Gamers Alliance REPORT
Fall 2006 Vol. 2 No. 20
EDITORIAL
Blackjack
I've been to Las Vegas and I have to say that it strikes me as a fantasy land, truly as Disney World for adults. There's glitz and glamour all along the Vegas strip. I enjoy the top entertainment there and the whole atmosphere, from the pyramid marking the Luxor to the movie set-like setting of New York, New York to the gorgeous Bellagio and so many other venues. It seems like there's always something to attract your attention. And, by the way, did you know there is gambling there?
Of course you did! Although I love games, gambling is not one of my vices. If I win, it doesn't mean that much to me and if I lose, it annoys me too much! But besides the standard winning and losing at the gaming tables, gambling, from a different perspective, holds an attraction for me: the high rollers populating some very exclusive gaming tables.
I'm fascinated by seeing these serious gamblers, dressed in anything and everything, from shorts to tuxedos, transfixed by the spin of a wheel or flip of a card. It's amazing to see so much money disappear down a slot as the dealer exchanges cash for chips and to see those chips fly across the table, particularly when you realize that we're talking thousands of dollars per second changing hands. For example, let's take the blackjack table.
Luck is always on the side of the house. Just look at the opulence of those great Vegas hotels; they're paid for with YOUR money! No matter how lucky you feel or what foolproof system you've designed, you should know, deep in your heart, that the fool is you if you think you're beating the system. But of all the games in the casinos, blackjack is the one where a savvy or shrewd player can slant the odds in his favor. (Card counters have distilled this into a semi-science - which is why known card counters are banned from casinos.) To borrow from Kenny Rogers, knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em is all important. And, if you're playing blackjack, your heartbeat pounds with every card as you're moving towards 21 (an ace and a 10 or picture card will do quite nicely). Hit 21 and you are a winner! Well, against all odds and with great pride, we loudly proclaim that, with this issue, we're winners!
21 is our winning number as this issue marks the start of the 21st year of Gamers Alliance! And, just like in blackjack, we're loaded with Kings (of the game reviewing world) and it's coming up all aces!
In this issue of GA REPORT, we carve out chunks of territory in a new land, fight like eagles, search for a masterpiece and search for words! We welcome first time contributors Frank Hamrick who gets in-temperate and Joe Huber who visits Indonesia. Meanwhile, Craig Massey enjoys his mania, Chris Kovac goes on a knightly quest and Pevans travels with this year's Spiel des Jahres while Ben Baldanza plays travel agent and suggests a destination for all to enjoy. And, of course, much more. Until next time, Good Gaming!
Herb Levy, President
aBRIDGEd Bubble Brain Canal Mania Conquest of Pangea
Mona Lisa Mysteries Pecking Order Robber Knights
Tempus Terra Nova Thurn & Taxis
Why Everyone Should Visit Essen