Hi you all out there in gamin' land. I finally was able to get the mail off to you yesterday morning. Included in the text you'll find that article I told you about, it cracked me up. Also in it is a formula for the odds on the "pass" and "don't pass" lines. In previous articles we talked about those odds as odds (See PressPoints, GAMIN' n' Gamblin', Vol. 1 - Issue 4) but we didn't get into the formula on how those odds were formulated.

As we open our craps discussion today I want to let you know that finding a history to this game was quite unraveling. Finding a past to a game that was pretty hush hush in any social circle is not easy. But try we did. I know that we discussed a brief history of the origins of craps (See PressPoints, GAMIN' n' GAMBLIN', Vol 1 - Issue 6)

but here is a more concise overview of the game.

One of the earliest finds of dice, or rather a close cousin to those enduring cubes, was with early man who ground down (or worn down) animal knucklebones into an eight sided configuration. In the many books I consulted, reference were found that told me of the many civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans, who, for many reasons including hard core gamblin', cast tessera (cubes) or the talus (elongated cubes). The talus was occasionally numbered 1,3,4,6, on the long sides, leaving the small ends unassigned.

A prime example would be an episode of Julius Caesar tossing a die (a talus) to resolve his indecision over a crossing of the Rubicon. In mythological fables there is a mention of Mercury playing dice with Selene and winning the five days of the epact (to harmonize the solar and lunar calendars with 365 days). The earliest six sided dice were numbered with consecutive numbers on opposite sides, (1-2,3-4,5-6), but as far back as the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (circa 1370 B.C.) was the standardized format introduced whereby two numbers totaling 7 were etched on opposing faces (1-6,2-5,3-4).

The ancient civilizations have cast their penchant for gamin' n' gamblin' far into their future and today all casinos use this format of dice, with most using right-handed dice, where the values of 1,2, and 3 progress counterclockwise around their common axis. Some use the left-handed variety. There are no changes in odds whatever ones are used.

That's it folks! I will write about the research I did on the on the middle ages and the introduction of craps into New Orleans in next month's feature. In future issues, I have lined up for you the actual, intricate formulas of the "Pass" and "Don't Pass" lines, including a comprehensive dissertation on them from a university math professor. Also I will bring you the ongoing battle between a college music teacher, who plans to introduce students to one of his favorite casino games, craps and his opponents, who take the position that he is better off sticking to Vivaldi instead of "Viva Las Vegas".

Also, as soon as I formulate the questions, we will be conducting a "Gamblin'Survey". So, pilgrims, stay tuned!