Legal week, Lucid language - Emphasis

Legal week, Lucid language Legal week, Lucid language Plain language need not mean dumbing down. Clear, well-drafted advice makes things easier for clients, raising the chance that they will call on you more frequently. The moment you become overly reliant on a thesaurus or get carried away with archaic terms is the moment you risk losing your reader. This is not to say you cannot use technical language or clarify your points, it just means thinking of your reader at all times and making sure you communicate difficult or complex topics clearly. It is all about readability, not just the vocabulary you use. That means organising the structure so that it is logical and straightforward. Complex legal principles are not always easy to convey, but easy reading doesnt necessarily have to mean extra-hard writing. The truth is that legal documents do not have to be written in language which is full of jargon and difficult for the average person to understand. The tide is turning, as law firms such as Nabarro, SJ Berwin, DLA Piper and CMS Cameron McKenna recognise the value of better writing skills and commission specialist training programmes. In fact, Nabarro recently launched a high-profile, firm-wide campaign Clarity Matters to simplify the way its lawyers write. Here are some of the most common errors made by lawyers when writing and tips on remedying them. Mistake: adding in unnecessary words, such as therein, herein, forthwith and aforesaid Poor prose: I herein enclose the contract for the aforesaid book, as requested. Better prose: I enclose the contract for the book, as requested. The herein and aforesaid are unnecessary and make the sentence sound archaic and stilted. Mistake: verbosity Poor prose: Pursuant to the recent communication of the improper proposal that the information be falsified, such assertion could only have been ascertained or appreciated from a full, detailed review of the meeting notes. Better prose: The claim that the information was falsified is wrong. This would have been clear if a detailed review of the meeting notes had been conducted. The author of the first example is more than a little disgruntled. But the message is hidden behind too much flowery language. The second suggestion gets to the heart of the problem and makes the meaning clear. Note that the passive voice is used in the second example to soften the blow. You dont always have to use the active voice, just make sure that if you do use it, you do so consciously. Mistake: using nouns instead of verbs Poor prose: In the case of X, we believe the company is in possession of a structure that would be acceptable for securitisation. Better prose: X possesses a structure that is acceptable for securitisation. Possession is a noun, whereas possesses is a verb. Verbs create action in the sentence which moves the pace along and helps keep the readers interest. We believe has also been taken out as the sentence already asserts the writers belief. Mistake: overuse of the passive voice Poor prose: The role played by the client in the project has been investigated. Better prose: X investigated the clients role in the project. The first example doesnt tell us who investigated the role, creating a very impersonal tone. Using the active voice makes the writing easier to read. It also forces you to say who or what is taking the action, as the second example shows, making the sentence more specific and connecting the reader to what is happening. Of course, the passive voice can be useful where the intention is to obfuscate or create distance. Mistake: long, complex sentences and paragraphs Poor prose: As per earlier correspondence, I have attached the quotes that we have obtained from three firms (a) Hooke, Lyne and Siennker (contacts David Hooke and Franz Siennker) (This is separate to the law firm but forms part of the same group, and also has a different administrative team) (b) Edna Clouds (contacts Clare Edna and Michael Clouds I note you have already met Michael) and (c) Maybey Knott who are a limited company (the contacts there are Noel Maybey and James Knott). Better prose: Following our previous correspondence, I have attached quotes from three firms. The contacts for Hooke, Lyne and Siennker are David Hooke and Franz Siennker. Please note that this firm has a separate administration team, even though it is part of the same group. Edna Clouds contacts are Clare Edna and Michael Clouds, who you already know. Maybey Knott Ltds contacts are Noel Maybey and James Knott. When a sentence runs past three lines, you know you are in trouble. In the first example, there are also too many brackets and too much information squeezed in one space, which can become confusing. The second example takes out all the brackets and sets everything out much more clearly. Long sentences are often the result of fuzzy thinking. So, the first step is to ensure that you think before you write. That means never using the writing process to clarify your thoughts. Consider the main subject areas and issues you need to cover first. Questions are a useful prompt. Then use each heading to brainstorm all the points related to that subject. Knowing what you want to say before you write gives you a fighting chance of building a logical structure. Dealing with technical information The first step is to think about your audience and avoid a one size fits all approach. Use technical language in order to be precise. At each stage pick the best word to communicate your ideas and thoughts. The benchmark test is to think about whether another lawyer or layperson (depending on your audience) would be able to understand instantly what you mean. If not, it is time to go back to the computer and tweak it. It can also help if you try not to think of it as legal writing, but merely writing, which simply aims to communicate effectively. Punchy prose saves time and money and is far more likely to persuade the reader. It may mean a bit of extra effort, but it could well pay dividends. Robert Ashton is chief executive of Emphasis, the specialist business writing trainers.

Perfect Blackjack Strategy 15 Charts to Help You Master the Game

Perfect Blackjack Strategy 15 Charts to Help You Master the Game SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in the United States, and it's one of the most popular casino games in the world. You probably know how to play blackjack, but do you know how to play blackjack well? Do you want to win more money at the casino by learning blackjack strategy? If you play your cards right, you may be able to make enough money to see Cirque Du Soleil. Blackjack strategy lets you know the right play to make to maximize your winnings. It tells you what to do based on your hand and the card that the dealer is showing. If you perfectly follow the strategies outlined in this guide, you can reduce the casino’s advantage to less than .5%, making blackjack the most advantageous game to the player in a casino. Perfect blackjack strategy has been determined using probability theory and computer simulations which have figured out the best play in each situation. In this article, I'll explain perfect blackjack strategy and how to use it to your advantage. I've focused on playing at a casino, but the same strategies apply if you're playing online or at a home game. The Basic Rules of Blackjack The goal of blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. Before cards are dealt, players place their bets. Each player starts with two cards that are face up. Face cards are worth 10. Aces are worth 1 or 11; whichever makes a better hand. One of the dealer’s two cards is face down until the very end after every player completes his hand. You can ask for another card (hit) or stick with your current hand (stand). You have the option to keep hitting until you’re satisfied with your hand, or you go over 21 (bust). If you bust, the dealer wins regardless of the dealer’s eventual hand. The dealer must hit until her cards total 17 or higher. Blackjack! (banspy/Flickr) Defining Blackjack Terms These are the blackjack terms you must know to determine the right play to make in each situation. I put the terms in alphabetical order. Blackjack: The best possible hand in blackjack. It consists of an ace and a card with a value of 10. At most casinos, blackjack plays 3:2. So for example, if you bet $10, getting blackjack pays $15. Bust: Busting is going over 21. As mentioned previously, if you bust, you automatically lose. Double Down/Doubling: Doubling down or doubling is when a player places an additional bet equal to his original bet and then receives just one additional card. You can only double down with your first two cards. For example, if you bet $5 and get dealt an 11, you can place an additional $5 bet and receive one more card. Regardless of whether you get a 2 or a 10, you can’t hit again. Hard/Hard Hand: Any hand that doesn’t contain an ace that can count as an 11. A 10 and a 7 is a hard 17. Hit: Hitting is asking for another card. Insurance: When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side bet of up to half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses. Based on probability, you should never take insurance. Push: When you push, your hand ties with the dealer and you keep your original bet. For instance, if you and the dealer both have 19, you push. Soft/Soft Hand: A soft hand is a hand that includes an ace valued at 11 instead of 1. For example, an ace and a 6 is a soft 17. You can be more aggressive with soft hands because there’s no risk of busting. If you hit on a soft 17 and get a 5, the ace will be valued at 1 and you’ll have a 12. Split: If a player is dealt two equal cards, he can split them into two separate hands by placing an additional bet equal to his original bet. For example, if you bet $10 and are dealt two 8’s, for another $10, you can split your hand into two separate hands, each with one 8. Stand/Stay: Standing or staying is sticking with your hand and no longer asking for more cards. Surrender: Surrendering is basically giving up before seeing what the dealer gets. If you surrender, you abandon your hand and recover half of your initial bet. Surrendering is the best option when it’s extremely likely that you’ll lose given your hand and the card the dealer is showing. Unfortunately, many casinos don’t offer the surrender option. A casino blackjack table (Thomas Hawk/Flickr) Blackjack Basic Strategy To perfect your blackjack game and completely minimize the house advantage, there’s quite a bit to remember. However, if you can just memorize the basic blackjack strategy rules, then you’ll be well ahead of the novice player. Following these rules won’t always be the 100% perfect play, but it almost always will be, and again, these rules are much easier to remember than perfect blackjack strategy. Compared to absolute perfect blackjack play, following these rules will only cost you about one hand in 12 hours of play. Basic Blackjack Strategy Chart Here are the charts outlining basic strategy. They tell you what to do given the value of your hand (left column) and the card the dealer is showing (right two columns). HARD 2 to 6 7 to A 4 to 8 HIT HIT 9 DOUBLE HIT 10 or 11 DOUBLE DOUBLE if more than dealer* 12 to 16 STAND HIT 17 to 21 STAND STAND *This means that if you have a 10 and the dealer is showing 9 or less, you should double. If the dealer is showing 10 or an ace, just hit. Similarly, if you have 11, double if the dealer is showing 10 or less. If the dealer is showing an ace, just hit. SOFT 2 to 6 7 to A 13 to 15 HIT HIT 16 to 18 DOUBLE HIT 19 to 21 STAND STAND SPLITS (Yes or No)* 2 to 6 7 to A 2/2, 3/3, 6/6, 7/7, 9/9 YES NO 8/8, A/A YES YES 4/4, 5/5, 10/10 NO NO *If you don’t split, treat your hand like a hard hand. For example, if you don’t split with two 7’s, make the appropriate play for a hard 14. Additional Rules On top of the blackjack strategy charts above, here are a few additional rules to remember: Surrender if you have a 16 and the dealer is showing a 10. If the table doesn’t allow surrendering, then hit. If the strategy says to double but you’re not allowed, then hit, except you should stand with a soft 18. Never take insurance. When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side bet of up to half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses. Similarly, never take even money when you get blackjack. If you’re dealt blackjack and the dealer is showing an ace, you’ll be offered an even money payout in case the dealer has blackjack. For example, if you bet $10, if you take even money you’ll win $10 instead of the $15 for a 3:2 payout. If you decline the even money and the dealer has blackjack, you’ll push and you’ll just get your original bet back. Perfect Blackjack Strategy While following the basic blackjack strategy will almost always have you make the right play, there are occasions when it won’t. If you’re really trying to master blackjack, then just following the basic strategy won’t quite cut it. The perfect blackjack strategy charts are based on the slightly different versions of the game. Blackjack can be played with a single deck or 4-8 decks. Most casinos I’ve been to have single deck or use six decks. Also, some casinos require the dealer to stand with a soft 17, and some mandate the dealer to hit with a soft 17. If the dealer has to stand with a soft 17, that will give you better odds. Perfect Blackjack Strategy Charts Here are the charts you need to memorize to get your blackjack strategy perfect. The numbers going horizontally at the top of the chart represent the card that the dealer is showing, and the numbers in the left most column are the value of your hand. This is the key to to the abbreviations used in the charts: H= Hit S= Stand Dh= Double down if allowed, if not hit Ds= Double down if allowed, if not stand Rh= Surrender if allowed, if not hit Rs= Surrender if allowed, if not stand Rp= Surrender if allowed, if not split P= Split Ph= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not hit Pd= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not double Ps= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not stand Single Deck Blackjack Charts These are the perfect strategy charts for single deck blackjack. The first set covers what to do if the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17 and the second set covers the strategy if the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17. Each includes three charts that you can use depending on whether your hand is hard, soft, or split. Single Deck, Dealer Stands on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 5-7 H H H H H H H H H H 8 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 9 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H H H 16 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 17 + S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20 S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph P P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P Ph H H H 4, 4 H H Ph Pd Pd H H H H H 6, 6 P P P P P Ph H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P Ph H Rs H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P Single Deck, Dealer Hits on Hard 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-7 H H H H H H H H H H 8 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 9 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H H Rh 16 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 17 S S S S S S S S S Rs 18+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20 S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph P P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P Ph H H H 4, 4 H H Ph Pd Pd H H H H H 6, 6 P P P P P Ph H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P Ph H Rs Rh 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S Ps A, A P P P P P P P P P P Do you think these fellows are following perfect blackjack strategy? 4- to 8-Deck Blackjack Charts The most common multi-deck blackjack I’ve seen is six-deck, but the same strategies apply for 4-8 decks. You’ll see that the charts are extremely similar to those for single deck. Again, the first set is for tables where the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17 and the second set is for tables where the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17. Each includes three charts for hard, soft, and split hands. 4-8 Decks, Dealer Stands on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-8 H H H H H H H H H H 9 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H Rh H 16 S S S S S H H Rh Rh Rh 17+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19+ S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 4, 4 H H H Ph Ph H H H H H 6, 6 Ph P P P P H H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P H H H H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P 4-8 Decks, Dealer Hits on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-8 H H H H H H H H H H 9 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 16 S S S S S H H Rh Rh Rh 17 S S S S S S S S S Rs 18+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 Ds Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H H 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20+ S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 4, 4 H H H Ph Ph H H H H H 6, 6 Ph P P P P H H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P H H H H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P Rp 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P How to Learn These Blackjack Strategies You may be overwhelmed by the amount of charts and the information you have to remember to perfect your blackjack play. Start with learning basic blackjack strategy! Then, if you want, you can move on to perfect strategy. If you don’t have much time to learn, I recommend sticking with basic blackjack strategy. Remember that you’ll almost always make the right play with basic strategy, and the few mistakes you may make won’t cost you much. Some casinos will allow you to refer to blackjack charts while you’re playing, so you can also print them out and refer to them while playing. But the other players may get annoyed with you if you keep looking at your charts. If you want to learn perfect blackjack strategy, I advise you to learn one chart at a time. Also, if you know you’ll be playing a specific type of blackjack (e.g. 6 decks, dealer hits on soft 17) at a casino, just focus on the charts that are applicable to the game you'll be playing. Furthermore, once you think you’ve learned the blackjack charts, you’ll remember your perfect strategy by drilling it into your head by playing tons of hands and testing your knowledge. If you ever forget your perfect strategy while playing, just use basic strategy. Play the Best Game for You Finally, always remember that you want to play the blackjack games that offer you the best odds. There are many variations of blackjack at casinos that will impact your odds of winning. The ideal version of blackjack will allow doubling, doubling after splitting, splitting, and surrendering. If any of these aren’t allowed, your odds of winning will be lowered. Most are normally offered, but I haven’t found many casinos that allow surrendering. Additionally, your odds will improve if the dealer has to stand on a soft 17 instead of hitting on a soft 17. Finally, you want a table that will pay blackjack 3:2 as opposed to a lower payout (sometimes 6:5) or even money.