The Main Event
March, 2002
JustMikeF
  

A young man woke up one morning in a panic. He realized that he had blown all of his college tuition for next semester at spring break.

In a letter to his father he wrote," The university has a marvelous research department. You just can't imagine the things they have done and the things they are working on. They have even taught a dog to talk!  If you send our dog, Jake, on the next bus, they said they will teach him to talk. The fee is only $6000."  The kid's dad was a wealthy businessman and didn't flinch at the fee. All he could think about was having a talking dog to show off to the boys at the country club. They were always trying to out do each other.

Long weeks went by. The boys' dad was at his wits end. Just think, a talking dog. The boys at the club will never top this! Finally, a phone call. "Jake and I will be home tomorrow afternoon."

His dad went to the bus depot to pick them up. He was pacing back and forth, constantly thinking about the looks on the faces of his friends when they see and hear his talking dog, Jake.  The bus arrived and out stepped his son.  After the handshake and manly hug, Dad looked around for Jake. Jake wasn't to be seen. "Where is Jake?", bellowed his father. I've got something to tell you, Dad. This morning I was shaving, Jake was sitting on the toilet reading the newspaper, out of the blue, Jake said, "Do you think the old man is still screwing the upstairs maid?" I immediately cut his throat with my razor. His fathers' eyes got big, "Are you sure that damn dog is dead?"

It took me awhile to realize that the comeout throw is not just a preliminary to the main event of shooting for the point that was established!  I've seen many other players do as myself, haphazardly sling the dice. If a 7/11 came up, o.k. If a number came up, NOW it was time to get serious and go to work.

In an epiphany, I realized that by betting and throwing the 7, I could win enough money, or more, to cover my initial bets after the point is established. For example. I have a certain way of throwing a 7 that I learned by having the crossed 6's flu. I figured out that with the crossed 6's 5/4 set, if my elbow is pointed towards the table surface that the dice would lean slightly to the right ( I'm righthanded )  after I released them. The overwhelming majority of the time this would result in a 7. Even stranger was the fact that it wasn't the same numbers comprising a 7 dice total on different tosses. One throw would be a 4/3 the next a 5/2 or a 6/1. I've never tried to analyze WHY. Why look a gift horse in the mouth? Other setters have other numbers that they have discovered with a certain set and delivery or they may set the all 7's set.

Why not try this hopping the 7's, I reasoned. It worked! Hopping the 7's for $15 paid $75, less the two ways you lost $10 equals $65. I'll let you think of the ways you could use the winnings for bets after the point is established. If you can win a few dollars on the comeout, it sure takes some of the pressure off of your bankroll and it seems a little easier to throw your chosen set for another number, if not the point.