Lesson One

The Motions of the Game

Casino Dice or Craps is not the most complicated game in the casino. It is the second most

complicated game in the casino next to Texas Hold’em. Nevertheless, it is our intention to take

away the intimidation factor and show you the basics of the game to enable you to go to a casino

and play a game of dice. We will take you through a journey of sorts, step by step lessons, covering all the

information you will need to be comfortable, and confident so that you will not experience

intimidation when you go to play.

When you stand at a craps table for the first time, you may feel overwhelmed by the excitement and seemingly quick pace of the game.  Players calling out bets, tossing dice, dealers moving chips about and

even chips flying through the air, all of that commotion and excitement makes the game seem so

complicated!  It's not really, as you will discover reading through the Dice Setter Player's

Guide™ for playing craps and dice.  Let’s get started with your first lesson.

So, what is a journey? It is a series of movements. What is a craps game? It is a series of

movements. What you are about to learn is a totally different and unique approach to understanding

the game through a series of movements. The people move, the dice move, the chips move, the

puck moves and the money moves… with the intention of it moving into your own pocket.

Craps and Dice

There are really two parts to the game, craps and then dice. Each part will be discussed thoroughly and simply.

The very first part of the game is when you are playing craps. You are playing “craps” during a

Come Out roll. A Come Out roll marks the beginning of a new game. On a Come Out roll the

following numbers are “live” 2, 3, 12, known as craps and 7 and 11, "the Naturals". By live, it

means that when any of these numbers roll on a Come Out, the beginning of the game, you can

win or lose money depending of course on how you bet. Betting will be covered in

another lesson.

When any of the remaining possible numbers roll during a Come Out, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, the game

changes from a craps game and becomes a dice game. The dealers mark the point by placing

the puck on the number with the side of the puck up that reads ON. Once establishing a point,

4, 5 ,6 ,8, 9, 10, the follow numbers are no longer live, 2, 3, 11, and 12. The 7, having the most

possible combinations (6) causes a dice game to end. This is how the casino maintains an

advantage over the player. Since there are more ways to roll a 7 than 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, probability

dictates that the 7 will roll before 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, thus any and all bets on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, will lose. The

numbers 2, 3, 11, 12 are neutral when rolled after a point is established; unless someone happens

to make a bet on any of those numbers, which we strongly discourage form ever doing.

More on other bets and high risk bets in later lessons.

It may seem silly to differentiate between craps and dice and in general the two are synonymous. It is just so you know here and now the "how and why" the terms are actually applied.

Okay, lets do a quick review.

The game begins with a Come Out roll.  2, 3, 12, called craps, and 7 and 11 are live.

Winning or losing with any of these numbers on a Come Out.

A point is established when 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, roll instead of 2, 3, 12, called craps, and 7

and 11 on a Come Out roll. Once a point of 4, 5 ,6, 8, 9, 10, is established, 2, 3, 11, 12 are

neutral and a 7 ends the game.

The Crew at a Craps Game

There are four casino personal at a dice game. Two dealers, one stickman and one boxman.

The boxman sits in the middle of the table with all the chips in front of him. His job is to act as

umpire of the game, making sure the bets are handled properly and paid when won properly. A

boxman does not necessarily have to look like a bulldog, but they usually do. To the boxman’s left

and right are the dealers. The dealers are like waiters in a restaurant. They move the puck or

marker, the black and white disk with ON and OFF on opposite sides. They take bet “orders”

from the players. They settle winning bets and take down the losing bets. It is important to wait your

turn with the dealer when making bets. The dealer works left to right or right to left depending on

the end of the table that they happen to be working. The dealers are working for you too, so always

be polite. The stickman is the person in the middle of the table opposite to the boxman. It is his job

to run the game by moving the dice, with the stick, to the player that will shoot the dice. The

stickman calls out the roll and then retrieves the dice and returns them in front of the boxman. The

stickman holds the dice there until all the bet action is completed. During the time that the dice are

 in the middle, in front of the boxman, the stickman acts something like a carnival barker, touting

bets to the players. Avoid or ignore the sales pitch of the stickman. These bets will always cost

you money.

What the Game Looks Like in Action

The stickman (the crew member with the stick) announces, “The dice are coming out, place

your bets. New shooter coming out!” This is the time given to all players to make bets. Next,

moving the dice to the shooter, the stickman may say, “The dice are out, no more bets!" or 

“Shooter has the dice, hands up, the dice are out”. This puts everyone in the game on notice

that the dice can be tumbling down the table layout any moment. Keep your hands out of the table

layout when you hear the stickman’s warning.

On a Come Out roll, the stickman moves five dice, equally made and numbered in front of

the player who will roll or shoot the dice next. The game is played with a player tossing two dice

from one end of the table to the other. A rule of the game is that both dice should hit the far wall to

be considered a "legitimate roll". Often, both dice will not hit the back wall, but the boxman at the

table will overlook the occasional short throw. However, it is a rule and it is the boxman’s job to

enforce the rules. 

Each throw of the dice is called a "roll". A turn with the dice is called a hand. Each player has

the opportunity to roll the dice or pass the dice to the next shooter. The player with the dice is the

shooter and is allowed to shoot the dice until the games ends. The game ends when a 7 is rolled

after a point, (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) has been established. The dealers settle bets and move the marker

puck to the don’t come box signaling a new Come Out roll with the word OFF on the puck. It’s a

new game.

Players take turns rolling the dice, moving clockwise around the table. You do not have to shoot the

dice when it is your turn. You may pass your turn to shoot. Simply wave your hand in the direction of

the next shooter and say pass or passing. The next shooter is given the dice, and it is a Come Out

roll. The stickman will warn everyone that, the dice are coming out, and to place bets. “New

shooter coming out!” means the dice are moving to the shooter, the stickman may also say,

“The dice are out, no more bets!" 

Okay, lets do a quick review.

On a Come Out roll, the stickman moves the dice to the shooter. The shooter selects two

dice with one hand and rolls them down to the end of the table. The result of the Come Out

roll will either be live winning or losing numbers, 2, 3, 12, and 7 and 11 or a point number,

4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. Should a point roll, the dealers move the puck, marking the number rolled

as the point. The hand continues until ether the point is made or the games ends with a

7-out. The dice move and the process starts over with a new shooter.

Buying into a Game

When you want to play craps, you have to use casino tokens, called chips or cheques, instead

of real money. This is done to keep the game unified and make it easier on everyone involved in

the game. To purchase chips, have your money out, wait for a Come Out roll when the dice are in

front of the boxman or better, buy-in after a seven-out and you start with a new shooter. Get the

dealer's attention, place your money in the Come field and ask for change only. The dealer is not

allowed to take money or chips from your hand. Any transaction of money or chips must be on the

table and in the Come field. Drop your money down in the Come field and state the amount

you have in cash, "$100, chips only or change only".

Example: $100, “chips or change only”. This tells the dealer that you do not want any action (to

make a bet) with the buy-in money. The dealer will pass the currency to the boxman and then hand

you a stack of chips worth $100. Pick up the chips and place them in the chip rail in front of you.

Now you are ready to play the game and make your first bet.

How much to buy-in with is a personal matter. It is recommender here, that you buy-in for a

minimum of 30 units for each bet you intend to make. For a single Line bet with double odds, the

buy-in would be $150 for example.

Shooting the Dice

Craps is the most unique game in the casino. You, the player, get to be involved with the game by

rolling the dice. This intimidating experience is actually the fun part of playing craps. So, lets cover

the etiquette of being a shooter and remove the intimidation so the fun can begin. You are the

next shooter.

“The dice are coming out!” You must make a bet on the Pass Line or the Don’t Pass Line in

order to be able to shoot the dice. You now know that the stickman passes the dice to the next

shooter. Once the dice are in front of you, the shooter, reach down and pick up two of the dice with

one hand only. Using only one hand is a casino rule. This is to protect the casino from cheats that

may try switching dice. Okay, you have the dice in one hand. Next, you gently throw the dice to the

other end of the table with enough force to bounce off the table surface, up to the rubber wall and

then land. There is no need for excessive force, this only delays the game when dice fly off the

table or crash into bets on the table layout. You simply want to have the dice leave your hand and

have them bounce off the rubber wall and stop. The stickman will make the call, announcing the

result of  the roll, so the dealers will know what to do… pay bets, take bets or mark a point. If a point

is rolled the dealers will move the puck, marking the number rolled as the point. The word ON is up

on the puck when a number is marked.

Lets Make a Pass Line Bet

It is a Come Out roll. You make a bet, $5 on the Pass Line. Recalling that 2, 3, 12, 7 and 11 are

live, your Pass Line bet will either win or lose when any of these numbers roll on a Come Out.

Ø      When craps roll, 2, 3, 12, your Pass Line bet loses and your $5 bet is removed by the dealer.

      You do not lose the dice when you throw craps on a Come Out. It is still a Come Out roll until a

      point is established.

Ø       When 7 or 11 roll on the Come Out, it is a natural winner and your Pass Line bet wins and is

       paid even money matching your $5 bet.

Ø       When any other number is rolled, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 you are out on that number as a point. The

        point has been established. Now, in order for you to win, that point number must repeat, roll

        again, before 7. Should the 7 roll first, you lose your $5 Pass Line bet.

Ø      When the point rolls before the 7 the Pass Line bet wins and is paid even money. $5 for a

      $5 bet. The stickman retrieves the dice and brings them back in front of the boxman. It

      becomes a new Come Out roll, same shooter with the dice. The sequence of events

      begins anew.

Ø      The only way to lose your turn with the dice is to roll a 7 after a point has been established.

Ø      When a 7 rolls after a point has been established, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, the game is over. The

      stick man announces, “seven-out”, “line down” or “line away”. The stickman is telling

      everyone the game has ended. The Pass Line lost and the dealers know to take all losing

      bets. The dealers move the puck to the Don’t Come box with the OFF side of the puck up.

      It now becomes a new Come Out roll and the dice will move to the next player to shoot the

      dice. A player may choose to pass the dice to the next player if they do not want to roll the

      dice.

As a Pass Line player, you are said to be playing “Right”. You are playing that the dice will

pass. This means that the bet on the Pass Line wins either with a natural 7 or 11 on the Come Out

roll, or winning on a point, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. A pass is a win on the Pass Line.

You must be asking, if there is a “Right” way to play, is there a “Wrong” way to play? Yes, there

is. But first, know that right and wrong or but labels for a way to play and bet. It is not about a correct

or incorrect way of playing. Playing “Wrong” simple means that you are betting that the dice do not

pass, or Don’t Pass and the 7 shows before the point or that craps, 2, 3, barr 12 roll on the Come

Out. Craps on the Come Out roll wins on the Don’t Pass Line, barr the 12. Push or tie with a 12.

A common misnomer is that playing “Wrong”, playing the Don’t Pass, is playing with the casino.

It is not. You face nearly the same odds as a Don’t player as you do playing the Pass Line. Either

way you play, the casino holds an advantage over the player.

Let’s Make a Don’t Pass Bet

Simply stated, the Dn’t Pass bet is opposite to that of the Pass Line bet. Instead of winning when

a 7 or 11 rolls on the Come Out, the Don’t Pass bet loses.

Ø      When craps rolls, 2 or 3 the Don’t Pass bet wins even money.

Ø      When 12 rolls, it is a push, or a tie. You do not win or lose. It remains a Come Out roll and

      the shooter keeps on rolling. You do not lose the dice when you throw craps on a Come Out.

Ø      When a point is established, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, the Don’t Pass bet loses if the point number repeats

       and it wins when the 7 is rolled.

Ø      When the 7 is rolled the Don’t Pass bet is paid. The game is over. The dealers move the

      puck to the Don’t Come box with the side OFF up. It is a new Come Out roll

      and the dice move to a new shooter.

Time for an Over View of What You Have Learned

A craps game begins with the Come Out roll. The shooter is the player with the dice. During a

Come Out roll 2,3,12, and 7 and 11 are live rolls ether winning or losing, depending on how the

player has bet. (Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line) If a 4,5,6,8,9,10 rolls on the Come Out, a point is

established. The dealer moves the puck and marks the number just rolled as the point. The puck

reads On. Like the game is on. Now, the only two numbers of any consequences are the 7 or the

point. If the shooter makes his point, it is a win. The dice are returned to the shooter and the

shooter continues to roll with a new Come Out. The shooter retains the dice until a seven-out,

which ends the game. This results in a new shooter and a Come Out roll. The game continues in

the manner unless there are no players. It only takes one player to have a game of craps.

On the Come Out roll, there are two primary wagers, the Pass Line and the Don't Pass Line. 

Placing a bet on the Pass Line, you are betting that the dice will pass and or the shooter will make

their point. Placing a bet on the Don't Pass Line, you are betting that the dice will not pass and

that the shooter will 7-out before rolling his point.

When a shooter 7’s-out the puck is moved to the Don't Come bar 12 area on the layout with the

side with the word Off up. The significance of the puck movement is in the tracking the game. The

On side marks a point and tells every one the game is “on”. Off side in the don’t come box, tells

everyone that it is a new game a Come Out roll and new shooter.

Next, in Lesson Two, you will learn how to be a complete Pass Line player. Get ready,

the dice are coming out!

Lesson 2

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