Venus, Serena eye quarter-final affair

Venus and Serena Williams moved closer to a quarterfinal showdown at the US Open after sailing into the fourth round of the year's final grand slam with emphatic victories on Saturday.

Venus overwhelmed Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-2, 6-1, while younger sister Serena blew past Japan's Ai Sugiyama with an identical scoreline.

"I'm definitely at my best now," seventh seeded Venus boasted after her 56-minute rout under sunny skies at the National Tennis Center.

Neither Venus nor fourth seeded Serena have lost a set during this year's tournament and are the only women left in the draw that have won the US Open previously.

Serena refused to say she was at the top of her game but she appeared close to it during her 66-minute demolition of Sugiyama, where she landed 71 percent of her first serves and never faced a break point.

In the last 16, Venus will face ninth seed Angnieska Radwanska of Poland, who made headlines at last year's US Open by sending Maria Sharapova out of the tournament in the third round.

Serena will face either Severine Bremond of France or Italian Tathiana Garbin, both unseeded. She admitted she was "disappointed" at the chance to play Venus in the quarters and not further down the road.

Blake loses to Fish in battle of American friendsy

Mardy Fish charged into the fourth round of the US Open for the first time after stunning his friend and ninth seed James Blake 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 in an all-American clash at the US Open on Saturday.

Blake, twice an Open quarter-finalist, was the favorite against Fish, who is ranked 35 in the world and was playing in the third round for the first time at Flushing Meadows.

But Fish made clear he meant business from the start, breaking his Blake's serve in the first game. In the second set he broke early again to take a 3-1 lead and Blake struggled to find his rhythm.

Blake started the third set serving well but stuttered again at 2-2, when Fish chased the ball down before trapping Blake at the net with a delectable lob on break point.

Serving for the match at 5-4, Fish showed signs of nerves as the crowd tried to roar on the more popular Blake. Fish registered two double faults and sent the ball into the net on break point to allow Blake back in the match.

In the tiebreak, however, Blake missed several ground-strokes and Fish closed it out 7-4 with an ace and a strong final serve that Blake put in the net.

Federer overcomes determined Alves test

Four-times defending champion Roger Federer clawed his way into the third round of the US Open with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 victory over stubborn Brazilian qualifier Thiago Alves on Friday.

World number two Federer produced an uncharacteristic 46 unforced errors in the two-hour, 14-minute affair but denied he had a difficult time.

Federer had 19 aces and lost his serve only once but clearly needs to improve his form if he is to become the first man since Bill Tilden in 1924 to win five successive titles.

"I was struggling to see the ball at the net a little bit with the crowd in the back," said Federer, who played Alves in the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

The 137th-ranked Alves was playing his first tour-level event of the year and only the 10th of his career. He said Federer, overtaken recently by Rafael Nadal as the world's top-ranked player after 237 weeks atop the throne, was as good as advertised.

The Swiss will face either Czech Radek Stepanek or Australian Chris Guccione in the third round and remained on track to face third seed Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the year's final grand slam tournament.

Federer's play at the net against Alves was spotty and his groundstrokes erratic but the 12-times grand slam champion chuckled when asked if his game was slipping.

Jankovic hangs tough to down Arvidsson

Friends looks like this season well tough for all tennis player starting with Jelena Jankovic who was given the run around by Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson before she booked her place in the third round with a nerve-jangling 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 win at the US Open on Wednesday.

The second-seeded Serbian twice served for the match in the second set and had also opened a 3-0 lead in the tiebreak but each time Arvidsson pegged her back with a series of stinging ground-strokes.

The world number 63 fell 3-0 behind in the decider before threatening to launch another comeback after Jankovic gifted her the break in the seventh game with a double fault.

But Jankovic kept her wits about her to seal victory when Arvidsson shoved a backhand long on match point. She will next face either Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng Jie or Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues.

Five-times winners Liverpool reached the Champions League

Five-times winners Liverpool reached the Champions League proper after a Dirk Kuyt goal deep into extra time gave them a 1-0 aggregate win over plucky Belgian rivals Standard Liege on Wednesday.

The Dutch striker scored in the 118th minute to the relief of the Anfield faithful as Liverpool, who last won the trophy in 2005, struggled to find a way through.

Former winners Olympique Marseille also looked below par against Brann Bergen but two goals from Mamadou Niang sealed a 2-1 home win for a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Norwegians.

In contrast, Arsenal romped to a 6-0 rout of Dutch side Twente Enschede, coached by former England manager Steve McClaren, after Samir Nasri, William Gallas, Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner handed them a 4-0 second-leg win at home.

They were joined by other big guns and three teams that qualified for the lucrative group stage of the competition for the first time. Atletico Madrid beat Germany's Schalke 4-1 on aggregate after crushing them 4-0 at home, Dynamo Kiev steamrolled to an 8-2 overall demolition of Spartak Moscow and Fiorentina eased to goalless draw at Slavia Prague after a 2-0 first-leg win.

Headers by Semih Senturk and Brazilian forward Alex gave Fenerbahce a 2-0 lead in front of their vociferous fans before Zoran Tosic set up a nervy finish with a superb free kick. Banel Nicolita struck in the 57th minute to send Steaua through and give Romanian fans plenty to cheer about after the country's champions CFR Cluj qualified automatically.

Manchester United beat Portsmouth 1-0

Champions Manchester United recorded their first win of the Premier League season when Darren Fletcher's scruffy goal secured a 1-0 triumph at Portsmouth on Monday.

Fletcher was credited with turning the ball in from Patrice Evra's centre in the 32nd minute although Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin appeared to make contact with the cross and Sol Campbell also got a touch in a vain attempt to keep it out.

It was the second goal in as many games for the Scotland midfielder after he also found the net in last week's 1-1 draw with Newcastle United.

United manager Alex Ferguson praised Fletcher, who is getting a run in the team due to the injuries and suspensions keeping out Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Park Ji-sung.

Wayne Rooney also beat Portsmouth keeper David James with a shot early in the second half but had the effort ruled out for offside.

For FA Cup holders Portsmouth, defeat continued their unhappy start to the season after losing the Community Shield to United on penalties and their league opener 4-0 at Chelsea.

US Open: Nadal works hard to beat German qualifier

Top seed Rafael Nadal overcame fatigue and a defiant display by German qualifier Bjorn Phau to launch his bid for a first US Open crown with a 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 win in the first round on Monday.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who clinched the Olympic men's singles title in Beijing only eight days ago, sealed a hard-fought victory in just under three hours on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

World number 136 Phau held his own in the opening set against the game's leading player before losing the tie-break 7-4 but was swept aside in the second in 46 minutes.

Nadal, this year's French Open and Wimbledon champion, surprisingly gifted a break with a double-fault when serving for the match at 5-4 in the third before claiming the tie-break 7-4. "To win in three sets is always a good result," the newly-crowned world number one told reporters.

The Spaniard has extended his win-loss record to a remarkable 71-8 this year, including eight titles and far more matches than any of his competitors have played.

Although not playing at his best on Monday, Nadal paid tribute to the quality of Phau's game.

India beat Sri Lanka by 33 runs

India made mess of a brilliant start as they just managed to scrape through to a narrow 33-run win in the third one-day to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

After putting up 237 on board, India had the Lankans on the mat as the hosts were reduced to 94 for seven at one stage but visitors dropped as many as four catches to put themselves in an embarrassing situation in the flood lit affair.

Earlier, Dhoni played a captain's knock of 76 runs to rescue India from a mid-innings collapse. Indian top-order struggled to be among runs but thanks to Dhoni's crucial partnerships with Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma, India were able to get past the 200-run mark after electing to bat.

The left-handed diminutive Raina also batted sensibly for his 80-ball 53 and kept the scoreboard ticking when wickets were tumbling at the other end.

Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene raked up a sensational 94-run knock and brought his team close to the doors of an incredible victory but could not finish the game in his team's favour as the hosts innings folded at 204 in 49 overs.

Wansiru first Kenyan to win Olympic men's marathon

Samuel Wansiru already had made a name for himself in the heady world of Kenyan distance running. Now he's made history.

The 21-year-old Wansiru pulled away over the final few kilometers on Sunday to become the first Kenyan to win an Olympic marathon - and he did it faster than anyone ever has.

Wansiru negotiated the 42.15-kilometer (26.2-mile) course through Beijing streets in bright morning sunshine in an Olympic record of 2 hours, 6 minutes, 32 seconds.

Kenyans had twice won men's marathon silver, most recently in 2000, but never a gold.

Just across the line, Wansiru kneeled and crossed himself several times. He had just broken the Olympic mark of 2:09.21 set by Carlos Lopes of Portugal in the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

As Wansiru was still on one knee, Gharib crossed the line for the silver.

Wansiru won the Fukuoka International Marathon in Japan last December and was runner-up at the London Marathon in April.

Reigning world champion Luke Kibet of Kenya stayed with the leaders through the early stages but fell back and finally pulled out of the race shortly past the halfway mark. He later said he had a stomach problem.

World record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia decided not to run the race because of concerns about Beijing's notorious air pollution. But after an overnight thunderstorm, a glorious blue sky greeted the final day of these games.

The race began at the edge of Tiananmen Square, then wound around the Temple of Heaven before turning northward toward the Olympic Green and the Bird's Nest, where colorful dancers, drummers and cyclists entertained the crowd as it awaited the runners.

Couple of Common Mistakes in Blackjack

Mistake: The most common mistake beginners make is to stand too often on their stiff hands (12,13,14,15, and 16). Players are naturally afraid to hit these hands because every one of them could bust (make a total of 22 or more) with a single hit. But when the dealer has a high card (7, 8, 9,10, or ace) showing, your best odds of winning come from hitting and giving yourself a chance of making a better total.

Some beginners think the best way to play is to play the same way the dealer plays: Hit all sixteens and stand on all seventeens. This is not true. The object of the game is not to make a hand as close to 21 as possible, but to beat the dealer. Often the best way to do this is to stand with a low total, sometimes as low as 12.

Tip: Here's how many players think: If I hit this 14, I risk busting my hand right here and now. But maybe the dealer has a 6 in the hole. If I don't take a hit, my hand still has a chance. Maybe the dealer's hand will bust.

Every player is afraid that he will be responsible for his own loss. But that 14 you are holding is already in dire jeopardy when the dealer shows a 10 up. You must fight for the hand's survival by taking the hit, giving it a chance of becoming a stronger hand against that 10. With a 14 against a 10, you must fight to the death.

On the other hand, if the dealer's upcard is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, and you are holding a stiff hand, you should stand. Since the dealer must hit his stiff hands, and chance busting even when you are stiff, hitting your weak hands is not advantageous against these weak upcards.

Mistake: Some beginners think the best way to play is to play the same way the dealer plays: Hit all sixteens and stand on all seventeens. This is not true. The object of the game is not to make a hand as close to 21 as possible, but to beat the dealer. Often the best way to do this is to stand with a low total, sometimes as low as 12.

Tip: This is the basic logic of casino blackjack. There are exceptions to these guidelines, as the actual basic strategy decision for any given hand is determined by working out all of the mathematical probabilities. But if you just consider this logic when studying the basic strategy charts, the pattern will become clear to you and it should not be too difficult to memorize.

Blackjack and wonging: a story of success

In 1975, Stanford Wong came out with Professional Blackjack. Wong had a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University, hence his pseudonym. This book was the next big advance for card counters. Wong described his playing style, which included table-hopping shoe games to avoid playing at negative counts. As four-deck shoes were the most widely available games in Las Vegas by that time, this original approach was brilliant. The casinos looked for card counters by watching for their betting spreads. It had never occurred to the casinos that a counter might be watching a table from the aisles, waiting for an advantageous count before jumping in to bet.

The counting system Wong published was the Hi-Lo Count, and like Revere's count, used the easy divide-by-remaining-deck(s) approach to running count adjustments. So, at last, some twelve years after Harvey Dubner had proposed the Hi-Lo count values, his system was available in a format both fully optimized with strategy indices, and presented with a simple methodology of play. Wong's table-hopping approach to shoe games was in many ways similar to Al Francesco's Big Player (BP) team approach, but allowed a solo card counter to attack shoe games invisibly, and without a team of spotters. This playing style has since become widely known as wonging.

How Atlantic City became top gambling destination

In 1978, Resorts International opened in Atlantic City, the first legal East Coast casino in the twentieth century. Their four- and six-deck blackjack games offered a new form of surrender, dubbed by card counters as "early surrender," since the casino allowed players to surrender half a bet even when the dealer showed an ace or 10 up, and before the dealer checked for a blackjack. This rule gave basic strategy players a small edge over the house right off the top, without any card counting whatsoever! And the advantage to card counters was even greater.

From opening day, card counters had a field day at Resorts' tables. Ironically, as word spread through the gambling community that card counters found the Resorts' blackjack game to be the most lucrative game for players in the country, gamblers from all over the world - most of whom knew nothing about basic strategy or card counting - flocked to their tables. And, ironically, Resorts International was soon the most profitable casino in history, winning an average of $650,000 per day.

A team of professional blackjack players whose founders were from Czechoslovakia that had been playing in Las Vegas flew all of their members to Atlantic City to take advantage of this new surrender rule. This team, which later became known in the casino industry as simply the Czech Team, found the Resorts' game to their liking and stayed for months.

A New Jersey college student named Tommy Hyland, who had just turned twenty-one, started going to Atlantic City in 1978 when he heard about the favorable black-jack game at Resorts. Within a year, he had organized about twenty of his college and golfing buddies into a team of blackjack players. Hyland's team continues to this day as one of the most successful casino gambling operations in history.

It was also in 1978 that the first MIT blackjack team was started. This team actually consisted of students from MIT, Harvard, and other East Coast colleges. Johnny C.j now a legendary player who joined the team in 1981, plays high-stakes blackjack to this day and continues organizing teams of professional players. The Czechs, the Hyland teams, and the MIT teams would be the scourge of the casino industry for decades to come. Many believe these teams owe their existence to the Resorts' game with its early surrender rule that made the game so easy to beat. College kids found that they could pool their money, play blackjack with a modicum of intelligence, and get rich quick.

In fact, it was a combination of that easy-to-beat early surrender game and Ken Uston's The Big Player that had just been published in 1977 that worked together to create an environment where new teams of smart young kids could make millions playing blackjack.

Wrap-play, Front-loading and Spooking in Blackjack

To the public at large, one of the most incomprehensible things about professional blackjack strategies is hole-card play. Hole-card play is not a single strategy, but a whole range of strategies. The one feature that can be found in all of these strategies is that the player either knows the dealer's hole card, or has valuable information about that hole card, whether it's a paint or not. To most casual blackjack players, this seems absolutely incredible and impossible, unless there is some sort of cheating going on. But it's not impossible, and in fact, most hole-card strategies are perfectly legal.

Hole-card players speak their own language and have their own heroes. Most consider card counting too weak to be worth the trouble. Many quickly attain notoriety in the casinos and a degree of fame among other pros that appreciate the rare skills they have developed. But let's look at some of the forerunners of today's players, describe some of the most common hole-card strategies, and get a historical overview of this type of legal strategy.

What is front-loading? A front loader is simply a sloppy dealer who flashes his hole card as he is placing it beneath his upcard. It's actually a pretty descriptive term, since one common way that such a dealer inadvertently flashes the hole card is by tipping the face of the card up toward the "front" of the table as he is "loading" it. A player who sits in a seat that provides him a view of this card is said to be "front-loading."

Spooking is something else again. It used to be standard procedure for dealers to manually peek under any 10 or ace to see if they had a blackjack, in which case they would immediately turn up the card and collect all bets without playing the hands. Some dealers, in peeking, angled the card in such a way that a person standing behind them, or sitting at another table on the other side of the same pit, could glimpse the card also. It wasn't long before players started working in teams to take advantage of such dealers. The guy behind the dealer was called the spook. He would signal his buddies playing at the table with whatever information he could get on the hole card. Dealers don't peek this way anymore, and this is one of the reasons why.

Winning Big in No Limit Texas Holdem

As the name suggests, no limit Texas Holdem poker gives players the opportunity to win the biggest pots. When there is no limit on betting, there is no limit on winning. Of course, no limit Texas Holdem is not for the faint of heart. People who play with no limits are generally skilled poker players, and the strategy you need to win a no limit game is very different from the strategy that you would use in a limit game. While the basics of limit versus no limit games are the same, the psychology of the players is very different. You have to know how to play in a no limit Texas Holdem game. If you know how to gain a psychological advantage over other players in a no limit game, you will have a huge advantage that can lead to big winnings.

Here are some things to remember when playing no limit Texas Holdem:

First, realize that you can gain a much bigger edge over your opponents when there are no limits games. In limit Texas Holdem, you can take small advantages over other players. In no limit games, the edge is increased because here you are really playing against other psyches, not other cards.

Skills like bluffing and varying bet size are much more effective in no limit games than they are in limit games. This is especially true for more experienced players. In no limit games, players will be much more cautious about taking what they perceive to be big risks. So if you are more crafty and deceptive than your opponent, you can be very successful.

Take control of the pot. In all poker games, you are at an advantage when you can do this, but in a no limit game where you can bet and raise without limit, those moves put you at a much greater advantage. In a no limit game, the value of taking control is even greater than it is in a limit game.

The size of your bankroll is another huge factor in no limit Texas Holdem. If you have more money or more chips than your opponent by a margin that is large enough, you can force them out of the game by betting big whether their hand is a good one or not.

In a no limit Texas Holdem game, the odds of losing if you take a risk by bluffing or if you play a bad hand are much higher than they are in a limit game. This means that your opponents are less likely to call you or to stay with a poor hand in no limit games. It is important to be aware of this because you can use it as part of your strategy. In no limit games, the odds always favor better hands.

The bottom line is that in no limit Texas Holdem, the stakes are higher, but the winnings are bigger! So in order to be successful in a no limit game, you have to know what you are doing. You may be able to make mistakes and still win once in a while by luck in a limit game, but with no limits, you will suffer from your mistakes. No limit games are not for the inexperienced card player. But for players who know how to play, there is an advantage that cannot be found in a limit game. The potential for winning big in a no limit Texas Holdem game is just that - without limit. You can take an opponent's entire bankroll in one hand if you play your cards right! A no limit game can be very vicious, but it can also be very rewarding. You just have to have the stomach for it!

Become a successful poker player with Online Poker Labs

How to Tell if Your Opponent is Bluffing

Believe it or not, even in online poker where you cannot see a "poker face" per se, there are some telltale signs that a player is bluffing. In fact, there are many ways to spot a poker bluff. Among the most common signs are impatience and attempts to distract you. Pay close attention to players who exhibit these kinds of behaviors.

When on the lookout for a bluff, beware of players who are chatting about how their poor luck is, especially if you notice that they are raising pots at the same time. Also be wary of players who raises before the flop and then quickly raises again after the flop. When this occurs, don't call unless you are reasonably sure you can win with what is already in your hand.

Another sign of a bluff is a player who is "sitting out" and then suddenly re-enters the game just as the cards are being dealt. If this player is also quick to call or raise, he or she may simply be in too much of hurry to seriously be playing a good hand. Playing quickly is a sure sign of a bluff in poker games. To win consistently with good hands, players must take the time to play strategically. Someone who always plays holdem poker quickly is not taking the time necessary to play a good hand. On a similar note, very loose players who bet on every hand are also very likely to be bluffing much of the time. It isn't possible to always have a good starting hand.

Also be careful of a player who has low stacks and bets an entire bankroll. This may be a player who is ready to give up and is playing with an "all or nothing" mentality to see if they can win the pot and stay in the game.

Another sign of bluffing to look for is a player who checks on the turn after betting on the flop. This may look like confidence, but how confident is this player in reality? Players who do this should be called. If you have a decent hand and feel confident, force this type of player to bet.

Always pay attention to what a player shows at the end of a hand. This is another way to pick out a bluff. If you notice a player raise before the flop and that player loses the hand, notice what he or she shows. If it is not much, it is probably a bluff, and the player is likely to try it again. Be aware of that player's tendency to bluff foolishly.

As you can see, playing with impatience is, in fact, one of the biggest mistake a poker bluff will make. While a good bluff may be able to fake patience, an impatient player is a top suspect for being a bluff.

How to Play Casino Poker in 5 points

There is one thing to remember when playing casino poker. No matter your experience level, everyone needs help sometimes. There are five main rules that can be followed to improve the game of all players, regardless of how well they play.

The first rule when playing casino poker is to have fun. There are many different sites that offer different types of games, and it's often daunting for a beginner to join an online poker room where everyone seems more experienced.

Showing other players that you are new to the game can sometimes help in giving you a better advantage. If a person sees an inexperienced player, some will tend to be lenient towards you. This is the key to having fun, and of course winning the money.

Even if you do know how to play the game, it might also be beneficial to act as though you don't so that players will help you where they can, thus enabling you to take control of the situation.

In truth however, most players are only looking at what they are doing, and will tend to ignore any others that are in the room. Therefore, there is no need to concentrate on any other player during a game other than your own hand. This way, the game will run smoothly, and you'll be guaranteed to have fun.

The second rule to follow when playing Casino poker is to pay attention to the turns in the game. While not specifically concentrating intently on other players, it is wise to take care of how your game is played. Following small rules is beneficial to the playing of the game, as it is often difficult to forget when it is your turn, or when to make a bet, or play the cards. Simply paying attention to the way the other people are playing can help improve your timing immensely. It has been noted that in a group of players, people taking too long to place a bet can irritate some of them.

It is possible that other players are in the same position, all thinking about their own balance and wagers, and so you won't be alone in going at a slower pace. Playing poker in this manner will also add to the advantages you can gain at the table. If you play a game with high limits, then there is a chance that other players will assume that you have more money that they can take from you.

Finally, the last rule in casino poker is to take breaks. Play shorter sessions to avoid gaming with time-wasters, or people who wish to eat, drink and converse instead of competing in a fun game of poker. Concentration is a key factor in playing online poker, and it is very common for players to become frustrated with newer ones who play too long and then begin to falter in the speed of their game.

When walking around the poker room, you should notice the dealers first. Watching them will give you an idea of the speed of the game that is being played. It is advisable to start with a slower paced game before you work up to the faster paced ones. This is so that the newer or more inexperienced players can have the opportunity to obtain refreshments as and when needed without disturbing others. Not only that, taking a break will enable you to walk around the room, and obtain any other information about the players that might help you improve your game.

Die-hard talks pro video poker

Jack and me were shooting the breeze at the bar when the young fellah called. He asked how big a bankroll someone'd need to turn video poker professional. Laugh? I coulda died.

If ever anyone was begging to be called a girlie man - Schwarzenegger was right on the money with that - he's the one. Him a gambler? The very idea of him losing a quarter in slot machines would give him gas. But I guess he's got a right to ask for you - not that I'm inspired with confidence looking round at you. You're just playing the pro game in your heads when you read these articles. Ain't nothing gonna come of it.

Anyways, let's keep the dream going a while longer. That Mr. Ferguson fellah calculates you'd need $10,000 if you wanna turn pro and play the quarter video poker machines. Multiply that by four if ya wanna play the dollar machines. But I reckon that's a tad optimistic. I've seen people burn that and never hit a jackpot.

The Math God don't care nothing for you. If you hit a run of cold machines, ain't nothing you can do 'cept play through the patch until you come out the other side. Now's the time to use that grey matter you hide away in your head. Jack could loan me a pen and we'd do the best math you ever seen on the back of these here fancy coasters. You've got the proper video poker strategy nailed.

All the most probable outcomes are in play. That kinda calculation would make Mr. Ferguson's number look a smart bet. But ya gotta ask yourself, what kinda assumptions are we making? Are we assuming you've got an infinite amount of cash - that you're gonna play video poker until all the probabilities work out like the book says they should? And you've never gotta take a restroom break or sleep some? You can keep playing until you're on the right side? And then how we gonna exclude the chance that some other player's gonna hit the jackpot? Don't matter whether you're playing a flat top or a progressive. If it's a flat top, ya take a break and the next player on "your" video poker machine takes the pot.

Playing the progressive, that jackpot can always go somewhere else no matter how fast and well ya play. So how much're ya gonna drop before ya give up? Ten grand might be enough to give ya that cushion. But ya might need the kinda eye-poppin' wad some whale tosses on the table like it's loose change before ya break even. Are you ready to lose all that? And don't you never forget.

Once you're tapped out, you're outa the video poker game until you get the front money together again. Still reading, are ya? Jack here's got an expression like he's sucking on a lemon. He thinks I'm being too hard on ya all. I should make like an angel now I've crossed over to your side of the casino. OK. So think of this like video poker boot camp. I'm the ex-marine gonna kick ya round and give ya the tough love ya been missing all these years. You'll be all the better for it. Well, that's me done again. Catch ya 'round.

Playing Slots Tournaments Online

There are many different types of online slots tournaments, and no hard and fast rules as to how they all work. But there are a few universal rules to bear in mind.Generally, there is a set price to 'buy into' the tournament, and this fee provides you with a set number of credits. These credits are then exchanged for games on particular slot machines. And the aim, of course, is to get the largest winnings possible.

In most tournaments, you will be playing with only 'tournament or play money', which means in effect that all you stand to lose is your entry fee. Whether you are a high roller or not, you will have the same odds as every other player and have the potential to win a lot of cash.

Some of the other online slots tournaments ask that you play with 'real money', and stakes are always dependent on the individual slots tournament. Common Types of Online Slots Tournaments Different slots tournaments work in different ways, but there are four common types:
1 - An entry fee of between $5 and $35 entitles you to play money chips for use in the tournament.
2 - There is a time limit on your playing period.
3 - The aim of the game is to have more play money than the others in the tournament and you are able to leave the game at any point.
4 - When the game ends, those in the top price bracket are the winners; and prize money is made up of the collected entry fees.

Maximize your Chances of Winning Generally speaking, the rules for slots tournaments are universal; but different tournaments set different criteria for winning. In some cases, the winner will be the player with the highest total at the end of the game; in others, the winner will be the player who achieves the highest score in a bonus round.

So, in order to maximize your chances of winning, always read the rules before beginning a game! Where you are given a set time limit for your play, it is often a good idea to keep your finger on the spin button. This ensures that you get in the maximum number of spins during the time period, and the wheel should only stop to allow for your wins.

Slots Tournaments Online Playing online slots tournaments is a great way to potentially win serious cash for relatively little outlay, as playing online tends to be much cheaper than playing 'for real'. One particularly good value example is The Sands. Here, the entry fee is only $25 and this entitles you to play for up to an hour.

It is extremely common for online slots tournaments to allow great value for money and plentiful playing time. The very best of online slots tournaments, however, are for most people the Freerolls. These games ask no entry fee at all - but give the potential to win real cash!

There should be laws to regulate online gambling

There is a new groundswell of opinion rising in the U.S. that there should be more direct government regulation of online gambling. The reason for this shift is the series of scandals currently roiling the world of online poker.

The most positive demand for federal regulation has come through the Poker Players Alliance (see http://pokerplayersalliance.org/press-releases/2008/07/22/press-release-statement-of-ppa-chairman-senator-alfonse-damato-in-response-to-online-poker-cheating-scandals/). The gory details of these scandals and all the allegations are too much to deal with here, so I'll just focus on this press release.

Former Senator D'Amato makes the obvious point that the game of poker depends on trust. The players need to know that managers of casinos and the organizers of tournaments are committed to policing both themselves and the players. When there are allegations of cheating in real world events, local regulators and, if appropriate, law enforcement officers will investigate and report.

The process is reasonably transparent and people are usually held accountable for breaking the rules or the relevant laws. When cheating may have occurred on the internet, there are serious problems of jurisdiction. Who exactly has the power to investigate and what powers of sanction does the investigator have? The former Senator argues with force that public trust can only be maintained if the same level of transparency applies to both real world and online gambling.

So, if anyone, whether manager, organiser or player is to be put at risk of punishment, what is due process? What court or tribunal can decide whether there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing and make a proportionate response? As it stands, it is left to regulatory authorities in the country where the company running the internet site has its registered office. There is very little transparency with few details of the investigations or their findings ever made public.

In the history of the internet, there have been no prosecutions or formal judicial sanctions applied to any company or individual running online gambling. Players are therefore left with the quite natural feeling that there is no effective regulation. But the desire for federal intervention is not likely to meet with any new laws. The U.S. Government does not have extraterritorial jurisdiction to go and investigate a company in a foreign state. Its only sanction is to bar access to the site which is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Slot machines: a winning strategy

Most people play slot machines hoping to hit it lucky with a winning streak that pays big. There is also the pure entertainment value of playing the slots. While it would be great if there was a strategy that could make you a long term winner at slots, the truth is, there is really no such thing. But if you want to have fun playing slots for as long as possible, there are a few mostly common sense things to keep in mind.

First, be sure that you understand what you are doing when you play slot machines. Know what the pay tables are and what it takes to be eligible to win a jackpot or bonus before you put any coins into a machine. If you play fairly often, you can join the slots club at the location where you play. It is free to join and members get benefits like free meals, discounts on hotel rooms or even free rooms, and sometimes cash back.

Perhaps the most important rule of thumb when playing slots or any game of chance for that matter is only play with disposable income - that is, money that you can afford to lose. Be sure that you are rested and alert while you are playing, and don't play for a long period of time without a break. If you are tired, you are more likely to make a costly mistake.

It is a good idea to decide in advance how much you will spend on slots during an entire day or trip. Divide your bankroll into equal amounts and play that many sessions without going over the allotted amount during any one period of play. For example, if you decide to play four sessions, stop if you have used up one fourth of your bankroll during any one session. Take a break and do something else for a while.

If you win, you may decide to keep playing or to pocket the winnings for now. If you want to be able to play for a long time, make sure you choose a machine that does not penalize you for playing less than the maximum number of coins. That way, you can play one coin at a time and prolong your playing time on a set bankroll. This goes against the advice you may see to always play the maximum number of coins, but it is the strategy to use if you want to maximize your playing time.

On the other hand, if you are playing progressive slots with the hope of hitting the jackpot, you have to play the maximum number of coins in order to be eligible for the big prize. Don't play on a progressive slot machine if you only want to play one coin at a time. Remember that slot machines are intended to be fun and entertaining. It can be exciting to win the jackpot, but the primary goal of playing slots should always be to have fun without losing your shirt!

US storm to fourth straight gold

The United States swept to a fourth successive Olympic women's basketball gold medal with a crushing win over world champions Australia on Saturday.

The predicted fireworks failed to materialise as the Americans obliterated their fierce rivals 92-65 in a totally one-sided Beijing final to win their sixth Olympic title.

European champions Russia took bronze for the second consecutive Olympics by overpowering tournament hosts China 94-81.

The United States carried an astonishing 32-0 winning streak into Saturday's gold medal showdown, a run that was never threatened by an Australian team who came out flat.

The Opals shot a woeful 22 percent from the floor in the first half to go back to the locker room trailing by 17 points.

The Americans, who had been crushing their opponents by an average of just under 40 points, were led by 15 points from Kara Lawson, while Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker added 14 each.

Australia, who barely improved their field goal shooting during a scrappy final two quarters, took silver behind the US women for the third straight Games.

Germany win hockey gold

Power-packed Germany won the Olympic men's hockey gold medal after 16 years with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Spain in the final on Saturday.

Christopher Zeller netted the winner in the 16th minute with a ferocious penalty corner before the Germans warded off repeated Spanish attacks to strike gold in field hockey's 100th year at the Olympics.

Germany added the Olympic title to the World Cup triumph two years ago, reinforcing their credentials as the sport's foremost nation despite losing the number one ranking to Australia in June.

The Spanish strikers, led by the seasoned Santi Freixa, raided the rivals' half through 70 minutes of gripping hockey, but could not get past the sturdy German defence that packed a powerful punch.

Freixa, who had scored five goals in the competition, failed to convert three penalty corners as Germany built on their 1-0 win over Spain in the preliminary league.

Meanwhile, Athens Olympic champions Australia won the bronze medal with a spectacular 6-2 win over the Netherlands earlier on Saturday.

Germany improved upon their bronze medal finish at Athens four years ago, when they beat Spain 4-3 in the play-off, to win their first gold since the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

Dutchman won the Olympic gold medal for the men's 10 kms open water marathon swimms

Dutchman Maarten van der Weijden won the Olympic gold medal for the men's 10 kilometres open water marathon swim on Thursday adding to the world crown he won earlier this year over 25km.

The 27-year-old used his experience to let the leaders set the early pace before a late burst saw him claim gold in a time of 1 hour 51 minutes 51.6 seconds.

His strong finish left Great Britain's David Davies in his wake to finish almost two seconds behind for silver, while Germany's Thomas Lurz took bronze at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park on the outskirts of Beijing.

Davies, who finished sixth in the 1500m freestyle final at the Water Cube last week, and Lurz, who won gold at the open water world championships in 2004 and 2006 over 10km, had shared the lead for most of the race.

With an hour gone Davies had a two metres lead over Lurz before the German closed the gap and the pair tussled for the lead before van der Weijden made his late move.

There was shock for Russia's 10km world champion Vladimir Dyatchin who was disqualified after being shown a yellow card and then a red for misconduct in the last stages of the race.

US beach volleyball queens still be in power

US beach volleyball queens Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor overcame a stern challenge from China's Wang Jie and Tian Jia to successfully defend their women's Olympic title on Thursday.

In heavy rain, the bikini-clad Americans won 21-18, 21-18 to stretch their winning streak to an astounding 108 matches without dropping a set in seven appearances here.

China made the early running but May-Treanor, 30, coolly reeled off three points in a row to create three first-set points before spiking the winner.

China briefly led midway in the second set before the US regained control with Walsh converting the first gold-medal point.

Earlier, Chen Xue and Zhang Xi claimed China's first Olympic beach volleyball medal with a 21-19, 21-17 victory over Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha of Brazil.

China's silver-bronze finish breaks the stranglehold held by Brazil, Australia and the United States, who between them had collected all the women's Olympic medals since the sport's introduction in 1996.

Argentina to face Nigeria in final

My favorite Argentina crushed Brazil 3-0 in one of football's most combustible rivalries on Tuesday to reach the Olympic final where they will play African giants Nigeria who sauntered past minnows Belgium.

The defending champions, inspired by Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi who outshone AC Milan's Ronaldinho, upset their South American neighbors with a brace from Sergio Aguero and penalty by Captain Juan Riquelme.

It means that Brazil, despite being five-time World Cup winners, must wait another four years for a chance to win their first Olympic gold after coming up short twice before in final appearances in 1984 and 1988.

Atletico Madrid's Aguero broke the deadlock seven minutes after the interval when Angel Di Maria's pass appeared to strike his upper arm and flew into the net.

Aguero scored his second five minutes later when Messi released defender Pablo Zabaleta on the right and his pass was slotted home from close range.

Riquelme killed off the game with a 76th minute penalty after Aguero was brought down by Bayern Munich defender Breno.

It was wretched night for the Brazilians with Liverpool midfielder Lucas and substitute Thiago Neves both sent off for ugly fouls on Javier Mascherano late in the second half.

Now I am further sure that Argentina will win the game for the pride and for the gold medal.

Isinbayeva wins pole, creates her new record

Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva won the gold medal in the Olympic women's pole vault on Monday and then broke her own world record when she leapt 5.05 metres.

Jennifer Stuczynski of the United States won silver medal with 4.80m and Svetlana Feofanova took the bronze with a best jump of 4.75m.

Isinbayeva, who won gold in Athens four years ago and has dominated the sport since, spent most of the competition lying under her towel relaxing and did not take her first jump until 4.70.

The current world champion, took just her second jump at 4.85m and that was enough for her to retain her Olympic title.

Isinbayeva then jumped 4.95m at the third attempt and set up the bar to try and defeat her own world record of 5.04m and delighted the crowd when she did so at the third attempt.

She always give her best and thats make her at the top which she shows it by breaking her own record in third attempt.

Nadal Pleased to Win One for His People is now World no. 1

Gold medallist Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony after the men's singles competition at the 2008 Olympic Games August 17, 2008.

Rafael Nadal won over Chilean Fernando Gonzalez on Sunday, celebrating the No. 1 ranking with the gold medal at Olympics. After being ranked No. 2 in the world for an exact 141 weeks, Nadal will take over the first position from Swiss Roger Federer on Monday.

“Different pressure? No, I don’t think so. It doesn’t change too much between two weeks ago and right now. The pressure is the same because I will be No. 1 tomorrow, but at the same time I want to continue to win the same titles when I was No. 2. I want to continue to be in the top form when I was No. 2. Probably I’m going to be No. 2 another time in a few months,” said Nadal after winning the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

It is not a wonder that Nadal is enjoying a great run this season, defeating Roger Federrer in two consecutive finals of Grand Slams–French Open and Wimbledon. And now, he has crowned his achievements with a gold medal at the Olympics.

By winning the Olympic gold medal, Nadal has moved closer to the Golden Slam category where he would top Roger Federrer to win all the Grand Slams and also the Olympic gold medal.

Nadal became the first top-five ranked player in the recent era of Olympic Men’s tennis to win the Gold Medal.

Djokovic wins bronze medal for Serbia

Serbia's Novak Djokovic won the first medal of the Olympic tennis tournament on Saturday, beating American James Blake 6-3, 7-6 to go home with bronze.

The world number three, narrowly beaten by Spain's Rafael Nadal in Friday's semi-final, broke early in the first set and was rock solid throughout.

Blake, who ended Swiss world number one Roger Federer's run in the singles on Thursday, made a scrap of it in the second set and Djokovic became rattled, smashing his racket at 4-4.

However, the Australian Open champion went 6-4 ahead in the tie-breaker and fell to his knees in joy when Blake put a backhand into the tramlines.

The Serb celebrated by throwing most of his kit, including his rackets and shirt, into the crowd after holding aloft the Serbian flag.

Federer crahses out of singles

On a day of upsets, top seed Roger Federer was sent crashing out of the Olympic tennis quarter-finals 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) by US number one James Blake on Thursday.

Federer was broken when serving for the first set and crushed in the second-set tie-break, suffering his first defeat to Blake in nine meetings and ending his bid for a first Olympic medal.

It was Federer's third defeat in six matches since losing his five-year Wimbledon crown. He was beaten by Gilles Simon in Canada and then fell to Ivo Karlovic in Cincinnati.

The Swiss will be supplanted by French Open and Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal on Monday after a record four-and-a-half years as number one.

Blake now faces either Paul-Henri Mathieu of France or Fernando Gonzalez, the Chilean 12th seed, for a place in the final.

Rice wins third gold in relay victory

Stephanie Rice won her third gold medal of the Beijing Games by leading off Australia's victorious women's 4x200 metres freestyle relay team on Thursday.

The Australian quartet of Rice, Bronte Barratt, Kylie Palmer and Linda Mackenzie set a new world record of seven minutes 44.31 seconds, shaving 5.78 seconds off the previous record set by the United States at the world championships in Melbourne last year.

China won silver with the heavily-favoured US. team winning bronze. Rice has also won gold in the 200 and 400 metres individual medley and has set the world record with all three of her victories.

Determined Saina fails to reach Olympics semis

India's top shuttler Saina Nehwal crashed out of the Beijing Olympics after losing a exhausting quarter-final encounter of the women's singles badminton event here on Wednesday.

Courageous Sania lost to Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti 16-28, 21-14 and 21-15.

Sania overcame a tough challenge put up by her Indonesian opponent Maria Kristin Yulianti in the very first game. Saina was well leading 20-16 and needed only one point to settle the game but Yulianti fought back hard to level the score 20-20.

However, Saina kept her cool and seal the first game 28-26 in her favour after wasting as many as eight game points.

Yulianti bounced back in the second game as she maintained her lead right from the start. Yulianti levelled the game 1-1 with a comfortable scoreline of 21-14.

Saina gained the lead right from the start in the deciding game as at one stage she was comfortably leading 8-1. But Yulanti came back strongly to first level the score and then took a decisive lead of 19-12.

Saina Nehwal was just one win away from ensuring India another individual medal after she stunned fourth seed Chen Wang of Hong Kong to move into the quarter-finals of the event.

Saina, ranked 15, defeated Wang 21-19, 11-21, 21-11 in a grueling pre-quarterfinal contest on Monday. After first two easy encounters, there was no looking back for Saina as she booked her last eight places with ease with some elegant placement and perfect drop shots.

Del Potro wins Los Angeles final

Argentine teenager Juan Del Potro won his third straight ATP title by out muscling Andy Roddick 6-1, 7-6 (7/2) in the final of the Los Angeles Classic.

Roddick fell in a heap, never having a look at the Los Angeles title, the only American summer event that he has never won.

Roddick's grand plan to tune up for the US Open starting in a fortnight by skipping the Beijing Olympics stalled at the final hurdle as the top seed and former number one went down in 90 minutes.

Del Potro broke three times in the opening set and came through calmly in the second-set tiebreaker to notch the win.p

Bindra wins first ever Olympic gold

World champion Abhinav Bindra tied up India's first ever individual gold medal at the Olympics, winning 10m air rifle event at the Beijing Games here on Monday.

The 25-year-old, who qualified fourth for the event, shot an overall score of (596+140.5) 700.5 in a thrilling finale which went right down to the last shot.

Bindra's historic feat makes him India's first-ever individual gold medallist, bettering the silver medal feat of double trap shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Athens 2004.

"He is the best shooter in the world and I think his is a morale boosting feat for everyone in the contingent," a jubilant Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi said after Bindra's win.

"We are all very happy. He is a very hardworking athlete. The entire shooting contingent is celebrating. We are very proud of him and it is just the beginning," national coach Sunny Thomas said.

"Abhinav is a very calm and composed guy and doesn't get very excited," Thomas added.

Bindra, a Khel Ratna awardee, had earlier won the gold medal in 2002 Commonwealth Games in the pairs event and silver in the individual event.

Earlier, Gagan Narang had failed to qualify for the finals of the same event after falling short in the count-back.

The silver in the event went to Chinese Zhu Qinan (699.7) while Finland's Henri Hakkinen (699.4) had to be content with a bronze.

Saina in pre-quarters at Olympics

Saina Nehwal, India's best bet in badminton, soaked whatever her Ukrainian opponent Larysa Gryga threw at her before delivering the knockout punch to pocket a pre-quarterfinal berth in the women's singles event at Olympics on Sunday.

Playing under a laden sky at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, the Indian took time to gauge her opponent, whom she played for the first time, before pulling out all the stops to tame her 21-18, 21-10 in just 28 minutes.

Saina's real test, however, begins now, for the Indian is set to lock horns on Monday with world number five and fourth seed Chen Wang of Hong Kong, someone she could not beat in her last two attempts.

On Sunday's match, the 18-year-old Indian said she had to wait for her moment before going for the kill.

Though beating Wang might prove a Herculean task, Saina displayed confidence of being third time lucky against her illustrious peer.

Jankovic in doubt for Games

Incoming world number one Jelena Jankovic on Saturday admitted she was in doubt for the Beijing Olympics after picking up a calf strain.

Jankovic, who will reach the top ranking on Monday despite an injury-hit season, appeared at a press conference with her right leg strapped and said she wouldn't risk aggravating the problem.

"I'll practise on Saturday and will see on Sunday how everything goes," she said.

"If I can't play, if I'm not going to be able to give my best on the court, I will not go. It's not a risk I will take."

The 23-year-old Jankovic said she damaged her calf by over-compensating while recovering from a serious left knee problem.

Jankovic, who is set to replace fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic as world number one, is due to play Zimbabwe's Cara Black in the first round.

Davenport pulls out of tennis singles

Former Olympic tennis champion Lindsay Davenport has pulled out of the Beijing singles tournament with a knee injury, a US official said on Friday.

The 1996 gold medalist has been struggling with the problem since it forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon.

Davenport remains in the doubles competition where she will partner Liezel Huber, he added.

The 32-year-old former world number one had spoken about her knee problem, without announcing a pull-out.

She returned to the circuit in September after giving birth to a baby boy, Jagger, last June.

Ronaldo commits to Man United

Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo said he will stay at Manchester United next season and is not about to join Real Madrid, Portuguese media reported on Wednesday.

"United manager Alex Ferguson heard my arguments and I heard his and between the two of us we decided that the best thing for both parties was that I should stay at Manchester United next season," Ronaldo said.

The comments were welcomed by United, who said "Ronaldo remains a Red" and "Cristiano Ronaldo is going nowhere" on their website, adding Ferguson's delighted reaction.

Ronaldo, who is currently recovering from ankle surgery, added that he wanted to quash any speculation that he would be staying at United against his will.

"Before any rumors emerge that I'm unhappy to stay at United I want to make one thing clear and that is that anyone who says that is lying," he was quoted as saying.

Rooney set to miss start of EPL season

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is likely to miss the start of the Premier League season because of a virus he picked up during his club's trip to Nigeria, manager Alex Ferguson said on Tuesday.

Rooney has not trained since returning from Nigeria, where Premier League champions United played FA Cup winners Portsmouth in a friendly in Abuja on July 27.

The 22-year-old did not play in that match and has missed his club's two subsequent pre-season fixtures against Espanyol and Peterborough.

Van Nistelrooy retires from international football

Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has retired from international football, the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) said in a statement on Monday.

"After studying the schedule of Real Madrid and the Dutch team I realised ... playing for both teams would mean too tough a physical load for me and therefore I made this choice," the 32-year-old Van Nistelrooy was quoted as saying.

Murray wins first Masters Series title

Andy Murray upset Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic 7-6, 7-6 to win his first Masters Series title on Sunday.

Murray could have won earlier but Djokovic survived four championship points when the Briton served leading 5-3 in the second set. He clinched it in the tiebreak on his sixth championship point.

Both times the Serb had to save break points but he began to mistime more often and from the middle of the set Murray was holding serve more easily.

In the tiebreak, Djokovic lost a point against serve immediately when he struck a backhand drive too long.

He pulled a forehand wide to go two mini-breaks down, and lost the set when he tried to break up another sequence of drives from Murray and hammered that flat and long.

Djokovic then suffered the disappointment of making a break early in the second set, only to be unable to consolidate it.

When Murray broke back for 2-2 and again for 5-3 Djokovic looked increasingly uncertain, risking his heavy attacks less often.

Murray overcame the Serb with a fluent and imaginative display of ground strokes, showing he has the ability to climb up among the world's top three, producing his second victory over Djokovic in successive weeks.

Djokovic stuns Nadal to reach final

Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal 6-1, 7-5 on Saturday to reach the final of the Cincinnati Masters and bring the Spaniard's 32-match unbeaten streak to a close down.

Serb Djokovic will meet Andy Murray in the final after the 21-year-old Briton defeated enormous Croatian Ivo Karlovic in the day's other semi-final.

Nadal, who is positioned to replace Roger Federer as world number one, was a shadow of the player who romped to the Wimbledon and French Open titles this year. He conceded before the match that he was struggling.

Australian Open champion Djokovic got inedible to a thriving start and broke Nadal's opening two serves to go 5-0 up before taking the first set in less than half an hour.

Nadal made a fight of it in the second; carving out a break point at 3-2, but Djokovic saved it with a fierce forehand.

Five games later Djokovic made the crucial break after a series of brilliant baseline meetings before closing out the match.

Rafael Nadal guaranteed to be the new World Champion

Rafael Nadal guaranteed he would become the third Spanish man to top the world rankings with a 7-6, 6-1 victory over Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti in the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters on Friday.

By beating Lapentti, Nadal will end Roger Federer's four-and-a-half-year reign as world number one on Aug. 18 at the latest, or as early as Monday if he takes the Cincinnati title.

Nadal's win also took him a step closer to a sixth successive tournament triumph, underlining his evolution into a far more adaptable player on all court surfaces rather than his favorite, clay.

After ending Federer's five-year winning run at Wimbledon last month, Nadal has maintained his superlative form on the hard courts of North America while his Swiss rival has stumbled to early defeats in the two tournaments he has played since.

Should Nadal lose Sunday's final he would top the rankings on Aug. 11 while a semi-final defeat would delay his coronation for another week.

The 32-year-old Lapentti took the contest to a tentative Nadal in the first set, often pinning the Spaniard way back behind the baseline with an aggressive brand of attacking tennis.

Nadal saved two break points in the eighth game and the reprieve appeared to invigorate him into action as he cruised through the tie break and the second set to seal victory in a one hour and 48 minutes.

The number two seed will face Novak Djokovic in Saturday's semi-final after the Serb battled past unseeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis 6-3, 6-4 and Nadal knows he will need to play better to advance.

Ivo Karlovic shocks Federer in Cincinnati

Roger Federer's record 4-1/2 year time in power as world number one could end this week after he was beaten 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 by Croatian Ivo Karlovic in the third round of the Cincinnati Masters on Thursday.

Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who beat Federer in this year's French Open and Wimbledon finals, will take over from the Swiss as the world's top ranked player if he wins the tournament on Sunday.

The 2.08-metre tall Karlovic, who has hit more aces and won more service games than any other player on the ATP Tour this year, applied constant pressure.

Karlovic, who hit 22 aces and many more service winners, has also played more tie breaks than anyone else this season, the strength of his delivery frequently reducing each set to a shootout over a dozen or so points at the end.

In the opening-set tiebreak it all went with serve till 6-6 when Federer topspun a drive which was called in, only for it to be changed after Karlovic appealed to the Hawkeye replay system. Karlovic then hit a winning forehand drive on the next point.

Federer succeeded out one break of serve in the fifth game of the second set but in the deciding third-set tiebreak, Federer suffered a chronic piece of ill-fortune.

On his opening service point, a forehand drive struck the top of the net cord and leapt the full length of the court to land long. Karlovic clung to that advantage and ended the match with a service winner on the line.

This was about the worst scenario for an already under-pressure Federer, who is still trying to recover from the biggest emotional setback of his career - the loss of his Wimbledon title to Nadal three and a half weeks ago - and whose confidence is at low levels.