I’ve always maintained that there is more to winning at this game than just setting the dice. You do not have to be an accomplished dice setter to be successful at the craps tables. There are many other aspects of this game that must also be mastered in order to play consistently and profitably.
So, when I am asked, “Does Dice Setting really work?”, my answer is always the same; “You will never know until you try.”
I’ve witnessed numerous players who, upon discovering their natural talents for dice setting, could not convert that talent into a winning session. They become fixated on the mechanics of dice setting, putting aside all the other aspects of the game. These players leave their sessions scratching their heads and wondering what they are doing wrong.
There are some players who won’t be able to make dice setting work for them at all. Others may be able to make it work only occasionally. And yet others will become both reliable and consistent in their dice setting skills.
The ability to set the dice has definitely proven to be profitable for me. Once I discovered my “talent” for dice setting, it then took me years of practice, analysis, and some loss of profit, to discover that there is more than one focus to becoming a consistent and profitable winner.
In working with dice setting students, I have found that some have the natural ability, and easily understand the physical mechanics required to generate consistent results on the craps table.
On the other hand, I have students who take class after class, but are never able to achieve the results they desire. They believe in and grasp the concept of dice influencing, but experience difficulty converting those concepts into live play. This group is the most challenging for me. I feel a certain responsibility to guide them, to show them their options and to help them decide whether dice setting will actually work for them.
Fortunately, most resolve this dilemma on their own. When they find themselves over analyzing and over-thinking at the tables, they soon realize that they have lost the fun and joy of the game. And if it is not fun, then it might be time to accept that dice setting is not for you. As I have often heard Steve “Heavy” Haltom of Axis Power Craps say, “If it ain’t fun, it’s time to run.”
Once relieved of the pressure of having to be “an accomplished dice setter”, these students often find themselves enjoying the game and actually winning again.
And, not all is lost for those who tried dice setting but found it did not fit their game plan. In the process of learning how to set the dice, they gained insight into money management, bankroll protection, playing strategies, sensing the energy of the game and learning how to become environmentally aware of what’s going on at the table. All of this requires more than just the physical skill to throw the dice.
They often discover their own ability to get into the rhythm of the game. They perfect their betting skills and focus on the other energies of the game. Their dedication and commitment allows them to persevere with a “more than one way to skin a cat” mentality.
Personally, I find dice setting/precision shooting exciting, fascinating, frustrating and perplexing. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. If you can make it work for you, it is great. But, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you if you can’t.
Soft Touch
