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Axis Power Craps
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Buy Heavy's Axis Power Craps Manual!
Axis Power Craps details five skill sets almost anyone can learn. Master these and you too can become a precision craps shooter. Order now and find out how!
Axis Power Craps includes betting strategies for every dice pre-set arrangement. Precision dice shooting works for both right-way and wrong-way play. Your package features an instructional 100 page workbook with dozens of photographs of dice pre-sets and grips. Each book comes with two shirt-pocket precision dice shooting strategy cards, as well as practice forms you can duplicate and use to record your rolls.
Axis Power Craps is just $39.95 including all shipping and handling. Orders are sent promptly via Priority Mail. Order on-line through PayPal at this link:
If you prefer to pay by check or money order, send your remittance to:
Steve "Heavy" Haltom
P.O. Box 7094
Tyler, Texas 75711
Be sure to include your shipping address and e-mail address for order confirmation. |
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Precision Shooter Starter Kit
Interested in getting started in Precision Shooting but don''t know where to start? A good place to begin is with the right equipment. And that''s where this Starter Set Special that Shootitall and I developed came into play.
Your Precision Shooter Starter Kit includes the following items:
* Shootitall''s Big Rig Jr - the premier practice rig in the market today. This rig snaps together and breaks down in seconds thanks to Shootitall''s innovative Mag-Connection.
* Heavy''s Limited Edition Axis Power Craps Seminar on DVD - See the basics of precision shooting as Heavy coaches students on live table in the dealer school.
* The Crapshooter''s Buffet audio CD - Learn about bankroll, money management and discipline in this rip-roaring half-hour of craps comedy.
Obviously you''ll want to have some sort of idea just how to toss the dice. In order to help you out in that department I''m tossing in a copy of the Limited Version of the Axis Power Craps Seminar on DVD. This DVD contains all of the toss-technique related material from the live seminars and includes about fifteen minutes of live tosses and coaching at the table. You''ll see how we set, grip, and toss the dice - as well as how we adjust for toss errors and get back on track when things go wrong.
We''ll also include a copy of the Axis Power Craps Seminar Playbook, which contains most of the betting strategies we teach in the live sessions, a couple of laminated dice setting strategy cards, and a pair of Axis Power Craps red and green practice dice.
How much are all these goodies going to cost? If sold separately this package would retail for almost $400. But right now the entire package - including the practice rig, the video, the seminar play book, the audio CD, and strategy cards and the dice are yours for just $279 plus shipping and $31 shipping and handling.
Order now via PayPal at this link:
To pay by check or money order, send your remittance to:
Steve "Heavy" Haltom
P.O. Box 7094
Tyler, Texas 75711
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The Difference in Craps and Blackjack by Steve "Heavy"Haltom
Ignoring the obvious, one is a card game and one is a dice game, there are a lot of differences in craps and blackjack - just as there are a lot of similarities. But there’s one major difference. A skilled dice influencer with a long-run SRR of 1:7 has an advantage on the individual bets that is pretty much constant if he does everything correctly. Oh, he will win some and lose some due to the variability inherent to the game. But over the long run it will all work out to his advantage.
A skilled card counter may have an advantage over the house when the composition of the deck is correct, but that advantage varies with the composition of the deck, how many decks are being dealt and how deep the dealer is dealing into the shoe, and the rules of the specific table he is playing. Therefore a card counter must effectively range his bets so that he maximizes his action when the deck is in his favor. The advantage craps player, on the other hand, only has to resize his bets as his bankroll increases or decreases. His edge is constant.
Let’s say our skilled dice controller tosses a six. On the next toss he throws another six. Then he tosses another, and another. Guess what? The dice still have the same number of sixes on them. The shooter hasn’t exhausted the supply. He may go on to toss fifteen or twenty sixes in a single hand and the dice will still be the same. But what about a single deck blackjack game where all four aces have been dealt? Think you’re going to be dealt a blackjack on the last hand before shuffle-up? Not a chance.
Here’s another way craps differs from blackjack. Craps has one bet - the Free Odds bet - that actually offers a correct payoff. The house has no advantage over the players on the Free Odds bet. And if the shooter is a skilled dice influencer the Free Odds bet offers him a significant positive EV. After all, there’s no house edge to overcome.
Blackjack has no bet that offers a correct payoff. Yes, you can double after a split, but you cannot add additional money to an existing wager once the first cards are dealt. In craps you can put more money on the table all the way up to table max. Craps even has a bet - the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come - that allows you to bet that you will lose. The closest thing to that blackjack has is the insurance bet.
Speaking of the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come - have you noticed how closely blackjack players resemble wrong way craps players? You don’t see them bumping knuckles with their neighbor or exchanging high fives. When was the last time you a blackjack player - or a dark side craps player - cheering at the table? Yeah, they are a quiet lot.
So why bring up the subject of blackjack in a craps article? Simply because blackjack is one of just a handful of casino games that CAN be played with a positive expectation. Even if you cannot count cards, blackjack offers an extremely low vig to those who can manage to play correct strategy. And sometimes having a second game is a good way to reduce some of the heat you’re getting at the craps table.
As dice influencers we have a huge advantage blackjack players will never have. With skill and practice we can develop a constant edge at our game. No, you won’t win on every toss. Craps is still a volatile game. But you can stack the deck in your favor.
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Posted by heavy on Monday, October 27 @ 17:58:11 EDT (59 reads)
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Struggling with the Math by Steve ''Heavy'' Haltom
From time to time I talk about the struggles craps players face when dealing with casino math. Essentially we players come from three different schools. First off there are advantage players who base 100% of their play on mathematical decisions. It doesn't matter to these guys if the four has just rolled six times in a row - they are going to stick with the Pass Line and maximum odds, a couple of Come bets with maximum odds, and may on occasion place the six and eight.
Next on the list are the serious recreational players who rely largely on the math of the game when making decisions, but who also stay attuned to things advantage players say don't exist in craps - things like streaks and trends. Serious recreational players tend to rely more on Place bets than Come bets with odds because "a number has to roll twice for you to get paid if you bet the Come." They overlook the hard math associated with that decision in favor of non-math based logic.
Last of all, there's the recreational gambler who doesn't worry about the math of the game at all - she or she is just there to have fun. Often these are folks who just get to the casino once or twice a year. Sometimes they are players who are brand new to the game. They may be Field bettors or prop bettors. They may be parlayers or power-pressers. Or they may stick to the old Three Point Molly play. When they win they do so because of the math of the game. Standard deviation, always a factor in craps, kicked in and put them in the plus column. They got lucky and were in the right place at the right time.
I’m no stranger to the struggles players go through with the math of the game – and odds are you aren’t either. The fact is, sometimes things that "look" logical - aren't. Take, for example, the thing serious recreational gamblers look for. The “streak” or “trend.” The trend is your friend, right? We’ve all heard it before. However, since craps is a game of independent trials, what happened in the past has no bearing on what happens in the future. Still, when the table heats up one of two things happens. The gambler in us kicks in and we get some money on the layout – or the logic in us kicks in and we stand there and possibly watch the roll of the day pass us by.
Through the years I’ve developed a philosophy regarding trends and the “dice have no memory” thing. That philosophy is simple. The dice have no memory, but they do have a history. And as any student of history will tell you – it has a way of repeating itself.
Back in 32AD there was unrest in the Middle East. A thousand years later, during the Crusades, there was still unrest in the Middle East.
Two hundred years ago the Barbary Coast pirates held this country's feet to the fire, kidnapping American citizens and holding them for ransom while they extorted millions of dollars from the young American government.
Today, the war against radical Islam continues. If I were to make book on it, I’d say a thousand years from now that region of the Middle East will still be in turmoil.
How does this tie back to casino game play? Simple. I always assume that an established trend will continue until the dice prove me wrong. I never bet against the trend. I either bet with the trend, or I don’t bet at all.
Let’s say a player is tossing fours as his dominant number. By dominant number I mean the four is occurring at a non-random rate. Instead of rolling one time in twelve tosses it may be showing every third or fourth toss. In that situation, I will bet the four and will continue to bet it until that trend is over. My first win will pay for the bet and guarantee a profit on that number. I may collect on that bet four or five times before the trend ends – or I may not collect on it at all. But when the seven shows I will only lose a single wager.
Another way to follow the trend it is to convert your Place Bets to Come Bets with odds. Let’s say you’ve detected a trend on the four, eight, and ten. You’ve placed the eight for $30 and bought the four and ten for $25 each. Now make a $10 Come Bet and let the dice decide which number the wager should travel to. The four rolls again. You’ll pay the $1 juice on the buy bet and collect $50. The $10 Come Bet travels to the four. Since it’s a 3, 4, 5X odds game, you drop another $5 on the layout and tell the dealer to bring down the buy bet on the four and use the $30 for odds. You have $40 total on the four, but you collected net $49 on the first hit. You have a $9 guaranteed win locked up on the four, and if the four repeats you’ll win an additional $70.
Let’s assume that a couple of other numbers roll before the four repeats. One Come Bet travels to the nine. It is the first nine to roll during this hand. Should you back it with odds? The Dice Doctor, Sam Grafstein, used to say, “You only back a winning horse.” Using Grafstein's guideline, you would not to take odds until the number “earns” them by repeating.
Let’s assume your third Come Bet traveled to the eight. You collect $35 for the Place Bet on the eight. The house will let you take $50 odds. Take down the $30 Place Bet on the eight, add $20 of your payoff to it and take full odds. You’ll still have a $5 profit for the exchange – we’re netting out the $10 Come Bet - and you’ll be positioned to win $70 on the next hit on the eight.
Where should you go from here? Looking at the layout, you have a $10 Come Bet with $30 odds on the four, a $10 Come Bet with $50 odds on the eight, a $10 Come Bet with no odds on the nine, and a $25 Buy Bet on the ten. At this point, with three Come Bets on the table I would suggest re-converting the Come action to Place and Buy Bets when they repeat. Let’s play it out.
Say the next roll is a nine. I lock up a $10 win and am glad to get it. The four rolls next and pays me $70 and down. That’s $110 total added to my rack because the bet came down as well. At that point I would Buy the four for $50, converting it from a Come Bet with odds back to a Buy Bet. Next the eight rolls and I collect $70 and down. That’s $130 total added to my rack because the bet also came down. My next move is to Place the eight for $60. And since all of my Come Bets have worked off the board I can once again go to the Come and re-convert them. With this style of play it’s easy to move back and forth from Place Bets to Come Bets, and the dice will insure that you follow the trend. Just be sure to limit yourself to two or three Come Bets on the table at a time.
Craps is a game of streaks and trends. Can you accurately predict whether a trend will continue? Of course not. But craps players should always follow the line of least resistance and never argue with the the dice. Find the trend and follow it. It won’t lead you wrong.
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Posted by heavy on Sunday, August 03 @ 16:57:04 EDT (153 reads)
(Read More... | Score: 5) |
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Revisiting Regressions by Steve ''Heavy'' Haltom
As craps players become more serious about the game they inevitably find themselves drawn to Advanced Craps by John Patrick - one of the best - if not THE best - craps strategy books in existence. One of the strategies many of us are quickly drawn to is the regression move. Simply put, a regression move is a play designed to lock up an early profit on a shooter and position the player for a larger win should the hand continue. It’s a strategy I use in virtually every session I play. While it does not give you a mathematical edge over the house, it does let the disciplined gambler play from a position of power. It is an especially effective way for precision shooters to play.
Let’s look at a player with a respectable SRR of 1:7 using the V-3 pre-set. For the sake of this example, let’s assume he keeps the dice on axis 100% of the time. Not only does the player know that on average, he’s going to get around ten tosses in before the devil jumps up, he also knows the distribution of numbers that will likely roll. Out of sixteen possible on-axis combinations, two add up to seven, six add up to six or eight, four add up to five or nine, and four add up to three, four, ten and eleven. Our astute player knows his advantage is on the inside numbers, and he bets those numbers in proportion to his advantage, with three chips each on the six or eight for every two on the five or nine. He knows that he may go point-seven, or he may shoot the lights out with a forty-five number hand. But over the long haul, if his tracking is correct, he will average eight tosses once the point is established. To err on the conservative side, he’s elected to play a strategy that includes a regression to lock up a profit after the fourth post-Come Out toss. His regression involves coming down off the five and nine and reducing the size of his bets on the six and eight. He will “same bet” subsequent hits until he gets over his SRR “hump.” If the roll extends beyond roll eight he will press every other hit in an up and out strategy.
Now let’s plug some numbers in and see how the hand plays out. Let’s give the player $1000 bankroll in a $10 – 2X odds game. He plays $10 on the Pass Line and establishes the six as his point and takes $20 in free odds. He places the eight for $30, and the five and nine for $20 each. Remember, he sized his place action according to his advantage, placing more emphasis on the six and eight, where he has the greatest edge with the V-3. Now let’s play out the hand.
Six is the point.
Second toss – rolls 8. Shooter collects $35. $90 action on the table. $55 at risk.
Third toss – rolls 9. Shooter collects $28. $90 action on the table. $27 at risk.
Fourth toss – rolls 3. No change in bankroll. Shooter comes down off the 5 and 9. Regresses the eight to $12, and regresses the free odds behind the Pass Line to $10. $32 on the table. $31 guaranteed profit for the hand.
Fifth toss – rolls 10. Same action.
Sixth toss – rolls 8. Same bet. Lock up an additional $14. $32 action on the table. $45 guaranteed profit for the hand.
Seventh toss – rolls 5. Same action.
Eighth toss – 7 out. House locks up the $32 action. Player colors in a $45 profit.
It’s really that simple. Now, there are all sorts of variations you can spin off the above action. You could turn your bets off on rolls seven, eight, and nine – leaving just your line bet working. You could pick up your free odds and just go with the flat bet for a few tosses. Or you could convert to Come betting and let the dice decide what do to next. Of course, if you choose the latter, remember you are taking chips out of your guarantee and putting them back in action. Limit yourself to one or two Come bets, or play a modified version of the Heat Seeking Craps Strategy by coming down on place action as Come bets travel, and going strictly with flat bets until a number repeats itself and “earns” its free odds bet.
In my opinion, locking up a profit early is a smart way to play. If you will do it consistently it will go a long way toward improving your craps bottom-line.
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Posted by heavy on Sunday, August 03 @ 15:51:39 EDT (167 reads)
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How Much Bankroll do you Really Need? - by Steve "Heavy" Haltom
A new Axis Power Craps Forum member who was also new to the game recently asked me off line just how much money he needed to buy in for to play craps. It’s a good question, and one that deserves a good answer. The answer is “as much as you can afford.” But it really doesn’t have to be that much.
Recently I caught myself laughing under my breath at a woman who stepped up beside me and bought in for $20. She bet the pass line on the next shooter and he set a point of nine. She $6 odds on the next toss the shooter made his point. Suddenly the $11 she’d put at risk turned into $24. Next, on a point of ten, she took $22 and made an inside bet and started collecting. She took $2 from her first two payoffs and bet the hardways for a dollar each. Then she took down her five and nine, parlayed a hit on the hard six and hit her parlay. Suddenly her $20 buy in had turned into over $120. Meanwhile, I had yet to place my first bet because the shooter was not “qualified” in my book. Admittedly these sorts of stories are rare, but they do happen every day in some casino somewhere.
Click on "Read More," below, to read the rest of this article.
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Posted by heavy on Wednesday, September 26 @ 23:57:06 EDT (372 reads)
(Read More... | 3777 bytes more | Score: 5) |
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Surviving Your Next Casino Disaster - by Steve ''Heavy'' Haltom
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hurricane season again. It was just three years ago that Katrina wreaked havoc on the U.S. Gulf Coast. To my knowledge, all of our board members from that part of the world survived the storm - many against harrowing odds. In every disaster it seems some miraculously survive while others perish. Sometimes the survivors just happened to get lucky. But as often as not, they survive because they are prepared.
Survival experts say the difference in living and dying often boils down to simple preparation. Survivors usually have a plan. They prepare to execute that plan in advance by doing things like assembling a disaster supply kit. They keep things like bottled water, freeze dried food, and essential medical supplies on hand. They have a specific goal in mind, including a place to go to, how to get there, and what they’ll do if they encounter problems along the way. Most importantly, they never give up.
Survival at the casino requires some of the same advance preparation. Every player should have a plan for play. He should have everything he needs to survive his casino session, including knowledge of the game, sufficient bankroll, a correct betting strategy, and an exit strategy for when things don’t go his way. Most importantly, the savvy player never gives up. He may run from the storm - but when it’s all clear he’ll be right back in there - digging out and doing what it takes to survive. You can rebuild a bankroll. You can come back with better skills that and stronger discipline. You can come back and win.
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Posted by heavy on Wednesday, September 26 @ 23:41:08 EDT (339 reads)
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Pulling the Plug by Steve "Heavy" Haltom
There are basically two things that can happen when you play craps. You can win or you can lose. If you plan your play before you start, an integral part of that plan should be determining how much you expect to win that day. That amount becomes your Win Goal.
Setting a Win Goal does not mean you will stop play when you hit that goal. It simply means that once you surpass that goal you will lock up your buy-in and guarantee. As long as you continue to win you can continue to play with any incremental profit you made over and above your Win Goal. You can even set incremental goals to handle excess wins. For example, you might decide to lock up every other win as you continue to play, building upon your earlier profit. However, if the table turns and you start to lose your incremental profit do not stand there and continue to play until you lose it all. Add it to the chips you already locked up and call it a day.
To read the rest of this article click on "Read More, below."
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Posted by heavy on Monday, May 14 @ 07:39:31 EDT (415 reads)
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Taking the Table's Temperature - by Steve "Heavy" Haltom
Ask any group of craps players what constitutes a “hot” or “cold” table and you are likely to get a variety of answers. Most veteran players can recognize a sizzling hot or ice-cold table. Oh the other hand, the majority of the players in the game misread choppy tables. Too bad, since the tables are choppy the majority of the time.
Right way players generally define a “hot” table as one that is producing a significant number of “box numbers” and “passes” relative to the number of sevens being rolled. A “cold” table is one that is producing many seven outs relative to the number box numbers rolled. A savvy bettor can easily exploit either of these types of tables. However, a “choppy” table - one that is kicking off a mixed set of results without any obvious pattern – is almost impossible to play profitably.
Click on "Read More," below to read the rest of this article.
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Posted by heavy on Friday, December 22 @ 19:10:44 EST (562 reads)
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Prop Bet Pitfalls - by Steve "Heavy" Haltom
Prop bets. Gamblers love them. So do the casinos. That’s why they have the stick man hawking them like a carnival barker. Despite the occasional large pay outs on these bets the house cleans up on them. Let’s take a tour of the prop box and I’ll show you what I’m talking about.
First off, around the fringe of the prop box you’ll see a group of chip-sized circles with arrows pointing toward the various table positions and bearing the letters “C” and “E”. While the casino would like you to make both of these bets at the same time, in craps each bet must stand alone for evaluation so let’s start with the “C,” or Any Craps bet.
Click on "Read More," below for the rest of this article.
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Posted by heavy on Tuesday, March 21 @ 00:29:29 EST (711 reads)
(Read More... | 6874 bytes more | Score: 5) |
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Building Craps Confidence - by Steve "Heavy" Haltom
If you lack confidence when stepping up to the tables there is something you can do about it. ACT confident. No matter how little confidence you actually have, by ACTING confident you begin to build confidence. Every action you take brings you more confidence and leads you to take additional action.
As a child, you didn’t learn to walk all at once. You pulled yourself up beside a chair or coffee table, looked around for approval then stepped out in faith. You acted confident. And after one step came the next, and the next, and the next until you were running, jumping, and dancing for joy. And it all started by acting.
How is your lack of confidence holding you back? What can you do right now to begin building the confidence you need? What small action are you confident enough to take that will put you on the road to more confidence? Think about it. Then go ahead and do it. Take that first step. Act now!
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Posted by heavy on Friday, October 28 @ 19:59:35 EDT (1012 reads)
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Gambling problem? Help is available.
All forms of gambling carry an inherent risk. You could lose. Never gamble with money you cannot afford to lose.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling toll free at 1-800-522-4700. |
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Axis Power Craps Dice Control Seminar DVD!
The seminar is available in both a Limited and a Full Version. The Limited Version of the DVD includes the portion of the seminar that deals specifically with the mechanics of the grip and toss, along with roughly twenty minutes of tossing and coaching live at the craps table. Running time is approximately forty minutes. Order the limited version via PayPal now for just $89.00 plus shipping and handling. US customers add $4 shipping and handling. Canadian customers add $6 shipping and handling.
The Full Version contains all of the above - and more. Almost three hours of player education featuring the best dice sets, grips, tosses, and more. In addition, we cover betting strategies, money management, discipline, focus, the mental edge, and playing the comp game to win. You'll also receive the seminar workbook, strategy cards, and a pair of Dice Coach dice as an added bonus. Order the Full version via PayPal below for just $189.00 plus shipping and handling. US customers add $6 shipping and handling. Canadian customers add $11 shipping and handling.
If you prefer to pay by check or money order, send your remittance to:
Steve "Heavy" Haltom
P.O. Box 7094
Tyler, Texas 75711
Please include your shipping address and an e-mail address for order confirmation.
The Axis Power Craps Clinic on DVD - it's the next best thing to being there! |
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Heavy is Available for Private Lessons
Heavy is available for small private group seminars in Las Vegas, Tunica, and Biloxi.
You'll receive an advance copy of Heavy's Axis Power Craps Seminar on DVD and all of the related training material. Then, at the seminar you'll have Heavy's undivided attention for two full days.
Saturday morning you will meet Heavy and take a casino walk, learning about the tables we prefer and why. If conditions are favorable you may play a brief live casino session together before a mid-morning brunch. Afterward, you'll have your first four-to-six-hour toss training session, learning the sets and the bets that will get the money.
Saturday evening, casino conditions permitting, you will play a live session, followed by a review of your play and ways you might improve on it. After that you'll be on your own for the evening. But don't stay up playing all night. Sunday is a full day.
Sunday morning begins with an early-bird in-casino session. Afterward we'll adjourn to a private table again where we'll spend another four to six hours perfecting your dice grip and toss. We'll analyze your toss with BoneTracker and custom-design a dice pre-set arrangement for you. Then we'll play a virtual casino session so you'll be 100% ready for that afternoon's final live session.
All in all, you'll have almost eighteen hours of face time and table time with the big guy - including at least three live casino sessions.
Sign on with three of you friends and the cost per person for this exciting private weekend is $1000 less than you'd pay for our overpriced competitor's group classes. Pay just $3995 for up to four players. Add up to two additional players for just $500 each. Maximum class size is six players.
Reservations must be made and pre-paid a minimum of thirty days in advance. For more information contact Heavy direct at:
axispowercraps@gmail.com or telephone 1-888-YO-HEAVY. |
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