Dice Setter Precision Shooter's Newsletter

Volume I : Issue VI

November 2001:

Happy Holidays everyone!  I know, you've got things to do so I'll keep this edition of the newsletter short and sweet. 

Another busy month on the site....thanks to everyone who spreads the word about DiceSetter.com.  As many of you know, I had a great deal of difficulty with the message board in November.  When it went down for the third time in a week, I migrated to another service.  If you  have not visited the new message board, stop in and have a look around!  More thanks to those who participate on the board.  The advice sought and given is well thought out and the way you all express yourselves is a testament to your knowledge and civility.  If you visit other boards and newsgroups, it seems as if more time is spent tearing one another down than actually sharing ideas.  Kudos to you all!  Anyway, the current message board is really only a stop gap solution.  After the New Year I'll explore hosting the message board myself.  There are several software packages that are quite reasonably priced.  I'll keep you posted via the newsletter of any impending changes.  I'll also archive some of the messages from the old board so that you'll still have access to them.

As a final note to the message board fiasco.  If you find a similar situation, check the What's New area for updates...or as always, you can drop me an email.

The feedback I received from the movies which appeared as part of last month's newsletter was very positive.  Thanks everyone for your suggestions.  Now the only hitch is to get a bunch of us together somewhere to shoot a full length CD Rom version of several shooting styles.  More on that after the New Year...hopefully.

The Heat is Off!

Several site visitors have emailed me that they were able to set the dice without any heat at several casinos which are on the The Black List recently.  Given that business is still down in Vegas, I expect this trend to continue...for AWHILE.  Most casinos are still aching for players.   When things pick up, I predict  The Black List houses to return to their old anti-dice influencing ways.

Servicing Dice Setters
by Nextshooter

I am a craps dealer on the Las Vegas Strip. As a dealer it is my job to provide the best possible service to the players. When I'm on STICK and I see a player who has a preference for setting the dice a certain way, I usually try to turn the dice to THE SHOOTER'S PREFERENCE. I figure that this is a way to service the player and I assume that the shooter knows what he or she is doing.  As dealers, we want the players to WIN... as that is the way that we secure the majority of our income... by getting TOKED by WINNERS.  Besides... I have MORE damn fun watching the other dealers and the Boxman or Boxwoman ... just to see if they have the slightest clue as to what it is that I am doing.

The Biggest Mistake A Precision Shooter Can Make

This started out as an article called The 10 Biggest Mistakes...  But, when I asked several site visitors for their opinion on the topic, we all seemed to generally agree on the number one mistake;

Over betting Your (and others) Dice Influencing Skills

Mad Professor:

I would say that Over betting is the #1 mistake that even the most skilled player can make.

I STILL always lock up a profit on my own bets before I increase them. Perhaps it's because I'm pretty conservative, or maybe it's because I REALLY HATE losing money.

I usually make sure that I'm hitting the numbers before I lay out serious money.

If I'm playing solo at a table; the first bet that I make when I first shoot the dice is as little as possible. I'll bet the minimum on the Pass Line, and back it up with 1x or 2x Odds. I might also Place bet the 6 & 8 for $12. These bets are regressed to $6 each after one hit.

IF the numbers start tumbling in, THEN I will increase my bets and spread out the action. But with each hit, some profit MUST be locked up.

So how did I learn to have such strong-as-steel resolve? You guessed it...by over betting my skills.

Heavy:

Money management and discipline are the downfall of most players - including dice setters and controlled rollers. Sure, over betting is a part of that. But failing to lock up a profit early is just as big a factor. My last trip to the boats my bankroll was so light I was forced to start with $22 inside - one hit and down on the five and nine - then another hit and down completely - until I had ground out enough cash for more aggressive play. But even then I continued to implement regressions and a pay as you go up and out strategy.

But not only do we tend to over-bet from time to time - we often make the wrong bets based on the assumption we can hit particular numbers. Take - for example - my favorite bet on the come out roll - a $5 world with an extra $2 on the high low - a total of $7 action. Now, I hit that high low frequently and lock up $55 when it happens - but streaks happen both ways, despite all the hours of practice throwing 12's - and at $7 a pop you can throw away a lot of cash in short order without a hit.

The other stupid thing we do is assuming that just because you had a hot roll - the next shooter will continue the trend. I've gotten to the point now that whenever I have a hot roll - I'll immediately switch to the DP when the roll is over - a strategy I've done quite well with.

Dice Doctor:

I have personally gotten my clock cleaned by over betting on other (precision shooters). Fortunately, my learning curve kicks in pretty early for me, so I now under bet on these people until they are "qualified" as being on a good shoot. How do I qualify? A five count or a repeat of a number in the first few tosses, maybe even wait until they make a pass point.

Irishsetter:

The most dangerous time for a novice or intermediate dice influencer is the session after a very successful session.  Suddenly, they're infallible.  I see it on the message board and I see it in emails I receive.  Even with a decent bankroll ($1000), the novice shooter with the wind of previous success in their sails will begin their wagering at extraordinarily high levels despite a limited skill set.  Only to be whacked. Badly.  Even now, I start wagering on myself at very low levels.  If I get a hot hand, there's always time to press.