How to Choose a Dice Control Setting
Once you have learned to throw the dice so that the axes of rotation stays parallel to the felt, you must now learn the best ways to take advantage of your new skill.
First off, it's important to note that some precision shooters can influence the dice in their favor without stopping them on axis. Skillful shooters often throw fewer double pitches than random shooters, even if their dice do not stop on axis any more frequently.
This means that there are two ways to get an edge when tossing dice. They are:
Correlation is an important key to successful dice control. It means that the number that one die stops on is not independent of the number that the other die stops on. If you practice to the point that you can toss 2 dice into the air with some amount of control, then you have achieved a measure of correlation. With continued practice, you should then be able to get the dice to stop on axis. However, you can win without achieving this. To achieve correlation, dice must be tossed down the table and fly almost as one singular unit. They should then land on edge and roll forward in an identical motion. To accomplish this, it's important that the dice are thrown in such a way that they only rotate on their left-right axes.
Throwing the dice on axis is the most important element of getting an edge, not having the dice stop on axis. While this can also be used to get an edge, it is not a requirement to success. If you wish to accomplish this, however, you must toss the dice in a way that permits the dice to stop only on their rotating faces. This is a very difficult feat to master.
The best way to try and accomplish this is to start with a hardways set. Your dice will begin identical and rotate about their 1-6 axes. If you are throwing correctly, 1s and 6s should not come up when the dice land. This is also an excellent set to use in order to compile data about the quality of your throws. Whatever the result of the throw, you know where the numbers were when you set them. This will allow you to know if the numbers started on rotating faces or side faces.
There is a term which is commonly used to rate the skill level of a crapshooter. It is called SRR, or "Sevens: Rolls Ratio." To estimate you SRR, you must count total rolls and total sevens for a sample of casino tosses. The best way to do this is with chips in the chip rack. Start by setting hardways on every roll of the dice. On you first roll, place one chip by itself. After your next toss, move another chip over. For each roll, move another chip. If you are getting too many chips, you can always change them in for chips of a higher denomination. Also set up a different section and use chips to keep track of any 7s which are rolled.
When it is time for the next shooter to take over, take a look at the number for total rolls and total sevens and make a note of them on a piece of paper. The next time the dice come back to your spot, you can start the process all over again.
To calculate the SRR, tally up your total throws and total 7s. After you have done this with a few hundred throws, divide total 7s by total rolls to get your SRR.
Completely random rolls will yield a ratio of 7s to rolls of 1:6. If your SRR is 1:6, the casino has the same percentage edge when you're shooting as it would any random shooter. In order to break even on line and come bets, you need an SRR of about 1:6.1. You should avoid taking on the casinos until your SRR is at least 1:6.4. If you can keep your axes of rotation parallel to the felt on almost every throw, then your SRR should be a healthy 1:6.5.
Do you remember the definition of a double pitch? It's when one die rotates two faces more than the other die. This can be a real problem for those attempting dice control, but is can be fixed.
One possible solution is to set the dice to show 7s on the top and near faces. This will allow your double pitches to be winners and your primary hits to be losers. But before you implement this strategy, make sure that you really are throwing an excess of double pitches. Otherwise, this trick will not work, and you will find yourself losing even more than before.
It is also important to know under what conditions you will throw excess double pitches. Maybe it's when you are tired, or drunk, or when the felt on the table is too thick. If you throw double pitches on every occasion, then you should go back and work more on your technique before betting at a casino. But if double pitches are limited to certain situations, then you will be able to set sevens and compensate. The rest of the time, you are better off setting hardways.
The choice of your dice set should also be based on how well your dice stop on their axis. If your dice do not stop on axis very often, then you are better off putting as many 7s as possible on the die faces, which is accomplished by using the hardways set.
If, however, your dice do tend to stop on axis, then you should put as few 7s as possible on rotating faces. The lowest number possible is 2. The best way to get your dice to stop on axis is to roll them in such a way as to cause them to hit the table and then barely touch the wall. Of course, the dealer may frown on this practice if the dice do not make solid contact with the wall.
Choosing the proper dice set is like choosing the proper tool for a job. The right one will allow you to work efficiently and get the job done, while the wrong one will lead to frustration and monetary loss. Think carefully before you reach into your bag of "tools," as your bankroll may very well depend on it.