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5 of the Most Popular Online Versions of Traditional Games

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bingo balls

Do you love playing traditional games? If so, you’re in luck – online versions of many popular board and casino games are available to play right from your computer or mobile device! In this blog post, we will take a look at 5 of the most popular online versions of traditional games. Whether you’re a fan of bingo, poker, or chess, there’s sure to be an online version that is just right for you. So put on your favorite game show host voice and get ready to learn about some amazing online gaming options!

Bingo

Bingo is a classic game that has been around for centuries. The online version of bingo is just as much fun as the traditional game, but with the added convenience of being able to play from anywhere in the world. There are many different online bingo sites to choose from, so you can be sure to find one that meets your needs. Some online bingo sites even offer free games so you can practice before playing for real money.

Isn’t the point of playing bingo the comradery and the signature bingo calls? Au contraire! Online bingo sites have chat rooms so you can interact with other players from around the world. You can even make new friends while playing online bingo!

Before you start playing please make sure you’re familiar with the online bingo rules.

Poker

Poker is another timeless game that has made its way onto the internet. Poker online offers all of the same thrills and excitement as playing in a real casino, but without having to leave your home. You can find poker games at many different online casinos, so you’re sure to find one that’s right for you.

The options for online poker are endless — you can play for real money or for fun, you can join a tournament or simply play against the computer. No matter what your skill level, online poker is sure to provide you with hours of enjoyment.

There’s also a variety of software options when it comes to online poker. If you’re a fan of the traditional game, you can find online versions that look and feel just like playing in a casino. Or, if you’re looking for something with a bit more excitement, there are online poker sites that offer fast-paced games with amazing graphics.

Chess

Chess is a classic board game that has been enjoyed by people of all ages for centuries. The online version of chess is the perfect way to challenge yourself and sharpen your skills. You can find many different online chess sites, so you can play against players from all over the world.

Some online chess sites even offer lessons so you can learn from the best. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, online chess is sure to provide you with hours of fun.

In fact, chess has gotten in on the streaming world, too. There are online chess sites that offer live streaming of tournaments and games, so you can watch the best players in the world compete for top honors.

Scrabble

If you’re a fan of word games, Scrabble is the perfect online game for you. The online version of Scrabble offers all of the excitement of the traditional game, but with the added convenience of being able to play from anywhere in the world. You can find online versions of Scrabble at many different websites, so you’re sure to find one that meets your needs.

Like bingo, online Scrabble also has chat rooms where you can interact with other players from around the globe. You can even make new friends while playing online Scrabble!

And no, the online version is not boring just because you’re playing against the computer. In fact, many online Scrabble games are timed so that you can see how quickly you can solve the puzzles. If speed is your game, online Scrabble is sure to please.

Backgammon

Backgammon is a classic board game that has been enjoyed by people of all ages for centuries. The online version of backgammon is the perfect way to challenge yourself and sharpen your skills. You can find online versions of backgammon at many different websites, so you’re sure to find one that meets your needs.

Like chess, online backgammon also offers live streaming of tournaments and games, so you can watch the best players in the world compete for top honors.

How popular is online backgammon? Just take a look at the online backgammon tournaments that are held each year. The best players from all over the world come together to compete for the top prize.

Wrap Up

So there you have it — five of the most popular online versions of traditional games. Whether you’re a fan of bingo, poker, chess, or scrabble, there’s an online version that’s perfect for you! So put on your favorite game show host voice and get ready to play!

Learnings About Intelligence From A Chess Grandmaster

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Perhaps no single game has been associated with pure intelligence more than chess. Not checkers. Not video games. Not counting cards at blackjack. Not outsmarting bookies at Canada’s top betting sites for sports.

A man's hand picking up a chess piece

Why’s that? Well, when we think of the intellect from a traditional standpoint, chess features every element of it. Memory? Check. Pattern recognition? Double check. Forward-thinking decision making? Yes and that’s a clean sweep. 

Players that reach the highest ranking — dubbed grandmaster — are almost always called geniuses. It’s an association that’s not common with the top players of many other games. What can we learn from these genius-level grandmasters?

Well, a lot. One player named Josh Waitzkin has been very open about his process for learning — not just chess, but anything and everything. He’s written books and made the rounds on podcasts to distill what it takes to be a genius in any subject. We’ve summarized many of this talking points below for your one-stop convenience:

The Art Of Learning

Waitzkin’s magnum opus is his 2007 book, The Art Of Learning. It’s half a biography about his rise in the chess world at a very early age and also half a self-help book for learners that’s chock full of insights. Here’s a brilliant two-sentence summary of Waitzkin’s outlook on genius-level skills:

“The key to pursuing excellence is to embrace an organic, long-term learning process, and not to live in a shell of static, safe mediocrity. Usually, growth comes at the expense of previous comfort or safety.”

This runs counter to conventional wisdom that eschews some people as being born geniuses fresh out of the womb. In fact, that term is a bit of a slight to Waitzkin, as if his outlier success is innate and not the product of hard, long, and meticulous work.

Waitzkin is a giant believer of growth mindsets, not fixed ones. And as the aforementioned quote says, growth doesn’t just happen. No, it needs to be sought out through challenges and adversity — which comes at the cost of comfort.

Chess board with the king toppled

Not All Practice Is Created Equal

Alright, we’ve already said it takes work to reach mastery in any field. However, the work needs to be purposeful. In the study of intelligence, this is called “deliberate practice.”

The term was coined by Anders Ericsson, a pioneer in the study of intelligence. He’s the researcher that Malcolm Gladwell borrowed from for his 10,000 hours hypothesis — the required amount of practice time it takes to become a master at something (though, Gladwell’s interpretation of Ericsson’s work is slightly faulty).

Anyway, what makes deliberate practice actually “deliberate” isn’t just the time poured into it. No, it’s the thinking about thinking. One has to completely absorb themselves in the material being learned down to every last nook and cranny.

Waitzkin has a brilliant quote about this delibertness when learning: “sometimes the study would take six hours in one sitting, sometimes thirty hours over a week. I felt like I was living, breathing, sleeping in that maze, and then, as if from nowhere, all the complications dissolved and I understood.”

Don’t Just Work, Relax Too

Thus far, we’ve spent the majority of the article stressing long and hard work. However, the opposite of that — deep relaxation and rest — is also necessary to achieving mastery.

Waitzkin drew this insight from spending time at the Human Performance Institute. Located in Orlando, the institute has studied high-achieving athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods in the past. During these studies, researchers figured out outlier performers did in fact have an “off” switch. MJ-level athletes WERE able to completely relax in the moments of inactivity away from playing.

At this same institute, Waitzkin learned the importance of routines, both to ramp up activity and tone it down. There’s something about getting into a routine that allows the mind to slip into the “right” frame of mind. This manifests in early wake-up times or certain working locations which can “trigger” intended mind sets.

The Art Of Learning is a book about meta learning. What we covered is just a snippet of what’s included, but as the world continues to change at break-neck speed, “learning about learning” isn’t a bad idea — especially from a developed-genius like Waitzkin.