The last hard table in Louisiana is gone. I could drive to Mississippi to one casino there with nothing between the layout cover and the wood, an 8 hour drive from east Texas. Oklahoma is 4 hours away, to the land of Indian reservation casinos. Every Indian casino I have visited has 14’ tables. Sure, there’s Vegas and Atlantic City, but that means flying. These days, I find flying a disagreeable experience. So, I’m only willing to make the effort 2 or 3 times a year.

Now, even after carpal tunnel surgery, my fingers are too stiff and half numb in order for for me to be able to grip the dice with 3 fingers opposing my thumb. I have had to stat gripping the dice with just my index finger and thumb.

No hard tables within driving distance. No more 3 finger grip. Like pet detective Ace Ventura said while trying to run after being hit with the 6th paralyzing blow dart, “It’s too-oo-oo mu-u-uch!”

To give me a fighting chance, I had my son cut me an insert for my practice Receiving Station. It’s cut from a 4’x8’ 3/4” birch sheet, wide enough to fit snuggly between the side walls and long enough to fit under the back wall and extend the full length of the table. I’ll go to my local Home Depot or Lowe’s to decide how best to clamp it down firmly to the table, and still be removable. I will wrap the insert with a layer of felt, cut to fit. I will then wrap the insert with a microfiber layout, cut to fit.

I’m expecting the end result, microfiber over felt, to be a practice table with characteristics the same, or close to, many casino tables I have encountered. Yes, casinos with material between the microfiber layout and the wood, use a variety of different underlayment, such as newspaper, cell filled foam, felt, vinyl, or old layouts. Still, I expect microfiber over felt to be the best cross experience. We’ll see.

As to a 2 finger grip, it’s a real challenge to get the dice to fly well grouped and landing flat. It’s a whole new ballgame. Even so, I’m determined to make it work.

I’m also teaching RollTide4Ever, my Alabama girl, how to play craps, the Golden Touch way. 3 finger grip for her, of course. She’s coming along nicely with a 31 roll in Biloxi last month and only one short roll. I’ll have her at a Golden Touch class before long.

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