Bad Mistake

[skibum11]

I have been having some problems at the table lately and have been bouncing back and forth from SL1 and straight away. I visit a local casino one hour and 15 minutes away every weekend. I have had some very good rolls several 30-45 minute rolls per weekend for 3 weekends from the end then weekend before last i was having problems from both positions and lost about 1200$. The good news is I was up from the previous weeks atleast 2k. I asked for Heavy's opinion and he diagnosed the problem right away. I made the changes and was back in business. My wife is also a DI and we have a program for my ipad called craps wizard and we decided to take it serious and entered a couple hundred rolls each and then headed to the casino ready to use our new recommended sets. My wife immediately made us 300$ but I could not get started. She left and I continued to struggle. I then went back to my old 3v set 3/2 3/6 and after 4 sessions that weekend I ended up about 400$. Last monday i realized my mistake, the set the Craps Wizard called 3v was 3/1/3/6 so my new set that was recommended was incorrect. So I'm back to practicing and looking forward to my next trip this weekend. BTW I have been practicing seriously for the past three years and my wife and I have taken a class with the Dice Coach last year. Currently both my wife and I are on axis consistently in the high 60s to low 70s. Right now my biggest problem is distractions, hands in the tub dealers screwing around or new players getting craps lessons at the table throwing the word seven around like its is a good thing. I need help focusing better.
Ron the Hothead

[heavy]

Yeah, we need to work on getting you in your "happy" place when shooting. I think I sent you the links to the "closing the blinders" article.

Here is a simple visualization exercise that will enable you to relax deeply in your hotel room before going down to the casino. It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to do. But once you've practiced it a few times, you can call on it instantly whenever you're in a stressful situation, before things get out of control.

Sit in a chair. If it's comfortable for you, keep your back straight. Breathe in through your nose to a count of four. Breathe out through your mouth to a count of eight. If you have some privacy, say "huh, huh, huh" at the end of the exhalation. Repeat the breaths four times.

Close your eyes. Tighten the muscles in your feet and then relax. Concentrate on feeling the muscles relax. Repeat. Tighten the muscles in your calves, relax, feel the relaxation, and repeat. Do the same with the muscles in your thighs, then with your buttocks stomach and lower back, then with your chest, then your upper back, then your shoulders, then arms, then hands, then neck. Make a face, scrunching up your facial muscles, relax, and repeat.

Think of a peaceful setting. It can be a beach or a forest or anything. The important thing is that it be someplace that you've been where you felt relaxed and happy and just all-around good. Remember what the place looked like. Picture the details in your mind. Then remember the sounds that you heard. Next, add in the smells. Then your sense of touch -- what do you feel on your skin? Finally, add in the taste. Let all your senses work as you re-experience this place where you felt great.

Next visualize yourself in the casino. It’s a beautiful property with all of the amenities you have come to appreciate. You stroll up to the craps pit, see your position open at one of the tables, walk up and smile at the dealer. She smiles back and welcomes you to the game. You notice the puck is off so you buy in and the dice immediately come to you. You place your pass line bet and select two dice, quickly setting them then lofting them perfectly down the table. The dice land and your favorite point is called. You take odds on your bet, place your other power numbers, then loft the dice down the table again. They tumble in mirror image to one another, touch down lightly and bounce once to the back wall. The stick man calls “Win win win, pay pay pay. We have ourselves a shooter.”
Stay in this “winning” place in your mind for about five minutes, experiencing it as vividly as you can with all of your senses. The sights, the sounds, the exhilaration of winning.

When you are ready, open your eyes. Stand up, lift your arms over your head and stretch. Drop your arms and shake them out.
At this point, think about how you now know how to relax - and how to win. It's a skill -- a learned skill -- and it is yours. The more you practice this exercise, the more skillful you will become.

When you get to the table and find yourself getting stressed - while the stick is mucking the dice around just take a second to close your eyes, visualize that forest or sea shore, take a deep breath, let it out and think "winning." Then pick up the dice and hear the stick say "we got ourselves a shooter." Then prove him right.

[larry@143]

I was pretty happy barely breaking the 50% on axis level until your post revealing 60 to 70% for both of you. Now I feel my practice for the last couple of years was futile. May I ask whether you toss oh or uh?

on another note, did anyone try the takedown system that claims outrageous results. Sounds like part mp (reg ression) obie (timing) and wizard (take me down) just read bout it on my insomiac night.

[SHOOTITALL]

Larry: You should check your grip. It is the little things that matter.

[Tgold]

skibum11--Hi and thx for your time/willingness to share. Your post may expedite others ability to catch a similar error before too much money is lost. Good job catching the craps wizard error so promptly.

Re: Craps Wizard App--Was the error from just a difference in your description of 3V set vs what Craps Wizard App calls a 3Vset?

Does this CrapsWizApp give specific permutations for the recommended set? OR for example does it give several specific perms for the 3Vset but call them all "3Vs" ?

Do you think the CrapsWizard erred because it gave you correct feedback , but on a small sample of 200 tosses which may(or may not) have been sufficient?

Thx in advance for your reply.

Good rolling and wishing only the best for you/wifes continued success at the tables.


All the best,
Tgold

[larry@143]

thanks shootitall, you are sooo right. i find it hard to complete one book using the exact same toss and not tweaking something along the way.

[skibum11]

Thanks for the feedback esp from you Heavy I really appreciate your help as for the gentleman that's is worried that his practice is wasted, that is so untrue many times I platuaed about a year ago I was in high 50s low 60s and that is when a first starting talking to Heavy to be honest I never realized I had made it into the 70s till a couple months ago here is some of the changes I have made I first started out as classic GTC overhand throw switched grips several times and finally back to three finger I took lessons from dice coach and he suggested table to air no backswing he also suggested I try to add to my throwing positions I used to throw from both sides but found I had to really twist to be square from Stick right and I could not start dice from the table on that side. I was totally freaked out about shooting from the end but tried it in Vegas when I could not get my spot I did well but was still worried about it. After reading Heavy's trip reports I tried from the end again with good results so I now go back and forth between sl1 and the end. My biggest problem to date is my mind and that is what I'll work on now hope that helps someone and I will make a trip report after the weekend thanks for all your input oh sorry I forgot one last question to answer dice wizard is awesome I just made the mistake of not paying attention to their 3v set and the 3v set I was throwing so when I used the set they recommended the results were wrong totally my fault hope that helps
Ron the hot head

[skibum11]

Tgold I think craps wizard is an on going process for example I think I should practice all week then look at the reports and change sets to the recommended set of the week I think the feedback it gives is excellent I just need to get more consistent

[Tgold]

Skibum11 --Thx for clarification and expansion on above post.

I'm not familiar with the Craps Wizard App but will research it further. I could see it being beneficial and especially if I could record a few hundred tosses at my primary casino and preferred table. My thoughts are that although my SRR on home table/ casino tables may be similar the specific dice outcomes may (or may not) be similar.



All the best,
Tgold