CJ 028 | Session Report #20

Casino : Treasury Brisbane

$300 buy in

Half table
SO-L
5 players all seasoned (I now consider myself in this category)
3V equivalent set

Bought in and I wasn’t settled yet and dice came straight to me, I passed. Looks of surprise on the other players faces. I should have shot straight away, as I didn’t get the dice for another 20 minutes and once again I’m on the clock, playing in my lunch break.

What was most different about this session is that I tracked my roles on paper not just with a chip count! Up until today I felt self conscious and embarrassed about it, because I have not seen anyone one else doing it. Granted I haven’t played a lot of craps over the years, and since I became a student of the game, I have logged only 18.15 hours table time so far.

I thought I’d make it look like I’m part of the crowd and grab a Baccarat tracking chart and pencil and just use that rather than bring out a little notepad.

Now that I’m no longer a charting virgin, I don’t feel bad about it all, no one paid me any attention about it, either from the players or the crew. It only took less than a second to write down a number after a decision on the dice, so I’ll now be tracking my rolls each and every time. I’ll even get a little note book for next week session.

Basically it was another chop session, with little in the way of break away rolls from anyone. In fact I had my worst session yet in terms of shooting. See card picture.

3 rolls, 7 rolls (made 1 point), and then PSO. So embarrassed by it, but learned a lot again.

Straight out is hard for me, as I have a right shoulder problem at the best of times, and find it hard to get the dice down the end together. I also fell down some stairs a few days ago and my back is now shot.

No excuse I should have therefore bet accordingly and went dark side across the board.

I used SIA one hit can’t miss, $10 DP and $6 six and eight on all other shooters which kept me level and ahead a bit. Then tanked badly on my own rolls.

Hmmm lots of lessons for me there. Nothing wrong with using the same strategy on myself until I warm up.

I was about to change strategy to $44 inside 2 hits and down on all players to get my chips back, looked at the clock and was at my time limit. Oh well.

Have to recoup my losses next week.

For those that are following my journey, here’s a summary of my sessions to date…

Buy In Colour Out Delta Percent
$ 4,850.00 $ 4,573.00 -$ 277.00 -6%

Coloured in $227 (-$73) in 1 hour and 30 minutes.

CJ 027 | Session Report #019 – My First Baccarat Game

Casino : Treasury Brisbane

$100 buy in
Mini baccarat

Found a computer terminal with a live dealer in front so I could watch them deal and reset the shoes. They deal 2 different games back to back. Must be boring for them with no interaction with the players.

First time playing baccarat, and it was very confusing as the dealer was not standing on hands that I thought he should stand on. And there was one hand I was sure player had won but he gave it banker and I lost my bet. I felt cheated.

But you can’t talk to the dealers with these electronic machines.

Treasury casino only has $25 min tables or $10 minimum computer terminals.

Speaking with my friendly craps dealers I’m getting to know. The casino is allowed a certain amount of pokie machines per fixed table game. Since they don’t have the space they put all these computer terminals in playing multi games (baccarat, roulette, sic bo) and each terminal is classified as a full table. Then they are allowed more pokies. Amazing way to get around legislation.

Anyway it was good to play a game sitting down. And test out some basic line bet strategies faster than at the craps table. Each hand happens every 45 seconds.

I have watched the full baccarat tables and even watching it is painful. These idiot players squeezing the cards and taking 1 minute to reveal the card they’ve been dealt. I just want to reach over and turn the damn thing over for them. What a joke.

Trying out a trend / anti trend strategy coupled with a win and loss progression and regression.

Got down to $25 then back up again, didn’t follow my strategy properly as I kept getting lost in my position in the strategy until I realised you could write stuff down and even use your phone at the terminals.

I like the speed of the game but dislike sitting alone tapping on a screen while at the casino without a dealer in front of you. Seems kind of wrong. Also I dislike that you have no connection to the outcome of the hand. Which is why I always have and will continue to love the game of craps over any other game that people can come up with. Maybe the skill based computer games that are now coming out in some USA casinos might sway my opinion on that if they ever get to Australia. But in my humble opinion craps is still the best.

Looking forward to road testing more baccarat plays.

Colour in $105 (+$5) in 1 hour

CJ 026 | Session Report #018

Casino : Treasury Brisbane

$300 buy in

Half table
SL1
1 to 2 other shooters

Got to the table just as they were opening. I have never seen this happen before. Lots of rituals and processes they have to go through. And paperwork! The pit boss brings out the keys to unlock the chips and a secure ziplock bag for the dice. Nice new purple ones today.

Quizzed him on why they can’t the give / sell me some of the old dice even after they have drilled a hole in them. He said they had to stop that since the old dice were ending up coming back onto the table. Crazy people that think they can swindle the casinos.

Took them what seemed like ages to open the table. But it was worth it. Chatted with the dealers getting to know then a bit more. Got SL1 and first shot of the dice.

Was setting a 3V equivalent and doing three finger over hand toss with fingers right at the top getting some serious backspin and landing right up near the back wall.

Unfortunately could not get past 3 rolls. Dice were splitting apart and rolling over in the air. I could see it happening like it was in slow motion.

The other shooters were no better, and they were not dice setters but were at least not totally random rollers shaking and tossing. They had a decent toss method.

I switched and started shooting dark. $10 with single odds. And got my money back.

Sure I lost the dice but with only 2 shooters not able to shoot I got the dice back quickly and I’d rather have the money.

I actually love shooting dark avoiding the seven on come out and then pushing for the seven. Must be my sadist nature coming out.

Since I had the dice so much I was able to try out lots of things. Really enjoyed this session.

If I shoot myself in the foot and knocked off my don’t pass I’d switch to pass line and go for it. With $10 PL and $22 or $44 inside. And press up to 5 units before same bet. Unfortunately as soon as I got to that stage on one number. I’d seven out.

Sometimes I did a $10 DP and then placed $6 six and eight no matter what the point was aka Shoot it All’s one hit can’t miss play and went for a transition to playing right side for the rest of my hand.

It was a negative table run that’s for sure.

The most I could get was 11 tosses. Bulk of them were 3 to 5 tosses. Just enough to suck you in. So just went with it as best I could.

Clawed my way back to just over even after some initial losses. Did that mostly by going $44 inside 2 hits for $28 return and down. Still think this is a solid play. $28 a shooter isn’t bad. 63.6% return on investment is wonderful. If only it worked every time…

Wanted to do a $66 inside on my own toss as Heavy suggested but after such a bad start I couldn’t risk it. Will try that next week.

So did a $10 PL and $44 inside on my last roll of the session and promptly PSO! Go figure should have stuck with dark side.

Colour in $253 (-$47) in 1 hr 30mns

CJ 025 | Session Report #017

Casino : Treasury Brisbane

$300 buy in
Half table
SL1
Just 2 other players

Didn’t bother reading the table today. Basically jumped straight in with $10 PL only to test and watch at the same time until my turn.

Toying with a line bet trend / anti trend method to use when I don’t have the dice.

One guy burned through his money and left which is ashame as I wanted to test this system out.

Anyway the remaining other player was the mad Russian I’ve spoken about previously. He loves a $5 C and $5 E on nearly every roll and when it hits goes to the horn.

After 2 roles of my own, PPSO and putting out $10 PL and $44 inside I was starting to get frustrated I could not get moving.

The mad Russian who is a total random roller was also PPSO and he was getting really upset.

I said to him and the dealers I’m switching over and shooting dark side. The stick man said Darth Maul shooter coming out. I thought that was nice.

The Russian said WTF are you doing. And after the roll ended quickly and he lost his bets and I won mine, shook his head, swore and said why would you do that.

I said I’d simply rather have the money than not.

Anyway tried to convince him to play dark with me and go with it. But he wouldn’t have it.

Got some money back twice with $10 DP and lay $20 odds on my own hand. Set for seven and got it quick.

I love quiet tables. So refreshing.

3 newbies came to the table and even the dealers were groaning. Fortunately they decided to not play.

Tried going dark side the 3rd time and shot myself in the foot so switched over on second point and just went with it and got some profit.

$10 PL and $22 inside – then press up 1 unit then up 3 units to get to 5 units before same bet.

Had a few roles of 10 throws and two roles of 16 throws. I just use my chips to count my throws.

Almost pulled myself back to even but once again ran out time.

The dice move quick with only 2 players so got my throws in. For lots of nice practice.

Couple more players joined the table and I announced last roll for me as I had to get back to work.

Not bad overall for a really choppy run.

But once again, as I analyse my playing and growing confidence with the dice. After a couple of hands to build confidence at the table and my spot. I’m beginning to see that if I go out hard for 2 hits and regress I’ll be much better off.

Something like $66 inside would work best.

I will try this bet method on myself next week.

Colour in $277 (-$23) in 1 hr 30 min

CJ 024 | Session Report #016

Happy new year everyone. I’ve had a couple of weeks break from casino visits during the holidays. But lots of practice in the mean time.

Casino : Treasury

$400 buy in

Half table
SO left side

This is the first time I had to wait to get on a table. I waited 30 mins of my very small 1.5 hr time slot on Friday afternoon before needing to go back to work.

I was thinking no one was going to leave but a couple of sucker hands cleaned out 2 spots.

I didn’t mind getting straight out. As I’ve been practicing for that. I really wanted to shoot but had 3 in front of me.

I fumbled trying to get my players card out and missed my buy in opportunity. I thought I’d do the right thing and not buy in until the dice were off.

Of course the mad Russian guy was back and he was on fire and I was missing out.

Oh well.

Had a big spender to my right dropping $100s everywhere. He actually new how to play and wasn’t pissing his money away. Saw him regress and also doing $500 DP twice (which he won on both times). He had a nice soft random toss and I did a $22 inside which I wish I could have taken a photo of his chips next to my 1 unit on the inside boxes. The whale and the minnow.

My turn finally and I’m at 1hr 15min mark. I could feel I was under the pump with 15 mins left on my casino window.

Set for hard ways today.

I surprised myself with hitting my landing zone first time. I was aiming for snake eyes on the don’t pass line. Even the stick man commented with “nice toss”.

Didn’t trust myself as the time pressure was getting to me.

Did a $10 PL and $22 inside. Hit 1 point on the 10. And slowly pressing.

Did press the 9 up 1 then up 3 with $1 to get to $25. I’m happy with that progression for now.

Had a 10 roll hand.

Guess what, 7’d out around 15 mins.

Classic lesson there. Self fulfilling prophecy.

Colour in $437 (+$37) in 1hr 30mins