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You
Cant Shine a Cow-Patty
or CAN You? When
President Lyndon Johnson used to say
You
Cant Shine a Cow Patty
it
was LBJs inimitable way of saying that if something was a piece of crap
you
could dress it up all you wanted to, and package it all fancy like
but at the end of
the day
it would still be a piece of crap. Today
we are talking about the Iron Cross betting-method. Its
often been said that if used on an every player, every situation basis; then
this play is one total piece of crap, and no matter how you try to shine it
up; it still looks like crap, smells like crap and basically remains a piece of crap no
matter what you do with it. The crap part
being that if used in that every random-roller, every table, every trend
situation; it is a stone-cold loser. Under
those all-encompassing conditions, I have to agree with that brutal assessment. On an every player, every
situation basis, the Iron Cross IS a piece of crap!
Period! Many
people think the Iron Cross (also known as the Umbrella or Anything-but-7
Method) is a cow patty that you are wasting your time on if you try to shine it up into
something its not. Thats
where I disagree. In
fact, for a semi-talented Precision-Shooter, the Iron Cross can be one heck of a strong
and powerful play. Lets
find out if Im on the right track, and if we can indeed put a high shine on this meadow
mine of betting-methods. If
You Need a Primer
Ill
assume that you already know how the Anything But 7, Iron Cross is supposed to work, and
why it looks so good on paper when you compare the 30:6 ratio of hits-to-losses. Ill also assume that you understand why it
is generally regarded as a piece of fly covered crap when applied to random rollers on a
wholesale basis. If
not, I will point you in the direction of Irishsetters
Betting Strategies page, where youll find an excellent little primer
on what the Iron Cross/Anything but 7 (aka Umbrella Method) is. The
Validity of the Iron Cross
If
we agree that the Iron Cross when used on every random-roller, and in every table-trend
situation; is a stone-cold loser
can we also agree that in the hands of an
accomplished dicesetter, the I-C holds tremendous profit-potential? Let
me make a statement, then Ill back it up with proof: If
used by a skilled Precision-Shooter with a verified, but still modest advantage, the
Iron-Cross can be an OUTSTANDING money-maker. Heres
why: If
a moderately-skilled and bankrolled player has an SRR of 8:1 while using the X-6
(crossed-six set) during his Point-cycle; a modified Iron Cross (as set out below)
should generate about $8 per roll. That's
not $8 per hand, that's $8 per ROLL. Can
I make myself any clearer
thats $8 on average every time the dice leave his
hand, and thats with a very modest SRR of 8:1 (with the X-6 set) and an equally
modest starting bankroll. If
all of this sounds vaguely familiar, its because we discussed this in one of my
recent articles. To refresh your memory,
here's a cut and paste section out of my The When,
Where, Why, What and How of Signature Numbers - Part Four article which
explains how to capitalize on that advantage in a little more detail: Ø Well assume you are at a $5
table allowing 3x, 4x, 5x, Odds. Ø If your Pass Line bet is one of your
Top Four Signature-Numbers, youll back it up with max-Odds; otherwise youll
only wager 1x-Odds (if any at all). Ø Given that Crossed-Six (X-6) set; the
Inside-Numbers (5, 6, 8 & 9) constitute 50% of your on-axis probabilities, while Field
Numbers (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 & 12) also constitute 50% of the on-axis probabilities.
There is an overlap/overlay on the 9 which holds a place of honor in both
categories. The 7 makes up for that overlap with its own 2-out-of-16
(1:8) probability. Ø In that case, a strong argument could be made for the following bet:
o $25 Place-bet on the 5.
o $30 each Place-bet on the 6 & 8.
o $30 bet on the Field. Ø With an SRR of 8:1, this yields an expected ~$8.12 profit per roll.
Youll
notice that there is nothing fancy, exotic or unduly risky about those bets that I just
mentioned. Youll notice that they dont require quadruple parlays or
power-presses. In fact, all it requires is nice, steady tossing on your part, and enough
turns with the dice to make it worth your while on an hourly basis (depending on how often
you get your hands on the cubes). Now
here is my question for you: How
much solo-shooting or frequent-shooting should you be seeking out, versus the time and
money that you spend betting on random-rollers in your pursuit of profit? That
being the case; If
your current SRR is at or near 8:1, yet your average net-profit per roll isnt in
line with those numbers (or isnt in proportion with the size of your current average
bets); then it ISNT your shooting that is holding you back, IT IS YOUR BETTING. Okay,
since theres been a lot of recent interest in the Iron Cross (in the hands of a
skilled shooter), it deserves a closer examination. A
Behind The Scenes Look at This Money-Maker
To
show you WHY this method (as SPECIFICALLY set out above) works so profitably for a
Precision-Shooter with a modest SRR of 8:1 while using the X-6 set for his Point-cycle
roll; we have to take a look at HOW the money is actually made: Lets
ignore for a moment that you will be adding max-Odds if your Passline-Point is one of your
Top Four Signature Numbers (with the X-6 set), and consider only the math behind the
expected outcomes. Of
the 16 on-axis possibilities with the X-6 set:
Ø
The
2 shows up once, but well get a 2x-payoff for a net-profit of $60 (based on the
above-noted $30 Field-bet).
Ø
The
12 also shows up once, but well get a 3x-payoff for a net-profit of $90 on a
3x-table and $60 on a 2x-table.
Ø
The
3 and 11 show up once each, so they spin off a $60 net-profit of on-axis revenue for every
16 on-axis Point-cycle rolls.
Ø
The
4 and 10 also appear once each, so they too throw of a $60 net-profit from the Field for
this SRR 8:1 shooter.
Ø
The
5 shows up twice in those 16 rolls so the $25 Place-bet pays $35 each time, but when you
replace the lost $30 Field-bet, the 5 only generates a $5-net, so you only receive a $10
net-profit from those two results.
Ø
The
6 and 8 also show up twice each, so their $30 Place-bet also throws off a $35 payout, but
again it only generates a $5-net with each outcome, so you only receive a $20 net-profit
from those four dice-calls.
Ø
The
9 shows up twice out of sixteen on-axis conclusions, and as a result this Field-bet
produces a $60 net-profit.
Ø
Of
course the 7-Out shows up on-axis twice for a skilled SRR 8:1 player, so it wipes out the
entire $115 Place-bet/Field-bet Iron Cross combo-method two times. Lets
do the math:
Ø
$60-net
from the 2, $90-net from the 12, $60-net for the 3 &11, another $60-net for the 4
& 10, plus $10-net from the 5, $20-net from the 6 & 8, and $60-net from the 9.
Ø
That
comes to $360 in net-generation from all of those on-axis winning outcomes. However, we still must subtract the two huge $115
whacks that we have to endure when the 7-Out shows up.
In this case, we can expect it to wipe out all those wagers twice, so the
resulting $230 deduction leaves the SRR 8:1 player with a net-profit of $130 for every 16
Point-cycle tosses of the X-6 dice.
Ø
That
means that each and every on-axis throw using the X-6 set (including the two 7-outs) will
generate a NET-PROFIT of $8.125 per toss of the dice.
Ø
Im
happy to round it off to $8/toss of the dice.
Ø
Thats
a steady rate of return of ~7% on each and every toss of the dice. Im not talking about an annualized
percentage-rate, Im talking about a per-roll percentage rate. It makes for a compelling argument that the Iron
Cross may indeed hold vast potential for the X-6 SRR 8:1 (or better) Precision-Shooter. Obviously your mileage may vary.
Ø
If
you play this method in a casino that only pays double on the 12 instead of
triple; then your profit is reduce to $6.25 per-roll
still an adequate rate of
money-production. See
Heavys well laid out Dice-Set
Distribution page if you need a defined chart of the expectancy for each
on-axis dice-set. Knowledge
Is NOT Implementation Now
that we know the HOW and WHY of the Iron Cross, we come to the SHOULD
WE? part of the discussion. Lets
go back to why it was we took up dicesetting in the first place. We
wanted to reduce our losses and increase our chances of winning. In
the casino-context, thats a significant challenge, but if youve proven the
validity of Precision-Shooting to your own satisfaction; then you know that the whole
basis for it is to keep the dice on-axis as much as possible. A Sevens-to-Rolls ratio of 1-in-8 is not all that
ambitious for the person who has dedicated themselves to steady practice and continual
refinement of their skills. So
lets get some caveats, cautions and concerns out of the way.
Ø
The
X-6 set is not the ultimate and only set to use, nor am I saying
that its the most perfect and ideal money-making set out there. It is good, but its what YOU do with
it, and how YOU bet with it; that determines YOUR ultimate profitability or
failing.
Ø
For
the sake of this study, weve looked at only on-axis results. Obviously some of your tosses will be OFF-axis,
but we have to start somewhere as a reasonable base of comparison. Well be looking at this whole
on-axis/off-axis ratio and percentage situation from a technical standpoint in an upcoming
Shooting Bible article, but for now lets agree that on-axis is good and off-axis
aint as good.
Ø
Lets
also agree that a double-pitch 7-Out is the nemesis of almost any Point-cycle base-set,
and the X-6 is no exception. These numbers
take all of that into consideration as well. With
an SRR of 8:1, you can expect an on-axis, double-pitch 7-out, to occur twice (on average)
within the Crossed-Sixes 16 on-axis possibilities
thats just the nature of the
beast, especially if you arent able to control rotational variance to any
discernable degree.
Ø
The
$8.125 profit-per-roll figure is based on the AVERAGE of what this X-6 set can do for the
SRR 8:1 roller (using the above-noted betting-method).
It does not mean that someone whose Signature Numbers of 6 and 8 (with this
set) wont dilute their winnings somewhat because of all the Field-bet replacements
that they have to make. Likewise, it
doesnt mean that someone who throws more Extreme Outside 2s, 3s,
4s, 10s, 11s and 12s wont make more than the eight-buck/roll
average that it projects out to.
Ø
Likewise,
Im not suggesting that a player who throws lots of those same Extreme Outside
Numbers wouldnt be better served by concurrently Place-betting the 4 and 10, and
considering a MILD (and I DO MEAN M-I-L-D
progression on the Horn-bet when it is frequently recurring). Instead, what this little exercise does is to
illustrate a betting-method that is at once, extremely simple; yet INCREDIBLY
profitable when compared to the total dollars wagered and when considered as part of a
moderately-skilled Precision-Shooters overall game-plan.
Ø
It
also means that you dont have to resort to all sorts of exotic
Press/Parlay/Progression/Regression-style bets to make steady money from this game (and
from your talents, even if they remain modest). Please
understand that I LOVE using an initial Steep-Regression, especially when combined
with subsequent aggressive pressing and collecting. However,
I want you to see that all the Power-presses and Parlays, and exotic Prop-bets arent
an absolute necessity to generate steady profits with relatively humble on-axis
performance. Let me quickly add that the
profits from using this I-C approach piles up and multiplies INCREDIBLY quickly. How
quickly?
Ø
Well,
on average, with no Pressing and just the steady collection of bets and the replacement of
your Field-bets when necessary; this method spins out a golden profit of $56 during each
Point-cycle hand. That means that if your
Point-cycle SRR is 8:1; then you can expect that on average, your bankroll will increase
by approximately $56 every time the dice come around to your table position. With an average of $115 in wagers on the layout;
that equates to a 48.7% return-on-investment PER HAND. Weve
seen the basics of how you can make the Iron Cross steadily profitable for your own
Precision-Shooting, and its a pretty good way, but is there an even better way? I
guess Im actually asking:
Can
You REALLY Shine This Cow-Patty? I
think you can. Lets take a look
Tailoring
Your Bets to Your Current Skill
I
spend a lot of time talking about the importance of matching your current
Precision-Shooting skills to bets that are equally appropriate. The
reason for this is that as a savvy casino-player, you cant afford to be inefficient
with your wagers. That is, even an
accomplished dicesetter has to make the most of the limited number of non-7 rolls that he
throws. To
do so, he has to consider what numbers his current skill-set (and obviously, his
Point-cycle dice-set) will generate, and then design a betting-approach specifically
suited to that. His practice sessions
together with his real-world outcomes, will tell him where and how
much of his wagering-weight should be positioned on certain numbers. To a similar degree, his practice/real-world
results should also indicate which bets he should specifically avoid. Let
me give you an actual real-life situation where I took the basic X-6/Iron-Cross idea and
custom-tailored it to suit the shooting-style, personality-profile and dicesetting talents
of a particular player; and turned the I-C into something quite spectacular (and extremely
shiny to boot). Ms.
MPs Modified
Full-Spread Iron Cross Method Mad
Professor, I read in one of your articles a while back (The Lady Is a Pro)
that your girlfriend threw a lot of trash numbers (2, 3, 11 & 12). You said something
to the effect of "I showed her how to take advantage of that", but you didn't
specify how. I seem to throw a lot of those
same numbers and I wondered if I should just play the Field or is there something else? Yes,
Ms. MP does tend to throw a lot of trash or Horn-numbers, due to her preferred
use of the X-6 (Crossed-Sixes) set during her Point-cycle rolls. That led us to a betting-method that I tailored
to suit her particular disposition, comfort-level and shooting-skill
The
Modified Full-Spread Iron Cross
To
take advantage of her talents, Ms. MP uses a Modified Full-Spread Iron
Cross. The
Place-Bet Component
We
start with a sort of pyramid arrangement on the value of her across-the-board Place-bets:
Ø
$5
each on the 4 and 10
Ø
$10
each on the 5 and 9
Ø
$18
each on the 6 and 8
Ø
All
of the Box-numbers are covered, and the bets semi-reflect the fact that the X-6s
on-axis 4 and 10 are expected once each, while the 5, 6, 8, and 9 are expected twice each. Well discuss the reasoning behind the ramped
over-weight on the Inside-Numbers in a moment. The
Pass-line and Odds
Obviously
she wont have any Place-bets on her Pass-line Point (unless this is her second,
third, or fourth, etc. PL-Point), and instead will have single, double or triple Odds to
reflect the pyramids initial (starting) value:
Ø
1X-Odds
on the 4 or 10
Ø
2X-Odds
on the 5 or 9
Ø
3X-Odds
on the 6 or 8 The
Basic Field Bet
She
will also have a $5 bet on the Field at ALL times during her Point-cycle, but as
youll see; very rarely does she have the need to press her Field-bet. On
the Come-Out rolls, all of her Place-bets are Off, and therefore she does not
have a Field-bet in action during the C-O either. Like
me, she uses the Come-Out portion of the hand as a separate and distinct profit-center
(part of my Game Within a Game concept).
Therefore, those C-O bets stand alone, and do not carry over or affect any
of her point-cycle bets. For this discussion,
were just looking at the Modified Full-Spread Iron-Cross, and not her
C-O action. Obviously, when the PL-Point is
established, she once again starts to re-wager her base $5 bet on the Field. Partially
Reinvesting Some Place-bet Revenue
Once
the PL-Point has been established (or re-established if this is her second, third, or
fourth, etc. PL-Point) the first hit of any NON-Place-bet Field-number (2, 3, 11 or
12), shell rack the full payment. On
the first hit of ANY Place-bet number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), shell also rack that
full payout too, but from there, shes fairly aggressive in her pressing. If
any of her Place-bets re-roll for a second time, shell press it by one unit
($5 or $6), and shell keep on pressing it by one-unit whenever it comes in again. Shell do that for ALL of her
Place-bet action whenever one of them comes in. Yes
she does this each and every time they recur.
That way, she locks up her first hit, and then uses a portion of her
winnings to make subsequent single-unit presses every time they come in again. All of her presses are for single units ($5
increase on the 4, 5, 9 and 10 anytime they hit, after the first one; and $6-presses on
the 6 and 8, again, only after first collecting in-full on the first appearance of any one
of them). If
she successfully repeats her first PL-Point and the second PL-Point is different from the
first, she will Place-bet that number for the base-amount that is called for in her
original betting regimen ($5 on the 4 & 10, $10 on the 5 & 9, $18 on the 6 &
8). If
one of her Place-bets has been hitting with a good frequency, and therefore has been
pressed-up to a decent size, and it subsequently becomes her next PL-Point during the same
hand; then shell remove a portion of the Place-bet money from that number, and use
it for maximum-Odds on that corresponding new PL-Point. Concurrently, shell leave
the unused balance of the pressed-up Place-bet on that same number. Yes, we both realize that this overlay
approach to betting may not appear to be the mathematically-best tactic or best
utilization of wagering monies, but it pays extraordinary dividends which sustain (and
redoubles) the rationale behind it. An
Example
Lets
look at just one Place-bet number to see how this works.
Ø
The
5 starts out with a $10 Place-bet on it.
Ø
When
it hits the first time, it pays $14 but only nets $9 because the $5 Field-bet has to be
replaced. The Field-bet is replaced each and every time during her Point-cycle throwing
that it falls. Net-profit: $9
Ø
When
the 5 hits again, there is another $9-net payout (after replacing the Field-bet once
again), but shell use $5 of that money to press her Place-bet 5 by $5. Net profit:
$4, Cumulative profit: $13
Ø
When
the 5 comes in again, her (now) $15 Place-bet spins off $21 but $5 of that goes to replace
her Field-bet, and another $5 is dedicated to pressing her Place-bet 5 again for
another $5. Net profit: $11, Cumulative
profit: $24
Ø
On
the next appearance of the 5, her $20 Place-bet generates $28, but again $5 is earmarked
for a Field replacement, while another $5 is used as a one-unit press on the 5. Net profit: $18, Cumulative profit: $42
Ø
When
the 5 rolls in again, the $25 Place-bet pays $35, but as usual with every roll during her
Point-cycle, $5 goes to a single-unit press, and another $5 replaces the Field. Net profit: $25, Cumulative profit: $67 At
first glance, this appears to be a very INEFFICIENT way to make money, what with the
constant replacement of the Field-bet; but in fact, I wanted to show you the worst aspect
of this method first. In
the event that the 5 becomes her new PL-Point during the same hand, shell take some
of the Place-bet money off of the 5 so that she can wager full-Odds behind the Pass-line. The unused balance of the Place-bet money will
remain in action directly on the number as a now-reduced Place-bet. Inefficiency
versus Frequency
Though
the 6-out-of-16 on-axis outcomes that the 5, 6, & 8 make with the X-6 set does appear
to make it look like this is an unproductive approach; the fact that the Field represents
another 8-out-of-those-possible-16 outcomes (50%) begins to show why that is not the case
at all. However
we have to take it two steps further to explain why it works so well for her. By
fully spreading her Place-bet action to all the Box-numbers, she is able to collect
double, in quinella-type fashion, on the 4, 9, and 10, along with the normal double pays
when the 2 or 12 appear (and trebly on the 12 at a downtown odds 3x-pays
casino). By
starting out with more money on the non-Field 5, 6, and 8 (along with her other X-6 Top
Four S-N of 9), the dilution-factor of the Field is minimized, but not entirely offset or
eliminated. Where she further makes up for
that shortcoming is with the hoping-to-repeat Horn-numbers. In
simple terms, we recognize that the profit that the 5, 6 and 8 gives us is partially
offset by having to replace the $5 Field-bet each time one of those three (the 5, 6 or 8)
show up. However we are prepared to live with
that because of the positive added profit effect that occurs when a
Field 3 or 11 shows up, and doubly pleased when the 2, 4, 9, or 10 show up, and trebly
happy when the 12 appears. In
other words, this Anything But Seven approach is bet-weighted in such a way
that it takes full advantage of the distribution of outcomes that we can expect with the
X-6 set. Distribution
Dictates Decisions
To
decide where your wagering-weight should be placed, your On-Axis Distribution of numbers
should be what dictates where your money should be bet.
That
is: YOUR
dice-set distribution-results dictate where YOUR bets should
be. Now
there are a couple of ways of looking at the X-6 on-axis distribution of Place-number
outcomes. You could reason that because the 4
and 10 pays so well (9:5 as a Place-wager, and 2:1 on a bought-bet at the $20+ level), a
person might be tempted to put the preponderant weight of their wagers on the 4 and 10
simply because of the higher-ratio payout. Of
course, the other way of looking at the lower-ratio (7:6) payout that you get from the 6
and 8, might lead you to think that it needs more money to be wagered on it to get an
equivalent bang for the buck. You
further reason that since youll be continually replacing the lost $5 Field-wager, it
makes sense to start off with more money on the non-Field 5, 6, and 8 in anticipation of
that constantly required Field-replacement offset. In
Ms. MPs case, the latter approach works quite a bit better than the former. By
starting off with an $18 6 and 8, the profit racks up much faster and the dilution of the
replaced $5 Field-bets has less and less significance as her hand progresses. Likewise, she is double collecting
when the 4, 9, and 10 hit because both the Place-bet and her Field-bet is paid at the same
time. This allows her to rack more profit,
yet still ratchet up her Outside Place-bets (in fact, ALL of her Place-bets) at an
accelerated rate. Yes,
this is a VERY aggressive way to play; but for a skilled Precision-Shooter with a
validated edge over the house; it is one way to get aggressive with your wagers, yet still
restrict losses on the occasional short-lived hands. You
have to be mindful that once you reach a certain point in your dicesetting development,
you no longer look at losing the way you once did; and instead, you start looking at each
and every hand, and each and every roll for that matter, as a probable money-maker
(instead of just a possible earner). In
those situations, you have to look at some of the more aggressive betting approaches that
are out there in order to maximize each opportunity you get with the dice. In Ms. MPs case, she looks at each hand as a
potential money-maker from the outset, and she understands that a relatively small amount
of money at the start of betting can become mountainous if the hand turns into something
special (but that even the relatively short ones will still be moderately profitable). Though
this and other aggressive pressing-methods do leave a lot of cash on the table when the
inevitable 7-out shows up; it also rakes a greater and greater amount of money off of each
and every subsequent across-the-board (scaled-up by single-unit Pressing) Place-bet hit. Its
that glass half-full or half-empty perspective that you have to comes
to terms with BEFORE you consider implementing any assertive betting-method like
this. Lets
turn to how she handles those other numbers that also have a tendency to show
up when a skilled player uses the X-6 set. Handling
The Horn
Ill
be the first to tell you that betting on the Horn (2, 3, 11 & 12) during a
random-rollers hand is an awfully bad wager (to the hideously insane tune of 12.5%). Yes the house-edge is THAT high on the
Horn-bet. However,
for the skillful player who throws a preponderance of Horn-numbers; then the Horn-bet CAN
make sense if used CAREFULLY and RESPONSIBLY, and is specifically geared to reflect your
VERIFIED and STEADFAST session-to-session-to-session advantage over the house. I
cannot over-emphasize the importance of validating whether or not you truly do have a REAL
advantage over high-vig bets of this type, or whether its merely a perceived and
wishful HOPE that you do. For
a very revealing look at just HOW GOOD you have to be to take advantage of this by
way of a steady stream of Prop-bets; I would strongly urge another look at my How To GET
It, and How To KEEP It Part Six article. It may open your eyes, and save you a heck of a
lot of money in the process. Strangely
enough however, Heavys See a Horn, Bet a Horn method can
be applicable to a skilled and proficient
X-6 shooter. Let me show you how. As
far as Ms. MPs Trash/Horn numbers are concerned:
Ø
If
a 2, 3, 11 or 12 rolls, then shell take $4 from her Field-bet revenue that just came
in, and make a $4 Horn-bet. Her $5
Fieldbet also remains in action.
Ø
If
one of those numbers repeats again, shell make additional $4 presses on the Horn on
each subsequent appearance.
Ø
That
means if a Horn-number immediately shows up after betting on it, shell raise her
Horn-action to $8. If another one shows up
right away again, shell throw another $4 press at it, and so on.
Ø
If
a non-Horn number appears; then her Horn-betting is finished until another 2, 3, 11, or 12
shows up during her roll, and then the process starts all over again.
Ø
Though
the Horn-numbers represents 25% of the possible on-axis outcomes for the X-6 set, she
tends to throw them in clumps of two, three, or four in a row; so there is even more
efficacy in using Heavys approach. From
a revenue standpoint, the See a Horn, Bet a Horn approach accounts for roughly 32%
of her overall net-profit while using the Modified Full-Spread Iron Cross. The
balance of her net-profit comes from repeated PL-winners and pressed-up Place-bets, which
admittedly can rise extremely quickly. Just a
few hits on the 6 or 8 sees them rise from their starting point of $18 to $24, then $30,
then $36 and $42, etc. For a shooter who
throws numbers right across the Place-bet spectrum, this approach uses only a portion of
the payout to pump up the volume of the number that just hit and to replace the Field-bet
that just fell. The rest of the payout is
racked as retained-profit. As
the non-Field Place-bets (5, 6 & 8) escalate in size, the significance of the replaced
$5 Field-bet decreases (as a percentage of the diluted Place-bet gross-payout). Where the strength of continuous pressing of the
Place-bets show their best face, is when a double-covered
Field/Place-bet (4, 9, & 10) comes in. Double-Covered
Field/Place-bets
The
4, 9 and 10 are what we can call double-covered
Field/Place-bets. That is, we have
action on them in the Field as well as in the Box-number Place-bets. When one of them rolls, we collect twice; once
from the Place-bet and again on the Field-bet. We
treat these Field-number Place-bets the same as we treat the non-Field Place-bets. That is, every time a Place-bet comes in (after
its first appearance where we rack the entire Place-bet and Field-bet payoff), we increase
the Place-bet by one-unit, and we keep on pressing it by one unit each and every time it
shows its face again. The base $5 Field-bet
stays at that same level throughout all of her Point-cycle play. Again,
this is very aggressive pressing that we are talking about here, and we are admittedly
using a fair bit of our initial payoffs to fuel even bigger bets; but for the
Precision-Shooter who wants to take absolute full advantage of the average-length
medium-to-long rolls; then this line of attack is one of the best ways. Obviously
there are more aggressive and more conservative methods that a player can use to take
advantage of their skillful dice-throwing, but I wanted to give you a real-world example
of how Ms. MPs betting is tailored to reflect her shooting skills (and her
moderate-to-low bet-comfort level) while using the X-6 Point-cycle set. Why
the Full-Spread IC Works For Ms. MP
ü
By
pressing all of her Place-bets (including those that are double-covered in the Field) only
when they hit, her Place-bets grow in proportion to the number of times they are
repeating, yet the dilution of the Fieldbet is minimized as the hand
progresses.
ü
That
means that the more the non-Field Place-bets (5, 6, and 8) show up, and the further they
are pressed (by one-unit each on every subsequent appearance); the less intense that
dilution effect (of having to continually replace the $5 Field-bet) will be. And since they start out larger ($10 on the 5, and
$18 on the 6 and 8), they have a leg-up on that whole dilution issue right from the
beginning anyway.
ü
When
a string of trash/Horn numbers do show up, shes there to take advantage of it, yet
shes not constantly chasing the Horn in HOPES that each roll will be THE
one. That way, she takes what her roll is
giving her, yet she presses the Horn in a way that gives her maximum growth potential if
she gets back-to-back-to-back outcomes as she sometimes does. Conservative pressing of subsequent Horn-wins
reflects the fact that those double, triple and quadruple repeats do not happen often
enough to justify a more aggressive bet-stance. Proof
Is In the Pudding
or At Least In The PROFIT
Ill
keep this part short and sweet. Using
this method, Ms. MP makes on average just over $100 ($112 to be precise)
every time the dice come around to her.
Ø
Yes,
that includes all the times when she goes Point-then-7-Out.
Ø
Yes,
that includes all the times when she throws a couple of paying hits, but still
doesnt make any NET-profit.
Ø
Yes,
it includes all the times when she breaks through the net-profit threshold, but
doesnt make much beyond that.
Ø
Yes,
it obviously includes her average rolls where she is able to build up her Place-bet wagers
and Horn-bet repeats to a point where her profit hits well beyond that
$100+/hand average.
Ø
And
yes, of course it includes her hands where the Place-bets are assembled to such a high
peak where it is hard to remember that they started out at such lowly amounts. All
in all, it is a good and consistently profitable approach that is tailored to her X-6
dice-outcomes, but moreover to her temperament and bet-comfort-level as a player. At $100+ per hand, you can see once again WHY it
is important for the skilled Precision-Shooter to seek out empty or sparsely-populated
tables, and not waste a lot of time or money on random-rollers. Is
The Iron Cross Practical For YOU?
Okay,
we know that the Anything But 7 Method is not an every shooter, every table, every
trend, every casino betting-method. Which
that brings us back to the seminal question: Can
you shine this cow-patty? Well
lets have a look:
Ø
If
you prefer to use the X-6 set or one of its permutations, and,
Ø
If
your average Point-cycle shooting often results in mid-to-long length rolls (10 to 30
rolls) on a consistent basis, and,
Ø
If
you are getting an even distribution of Box-numbers across the spectrum, along with a
large amount of Field numbers (both Box and Horn numbers), and,
Ø
If
your Horn-numbers show up in clusters, instead of singularly;
Ø
Then
the Iron Cross, and specifically Ms. MPs Modified Full-Spread Iron Cross might be
profitably applicable to your game-plan. If
your shooting-skill validates it; then I say you can put quite a shine on this particular
cow patty. A
Word of Thanks and Gratitude
As
a side-note to this whole article, an on-going illness has kept Ms. MP away from the
tables for quite a while now. I want to thank
all of you who have kept her in your prayers. I
decided to share her method with you as a bit of a dedication for the incredible amount of
latitude, patience, freedom, understanding, consideration and most of all for her ongoing
love and support that she has shown to me over our years together. Sincerely, The Mad Professor
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