Ever since humans could stand upright, they have sought to entertain themselves through gaming. These games served as a diversion from life’s hardships, whether they were war, famine or just day-to-day living.

Man’s love for games continues even today. But unlike the ancients, they have a choice. Do they play modern-day video games, conventional board games, or classic board games? All of these choices are available at most department stores, but which one offers the most amount of fun?

Well, for many people, video games are often their first choice for entertainment. Unlike modern board games or classic board games, video games contain fancy graphics, music and a storyline. It allows the player to interact in a completely different world.

And yet, if video games are so popular, why do these games still prevail? In fact, thanks to video games, board games get exposed to a new audience. Consider chess, a time tested board game that has dozens of video games associated with it. The same goes for Sudoku, backgammon and others.

Traditional board games such as Clue and Monopoly have also been produced in video game form. And, unlike others they tend to reflect more modern ideologies.

Yet, in comparison to classic board games, traditional board games have not been around for thousands of years. So, while they are a lot of fun to play, they have not met one important criterion… the test of time. Sure, many of them have been around for decades or even centuries, but have they been around for over millennia?

Believe it or not, there are a few classic board games that have achieved this distinction. Consider the African game Mancala. This game, (which was originally played in the dirt with rocks or seeds), has been around for over 1,300 years. Chess, Mahjong and Backgammon are few more examples of entertainment for the ancients.

Of course, this is not to say that these modern choices won’t also pass this test a millennium from now. However, classic board games will still have a lead, because it’s unlikely they will ever die down. Sure, they might be simple, but that’s what makes them so wonderful. Ultimately, you don’t need electricity, batteries or a $300 console to play Chess or Mahjong. And with Mancala, you don’t even need a gaming board, especially if you’re outside where there are rocks and dirt. Can the same be said for video games? Until that is the case, classic board games will always remain an option for people in need of entertainment.

Most of the online casinos offer a bounty of US based casino games. Some of them offer you some European varieties. The myth in online casino remains like online casino is a forte of Americans and Europeans. This is also true that most of the popular casino games leave their origins either in Europe or USA. What the people often tend to forget that the dawn of civilization had appeared in the Asian countries much before the birth of US civilization. The Asian civilization is one of the oldest. On the other, gambling had been a pastime activity since the beginning of human civilization. Archeologists have found such resemblances many a times. Many gambling games had been initiated in China and earned huge popularity. The desperation for newer varieties of games have forced the online casino gaming software companies to rediscover such gambling games and today they have become highly popular.

The Planet 23 casino, with an inherent desperation to offer the rare varieties of casino games has been able to herald a new dawn in the realm of online casinos. They have picked up some of the oldest Chinese games and today they have become the heartthrob in the razzmatazz of online casino.

The famous dice game Sic Bo owes its roots to the Chinese Civilization and it has found its resurgence in the era of online casino. Turn to Mahjong. The Planet 23 casino has again picked this game from China and today it does not have any dearth of ardent enthusiasts. The simple yet subtle game Two-up has also originated in China. Chuck-A-luck also belongs to the same category of casino games.

One may be amazed to know that there are many such games which have adapted to online casinos after some refinements and reformations. It must be accepted that the enthusiasm of Americans have helped them to come alive.

The Planet 23 casino with its special focus on rare casino games has been able to pick up some of the very best casino games in the world of online casinos. Can you suggest a few others?

I want to play Mahjong (Four Winds, not Shangay) with Nintendo DS but there aren´t translations from japanese. So, how are written these words in jap?
pung, kong, show, mahjong, draw, win, seven horphans, god had… etc.
Thank you.

as a beginner I feel I am still too slow and clueless to play a table
Thanks tim, I live in hong kong and my colegues who use chinese windows and chinese mahjong are able to set a private table and play against computer. Looks like I may have to find my way around the chinese menues!!!
Do you know of any softwarethat will simply let me practice to speed up before I play again with my collegues?

Now that you’ve finally retired and have some free time, perhaps you might be interested in learning some things that you previously never had time to learn. But first, you must decide where you want to gain this new knowledge and with whom you want to gain it.

The last place in the world that might come to mind for taking classes in the subject of your choice would probably be some sleepy little Mexican fishing village!

Back in early 1960‘s, Puerto Vallarta was just that, a sleepy little Mexican fishing village, as portrayed in “The Night of the Iguana”. Well, things have changed south of the border; Vallarta is now home to 350,000 inhabitants and growing daily. Of the 350,000 people, we can only estimate that 50,000 are North Americans. With tens of thousands of successful retirees in Vallarta, so too is an abundance of knowledge on just about every subject imaginable. Chances are, no matter what your area of interest might be, there are retirees in Vallarta that possess expertise in that area and are willing and anxious to share it. Thus, you will find classes in just about every area of interest, having fellow retirees as classmates.

Below is what we believe to be, the first published list of classes on various subjects available in Puerto Vallarta. Surely some will be overlooked, however the purpose for the following list of 16 subjects is to present a general idea of what is available for you to learn while living in Paradise. It begins with the most obvious, Spanish lessons, and continues through social activities, sports, health related activities, hobbies, and crafts.

Spanish classes–Spanish can be studied in the comfort of your home, at your desired pace, by employing any of the many professional tutors available in town. Structured classes in Spanish are offered in a number of schools as well as at the University of Guadalajara branch campus located in Vallarta. For those desiring to be immersed in Spanish lessons, there are one week to one month courses available in remote areas outside of Vallarta such as in Yalapa, a secluded beach reached only by a 45 minute water taxi ride from Vallarta.

Dance classes–You name it, they dance it in Vallarta. At this time, Tango and Salsa are probably the most popular classes, however Line, Square, Modern, Jazz, Ballroom, and even Ballet dancing are taught every night in Vallarta. Yes, we have a professional ballet instructor here; so guys, don’t forget to bring your slippers! Once you think you’re a pretty good dancer, we’ll have you checked out by the two internationally renowned dance contest judges that reside in Vallarta!

Cards classes–Cards are played every afternoon and evening all over town and therefore the playing retirees are always looking for “fresh blood”. Poker, Gin Rummy, Bridge, Canasta and Thirty-One are most common, with instructions, training, and tutorage given at every club.

Mahjong classes–Whatever it is that they do with the dice, tiles, cards, racks, and chips, Mahjong must be a lot of fun; there are Mahjong groups all over town. Again, each club offers lessons and newcomers are always welcome.

Golf & Tennis lessons–Professionals at all seven of the golf courses offer private as well as group lessons. From time to time, free golf clinics and beginner group lessons are also available. The same holds true for tennis at all of the many tennis court complexes.

Scuba Diving classes–Shops located on virtually every beach and in many of the hotels offer scuba diving classes. The water, especially south of town near Mismaloya and Los Arcos, is ideal for exploring the abundance of colorful marine life.

Exercise, Fitness, and Aerobics classes–Beautiful health clubs and spas are located all over the Puerto Vallarta area, each offering a full range of services including individual and group exercise programs, pampering, and diet control. They tailor the exercise program for each member, demonstrating the proper use of equipment, including weight, frequency, duration and rotation. These clubs also provide guidance on proper diet to be maintained in conjunction with the exercise program.

Yoga & Pilates classes–These classes, held daily all over town, are supposed to improve your mental and physical well being, increase flexibility, and strengthen muscles. Evidently these programs work, or at least they’re an enjoyable place to spend a couple hours socializing with friends, because there are an awful lot of people in Vallarta attending these classes.

Meditation classes– Meditation classes are held in most of the spas and even available every day on the beaches. Evidently PV, with perfect weather throughout its seven month “high season”, is an ideal location for meditating because these classes are quite popular. (Author’s commentary–Perhaps the meditation, yoga, pilates, reflexology, etc. are truly effective, since so many participate in these classes; but all of my friends do their meditating and stretching holding on to the end of a golf club, tennis racket, or fishing rod!)

Art classes– Art galleries, studios, and malecon artists are located throughout Puerto Vallarta; so many that there is weekly art walk where strollers can gather and check out the latest artwork. Virtually all of these studios plus a number of local artists offer courses in oil painting, water colors, charcoal, etc. plus sculpturing, carving, ceramics, and every other form of art imaginable. To anyone with the slightest degree of artistic talent and the desire to explore their abilities, Vallarta will be Paradise.

Cooking classes– The most popular cooking classes are held during the week of the Puerto Vallarta International Gourmet Festival, at which time world famous chefs come to town to join with the chefs from the many five star restaurants in Vallarta. They put on cooking demonstrations, give structured cooking classes, host wine tasting parties, and serve world class cuisine to the attendees. Less well known, yet still very much enjoyed, are smaller cooking classes held in certain boutique restaurants and of course, Mexican food preparation classes are available everywhere.

Acting classes–Puerto Vallarta has been the site for many movies, starting with “Night of the Iguana”. Since that movie was filmed, there have been at least 70 additional films produced in Vallarta including movies such as “Herbie Goes Bananas“, “Predator“, “Revenge“, “Puerto Vallarta Squeeze“, “Kill Bill”, etc. Additionally, the Disney Studio is currently producing a film in Vallarta titled “South of the Border”. Because of all the local filming, the area is full of talented actors offering theater and acting classes to the local residents. Many of these residents are selected as stand-ins for the various films being shot in town while others act as thespians in local plays that are produced for the pleasure of the residents.

Music & Singing classes–Due to the number of concerts and plays in the local theaters, there is always a demand for singers and musicians. Consequently, the professionals are always available for music and singing lessons.

Writing workshops–The Puerto Vallarta Writers Group holds weekly meetings, often sponsoring guest speakers in Vallarta. This organization provides aspiring authors with information required to skillfully write and edit, information on markets of interest, and techniques for getting their work published. Whether you’re interested in writing poems, articles, short stories, manuscripts , or books, this group of writers will be eager to assist you. Aside from this group, because the climate in PV is perfect from November through May, certain other outside groups like BelleCora Press hold a couple workshops per year in town, bringing new talent and training to the local residents.

Photography workshops–A number of the professional photographers in Vallarta give periodic workshops, concentrating on wildlife, marine life, nature, ocean views with the Sierra Madres as a backdrop, and of course, the beautiful people of Vallarta. Again, because of the magnificent climate, outside groups like The Hamilton Workshops come to Vallarta for their five day “bikini and lingerie fashion and glamour” workshop, where they teach the “hands on” aspects of lighting, posing, and working with models. A little of something for everybody in Paradise!

Computer training–Between the numerous cyber cafés, computer maintenance and repair shops, and the internet providers, there are many professionals in town anxious to assist in solving any computer related problems. Working as tutors, they will come to your house and teach you any aspect of computer technology that’s of interest to you including digital photography, internet usage, Microsoft programs, etc. Rates for their services are typically a third of what you would pay in the States, if you could find someone for home tutoring there.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to put your brain to work while enjoying “la dolce vida” in Paradise. Additionally, there must be in excess of one hundred clubs, societies, and organizations with members that are anxious to share their specific knowledge with newcomers. So, if you’re interested in learning something new or pursuing an area of interest that you always wanted to but didn’t have the spare time, perhaps this is the time and Puerto Vallarta, one of the most beautiful resort destinations in the world, is the place.

Pai Gow Poker is a new variation of the game of poker. It is played with 7 cards. They consist of two hands one with two cards and the other with five. The 2-card hand is the low and 5-card hand is the high hand. One of the players on option or dealer by default is made the banker. The game loss and wins are decided comparing your high and low hands with the banker.

Pai Gow Poker is the new variation of Poker Game where your basic objective is beating the banker. Either a player or a dealer could become the banker in the Pai Gow Poker game. However, the player or dealer who assumes the role of the banker has to fulfill the responsibilities for wagers that come up during the playing rounds.

After every round of the game the banking option is offered to each of the players participating. The player who exercises the option to become the banker must have in his or her possession enough chips to cover all the wagers made by all other players. In case no one comes forward to be the banker, the dealer will assume the role by default. Incidentally, each player in the game receives seven cards. Each will make two separate hands using these seven cards. One of the hands will have only two and the other will have five cards. The hands are either set or ranked using the standard ranking system used in the game of poker.

One of the peculiarities of the Pai Gow Poker is that the dealer will deal seven cards in each betting area. It is immaterial that an area is empty due to absence of player. The hand with two cards is called the second highest hand. It is also termed as the low card hand or the front hand. There can be no straight or flush as only two cards are used. The highest hand will be a couple of aces. If a player holds a two card hand that is higher than the five card hand, his hand will be considered foul hand and the player will be an automatic loser. On the other hand the five card hand is the high hand of the player in the game. It is also called the back hand. They contain all the normal poker series like the straight, flush, four, eighteen and such others. The highest hand will be five aces. This can be achieved adding the joker to the four traditional aces.

As in many other poker games, the Joker has a special value. It could be used as an ace or as any of the missing card in a series. That means it can replace any card in the pack. That is why they can be used to create any of the sequences like the pairs, threes, fours or fives of the same kind. It will not however be the fourth ace if you have three aces with you.

If your 2-card and 5-card hands are higher in standing in comparison to the counterparts in the hand of the player acting as bank, you are the winner. If more than one hand carries such position then the player may be given the amount equal to his wager deducting a 5% commission. The commission will be collected by the dealer when the winning wager is disbursed. Similarly, if one of the hands is higher than the banker’s and the other is not in such cases, it will be considered as a tie. This is also termed as a push where neither any money is won nor lost. You will also be allowed to change or drop your bet before the next hand.

However when both of your hands are lower in ranking compared to that of the banker’s you will lose. You will lose the amount wagered though no commission is charged on it. If your hands are identical to the banker, it is considered the “copy hand”. The advantage of your becoming banker is that you will automatically win all the copy hands.

I like the aol one and the animated moving tiles one………

Ignoring the fact that many modern and various realizations have appeared, million funs of table strategies prefer the game known since olden times. Here can be called chess and checkers, mahjong and some varieties of playing cards but backgammon game should be pointed separately because despite of its centuries-old history, the game remains to be popular with players of any age.

It is impossible to say where directly began the history of the game. One historical source points that first the remains of the game looking like backgammon were found in Egypt, the other one – that the strategy of such a kind was invented by Persians as a reply to chess sent by Hindus. Archaeologists have been trying to define the place of game appearance up to the present time but unfortunately without success. Backgammon spread all over the world and now joins together most of its fun as in tournaments which take place every year as in official competitions. There are several varieties of the game but the most widely used are considered to be backgammon and longgammon having insignificant differences in their rules. As backgammon could be added to gambling games, its stakes can play here quite a significant role. So if you nevertheless have decided to get some risk upon playing, it would be useful to discuss with your opponent the order as for prize receiving before the game.
 
The rules of backgammon are quite easy and it will not be difficult to learn them. But even if you are a player of experience with your own game tactics – it couldn’t guarantee you a victory cause backgammon is a quite surprising game and nobody could predict which combination of numbers would be rolled upon the move. The game lasts not very long that’s why you should act quickly but thoughtfully. You should not be in a hurry while choosing chips because every your mistake can remove you significantly from the victory.
 
As for backgammon varieties, computer games, which meet all the requirements of the classical game, are considered to be very popular nowadays. All you need to do is to download backgammon free and choose through the Internet a real opponent who has the same level as you do and will become a good opponent in this uneasy but fascinating game. Playing free online backgammon is very easy and you can start game in few seconds after installing.