FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
QUESTION: When I double down I don't get the option to stand; why not?

ANSWER: When you double down, the computer draws one more card from you and then *automatically* stands.

QUESTION: The 7 of diamonds just showed up TWICE in my hand! Are you guys cheating or what?

ANSWER: Nope, as in Vegas, you are playing with an 8-deck 'shoe'. That means that 8 decks of cards have been shuffled together to create a 'shoe' that your cards are dealt from. That means that by the time you finish the shoe you will have seen 416 (8*52) cards, and every specific card will show up 8 times.

QUESTION: The computer keeps beating me... you guys are making the dealer cheat and giving HIM the good cards, right? (OK, it's more of an 'accusation' than a question, but we'll answer it anyway.)

ANSWER: The computer doesn't cheat, steal, lie, or have sex with interns (oops, sorry, that was Bill Clinton, not the computer). Cards are dealt from the shoe in sequential order, REGARDLESS of what the dealer or player's totals are.

QUESTION: How do you guys 'shuffle' the 8-deck shoe? It doesn't seem very random to ME!

ANSWER: Here's how we do it: we take 8 decks of cards IN ORDER and stick them in an array. Next we assign a random number between 1 and 32,767 to each card. Then we sort the cards in the order of the random numbers that are 'attached' to them, then throw away the numbers. It's REALLY fast and guarantees that we have a well-shuffled deck. For you geeks out there, we seed the random number generator with the number of seconds that the computer has been running since it's last reboot.

QUESTION: Why do I have to hit "STAND" to receive my blackjack? When would I EVER want to double down on a blackjack?

ANSWER: At the end of a tournament, there will be times when a few credits are the critical difference to winning/losing. Doubling down may be your only chance of winning so it is allowed in Vegas and it is allowed here.

QUESTION: What are FREQUENT PLAYER POINTS (FPP)?

ANSWER: FREQUENT PLAYER POINTS This is our attempt to provide prizes that YOU want by allowing you to use accumulate or use your FPP to enter special tournaments with valuable prizes just like you do in a casino tournament. The value of the prize in the special tournaments will be determined by the total number of FPP used by players to enter - just like in a live casino tournament.

As we said when we started the FPP program, we are trying to fine tune the number of credits in order to make it equitable. Therefore, the credits previously awarded will be changed to provide the high scoring players in every round with the following: 300 FPP for 1st; 200 for 2nd; 150 for 3rd; 100 for 4th; 75 for 5th 50 for 6th; and 25 for 7th. This will allow us to provide additional credits for other reasons in the near.

QUESTION: Where can I locate the MEDIAN SCORE that will allow me to advance each evening to the next or latest round?

ANSWER: It is the number located after NEXT ROUND just below your cards on the game site and above "DOUBLE."

QUESTION: When I lost all of the credits, I was given additional credits but why was the maximum bet reduced?

ANSWER: You can only bet 10% of your ISSUED credits. A reduced maximum bet is your handicap for losing your credits and needing more. And, it is a handicap. Now you know why the casinos have table limits. BUT, Everyone gets a fresh start when the rounds end.

QUESTION: If I am not in the most advanced Round and I have played the minimum 60 hands, how and when can I advance?

ANSWER: You can advance when the computer checks everyone's score at 8PM Mountain EVERY night to see who has reached the MEDIAN SCORE (the score posted under the player's cards as NEXT ROUND:XXXX). The MEDIAN SCORE is determined by taking the score of those who did advance from that Round when it was the most advanced Round. That's the reward for remaining in the most advanced round although we make it possible for those who fail to advance to still remain in contention by reaching the MEDIAN SCORE.

QUESTION: QUESTION: I played 45 hands and I'm in first place in the standings. How and when do I advance?

ANSWER: ANSWER: If you are in the top half of the most advanced Round - Where there is no higher Round being played, such as Round 3 when there isn't yet a Round 4 - you will advance on Monday night at 8PM Mountain if you are in the TOP half AND played AT LEAST 60 hands (you may play as many more as you like).

QUESTION: Where do I find out how many Frequent Player Points (FPP) I have on my account?

ANSWER: While playing in ANY tournament, click on the HINT/CHAT/MAIL on the left side of the Screen (to the left of the cards you're playing). It will take you to another screen. Go to the bottom of that screen to see your FPP account.

QUESTION: I have been playing Round 2 for 3 days now. I thought that you select those to advance on a nightly basis. Why has this Round not advanced?

ANSWER: You are in Round 2 of a tournament where the most advanced round is round 2 (in other words, there is no Round 3 yet). You will only have to be in the top 50% on Monday night at 8PM Mtn when all rounds end in order to advance to Round 3.

Those who are in Round 1 of the same tournament, either because they just entered or didn't make the cut to round 2 last Monday night, will have to reach the MEDIAN SCORE in order to advance to Round 2 of your tournament.

The MEDIAN SCORE is listed as NEXT ROUND on the playing field. Since the computer automatically places everyone in the correct Round, you'll note that "0" is listed as the number for NEXT ROUND as you are now in the most advanced round.

If you don't make the cut this Monday night, you'll be able to get into Round 3 by reaching the MEDIAN SCORE and the computer will automatically place you into Round 3 that very evening at 8PM.

QUESTION: I was near the top of the scores and you took me off line. Why?

ANSWER: I would guess that you went into a different tournament from the one you had been playing in. Sometimes people fail to realize that the rounds end on Monday night at 8PM and wonder what happened to their names (because they failed to advance). This was not your situation if it was prior to the Monday change-over when you missed your name. Enter a tournament in which Round One is the most advanced Round. You can tell by noting that there aren't any players in other rounds. That is the easiest round for you to advance in as you only have to be in the top 50% to make it on Monday night when it goes into the 2nd round.

QUESTION: Is the score for advancement to the next round really the median score of that round's initial week or is it the mean score? >

ANSWER: Advancement is based upon being in the top 50%. The MEDIAN SCORE only comes into play for those who failed to advance with the other players in the top 50%. The computer checks each night to see who is in a non-current round and advances those who've accomplished reaching the MEDIAN SCORE for THAT PARTICULAR ROUND.

QUESTION: I can't find the PASSWORD to get into a tournament.

ANSWER: Some tournaments don't require a PASSWORD. Check the NEWS and the TOURNAMENT DESCRIPTION area (just below where you log into the tournaments) to get information on the requirements of each tournament.

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