Craps Articles

Craps Dice Control:   The Shooter Selection Secret

How To Identify Other Shooters Who Control The Dice And Get An Edge

By Jerry Patterson

Published, with permission, from the new book - Winning Dice Control Techniques:   Shooting Craps from the Zone, by Jerry Patterson and Sharpshooter, copyright (c) 2006.

How do you really know if a shooter's dice control form - set, grip, pick-up, and throw really give the shooter an edge over the house?

Most would-be dice controllers are Johnny-come-latelys; they may think they can control the dice, but watch out in betting on them because it's possible that their dice control form may actually be worse than random, not better.

The Shooter Selection Secret is Consistency.

  Consistency in the Soft Landing is key. You want to see the dice land softly, a few inches from the back wall, one bounce, two at the most, gently touch the back wall and repel straight back, softly, with little or no sideways, chaotic movement.

Watch at least three rolls of the dice; if you see the dice landing softly in each, you are most likely observing an advantage shooter who is definitely worth your normal wager in units that you would risk on yourself.

To gain more confidence in your shooter, begin your observation when the dice are pushed back to him by the Stickman.

Look for consistency in the set; if you can see the set, you would like to see the shooter set the dice the exact same way for every roll.

Look for consistency in the grip if you can see it. There are many different grips, so look for the shooter to grip the same way for each roll.

Look for consistency in the backswing and release of the dice into orbit. The dice should be launched at a 45-degree angle and travel in orbit together, side-by-side, or "on axis," as we say in the trade. The line of flight should be perpendicular to the back wall.

And finally, look for consistency in the shooter's demeanor. This may be the most important of all the variables. You want to see the shooter stay calm, cool and collected. If he is chatting with the dealer or friend, if he is distracted by the other players, if he is into the spirit of the game and yelling and shouting as he shoots, this is NOT the consistency you want to see.

We want to see a shooter focused and in The Zone. If the shooter is throwing winning number after winning number, his chances of continuing the consistency of his soft landings may well rest on his ability to maintain his mental state of mind. So keep an eye on him and watch his landings. If they start to exhibit any chaos, it may be time to "take me down."

Check back here periodically for more articles and extracts from Jerry's and Sharpshooter's new book Winning Dice Control Techniques: Shooting Craps from the Zone.

Jerry Patterson is the co-developer, with Sharpshooter, of the Sharpshooter/PARR Dice Control Course - the first and original Dice Control Course published in 1996 and now with close to 2,000 graduates.   If you're interested in learning how to control the dice, this is the place to start.   Sharpshooter DVDs demonstrate how to set, grip, and deliver the dice on-axis.   You will also learn how to identify and correct any flaws in your throwing form.   And you have access to Dealer School Hands-on Sessions and open, no-cost access to Dealer Schools for warm-ups when visiting Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Mississippi Casinos.

For more information, Visit Sharpshootercraps.com

To purchase Dice Control Instruction on DVD click the Craps tab at the top of this page.