Scoblete makes a point that dice is no crap shoot

Frank Scoblete, a gifted writer, editor, and actor, was in the right place at the right time 20 years ago when state regulated and Native American casino gambling was in the dawn of a dramatic expansion around the country.

It was at the same time that casino life captured Scoblete's own imagination, first as a player and soon thereafter as an author. After more than 20 books covering every game people can play, he became widely recognized as the No. 1-best selling gambling authority in America.

His style of writing, which went beyond bland spread-sheet explanations of statistics, odds and strategies, was enthusiastically received by a burgeoning audience of recreational casino gamblers eager to absorb information about their passtime.

He displayed a knack for capturing the people and personalities of the colorful Damon Runyon world of gambling, and in doing so became a storyteller who was able to relate to the common everyday folks who frequent casinos.

Scoblete also knew that people wanted to win. The strategies he detailed for playing casino games gave people who were new to gambling a sound education and a sense of control.

Just when you thought Scoblete had nothing more to say, he is back with two new books that prove otherwise: Beat Blackjack Now: The Easiest Way to Get the Edge! and Casino Craps: Shoot to Win!, published by Chicago-based Triumph Books.

The works are compilations of the author's takes on the games through the years embellished with lots of new information, stories and facts. In essence, Scoblete's advice has gone through a maturation process. With these new books he brings everything together.

Casino Craps: Shoot to Win! is a perfect example. The comprehensive 260-page paperback touches on the basics, but quickly delves into the two ground breaking aspects of Scoblete's craps theories: The "5-Count" popularized by the legendary "Captain" in the author's past writings, and the revelations of what is known as "controlled shooting".

The 5-Count, which was revealed through Scoblete's friendship with a man who reportedly won millions of dollars playing craps, was a revolutionary method of money management that gave players a system to keep their money off the table when the dice were "cold" and to strike while the iron was hot.

It was, however, his collaboration with a gambler known to Scoblete's readers as "Dominator" that led to a real breakthrough in craps play: dice control. Quite simply, it took a game that was always thought of as, well, a crap shoot, and gave it a strong element of skill.

There's a heavy emphasis on how the techniques to shoot dice with precise physical control to avoid the dread number 7 have been refined. The book even includes a special CD that shows unedited controlled throws by Dominator, who has earned a reputation as the world's most skilled practitioner of the art.

The 27 chapters are filled with valuable advice about every aspect of the game, designed for every level of player.

Scoblete also chronicles what has become known as the greatest random roll in history: May 23, 2009 at Borgata Casino in Atlantic City when a woman, Pat DeMauro, playing craps for only the second time in her life, shot the dice for four hours and 18 minutes without rolling a seven-out.

The new releases are available for purchase online and at better book stores everywhere.