Golden Touch Craps

Posts of the Month - October

This month the voting was completely unanimous. Not2Soon frequently posts small one liners, but this time he had a wonderful post about his stay in LV, and the POM goes to him. T-Burg wrote a good write-up about the lessons he had learned at his refresher class, and the POD goes to him.

Congratulations to both for such excellent posts!

Goddess

Not2soon - 09:25pm Oct 31, 2010 PT
Dream Team Member - WCC Casino Champ 09

As promised here is my version of the adventure at Battista's, a local Italian joint in Vegas.

I arrived in Vegas very, very late on Saturday night. A slew of storms hit Texas after I arrived at the airport that afternoon for my flight and for three hours flights were canceled and re-routed. It was torturous afternoon watching bewildered and frantic people argue with the airlines about the weather controlling technology they must be hiding and thus preventing them from making the life or death meeting or family event they had been born to attend. I really felt bad for the employees of American Airlines!!!

However, if they had just done something I would have already been in Vegas throwing a monster for which I was born to throw that very afternoon! It was not in the cards so I sat in the airport and watched the baseball game.

I finally arrived in Vegas, met my friend Dice Pilot and grabbed a quick snack before hitting the pillow at 3 am my home time! I was exhausted. As I drifted off to sleep, I felt old thinking that Ron and Bman were probably just beginning to get started somewhere.. crazy %^%$&&*! Oh well, Bman can mock my naps but I am getting them!

The next day I was tired so I did not roll too much. I met Ron for lunch and paid off my super bowl bet from last year. Come to think of it I paid off Bman's too.... hmmmmm... he could not make it so I got it. Now that is advantage play there, Bman!

Needless to say I was very happy when Billy invited DP and I to dinner with him, NFF, S8, and Rafter. Good food sounded much wiser to me than rolling. They specifically rented an SUV because they know I refuse to ride in anything "mini!" I appreciate it guys. And so we were off to some Italian joint to experience some off the strip food and little did I know some off the strip excitement.

The dinner was great. I was able to meet Mrs. Rafter and Mrs. 8! They seemed to be wonderful ladies. The dinner was full of fun conversation and great banter between 8 and I, who of course, just had to sit across from me so he could go on about some wet toast or something. I could not quite make out what he was saying because just as he launched into his diatribe on the WCC a very obnoxious sound filled my ears. No it was not his voice! It was an accordion player.

Now this is when things started simmering because NFF, who was to my right, was clearly very agitated by this guy. I was afraid to ask if something bad happened in band camp with an accordion. He started telling Billy to pay him to stop and keep him away. Then he threatened violence. I ate my lasagna a bit quicker because I did not want to miss the possible show. I was curious to see just how NFF was going to fit the instrument where he threatened to put it.

I am saddened to report that we may never know, because the accordion player never came within reach. I was disappointed because I was certain that NFF's grip as always would have been beautiful.

The rest of the dinner was uneventful; great conversation, good food, great friends, and wet toast... wet toast... wet toast!

We emerged from the restaurant to see more limos than at a Paris Hilton sex tape premiere! The parking lot of this joint is barely bigger than my garage and there were three limos pulling through. My first thought was that someone had leaked members of the DREAM team would be here. I tried to figure out who might have sold us out to the Paparazzi!

NFF was able to back our SUV out partly into the empty spot behind us so after the last limo passed which took about 5 minutes, we could hang a sharp right and leave through the other exit. A brilliant plan until some jackass shot out of nowhere to come up right behind the last limo and cut off our turn while we were halfway into it.

There was a jolt as NFF slammed on the brakes and started yelling. I thought the accordion player had followed us!

Okay I am tired so part two to follow in a couple of days!!!!

T-Burg - 04:08pm Oct 31, 2010 PT
Primer Grad 10/24/09 Refreshed 10/10

After taking the Primer in 10/09 I practiced for a year and had mixed results at the paying tables. Small losses and small wins with no real remarkable results. Felt like my throw was getting close but just needed something more.

Didn't have another GTCer in the area to critique me and a Coach was needed. At the Refresher you get that in spades

In a span of about 3 hours just about every aspect of my throw was analized and tweaked.

My first instructor was the great Dominator. My hands shook uncontrollably as Dom tried to check my grip. Nothing like being the first guy up face to face with the greatest dice controller in the world today. Can you say nervous.

Next station: Stance From the tips of my toes to my hairline my stance was corrected and I'm still shaking. Square your shoulders, up on the toes, bend at the waist, stay balanced and don't stand to high.

Wow, all good stuff

Next station: Arm Swing What happened to your Backswing? It doesn't even exist, you are way too short, let's lengthen that out. Still shaking. Get some rhythmn into that throw. Relax, Relax, Relax, Yeah right

Next More grip work. square up to the table, fingers straight across,use a mirror when you practice, relax still shaking, but not out of control

Next More work on the throw Finish your throw with your arm in a straight line to the target, lower the dice closer to the table

Next Billy the Kid! As I started to pick up the dice Billy stops me and says wait a minute here, I want you to look at something. He draws an imaginary line up my middle finger. Do you see what's wrong?The line isn't centered so my grip isn't square. Lets fix that right now and makes me roll the dice slightly to relieve the pressure on the outside fingers and helps me to relax the whole thing quite a bit, much easier. Wow Wow Wow Now you can throw. I throw . What was that, you just released the dice instead of letting them roll off your fingers. Work on that

Next Skinny's station He works on my release. Here swing your arm with me and get that nice slow control of your swing. Good Now let's work on that release. Skinny is the release something like the feel you get from a bowling ball? Skinny, big smile as he raises his hand to show his ring, and that would be his 300 club ring Yeah Wow

Mentor Arman what a great job you did for Top Shelf Team. Under your guidance all 4 of your students grew quickly. You kept things flowing station to station and gave each instructor a starting point on our weaknesses so there was no lost time. I really enjoyed the time spent with you.

After the organized class was over the instructors would hold their own practice session and there was a lot to be learned there also. If you were practicing someone would just stop by and watch and give you tips, Thanks Randman, Arman, Daryl, Billy, Raf and a host of others

At the Tables: I must say that on Sunday I was tired. My throw sucked. But of course I tried to play that night. My bankroll took a small hit and a boxman ragged me about not hitting the back wall hard enough and it was off to the room quickly.

Monday night was a different story. Started alone and found a nice cozy spot at SL1. There weren't many people players at the table so the dice came quickly. After 2 rolls B-Man slipped in at the next table so I quickly moved as SL1 was open there also. on his 3rd roll B-Man is starting to warm it up and has a productive roll and the dice come to me. My dice don't look particularly good but are producing paying numbers for the 3 of us. Nobody was counting the rolls but was able to double my buy in. Dice go back to B-Man and his dice look real nice. Suddenly 2 dealers get in a 5 minute argument over a $2 H6 . B-Man calls his bets off and I do likewise and of course the devil checks in a roll later. Everyone colors up B-Man is great to watch at the table and gave me quite a few pointers about live play. Thanks B-Man

As B-Man is leaving Other refreshers com in and we have 5 players at a table, with 2 blockers,Mike and I and SR1, Regina, SL1 John and SL2 Doc Sussie. First time around we 5 count and not much betting takes place. Second round Regina starts it off and starts to get things going with a productive roll. John and doc Sussie do likewise and chips are going in our racks.

A couple randies later back to Regina, and her throw os getting on track. A bad bounce and the devil drops by but a mid roll that makes money. John comes next and rolls really well and more chips are banked. We are all tipping and dealers are loving the action. Then the tidal wave hits the table. Doc Sussie takes control for the next 50 rolls or so and takes no prisoners. You could just feel this roll building as the 3 GTC shooters zeroed in on the target. the 4th rotation produced little and we all colored up. Team play is a powerful thing as these rolls came back to back.

What a good experience to not only learn but to see that teaching put into action at a live table and capitalize on it.

Special thanks to Frank and Dom for putting this whole GTC thing together. To each and every one of the instructors who through tons of positive reinforcement improved our play immensley.

May the dice be with you Tom A