• Craps

    Turning it around – short multi-trip report

    HardNine Posted on
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    Whew

    I’ve really been struggling since class in September. I’ve had some decent rolls, especially the one in AC and a trip with Cliff and Paul, but overall, I’ve been having great practice sessions, making great $$$ on simulated games at home, but I just couldn’t seem to chill when I hit the tables. I’ve even dug myself a little hole in my overall net since class. The five count has done an incredible job in minimizing losses on CFers and given me more time on the tables for my rolls, but I’ve just been unable to get focused in the casinos.

    Then over the holidays, I headed into Indiana for a first try at that a place there. I found a really comfortable table with great crews and players. I felt better but still in the red. For days, I was practicing and dice were going all over the place. I had my wife watch my hand as I released and told her what to look for. She noticed that I was separating my fingers on release. I thought about a post on using tooth picks in the fingers and have practiced that before and recalled what my fingers should feel like. I also noticed that my shoulders were WAY off square, as had been noted numerous times in class.

    With this, I once again headed to a bouncy table place near Chicago’s airport (Nick has told me not to go here, but it’s so stinking close to home!) and with my lovely bride tried to find my groove. Again, I couldn’t find focus, and left in the red after 1 short roll.

    I again went back to practice and Friday, headed back to IN. I found SL2 on 14′, bought in and the SL1 roller had quite a roll, hitting a 4 point fire but I’d not gotten a chip down in time, but about tripled my CF rack on that one hand. My first hand was short but it actually felt pretty good. I stayed up on CF as the dice went around and hit decent hands of 11 and 14 rolls to finish up a little on myself and up more on CF. I colored in to head home, but my bride wasn’t quite ready to leave work so I decided to go back to the table. The dice were close and I got the SL1 spot. I had a 31 roll hand and hit my first 4 point fire (although I’d foolishly left off my own bet, but did make it up on another CF fire win), hitting the inside box but although hit both bought 4’s and 10’s, didn’t get them as points. I’d kept my fingers glued together and my shoulders square and finally found my groove. I almost doubled my buy in and ended feeling much better about my ability to chill and focus when getting to the casino.

    OK BigDaddy, ready to meet you in a week for a NorthEast trip. Thanks to all instructors and posters here. I revisit comments from the class and read most of this board and go to my table and practice using many of the comments and suggestions.

    Here’s to great rolling in 2015!

    Replies:

    Posted by: Bigdaddy-Revs on January 4, 2015, 12:45 am

    Glad to hear you’re hitting your groove HardNine….when you get in town we’re gonna have some fun and take the tables by storm….to quote Jerry Maguire…..SHOW ME THE MONEY!!

    Posted by: MIDNIGHT on January 4, 2015, 4:58 am

    Great report. Have you taken the video elite? If not, I recommend it. It’s great throughout the year to go back and look at the video and for me, even as an instructor, it helps to get those little quirks out. Let me know when your heading up to the north east. We have a group up here that plays pretty frequently together. We would love for you guys to join us on a trip. Btw, you can thank Doc and Rose for the toothpick trick.

    Midnight

    Posted by: Bigdaddy-Revs on January 4, 2015, 7:07 am

    Playing with you guys sounds AWESOME Midnight….let us know when and as long as we can make it, we’re there!

    Posted by: MIDNIGHT on January 4, 2015, 12:57 pm

    What’s your email address and I’ll add you to the list

    Posted by: Dr Crapology on January 4, 2015, 1:16 pm

    Hardnine, all of us have had these experiences from time to time. It happens but can be overcome with a sufficient 401G and the dedication that you really seem to have. So glad that your spouse was able to help you. Suggestion: has your wife taken the course if not it might just be a great solution as you practice together. I know that this really does help Rose and Doc. We practice (critique) each other frequently.

    Here are a couple of suggestions for you to use at home. From time to time get rid of the chips when you practice and do not set the dice so that you will not concentrate on the outcome of the dice but watch how the dice react in the air to the back wall and how they bounce after hitting the back back. This can tell you a lot.

    Get a mirror, we have one that is 24 inches by 36 inches, that we put inside the end of our craps table. If you don’t have a craps table but have a practice throwing station and receiving station, you can push the receiving station against the wall and set the mirror in the end of the receiving station and the wall. When you use the mirror for practice do not look at your target spot but observe you entire swing from start to release. You can tell if your back swing is going straight back or if it is too long since you only need a very short back swing. You can also observe if you forward swing is going straight down the table. You will see if your fingers or coming open and if the fingers are level at release. Trust me you can really see a lot. A great tool. THE DICE WILL NOT BREAK THE MIRROR.

    Midnight is correct, taking an elite video form No Field Five and Billy The Kid or a tune up from MR Finesse will be helpful. You may want to take at least one of these once a year. We recommend both.

    The tooth picks always help as you mentioned.

    Congratulations of your success in over coming the "slump" and moving forward. You are on your way to becoming very successful at this thing we call advantage play.

    Rose and Doc

    Posted by: HardNine on January 4, 2015, 6:57 pm

    Thanks for further advice. Doc, I do have smaller mirrors, but haven’t bought a big one, so will have to pick that up. I’ll also have to kill the gaming aspect and hit practice throws as you said. I know I’d get many more in during a session. I do have my own 12′ table to practice on.

    I do have an open reservation for a refresher, but was thinking Vegas in June as Feb is difficult and wanted to head west to meet even more GTC folks. Perhaps I’ll have to rethink that.

    Midnight, I’ll message you my email. I’m flying in early on 11th to Newark. I’d prefer to throw on Sunday as I work in Morristown, NJ during the weeks I’m up there and it’s hard to go anywhere further than Bethlehem on weeknights. Bigdaddy and I are planning to play Sunday and would love it if we can hook up with more folks.

    Posted by: GreenMachine on January 4, 2015, 8:43 pm

    Hardnine.

    I frequent the casino near ORD and i thinks its terrible with too few tables and too many people walking up and buying in for 100 dollars. I frequent the Indiana casino which has a lot of tables. They have two status tables that are much less crowded and the dealers are better. Shoot me an email and we can meet up there.

    Posted by: HardNine on January 4, 2015, 10:57 pm

    GreenMachine,

    I’m just 20 minutes from ORD front door, but your comments are spot on. Even the $25 tables are crowded and yes, I’ve seen the short players, from $100 for a few throws to walk up Orange chip on the Don’t Pass for come out. On Indiana, I’ve been there twice now, love the tables, each time, they’ve had the three main aisle tables open and on the side aisle, one 12′ just inside from the status tables. Neither of those tables were open. I’ll shoot you my email and phone so perhaps can meet up there soon. Looking forward to it.

    Posted by: Finisher on January 5, 2015, 4:07 am

    Green Machine you had me laughing . I think the casinos make money on the players that loose 85.00 each day .That adds up because there are so many compared to high rollers .
    I bye in for just 200.00 .It is not what you bye in for but the amount you leave the table with that matters .Also you need to enjoy this I hope .
    Like Dom says winning is FUN .
    I been at tables were they bye in for 25.00 . Last trip guy bought in for 25 .00 and just bet the field .Every time it hit he would YELL out GREAT FIELD .The first time he did this I almost jumped a mile since he was next to me .All the dealers looked like he was crazy .But he was enjoying himself .It did get a little annoying after awhile .But he soon lost the 25.00 . He never did make a pass line bet or other bet then the field . At one time he was up at least 40.00 .
    Good Rolling. 🙂 🙂

    HardNine
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