“The Games People Play”

 

 

Rolling the Bones

Not quite sure why, exactly. Maybe it’s the boisterous crowds the tables seem to draw. Maybe it’s the multiple dealers required to navigate the endless stream of bets. Maybe it’s the shear energy and excitement that is always present! Regardless, it is simply THE MOST exciting game offered. Naturally, I speak of Craps.

One of the great things about the game of craps is, there are oh-so many ways to play it. Bets here, bets there, best everywhere. Hence, you typically have three to four dealers. Now that being said, through time I have developed my own strategy which I follow. Friends of mine say it’s too simplistic. Whatever. I tend to win more often than not. And when I don’t, I’m not losing my shirt (much to Jill’s dismay, I might add). So, it works for me. The beauty in this, though, is Jill having developed her own playing strategy which compliments mine. Together, ‘our’ strategy has yielded respectable results (granted, all within a small sample pool). Regardless, we have a blast playing while calling on our inner high-rollers.

Though one can find the ‘how to’ of craps playing, what follows is some basics including our approach.

The individual who rolls the dice is called, the shooter. The shooter’s opening roll (called, the come out) decides the point (the target number regarding place bets). If a seven is thrown on the come-out, all place line bets win (Pass Line bets are the table minimum, i.e., $25). A couple of quick points:

1. Players do not have to bet pass line unless they are the shooter.
2. Players cannot move the place line bets once established though they can be increased.
3. Players can bet anywhere on the board on the come out.
4. Players can hedge the come out roll by betting C/E (one roll life).
5. Once a point is established, players should back their bets up (aka, add to them as they have the best gains-odds on the table. There is a specific amount which, quite frankly, we leave to the dealers to inform us of.
6. Once the shooter hits the point, all pass line bets win and the point must be reestablished.
7. If the shooter throws a seven, it’s called crapping out and EVERYONE loses.

Some other bets are as follows:

1. Repeater bets (no minimum bet and not necessarily found on all tables). These bets must be placed PRIOR to a new shooter’s initial come out roll (low bet/high odds). The premise is in the ‘hope’ that the shooter can roll the same number multiple times prior to crapping out. If you get a hot shooter, it’s a beautiful thing. If you don’t, it’s short-lived. Regardless, I am quite fond of these and will take this bet.
2. Place bets (the non-field numbers, minimum table bet). Bet on 6 and/or 8 when possible and press your bet every other roll (first win, take your profit, next win leave your profit) thereby building your wins. Six and eight bets are easier rolls to make, 4 and 5 harder rolls to make. Hedge your 4, 6 and/or 8 bets by betting a comparable amount on hard 4, 6 and/or 8 (if they roll the hard number(s) you win large and if they roll the easy number(s) your place bet(s) win (hard number bets last until the easy roll- point, is hit or the shooter craps out).
3. Field bets (the non-place numbers, minimum table bet). These are one time roll bets with 2 paying double and 12 paying triple. We use this frequently when maximizing place bets. Sort of like a hedge. Sort of.
4. Hard Number Bets (dice pairs equaling 4, 6, 8, 10, no minimum bet on these numbers). These bets can be taken off at any time and put back on, like on the come out. These bets last until the numbers are hit the easy way or the shooter craps out. These are higher payout odds on wins. THESE are a personal favorite of mine and used as a hedge against the place bets.
5. Horn High numbers (one time roll plays with very high payout odds: 2, 3, 11, or 12). These are one time roll bets (Horn High Yo- 11, Straight 12- 12, Yo 2 or 3- 2 or 3). THIS is why it’s called, gambling!

 21

Changing things up, we decided to leave the bones and go to the cards, hitting a black jack table. As luck would have it, Jill is a VERY experienced player. Evaluating the many tables at our disposal, she took sight of a table full of gentlemen. In catching eye of Jill, one of these fellows invited us over. I’m sure he did not notice me a step or two behind. In taking her seat, I simply stood behind her, drink in hand, and watched with great admiration and joy.

Her new-found companions were all very nice, each introducing themselves and sharing their origins and purpose of their trip. During the opening hands, any fears they may have harbored regarding a ‘clueless damsel’ were quickly quelled as Jill displayed an absolute deft approach to the cards and her hands. The combination of her skill, and my positon of confident bystander, allowed the conversation to grow more personal. After much sharing of such information, back-n-forth, Jill received her table name; North (Hmm? Trust me, it fit!).

The game quickly became a community affair with each individual working together. Further, they all seemed to take great joy in each one’s success! This was waaaay cool. All along, I enjoyed my endless stream of Tanqueray & Tonics. With lime, of course.

Jack: “Why don’t you provide us with some pointers, a few of your ‘secret’ rules? You know, share your knowledge with young grasshopper?”

Jill: “Sure. It’s really no big deal and not very complicated either. In fact, I’d say it’s fairly simple. Here you go, Jack.”

Splits:

• Always split aces.

• Never split tens.

• A pair of 9’s splits against dealer 2 through 9, except for 7, otherwise stand.

• Always split 8’s

• A pair of 7’s splits against dealer 2 through 7, otherwise hit.

• A pair of 6’s splits against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.

• A pair of 5’s doubles against dealer 2 through 9 otherwise hit.

• A pair of 4’s splits against dealer 5 and 6 , otherwise hit.

• A pair of 3’s splits against dealer 2 through 7, otherwise hit.

• A pair of 2’s splits against dealer 2 through 7, otherwise hit.

 

Jack: “Uh… ”

Soft totals: A soft total is any hand that has an Ace as one of the first two cards, the ace counts as 11 to start.)

• Soft 20 (A,9) always stands

• Soft 19 (A,8) doubles against dealer 6, otherwise stand.

• Soft 18 (A,7) doubles against dealer 2 through 6, and hits against 9 through Ace, otherwise stand.

• Soft 17 (A,6) doubles against dealer 3 through 6, otherwise hit.

• Soft 16 (A,5) doubles against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit.

• Soft 15 (A,4) doubles against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit.

• Soft 14 (A,3) doubles against dealer 5 through 6, otherwise hit.

• Soft 13 (A,2) doubles against dealer 5 through 6, otherwise hit.

 

Jack: “Well… “

 

Hard totals: A hard total is any hand that does not start with an ace in it, or it has been dealt an ace that can only be counted as 1 instead of 11.

• 17 and up always stands.

• 16 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.

• 15 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.

• 14 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.

• 13 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.

• 12 stands against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit.

• 11 always doubles.

• 10 doubles against dealer 2 through 9 otherwise hit.

• 9 doubles against dealer 3 through 6 otherwise hit.

• 8 always hits.

 

Jack: “Say Wha… ???”