I have
often heard it
said that with a winner’s attitude, a player really can’t lose. And, I
have often noticed that all the big winning players I have had the
pleasure of meeting, without exception, play with a will to win.
It has always been my
intention to inspire those players I come to meet through my sessions,
workshops and through the internet to be committed to acquiring a winning
attitude before they proceed to the casino.
I often find players
losing sight of the fact that casino craps is, very simply, a game to be
played, not a battle to be won. Craps is just a game and to win
consistently, a player must understand what makes the craps game a game,
learn this game’s real purpose and understand the rules.
For me, the game’s real
purpose has everything to do with self discovery. Sure there’s the “I
want to make money” angle and money is the energy we use to buy
experiences. Still, I will always maintain that players learn about who
they truly are by the actions they take and their response to those
actions played out at the table. How we respond to the results of our
gaming choices and/or strategy is where our discovery of self begins.
So, who do you think you
are when you are playing your game? Understand that we become who we are
at the table by what we think we are at the table. Do you actually believe
you are a winner every time you enter a game? Or, do you walk up to a
table using hope as a strategy for winning? You have to know that those
motivated by hope often never win. “Hope is not a strategy for winning”
is what you will often hear the Dice Coach say when interacting with his
students. I agree whole heartedly with him. And, if it is money through
craps that you desire, then, the reality is that a player must have a
winner’s attitude to get that winning result.
The real rules, aside
from the “how to play the game” rules have everything to do with who we
believe we are when we approach the craps table. And, our choices and
actions will create the reality of who we believe we are. I believe we
will always automatically enter games, play with people, live experiences
that will support who we believe we are at the table. This is the attitude
we bring to our craps game.
In essence, in a much
broader sense, winning has everything to do with really understanding
these two principles that make up your attitude about the game before even
learning how go through the motions of playing this game.
In our newsletters, our
contributors share their views about the game of craps. In sharing those
views, a player should come to understand that this game can be played on
many levels. Mastering this game has much to do with helping each other
understand the many dimensions of the game and understanding the essence
of what the game represents to each individual experiencing it. Helping
each other understand that each session is an adventure and as we begin
each new session, we must begin with total confidence, with the will to
win, and a winner’s attitude.
Think back to the last
time you won big at the tables. I am sure you will find that you began
and played through that session with the confidence and knowing you had
the session won before you realized it.
And if you failed, I
think you will find that you may have begun your session with a great deal
of hope and desire, yet lacked the will to win as the essential element
required. You may have justified your loss with the all too common
response of, “well, I tried.”
To those players that
utilize the “I tried” excuse, I respectfully feel that it is a logical way
for someone who is using hope as a strategy. My mentors have taught me “it
is impossible to win while trying not to fail.” A change in your point of
view about losing circumstances is all that is needed to change your game.
As our holiday season
approaches, we often take the time to reflect on our experiences in and
out of the casino, As a player, do your self a favor and reflect on your
answers to the following questions:
If craps is just a game,
why am I not having fun? How often am I really winning in this game?
Lastly, how much more would I enjoy this game if I were actually playing
at it as if it were a game? Your answers will confirm what the game means
to you.
Have a relaxing Holiday
Season everyone!