Dice Setter Precision Shooter's Newsletter    

Welcome to the April edition of the Precision Shooter Newsletter.    I'll forego the long intro this month and allow you to get right to the articles.   ~ woof ~

Crapless Craps
by Heavy Haltom

Since it has finally found it's way into my back yard I thought I'd talk a bit about Crapless Craps. Crapless Craps is quite similar to traditional banker's craps, however it does have a few variationsthat can cost you money.

The first thing you notice when you walk up to the table is the addition the 2, 3, 11, and 12 as point numbers. Since it is "crapless," you cannot lose on the come out roll, and the only way to win on the come out is by throwing the seven. The eleven is not a "natural." At first, giving up one winner to avoid three losers looks like a good deal. Remember, though, that the probability of hitting a point of 2 or 12 is only 1/7, and the probability of hitting a point of 3 or 11 is only 1/4. Giving up that sure winner on the eleven for a shot at winning on the 2, 3, and 12 boosts the house edge on the pass line to a whopping 5.382%. Placing single odds will reduce the vig to 2.936%. Double odds reduces it further to 2.081%. But it is not until you get to 5X odds that the vig gets respectable - down to 1.042%.

Now let's think about the "free odds" of those new "point" numbers.

The 2 and 12 each roll one way versus six ways to roll a seven   -  so the correct payoff on the free odds is 6-1.

The 3 and 11 each roll two ways versus six ways to roll a seven   -  so the correct payoff on the free odds is 3-1.

Imagine you have $5 on the line and the shooter establishes the twelve as his point. You place full double odds behind the line bet and have a total of $15 in action. What would be the correct pay off if the shooter made the point? In this examplewe would be paid $5 for our line bet, and $60 for our $10 free odds bet, for a total payoff of $65. For the precision shooter - that is a beautiful thing.

Now let's take a look at place betting for Crapless Craps. Obviously, the traditional 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 bets are played - and paid exactly the same as in a standard game. The difference comes with the placing of the "extreme outside" numbers, the 2, 3, 11, and 12. The pay off odds for place bets on these numbers is as follows:

Extreme Outside Place Bet Odds

2 or 12 Pays 11:2   3 or 11 Pays 11:4

As with the five and nine - you must bet an even amount of money to get a correct pay off on the extreme outside numbers. On a five dollar table the minimum correct bet on the two or twelve would be six dollars. For a correct pay off on the three and eleven you would place eight dollars. Most "extreme outside" place bettors play $28 extreme outside.

In a $5 game the house will accept a flat $5 place bet on these numbers, but placing an incorrect amount will result in a reduced payoff, which increases the already considerable vig. The 11:2 payoff on the 2 and 12 yields a house edge of 7.143%. The 3 and 11 run a close second with an edge of 6.250%. That is why veteran crapless players with the bankroll prefer to buy the extreme outside just as they would the four and ten.

The minimum buy bet on the extreme outside would be $84. The dealer sets up $20 on each of the extreme outside numbers and places a BUY button on top it. The extra $1 (5% of $20) is the vig for the house. The result is that you'll win $60 (3:1) instead of $55 (11:4) on the three or eleven. The two or twelve would pay $120 (6:1).

Depending on how much you bet, the vig may work out to a fractional amount. If this fractional amount is not fully payable with any of the available checks, then the vig usually rounded off. Generally, when the vig amount falls halfway or less between two payable amounts, the vig is rounded down. At a table where the smallest chips are $1 the vig will be rounded down on fractions of .50 or less. Casinos have long allowed green chip bettors to buy the four and ten for $25 and only pay a $1 vig. Using this rounding logic, you can often buy a number for as much as $30 and still pay only $1 for the privilege. In some jurisdictions, casinos are even more generous. Most Mississippi casinos, for example, will let you buy a number for as much as $39 for a $1 vig. The very best casinos will fix the break point at $39 and only charge the vig after the bet wins, reducing the vig even further. The point to remember is that the vig not only varies from casino to casino - it can vary from box man to box man within the same casino. If you do not ask for a better deal you will not get it.

By the way, you won't find the DONT PASS or DONT COME bets on the crapless layout. Since the game is "crapless," there is no dark-side. However, if a player wishes to bet against the dice he can lay against the numbers and pay the standard five percent vig.

The game also offers traditional proposition bets and hardways, come bets, place bets, and free odds.

Strategies vary for crapless craps. My suggestion - if you can afford it buy the extreme outside for $84 and place the six and eight for $24 each. Use a pre-set like the Crossed-Sixes that has a high incidence of extreme outside numbers while limiting exposure on the sevens. Play hit and regress on the six and eight while trying to snipe out a hit on the 2, 3, 11, or 12. And bring it home after a hit on any of the extreme outside numbers.

For lower bankrolls - consider placing $28 extreme outside plus $12 each on the six and eight. Play a "place to buy" strategy on the extreme outside while playing hit, regress, hit and down on the inside.

Last of all - avoid the pass line and come bet unless you are the shooter.

For a more in-depth look at Crapless Craps be sure and check out Heavy's articles on Dice Setter.

Chairman of the Boards

Heavy's Axis Power Forum, the busiest craps message forum on the web, celebrates its first anniversary in May.  Congrats to Heavy for creating a great place for crapsters to gather, learn and share.  Best of all, it's free!   To commemorate the success of the first board, he has established two new boards.  The first is Dice Heaven which just opened to the public.    The second forum has been created but is open to invited guests only at this point. Once there's an initial base of posts built up, it'll be made available to the public. This second board will be dedicated exclusively to Dark Side play - so you Don't players may want to keep an eye out for future announcements.

Are You Ready To Play?
by Michael Vernon

There are many techniques used to influence the player. Free alcohol, comps, attractive women, loud music, noisy machines and an atmosphere of excitement are just a few of the obvious ones. Casinos are designed with one purpose in mind, to keep the players within their clutches. Some of the casinos are virtual mazes trapping you inside and without a map, you can wander aimlessly searching for the way out.

Casinos ‘rev’ on energy unlike any other business or entertainment. The energy churns at a pace several notches above that found outside of the casino. Again, this is all by design to manipulate and influence the customers. Only in Las Vegas can one experience Venice, Paris, Rome, the Middle East and a Polynesian paradise all in a two-mile strip. The elaborate plan, all with the intention of taking you from your comfort zone into the comfort zone of the casino.

When entering the arena of play, you are truly out numbered and out-gunned. The casino has unlimited funds and more gaming tables and machines than the 30,000 plus players arriving each day can put a dent in. Your only hope is to play smarter and not harder. You must be ready to play emotionally, physically and financially. Your ability to remain in your comfort zone upon entering the casino is the challenge every player faces. Casinos control the environment and the games. The player’s only defense is to control herself or himself.

Critical to being prepared for play is self-discipline. Having the ability of self control takes away from the blatant manipulation found in most casinos. Acknowledging a readiness to play requires the player to be honest with their feelings and have the discipline to act on the information. Perhaps one trap is an anxiousness to get as much playing time in during a three-day trip for example. Too often the case, most players are eager to get into action before they are ready. Some can scarcely wait to de-board the plane to play the “loose” machines at the airport.

You are better off to act with the discipline of the patient hunter. Here is a checklist to consider before entering the casino, designed to minimize or eliminate losing sessions.

Do not play if:

You are tired. Traveling takes a great deal of energy, physically and emotionally. Never play when you are not physically up for the game.

You are not feeling well. If you are, ill or coming down with a cold it is an indication of low energy. Never play if you are unwell.

You are emotionally upset. Emotions are powerful and can influence negative behavior. If you are angry, depressed or experiencing other negative emotions do not play. Negative emotions express lower energy and will be a determent to your game.

You need money. Playing with “scared money” or with money that you consciously do not have to risk is an absolute no-no. This invokes an emotion of lack and desperateness, not one of abundance and limitlessness. You must play with money that you are prepared to risk and possibly lose. There must not be any charge of negative emotion on your bankroll. Detachment is imperative with a confidence of knowing that you are an expert at your game. Detachment does not mean not caring, or whimsical behavior. It is the detachment of emotion from outcomes, losing or winning.

You are not ready. This requires an honest check-in asking yourself if you are ready to play. It is not the same thing as wanting to play. Perhaps you are feeling anxious and behind that is a feeling of insecurity or fear. Fear to enter the game is valid and it needs to be honored and looked at. It is easy to ignore fear, as fear is uncomfortable and thus hard to accept. Never play if you are not 100% ready to enter the game. Have the discipline to be honest with yourself and have the courage to walk away if you are not truly ready to play.

You do not find a game. Do not jump into the first game that you come to. Examine what is going on in the whole casino and assess the situation before committing. Perceive the energy and the action. Is it a winning atmosphere or does it feel like a losing or negative atmosphere? Ask questions. What is going on here? Is there a winning game here for me? Do I like what I feel and see? Do I feel honored? How the unseen energy feels to you is useful information.  Use it to your advantage. The casinos never close. There will always be a game. It is your job to find it. Be disciplined, some times you will have to walk away.

You perceive a message not to play. Life is coming at you constantly. It is possible to get a glimpse of life before experiencing it in real time. The information comes as metaphors. You notice something that you see or hear and it translates into information as a feeling or your little voice whispering to you, “not now, not this game”. I do not present this strategy to cause you paranoia or make you crazy about everything little thing. You get a subliminal message. Does it have application for the immediate task at hand? Here is an example: Once when entering a casino the door would not open when I pulled on it. My immediate reaction was “Oh, no, I am being warned not to enter”. Enter I did, I played and I lost. 

In addition to a personal check-in, know your way around the casino. It plays to the intimidation factor if you do not know where you are. Walk around an unfamiliar casino. Take your time to learn the layout. Find the bathrooms, the lounge, restaurants, the cashier and especially the closest exit. The casino is a place for your enjoyment. You must feel comfortable and safe in order to play in comfort. Take your time before entering a game. You have all the time in the world. Never rush or push to make something happen. After learning your way around and going through your check-in, then you should know if you are ready to play.

Casinos control the show, for the most part. At least you can be in control of you.

© Michael Vernon
Author/Gaming Instructor
https://www.playing4keeps.com