Barney's "I am becoming a controlled shooter"

23 September 2012

By Frank Scoblete

I am becoming a controlled shooter
by Barney

[Post from private website at goldentouchcraps.com. If anyone reading this would like a free 60-day subscription, please e-mail Frank Scoblete at fscobe@optonline.net.]

I am new at this controlled shooting, so I would never say that I am an expert in the mechanics of the actual throw. I think you need at least five years of constant work to get as good as some of the "elite" players. I am nowhere near that, and it would be the height of arrogance for me to offer strong advice based on my own experiences which have been up and down.

But here is what I love. In 25 days of going to casinos, since I took my Golden Touch dice control class I am ahead for the first time in my career over a time period that long. I have even had quite a few rolls in the thirties. I am making progress and I recognize that.

Many of the instructors helped me so much during the class and I want to specifically thank Jerry “Stickman” (a columnist for Casino City Times), Mr. Finesse, Pit Boss and Chip. All the instructors were great, but these four helped me create the throw I am using now.

But I do know from my own bitter experience when I was what was called a “gambler,” all the mistakes that can be made but also immediately corrected will immediately help you improve your chances of seriously reducing the overall house edge of the casinos. Even if you never get good at controlled shooting, if you just follow the GTC betting advice, you are far better off than if you continue to do the gambler thing.

This is really a rephrasing of the GTC teachings, but I will do this anyway.

1. Always play the 5-Count on the random rollers. I have now made this a law for me. I don't even put up three come bets any more. I go with one $10 come bet after the 5-Count is completed. I remember Frank saying you lose 7 cents for every $5 you bet on the pass line or come. So since I play at a $10 minimum table I choose to only do one bet at a long-term loss of 14 cents.

2. Since the 5-Count eliminates 57 percent of those random shots, I really lose less than a dollar when the dice make their way around a crowded table. That is some savings from the way I used to play, making all the stupid bets. I was a sad spectacle trying to catch lightning in a bottle.

3. I don't care if some chicken feeder [random roller] has a great roll. I am not missing anything because I would have to be on every shooter to be on a good roll and that would ultimately lose me money, wouldn't it? So I am content to just wait until it is my turn to roll.

4. My betting has become really good. In 10 times odds games I use come betting as this is even better than place betting. On double odds games and in three, four, five times odds games, I go with the place bets on the 6 and 8 and an occasional come bet.

5. I will place the 6 and 8 in all games at different times because I tend to hit those a lot.

6. I would rather have fewer bets with full odds working than a lot of bets with minimum odds. I think the reduced house edge is more important than spreading out. Overall this seems to me to be the way to go.

7. Since I don't play with any controlled shooters, I have developed a three turns with the dice and take-a-break time. This has helped me a lot because with the full tables where I play it can take two plus hours to get the dice three turns.

8. I do not worry about comps. I get some and I am satisfied because the comp game is a way to get you to lose more money. The casinos are really clever in this too because they have everyone thinking these comps are great things when to get those comps you have to lose a certain amount of money on your theoretical loss.

9. I do not set win goals, but as Frank wrote, there is a natural loss limit when you take the dice three turns with the same basic bets out there. This is important because your losses are automatically contained.

10. I have read almost all the books on craps and they aren't good. The writers are just gamblers, with some exceptions.

Barney