Thursday, December 4, 2008

DICE CONTROL 101 WHERE AND HOW TO STAND

DICE CONTROL 101

WHERE AND HOW TO STAND

by Jerry "Stickman"

Jerry "Stickman" is an expert in craps, blackjack, video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. The "Stickman" is also a certified instructor for Golden Touch Craps and Golden Touch Blackjack. His current book Specific Slots Machines That Give the Players the Edge! provides mathematically proven advantages over the house on some slots! For more information visit www.goldentouchcraps.com or www.goldentouchblackjack.com or call 1-800-944-0406. You can contact Jerry "Stickman" at stickman@goldentouchcraps.com.

Note: Complete information on Dice Control along with scores of pictures illustrating all aspects of it is available in the book Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution. In addition, The Golden Touch Dice Control DVD is a two-disc set showing the best dice controllers throwing the dice so you can see for yourself how it is done. Over 200 unedited throws of the dice are captured from all angles. For more information on the book, the DVD or classes in dice control visit www.goldentouchcraps.com or call 1-800-944-0406.

Gaining an edge at the craps table is possible. It is not easy. It requires lots of practice. However, the edge than can be achieved is much higher than any blackjack card counting method.

There are several components to dice control, and all of them must be mastered to obtain an edge at the craps table. The Dice Control 101 series will cover them all. In this installment, where and how to stand will be covered.

To review from the last installment: Ideally, we would like to glue the dice together in such a way that the 7 would never show. Since the casinos frown on such a tactic, we try to simulate the dice being glued by putting backspin on the dice. We want the dice to spin together as if they are glued together spinning at exactly the same speed, touching or nearly touching each other the entire time. We want them to land together, hit the back wall together, gently bounce off the back wall together, and die together very near the back wall.

Where to Stand

If you are a pitcher in baseball, do you think you would have a better chance of striking out the batter throwing from second base or from the pitcher's mound? The closer you are to home plate, the better your chance to succeed in your battle against the batter. Therefore, you want to pitch from the pitcher's mound not from second base.

If you are a golfer, would you rather have a five-foot putt or a 20-foot putt? The five-foot putt is obviously easier to sink in the cup than a 20-foot putt.

The same holds true for dice control. The closer you are to the back wall, the better it is for your throw. By standing as close to the back wall as possible, the least amount of energy is needed to throw the dice and hit the back wall. The less energy you impart on the dice, the less energy they have to bounce and randomize when they land and hit the back wall. The further away from the back wall you are, the more difficult it is to control the dice. If our throw is just a little bit off one die rotating just slightly faster than the other, for example, then the farther they travel, the more they are off. If one die is travelling slightly slower than the other die, the distance separating them increases the farther they travel.

If you shoot from the end of the table to the other back wall, you are maximizing the distance and energy required for your throw and creating problems for your control of the dice. You have to impart far more energy into the dice to get them to the far back wall which requires more effort be put on the dice to slow them down before they hit the back wall. Utilizing all the extra energy makes it harder to control the outcome of your throw. Combine the extra energy with the magnifying effect of extra distance on any imperfections in your throw and you can see the value of standing as close as possible to the back wall.

Keeping the physics of the game in mind, Golden Touch recommends standing at the two positions closest to the stickman. The two positions closest to the right of the stickman are called Stick Right One (SR1 which is the closest to the stickman), and Stick Right Two (SR2). The two positions closest to the stickman on the left are called Stick Left One (SL1 closest to the stickman) and Stick Left Two (SL2). These are the closest positions to the back wall. In general, it is better to play at shorter tables rather than longer tables as the distance to the back wall is also shorter.

Unless there is a valid physical reason, we recommend that right-handers stand at Stick Left (SL1 or SL2) and left-handers stand at Stick Right (SR1 or SR2). This allows for an easy, less tiring, pendulum swing, which allows for the release of the dice to be as close as possible to the back wall. Only if these positions feel completely uncomfortable should you stand on the opposite side of the stick. Give yourself at least a few weeks of practice before you decide you can�t handle our first recommendation since this is the best way for most shooters to throw.

Once you become adept at shooting from one side, you may be tempted to throw from the opposite side. Don't do it. Being able to throw from both sides is not a badge of honor. Using a baseball analogy again not too many baseball greats could hit from both sides of the plate. The same holds true for dice shooters. Master shooting from your best position and forget about shooting from the other side.

What do you do if your positions are not open at the table (SL1, SL2 or SR1, SR2)? The answer is simple don't play! You are serious about dice control. You want to win. You have practiced hundreds of hours and have an edge. The further away from the back wall you stand, the less your edge. Why give away the edge that you worked so hard to obtain? If you cannot get your position don't play

How to Stand � The Stance

In any athletic endeavor and throwing dice is certainly an athletic endeavor your stance is very important. A baseball player at home plate gets into a stance that will help him generate power through his hitting zone. Similarly the controlled shooter must use a stance at the table that is relaxed, comfortable, and above all stable. Your stance should give you a feeling of control at the table.

Dice control is all about consistency. You stand in the same spot. You use the same stance, dice set and grip. You pick up the dice the same way each time. You throw the dice the same way each time. The goal is to throw the same numbers each time. That is how you make money with the dice. To maximize consistency, you must minimize the amount of motion the fewer moving parts, the more consistency. Your stance must be stable. The only body part that should move during the delivery of the dice is your arm.

I will present the basics of the stance as if you are a right-hander shooting from stick left (SL). The basics of shooting from stick left (SL) as a right-hander are the same as the basics of shooting from stick right (SR) as a left-hander. So, if you are left-handed just change the words "left" to "right".

There are two ways you can stand.

The Upright Stance: You stomach is up against the rail. Stand with your feet about shoulder length apart and parallel to the rail. Stabilize yourself by putting your left hand on the rail. Lean over as far as you can. You may even stand on your tiptoes to allow yourself to get out as far as possible.

Next pick a spot where you want your dice to land. This spot should not be in the corner, but on the flat part of the back wall and about 6-8 inches in front of it. You should be leaning out enough so your throw will go parallel to the rail as the dice travel to the back wall. Now, support yourself solidly so nothing will move but your arm, breathe out and start your easy and smooth pendulum swing � first back 4-12 inches and then forward in one smooth motion and release the dice to hit your spot.

The Bender: Your feet are still about shoulder length apart and parallel to the rail. Instead of stabilizing yourself in an upright position with your left hand on the rail, you are bent over with your left forearm on the rail.

One stance is not necessarily better than the other. It depends on how you are built and what is the most comfortable and stable for you. In general, if you are taller, the upright stance works better. Try both and see what works best for you. The most important thing is that you are stable, comfortable, and you can swing you arm in a free manner.

The Opposition Stance: If you are shooting from the opposite side of the preferred (right-hander shooting from Stick Right and left-hander shooting from Stick Left) your stance needs to be different. Instead of standing with your stomach against the rail and your feet parallel to the rail, you stand with your right (or left) side/hip against the rail with your feet perpendicular to the rail. You stand parallel to the back wall. It is important that you be as parallel to the back wall as you can be. You need to lean over the table so you have to put more weight on your right leg if you are a right-hander shooting from stick right (or your left leg if you are a left-hander shooting from stick left). You may even have to lift your left foot off the floor in order to lean out enough.

Your backswing will not go as far back because you arm will start to hurt. The arm cannot do a full pendulum swing from this position. Again, you want to lean over the table as far as possible. But even leaning as far as you can, you pendulum swing might still be at an angle to the back wall. Because of this, using the non-preferred side makes it harder to control your toss. You will also find that you get tired much more quickly shooting from this side.

Through practice you will be able to gain some control from this stance and position at the table. However, always try to get your preferred position to throw from. You controlled throw will benefit from it.

Summary

Consistency is what the dice controller is after. Standing as close as possible to the back wall minimizes the energy required and the effect of any imperfections in your throw. Both of these maximize consistency.

The stance should be comfortable but most of all it should be stable. Minimizing movement maximizes consistency. Having a stance that allows only the arm to move will maximize your consistency.

You now have learned a couple of basics. By understanding how these elements work together to produce consistent results, by practicing diligently and having the necessary discipline you too can become a successful dice controller.

The next installment of Dice Control 101 will start looking at dice sets which ones help avoid the dreaded 7 and which ones might help target certain numbers.

All the best in all your casino and life endeavors.

Jerry "Stickman"

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