’s Casino in North Carolina and I lost my shirt – and didn’t have near as much fun as I have with SLOTLAND!" GNAT

”I appreciate the professionalism of your casino. Everything is first class. Then to top if off the games are so much fun to play!" NANA122

"I always win enough to keep me playing for a good while.” REELPLAYER

When Slotland went online mobile phones were relatively rare and certainly no one was thinking about using them to play slot machines. Difficult as it may be to predict the future in this fast-changing entertainment business, Martin Smith, Slotland’s Manager of Mobile Games, is excited about what’s to come.

“It’s a whole different generation of players that uses their mobile for entertainment. There’s millions of future slots players out there who’ve yet to make their first spin!”” said Smith. “And as the mobile platform adapts more standards we’ll be able to design more and more exciting mobile games.”

“One thing we know is that although slots players may have their favourites they also have an insatiable appetite for new games,” adds Morante, “I predict we’ll always have Lucky Stars – but I can’t even imagine what our games developers have up their sleeves for our next eight years!”

Weekly Free Roll Tournament Winners to Attend Hollywood Party

Free Tournament Winners Get All-Expense Paid Trip to Hollywood Movie Premiere

This month, players in Aces.com’s regular Wednesday Free Roll Tournament will have two chances to win an all expense paid trip to Hollywood to attend Aces.com’s party celebrating the release of ACES the Movie, the sexy new poker movie sponsored by the retro-Vegas-style online casino.

Aces.com’s Texas Hold ‘Em Free Roll, held every Wednesday night at 11:00 p.m., is one of the most popular tournaments at the online casino known for free tournaments. It’s a friendly match where long-time rivals face off against each other and take on all challengers. Over the summer, the director and stars of ACES the Movie have joined them. Her first night out, ACES star Lacey Toups even won the tournament so a Hollywood party prize package was awarded to the runner-up. Director Daniel Zirilli and Christina Morris (bad girl ‘Elle’ in the movie) will play in the online tournament September 13 and 20.

“There’s always a nice cash prize, and some great bonus stuff – like the silk shirt that everyone seems to want,” says Aces.com Manager Rene Quesada. “But we often have extra special prizes, like the time we sent the Wednesday winner to the Radio Music Awards in Las Vegas, or when the champion won a trip to the MLB All Stars Game. This month, it’s VIP passes to our Hollywood party!”

Two tournament champs have already won movie premiere prize packages and three more all-expense paid trips will be awarded this month. Aces.com’s popular Wednesday Night Free Roll will award premiere party prize packages to tournament winners Wednesday, September 13 & 20. The winner of the Three-Card Poker Tournament September 11 – 18 will also win airfare and accommodation to attend the event.

ACES the Movie is the story of three sexy college girls that take a high tech cheating scheme to the underground card rooms of Las Vegas. It will be released on DVD by Warner Brothers October 3rd but new players can register now at Aces.com to receive a free copy.

Coordinated by celebrity party-planner Alex Quinn, the Aces the Movie Hollywood Premiere will be hosted by Aces.com at Vanguard Hollywood, one of the biggest and trendiest dance clubs in Los Angeles.

See Aces.com for details on the regular Wednesday Night Free Roll and other free tournaments.