As I was wondering what to write, a pamphlet came across my eyes in a gift shop. Its title was "Winning Strategies". That got my dander up enough to research the subject.

First off, before we even get started I must let you in on a policy that every casino has, on every game it has. It states that if you find a way to beat their game, they will not let you play it. Period. In the game of "21", card counting has been proven to work, but remember that the floor person can count too! When you are found out you are cordially asked to leave, sometimes without your gotten gains. So even in Craps you will find that every strategy devised will work, IF YOU GET LUCKY.

Every strategy book that I've ever read was based on the fact the skill level of the reader was quite high. So if one were to read these, as a novice, you would get lost on the first, maybe the second, bet. Don't get me wrong there are quite a few good books out there that take you through them, step by step, from stickman, floor man, to odds, hard ways, and one roll bets. But what I have found out, and I didn't need any stinking books, just experience, is that there are as many strategies to play as there are people that play them. Playing any type of strategy shouldn't be considered a winning way, but rather a way to get the percentages that are against you down. Included in all strategies, which all authors mention in their books, is patience. . If you're just starting to learn how to gamble, or if you've been at it for a while, try, just at first, making a "pass line" bet with the "odds" or a "don't pass" with the "lay" and just wait. Be patient. I repeat, Be Patient!

As a professional gambler (that's what they call us), I can assure you that this kind of a bet has a very low percentage against you. If all players were to play this way, casinos would have to put their covers over their Craps games and we would have to put our aprons into storage. A 6% house advantage would not pay the expenses incurred in running their games.

But players don't do that; human nature won't allow them to. Some need instant gratification and so we indulge them -- That's what a gamblin' Mecca is all about. So we offer players the "field", at a somewhat higher percentage against them. Other players need a big payoff for a small bet, so we offer you the "hard ways". Then there's those enticing roll bets: 8 for 1, 16 for 1, and 31 for 1. Of course these will eat your lunch faster than you will!

Now getting back to the strategy of being patient. Remember when I said to make your one bet on the "pass" and the other on the "come" and then wait? As you win increase your next bet and wait again. If you lose your bet, decrease on your next one and do what? Yes, wait!

So, the rule is: Increase when you win and decrease when you lose. Another starting strategy I could suggest is that you make a "pass line" bet and when a point is established make a bet on 6 and 8 and wait.

A German proverb says: PATIENCE is a bitter plant, but it has sweet fruit. So, remember, nothing beats PATIENCE.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Here, we got Ha3ry's message. It's not the joy of the game itself; it's how you play it that is the key.