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| Play smart...learn how to play casino craps the right way! |
| Dice-Tossing Styles by William J. Enslen, Jr. |
It's interesting to note the variety of dice-tossing styles you'll
encounter over your craps-playing life. Some are plain and
boring, weird and funny, and other are downright irritating. Ever
really thought about it? How many ways can you reach down,
pick up the dice, and toss them to the other end of the table? If
you've played enough craps, you've seen it all.
The casino has strict rules for handling and tossing dice, which
are the subject of an upcoming article. I'll mention four of them
so you'll understand the basics. Handle the dice with only one
hand. Never bring the dice outside the imaginary plane that
extends up from the edge of the table (i.e., always keep the dice
inside the table). Don't toss the dice higher the height of the
dealers. And smoothly toss the dice so they both hit the back
wall (i.e., the wall at the other end of the table). If you follow
these simple rules, you'll do just fine.
Let's start with the grip. Most people simply reach down, pick
up the dice, and hold them in their palm or between their
fingers. Not some people. Some believe their lucky grip will
result in a winning number, while others believe they can control
the outcome of their tosses so taking a precise grip is the first
step in their wacky routines. For example, there's the ice-tong
grip, lock grip, 5-finger grip, 2-finger front diagonal grip, flying-V
grip, stacked grip, 3-finger front grip, 3-finger front diagonal
grip, 2-finger pincer grip, and many more. (Seriously, I'm not
making this up!) And don't forget, before taking one of those
grips, they must properly position the dice with the precise
alignment and orientation. For example, the 6 on one die must
be oriented so the pips (i.e., the dots on a die are called "pips")
are parallel to the tabletop and the number must be adjacent to
the 3 on the other die, and the pips on the 3 must be oriented
so they go diagonally upward to the right. (Again, I'm not
making this stuff up!) After they've achieved perfect alignment
with the heavens and stars, they take their grip. But they don't
just pick up the dice, they must slowly and gently place their
fingers on them and precisely measure the pressure applied to
each die using the delicate pressure sensors in their fingertips.
Finally, with the exact dice alignment and finger pressure, the
shooter launches the dice toward the end of the table contorting
their wrist, arm, shoulder, and torso. I've often wondered how
some people don't throw out their shoulders or keep from
tearing the tendons that attach the muscles of the forearm to
the arm bone at the elbow joint. These are the irritating
shooters because they seemingly take forever. Everyone else
at the table is anxious for the next roll, but these clowns who
think they're dice doctors or dice wizards (or whatever they call
themselves) delay the game by taking their weird grips instead
of just picking up the dice and tossing them.
Some people gently tap the tabletop before tossing. That's
okay as long as it's just a tap. If you knock or bang the dice,
the boxman will politely ask you to refrain. If you don't heed his
request, the next time he won't be so polite. Personally, I'm a
tapper. Also, I like to flash an empty hand just before picking up
the dice. As I reach down for them, I quickly turn my palm up,
flash open my fingers so they (and the camera) can see my
hand is empty, grab the dice, and smoothly toss them. It's an
instantaneous, fluid motion just long enough for the crew to see
my empty hand, but quick enough that most players don't notice
it and don't realize what I'm doing. (I'm making the dealers' and
Surveillance team's jobs easier by showing an empty hand
before touching the dice.)
Some people puff on the dice for luck. That's okay, too, as long
as you don't use two hands, don't bring the dice outside the
imaginary plane, and don't spit on the dice (accidentally or
otherwise).
Some people throw the dice low and hard so they bounce all
over the place after hitting the back wall. Avoid doing this
because it increases the likelihood that a die will fly off the table
causing the game to be delayed.
Some people toss them so weakly that they barely hit the back
wall. Although you don't want to throw them like a Major League
pitcher, you should avoid feeble, pathetic tosses. Smoothly
toss them so they bounce off the tabletop and then hit the back
wall. If you've never tossed dice, you'll get the hang of it after
just a few throws.
So, what's your technique? Whatever it is, be considerate of
other players and the dealers. Don't take forever finding your
precise grip. Don't throw them so hard they continually fly off
the table. Don't spit on them as part of your puffing routine.
Don't aim for the chip stacks at the other end of the table (chips
fly everywhere and the dealers have to remember where they
all go). Don't hit the mirror on the side of table (casino dice are
hard with sharp points and angles, so don't break their mirror).
A smooth toss so the dice gently hit the back wall and stay on
the table is all you need.
Now you know! Remember, learn how to play craps the right
way.
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encounter over your craps-playing life. Some are plain and
boring, weird and funny, and other are downright irritating. Ever
really thought about it? How many ways can you reach down,
pick up the dice, and toss them to the other end of the table? If
you've played enough craps, you've seen it all.
The casino has strict rules for handling and tossing dice, which
are the subject of an upcoming article. I'll mention four of them
so you'll understand the basics. Handle the dice with only one
hand. Never bring the dice outside the imaginary plane that
extends up from the edge of the table (i.e., always keep the dice
inside the table). Don't toss the dice higher the height of the
dealers. And smoothly toss the dice so they both hit the back
wall (i.e., the wall at the other end of the table). If you follow
these simple rules, you'll do just fine.
Let's start with the grip. Most people simply reach down, pick
up the dice, and hold them in their palm or between their
fingers. Not some people. Some believe their lucky grip will
result in a winning number, while others believe they can control
the outcome of their tosses so taking a precise grip is the first
step in their wacky routines. For example, there's the ice-tong
grip, lock grip, 5-finger grip, 2-finger front diagonal grip, flying-V
grip, stacked grip, 3-finger front grip, 3-finger front diagonal
grip, 2-finger pincer grip, and many more. (Seriously, I'm not
making this up!) And don't forget, before taking one of those
grips, they must properly position the dice with the precise
alignment and orientation. For example, the 6 on one die must
be oriented so the pips (i.e., the dots on a die are called "pips")
are parallel to the tabletop and the number must be adjacent to
the 3 on the other die, and the pips on the 3 must be oriented
so they go diagonally upward to the right. (Again, I'm not
making this stuff up!) After they've achieved perfect alignment
with the heavens and stars, they take their grip. But they don't
just pick up the dice, they must slowly and gently place their
fingers on them and precisely measure the pressure applied to
each die using the delicate pressure sensors in their fingertips.
Finally, with the exact dice alignment and finger pressure, the
shooter launches the dice toward the end of the table contorting
their wrist, arm, shoulder, and torso. I've often wondered how
some people don't throw out their shoulders or keep from
tearing the tendons that attach the muscles of the forearm to
the arm bone at the elbow joint. These are the irritating
shooters because they seemingly take forever. Everyone else
at the table is anxious for the next roll, but these clowns who
think they're dice doctors or dice wizards (or whatever they call
themselves) delay the game by taking their weird grips instead
of just picking up the dice and tossing them.
Some people gently tap the tabletop before tossing. That's
okay as long as it's just a tap. If you knock or bang the dice,
the boxman will politely ask you to refrain. If you don't heed his
request, the next time he won't be so polite. Personally, I'm a
tapper. Also, I like to flash an empty hand just before picking up
the dice. As I reach down for them, I quickly turn my palm up,
flash open my fingers so they (and the camera) can see my
hand is empty, grab the dice, and smoothly toss them. It's an
instantaneous, fluid motion just long enough for the crew to see
my empty hand, but quick enough that most players don't notice
it and don't realize what I'm doing. (I'm making the dealers' and
Surveillance team's jobs easier by showing an empty hand
before touching the dice.)
Some people puff on the dice for luck. That's okay, too, as long
as you don't use two hands, don't bring the dice outside the
imaginary plane, and don't spit on the dice (accidentally or
otherwise).
Some people throw the dice low and hard so they bounce all
over the place after hitting the back wall. Avoid doing this
because it increases the likelihood that a die will fly off the table
causing the game to be delayed.
Some people toss them so weakly that they barely hit the back
wall. Although you don't want to throw them like a Major League
pitcher, you should avoid feeble, pathetic tosses. Smoothly
toss them so they bounce off the tabletop and then hit the back
wall. If you've never tossed dice, you'll get the hang of it after
just a few throws.
So, what's your technique? Whatever it is, be considerate of
other players and the dealers. Don't take forever finding your
precise grip. Don't throw them so hard they continually fly off
the table. Don't spit on them as part of your puffing routine.
Don't aim for the chip stacks at the other end of the table (chips
fly everywhere and the dealers have to remember where they
all go). Don't hit the mirror on the side of table (casino dice are
hard with sharp points and angles, so don't break their mirror).
A smooth toss so the dice gently hit the back wall and stay on
the table is all you need.
Now you know! Remember, learn how to play craps the right
way.
back to Articles
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| Remember, learn how to play casino craps the right way! My book teaches you to play in reality, not Fantasyland. |
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