John Davidson asks
There are all sorts of grips discussed by various dice teachers on the internet. Is there one that is superior to others? Or at least one that is usually superior to others?

Billy The Kid responds
John,

Yes, there are lots of grips that will produce results for different players. We teach Sharpshooters three finger front grip because we at GTC believe that it is superior to the others for many reasons. The main reason is that when you learn and execute the 3 finger front grip you will have the most consistency that is possible with your toss.

All of that being said,there are other ways to the same end and those that have seen the GTC crew shoot know that even some of us dont use the 3 finger front grip. Because people are built differently and may have certain problems with their hands or fingers we have over the years devised slightly different grips to take these factors into account.

The bottom line is making the dice fly,rotate,land and REACT TOGETHER after they hit the felt. If you can accomplish that by modifying Kareems hook shot then thats OK by me,I just dont think that anyone would have the consistency that Kareem had with that shot.

This is why we recommend that everyone take one of our dice control classes. When you come to a class you will have different instructors looking at your grip and release for two full days. This time spent with instructors that have been teaching this method for years is the key to success. Always has been and always will be.

Billy the kid

Steven R. asks
Which grip does the Captain use? I figure since he’s been at this longer than anyone else, it would be instructive to see what he uses.

fscobe responds
Although we call the "three-fingered" grip the Sharpshooter grip, the Captain too uses that type of grip from both stick left and stick right. It does seem to be the best overall grip although depending on your hand (as Billy noted), it might not work for you. But it is the norm and model, all else are variations for specific types of bodies and hands.

Willie Johnson asks
I think you should always try to master the technque that is best but if your body type is not right for this technique then you find what works for you. But you should start at the top and work your way down

Mr Finesse responds
Willie,

You are correct, I believe everyone should try to master the 3 finger front grip if they can physically even though it is the most difficult. The 3 finger front with proper finger alignment gives us a wide fulcrum for the dice to release off of. It keeps the dice even at the point of release and they will travel together through the air.

I have used the 3-finger, the 4 finger and the 1 finger grip and in trying all I have found that the 3 finger gives my more consistent and more accurate rolls.

When I am observing someone throw the dice and they are having a problem the first thing I look at is their grip, their fingers(physical condition) and the length of their finger nails. All three of these can cause a problem or just one of them. Grip must be adjusted on an individual basis, but the 3 finger should be used if a physical problem does not exist.

This grip takes a lot of work for most people to achieve success with it, when I finally decided to go to it I stayed out of a casino for 2 months, I just practiced everyday for hours and hours until I was comfortable with it. BTW I switched to this grip after using the 4 finger for 1 1/2 years and I was pretty good with the 4-finger.

Bob

fregamin responds
May I add my two cents to this thread? Thanks. One thing that is seldom mentioned about the grip is the importance of the thumb. I have been off a little here lately with my throw and finally this weekend figured out the problem.

I use the three finger front and have no problem with the finger placement. However if my thumb is not centered and very softly gripping the die about mid-way down on the dice with a slightly more than thumb-tip grip then the dice are forced to come off with slightly more pressure on one than the other causing a wobble in the die that has the additional pressure. In other words, my roll has been improved by using less "thumb pad" on the dice. Once the thumb releases both dice simultaneously then the fingers are free to become that fulcrum that the dice revolve around.

If anyone else has any thoughts or pearls of wisdom about the thumb and its integral part of the toss please contribute. Thanks, Chip

DGHenley responds
Great point about the thumb. If the fingers are solely concentrated on to the exclusion of the thumb then your toss is doomed to failure. The thumb position and pressure is equally as important as the fingers.

The thumb must be positioned on the dice so there is equal pressure on each die.

If your toss has wobble, or the dice hit and the right one goes left and the left one goes right on contact, then I can almost guarantee your thumb is causing the problem.

Daryl

fscobe responds
Often the thumb is treated as a "stiff" joint that props the dice. This can cause unequal pressure. I like to "cock" my thumb with just a slight "crick" or bend in it. Your thumb now becomes a sensing, feeling appendage, not just a buttress to the other fingers.

Alex responds
Good point about the thumb, Frank. I used to keep my thumb really stiff but after your showed me how to "crick it" the improvement has been immense. Thanks!

Dominator responds
Hi All, a little bit more about thumb placement and what you can do with your thumb.

First thing to remember about thumb and finger placement is that the more finger and thumb placement on the dice, the more drag you will have. Your first step should be to try to grab the dice as high up as you can with a grip, either two or three or even four finger grip, so that the dice aren’t moving in your fingers or separating. Slowly move your fingers down the dice a little at a time till you have a grip on the dice that doesn’t allow separating. You should be able to pick up the dice and actually half rotate them between your fingers and thumb without separating. Gently rock the dice between your fingers and thumb and see if you can do this.

Start with your thumb about in the middle of the dice. The lower you place your thumb on the back of the dice the more backspin you will have. So if you see that you need more backspin, lower you thumb, if you see that you have too much backspin, raise your thumb.

Remember that finger placement and thumb placement are the most important things that you need to be comfortable with as you pick up the dice. So many problems, like one die lagging behind the other, of that they are traveling in the air one higher than the other is because of improper grip. Correct the grip and most problems will be solved!

Dominator

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