Preparing Yourself For The Backgammon Club Tournaments

Backgammon is most rewarding if you can participate in a club and tournaments. Even an informal tournament with only four players can be gratifying. Other alternatives are to get a good computer backgammon game or play on the internet. In any case, backgammon should be played in sets and matches even if the match is only one set and the set is only five points. Playing in the tournaments is quite different from recreational play, as you need to have a good understanding of the more advanced strategies in order to win the match. By applying the correct strategy, it is likely that you will be able to control the game better and increase your chances of winning.

Tournament Strategy One:

When you lose a game, minimize your loss to one or two points by using correct doubling strategy or avoiding a gammon. Be particularly careful to avoid a gammon if a gammon will win the set for your opponent. In this situation, avoid making any moves that will risk losing a gammon.

Tournament Strategy Two:

When nearing to the end of set, use the doubling strategy if possible. Never double when you need just one point to win the set since wining the game will win the set. When your opponent is one point and you are two points from winning the set, double immediately (before your first roll). Your opponent will probably accept so the winner of the game will win the set. This increases your chance of winning the set to 50%. If you don't double, you'll need to win two games in a row to win the set, which is only a 25% chance.

Tournament Strategy Three:

When you are ahead in a set, you need a larger chance of winning than double or accept a double; when you are behind in a set, double and accept a double with a smaller chance of winning than normal. When you are ahead in a set, you should be conservative and have a larger chance of winning the game. When you are behind in a set, be more daring and double and accept a double with a smaller chance of winning the game than usual.

Tournament Strategy Four:

Be more reluctant than normal to do something if it could take your opponent to the Crawford Rule game. If your opponent gets to one point from winning the set, you have less than a 25% chance of winning the set as you would need to win at least two games in a row to win the set due to the Crawford Rule. For instance, consider the case when your opponent has four points and you have two points in a seven-point set. Since you are two points behind, you should normally double when you obtain around a 65% chance of winning the game. In this case, however, wait until you have at least a 70% chance of winning the game since doubling and losing would take your opponent to the Crawford Rule game.

Tournament Strategy Five:

If your opponent will win the set by winning the game, double (if your opponent doesn't own the cube) and go all out to win the game. You can even risk losing a gammon or backgammon if necessary. Since you'll lose the set by losing the game, it doesn't matter how many points you lose.

Knowing how well your opponent plays, what type of game he plays, and what he does in certain situations will help you adjust your play to increase your chance of winning your match. Be a gracious winner and a courteous loser so that you are a respected member of the club and participant in tournaments. Of course, winning a high percentage of your matches will also gain you much respect!

For more information on how to play backgammon, playing backgammon online, backgammon boards or backgammon tournaments, please visit the following website: http://backgammon.mygeneralknowledge.com/Articles/BackgammonClub.php
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First Time Home Buyer Programs

Eventually, everything boils down to owning that house that you have been dreaming of. You have tried and have become tired of living in apartments, in condominiums, in rental homes, and in your parents? living room. However, you still crave and long for that structure that would be under your name and that you can call your home. And if luck prevails, you may own the home that you have been dreaming of.

One of the things that helps out first-time home buyers are first-time home buyer programs. These programs have been designed to assist people who are engaging in buying a home for the first time. Also, they have been designed to assist low-income families or to interest first-time home buyers. These types of programs assist those people who are in dire need of help when it comes to purchasing a home.

One of the tips that these first-time home buyer programs give to interested parties is that every buyer should be able to take full advantage of the various programs for first-time home buyers, because these can greatly assist them in obtaining lower interest rates. Most of these groups that provide first-time home buyer programs are generally aware of the situations that different types of interested parties have. That is the reason why these groups have also considered these situations and have provided various kinds of assistance for people with different needs.

Knowledge of how these first-time buyer programs work could prove to be an essential tool in taking advantage of them. Further information could be gathered through the Internet, or people could also get in touch with these groups that provide first-time buyer programs.

First Time Home Buyer provides detailed information on First Time Home Buyers, First Time Home Buyer Programs, First Time Home Buyer Grants, First Time Home Buyer Loans and more. First Time Home Buyer is affiliated with Home Owner Insurance Rates.

Country House Hotels Cotswolds England

We have visited several Country House Hotels in the Cotswolds in England and trust that the following will help in your search for a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds which is a beautiful part of England with numerous old English market towns and villages.

Broadway is a small town in the Cotswolds whose high street has a number of antique and gift shops and homes built of Cotswold stone. The Lygon Arms can be found in the high street and is one of several character Country House Hotels in close proximity to Broadway in the Cotswolds in England. The restaurant has a Michelin star and there are spa facilities. You can be assured of a warm welcome with roaring log fires in the winter months. This is indeed a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds.

Chipping Camden is a small town in the Cotswolds again with a wonderful high street where you will find The Cotswold House Hotel is a fine luxury hotel in the Cotswolds in England offering service of the highest standard with exquisite food served in both the restaurant and brasserie. This Country House Hotel has been designed inside in a modern theme but full of character with no expense spared.

Lower Slaughter is a small Cotswold Village with the trout filled River Eye running through it. Lower Slaughter Manor is in the centre of the village next to the church. It is one of two Country House Hotels in this Cotswolds village in this tranquil part of England. Personal service of the highest standard is provided. Enjoy afternoon tea in front of a roaring log fire in the winter or on the front lawn in summer. Beautifully decorated and furnished Lower Slaughter Manor is a luxury hotel close to the Cotswolds town of Stow on the Wold here in England.

Please do not hesitate to telephone us on 01562 631682 for further advice about a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds.

About the Author:

Alan Hope runs a lifestyle management and concierge service business for both UK and Overseas clients.
Visit his website at http://www.arrangeitlifestylemanagement.co.uk/id86.html

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Good News for Owners Sale of New Homes Down but Existing Home Sales in Good Shape

Over the past months, we have all been inundated with projections on the housing market bubble ? Will it burst? It is going to burst soon, be prepared! Sell Now! Buy Now! And the forecast differs depending upon the television channel you are listening to or the media article you are reading.

According to James Cooper of BusinessWeek magazine, the numbers point to a gradual slowdown of the market ? not a sudden crash, as many have predicted. In his July 10, 2006, article, Cooper cites how different indicators for the housing market are up one week and down the next. Some homes for sale indicators decline, while others rise. Though it is difficult to accurately project the future of the housing market for the remainder of 2006, he is optimistic ? in spite of all the noise that changes the market outlook on a daily basis.

Compared to last year?s peak numbers, the housing market is in decline for both new and existing homes for sale and the growth rate of prices continue to slow. Yet, the expected drop in sales has not been as bad as predicted, and the market collapse forecast has not occurred. The progressive slowdown is expected, however, to continue through the remainder of 2006.

The area of the homes for sale market that has been hit the hardest is the new single-family homes and existing condominiums and co-ops. Existing single-family homes for sale have faired the best with only a gradual decline in prices.

New home sales have fallen off sharply in 2006 and have the most volatile market indicators that cause the chaotic forecasts. There have been some ups and downs since the first of this year; however, new home sales are down overall by 10.9 percent since the end of 2005. Currently, builders have large inventories of new homes for sale that are expected to create further declines in both sales, prices and new construction starts for the future.

In May of 2006, the number of new homes for sale was up nearly 24 percent from last year for the same period. Median prices of new homes for sale were up by 5.1 percent for the same period but now have slowed drastically. With the average time to sell a new home being almost six months, builders are offering incentives to buyers, including helping with the closing costs, and are more willing to lower prices in order to sell off their inventories.

Condos and co-ops sales were off by 6.7 percent during the first half of 2006. The number of such homes for sale on the market has soared in the past year, gutting the market and bringing down prices and sales. The number of unsold units are up 73 percent.

The good news is for existing homeowners with homes for sale. This market is currently in good shape with both sales and prices holding up better than the new homes for sale market. Such sales have declined in seven out of the past nine months, but median prices are up 8.2 percent over the same period in 2005. According to Cooper, homeowners are not as willing to lower their prices as are builders, preferring to leave their homes on the market in order to find buyers willing to meet their price.

The bad news for owners of homes for sale is the number of existing homes currently being put on the market. In May of 2006, the number of existing homes for sale rose to 3.6 million, that?s one million more than in May of 2005. This is sure to begin affecting the existing homes for sale market. Additionally, the Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates soon that will affect mortgage rates for buyers. Right now is the best time to sell your home as buyers race to lock in current mortgage rates before the Federal Reserve takes action.

The predicted housing bubble crash is not expected in the near future. Consumer confidence is up by one point in June of 2006, according to the Conference Board?s index on consumer confidence, weighing in at 105.7. With good buyer confidence in the homes for sale market, a solid economy, and good labor markets, owners with homes for sale are still at a competitive advantage for now.

John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations. For more on San Diego Homes for Sale visit http://www.twtrealestate.com

Best to Test

The scene is a sidewalk winding through a vast and neatly manicured lawn, belonging to a public elementary school with a flag waving above it. Two neatly dressed girls wearing sensible shoes converse as they walk away from the school, bent forward at the waist from the weight of their overstuffed backpacks. They appear to be average, innocent-looking middle-school-aged kids, with the exception of their oddly pubescent breasts. A blonde-haired girl with a bob haircut looks defeated as she complains to her worried looking pony-tailed companion, ?So far all we?re learning is how to take a math test, how to take a science test, and how to take a reading test.?

In the same boat as many parents, teachers, schools, taxpayers, and most importantly students, the cartoonist, Bob Englehart opposes standardized testing and the pressure it puts on children. The contrast created in drawing childish-looking girls with untimely large breasts highlights the unnatural pressure placed on children in the U.S., giving the impression that children today grow up too quickly. The anxious expressions on the youngster?s faces imply that they are being pushed to meet the current and increasingly rigid standards, and the overstuffed backpacks illustrate the disproportionate load children are being burdened to carry. If our children were being pushed to actually learn and retain things, the child?s comments at the base of the cartoon wouldn?t be so bad; however they are merely learning how to take tests, which has scary implications for the future.

Originally introduced to classrooms in the 1920?s , standardized tests assess the basic reading, writing, math and science skills of elementary through high school aged students. It wasn?t until the mid 1980?s that standardized testing became political and The National Governors Association came up with the concept of ?performance based accountability? leading to the amendment of Title 1 in 1994 making performance-based accountability mandatory. Under President Bush?s 2001 education reform law, ?The No Child Left Behind Act?, schools must administer twice as many standardized tests and students must meet twice as many standards as before. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was reauthorized in 2002, tremendously increasing school accountability along with rewards, aid and punishments. If standards are met, schools receive federal funding; if standards are not met, students are held back, teachers are sanctioned or ?let go?, and schools lose funding and are forced to be converted to charter schools or to close.

The politicians claim that putting students, teachers and school administrators in a position of accountability will increase their incentive to strive for higher standards, but unfortunately, the measures with which they assess the standards are biased and inaccurate, and therefore invalid. In light of these facts, I argue that standardized tests are a legal weapon created by and for politicians as yet another way to hold down the masses of poor, which are more often than not minorities.

A current doctoral student, to whom English is a second language, grew up attending Los Angeles public schools where despite excelling in classes, she ?scored unbelievably low on standardized reading tests, up to and including the SAT?, as did the majority of her bilingual classmates. Test questions include phrases such as, ?ball and chain? and ?straight from the horses mouth? reflecting the parlance of white, middle to upper class males.

Frustrated middle school teacher, Don Perl sarcastically ?proposed dumping the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP, Colorado?s standardized test) and using the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunches to classify schools?. What Perl is saying is that the results of standardized tests are predictable, and that it isn?t hard to see the obvious socioeconomic disparity and its correlation to standardized test results. The title of The Daily Camera article, ?Incomes are Outcomes in the Classroom?, sums it up well. The article reveals the following statistics: 76 percent of high-income fourth graders are reading at or above the proficient level; while only 43 percent of low-income fourth graders are reading at or above the proficient level. Harvard Magazine reports that schools performing high on standardized tests ?reflect the social capital (high socioeconomic status) of their students rather than the internal capacity of the schools?, and asserts that test-based accountability widens the gap between schools serving the rich and the poor.

As a result of these biases, low income (often minority) children are more likely to be retained in a grade, or placed in a ?lower track? or special/remedial education programs when not necessary, due to test results. Those children will be negatively labeled as ?failures? and from that point on will likely receive a ?dumbed down? curriculum, based on practicing test taking. Alternately, the children from the ?white, middle-upper class income backgrounds will be placed in gifted and talented or college preparatory programs where they are challenged to read, explore, investigate, think and progress rapidly?.

Let?s not measure a child?s potential as it correlates with the financial success of their birth families. Our society was intended to be equal opportunity, not caste-based. Let?s be fair to the youth of our nation and provide them with an education that they deserve, regardless socioeconomic class. Let?s advocate to eliminate consequence based standardized testing.

Copyright 2006-Elle Housman is a freelance writer and graphic designer based in Colorado. Her publications can be found in Toward Freedom Magazine, The Colorado Daily's monthly Women's Magazine, Ujama News and on the website of The Black Biomedical Research Movement. Visit her website at PositiveScribes.com

San Diego Real Estate Bubble Not Yet Ready to Burst

Michael Youngblood is a veteran analyst and the managing director of asset-backed securities research for Friedman Billings Ramsey & Co. in Arlington, Virginia. According to an interview he gave to BusinessWeek for its May 15th issue, the idea of a national bubble for residential real estate is fictitious. Since there is no national residential real estate market, there can be no national housing price bubble.

There are, however, residential real estate bubbles in 75 housing markets that he studies. Most exist either on the East or West Coast. San Diego residential real estate market is one of them. In a study he conducted in 2002, San Diego was one bubble city of several for which Youngblood was concerned, along with several other cities within the state of California and elsewhere. However, recent research has proven that the residential real estate markets within these California cities are more optimistic than previously projected and currently debated.

Youngblood assesses prices for the residential real estate markets in 379 metropolitan statistical areas, including San Diego. Most residential real estate forecasters use reactive indicators to predict future market changes, such as inventory-to-sales ratios and number of months required to sell residential real estate. Youngblood believes such indicators do not predict market changes; they only react to market changes. He created his own economic model, based on two predictive indicators that actually drive the residential real estate market. They are growth in employment and growth in personal income, both of which affect a buyer?s ability, desire and willingness to purchase a home and at what price. His findings are much more optimistic than other forecasters and show a much stronger residential real estate market than most other analysts suspect.

Youngblood predicts the greatest declines for the residential real estate market in states other than California. He sees both Bakersfield and Stockton showing the greatest gains in the state at 43 and 39 percent, respectively. The state of Florida also should expect substantial gains.

Though many forecasters believe that residential real estate prices are over-inflated in both California and Florida, these markets are driven by speculation that ignores underlying fundamental factors. Based on historical data, bubbles exist when median existing home prices are 6.8 times greater than the per capita personal income of a particular housing market.

According to Youngblood, bubbles may persist over long periods of time, as long as local economies are good. With a downturn in the local economy, there is typically a one-year lag before the downturn affects the residential real estate market. Even then, the market declines over a long period of time.

Given the gains Youngblood predicts in California, there should be no significant fall during 2006 for San Diego real estate prices. People should not necessarily fear buying or investing in this bubble market, though cautious and informed spending is always the smart path.

John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations. For more on San Diego Homes for Sale visit http://www.twtrealestate.com