The rules vary slightly from one casino to another, but the expected value of several bets is only slightly negative (the most favorable bets with the most favorable rules offer a house advantage of as little as 0.18%). All bets have a negative expectation except for the “free odds” bet that the player is allowed to make after a point is established on a flat (line) bet (this bet has a long-term expected value of 0). However, the “free odds” bet cannot be made independently, so the expected value of the entire bet, including odds, is still negative. Since there is no correlation between die rolls, there is no possible long-term winning strategy. While experienced blackjack players who learn to count cards can gain a small mathematical advantage over extended playing sessions by diligent study, there is no comparable strategy for craps.
Occasionally, players win several bets in a row; such players are said to be “on a roll.” Those who increase their bets during a winning series can rapidly win substantial sums. On the other hand, money can be lost back just as quickly, as there is no statistical likelihood of a “hot streak” continuing for any given duration. To counter this, experienced players take full advantage of “free odds” — bets on which there is zero house advantage. Maximizing the size of your odds bet in relation to your line bet will minimize but never eliminate the house edge. Many casinos have limitation on how large the odds bet can be in relation to the flat bet, with single, double, and five times odds common. Some casinos offer 3-4-5 odds, referring to the maximum multiple of the line bet a player can place in odds for the points of 4 and 10, 5 and 9, and 6 and 8, respectively. During promotional periods, a casino may even offer 100x odds bets, which renders the house edge to almost nothing but dramatically increases volatility. Horseshoe Casino founder Benny Binion once quipped that if every player took the 100x odds, the house “wouldn’t be able to keep the lights on,” referring to the overhead required to run casino games.
The only casino currently in Las Vegas to offer 100x odds is the Casino Royale located next to Harrah’s on the strip. The Stratosphere offers 10x odds and most of the other casinos such as MGM and Bellagio offer 3x4x5. Some casinos such as the Riviera, Orleans and Gold Coast offer 2x odds which is considered an anathema to craps players, in equal footing with 6:5 payouts on single-deck blackjack. Most downtown casinos offer 5x (Binions) or 10x odds (Plaza and Main Street Station, with the Golden Nugget offering the unusual 6x8x10 odds), while a handful of downtown casinos offer the horrible 2x odds (Sam Boyd’s Fremont).
There are numerous middle market casinos whose income from gaming is negligible due to minimal chip size, and whose business model focuses on generating revenue primarily through the sale of alcohol. At such institutions, craps will often be rigged mildly in favor of guests, allowing the house to serve drinks to the large number of onlookers a winning table generates. Low limit Craps is also known to be used as a loss leader via the same odds to give the impression that a casino which derives its profits from gambling (almost all in Las Vegas) is full of winners and fun place to be, causing guests to play other, house favored games.
When offered the dice to shoot, a player may pass the dice to the next player without fear of offending anyone; however, keep in mind that at least one player must always be a “shooter” betting on either the pass line or don’t pass line for the game to continue.
Players are encouraged to tip the dealers, especially if they are winning. The most common way to tip is simply to toss chips onto the table and say “for the boys.” (This is considered acceptable even though dealers often are women). Another method is to place a bet next to your bet and call out “dealers.” A “two-way” bet is one that is part for the player and part for the dealers. Usually, the dealers’ bet is smaller than the player’s bet, but it is appreciated. The part of the bet for the dealer is called a “toke” bet; this is from the $1 slot machine coins or tokens that are sometimes used to place bets for the dealers in a casino. Most casinos require the dealers to pick up their winning bets, including the original tip, rather than “let it ride” as the player may choose to do.
After the come-out roll, it is considered bad luck to say the word “seven.” This may offend other players. A common “nickname” for this number is “Big Red”.
It is considered bad luck to change dice in the middle of a roll.
Center bets are made by tossing chips to the center of the table and calling out the intended bet; the stickman will then place the chips correctly for you.
It is not considered rude to correct a dealer that you feel has made an error. Mistakes happen and disputes are often resolved to the player’s benefit, mainly in the interest of keeping their business.
It is considered rude to “late bet,” or make wagers while the dice are no longer in the middle of the table. While entirely permissible, excessive late betting will generally garner a warning.
Food, drinks, and other items should remain off the chip rail.
Players feel it is bad luck for the shooter to leave the table after a successful come-out roll.
It is considered very bad etiquette to allow the dice to hit your hands. More often than you would imagine, this seems to result in the shooter “sevening out” and the offender noticing glaring looks and mumbling curses from the other players. This phenomenon is sometimes referred to when the stickman will say “hands high, let ‘em fly”.
Players are not supposed to handle the dice with more than one hand, pass them directly from hand to hand, nor take the dice past the edge of the table. The only way to change hands when throwing dice, if permitted at all, is to set the dice on the table, let go, then take them with the other hand.
When throwing the dice, the player is expected to hit the farthest wall at the opposite end of the table. The dice may not be slid across the table and must be tossed. They may not be thrown higher than the eye level of the dealers.
The dice must not land in the boxman’s bank or on any of the dealers’ working stacks of money.
When either of the dice land on chips or markers not in the boxman’s bank or the dealers’ working stacks, the number that would be on top if the object the die is leaning on were removed, is the number that is used to make the call.
If a die hits a player or dealer and rolls back onto the table, the roll counts as long as the person being hit did not interfere with the die.
In most cases the shooter may “set” the dice to a particular configuration, but if they do, they must be quick about it so as not to delay the game. Some casinos have “no setting” rules, and the player must throw the dice as given to him.
Do not try to place money in the dealer’s hand or expect the dealers to hand you chips. Dealers are not allowed to touch the players at any time. Players are expected to place cash on the layout and announce “change only” or a specific bet and amount. The dealer will then place chips on the layout or in front of the players.
Many crap table layouts state “NO CALL BETS”. This means a player is not allowed to call out a bet without having at least the bet amount of chips on the table. If the chips exceed the bet, for example a $100 chip is placed and bets called out of “$25 on five and nine”, the dealer will say “it’s a bet” and return $50 change to the player. The dealer doesn’t have to actually place the bet in the proper place on the table to constitute a valid bet. This method is consistent with the fast action of the game, allowing a player to make a last-second bet while the dice are about to be thrown. The NO CALL BET rule may exist to prevent confusion on the amount bet, possibly going back to the days of 25 cent tables. For example “three fifty” could mean $3.50 or $350. If the dealer is not clear about the intention of the player he may state “no bet” and push the chips back to the player.
Players can place or buy individual numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) by placing their wager in the come area and telling the dealer, “place the 6″ or “buy the 8″. Both are bets that the number will be rolled before a 7. Place bets are paid at odds slightly worse than true odds for the 6 or 8, but significantly worse for the 4, 5, 9 or 10.
Buying the number results in a payoff at the true odds, but requires a 5% commission to be paid to the casino. Traditionally, the buy bet commission is paid no matter what, but in recent years a number of casinos have changed their policy to charge the commission only when the buy bet wins. This change significantly reduces the house advantage, especially on the 4 and 10, where the effective advantage is reduced by two-thirds because the bet wins one third of the time; this reduces the house advantage to 1.67%, making the buy-4 or buy-10 one of the game’s better bets. This policy is in effect at most casinos in Mississippi, and an increasing number in Las Vegas.
The commission is paid at the rate of a $1 chip for every $20 wagered, but casinos usually charge only $1 for a $25 green-chip bet, or $2 for $50 (two green chips), reducing the house advantage a bit more. Where commission is charged only on wins, the commission is sometimes deducted from the winning payoff — a winning $25 buy bet on the 10 would pay $49, for instance.
A lay bet is the opposite of a buy bet, where a player bets on a 7 to roll before the number that is “laid.” Bets are made in increments of $24 when laying the 6 or 8, $30 when laying the 5 or 9, and $40 when laying the 4 or 10; a $1 commission is charged for each of these increments. Again, the tradition is to charge this commission win or lose, but casinos may opt to charge it only when the bet wins; this is less of an advantage for the player, since the bet wins more often than it loses. Most lay bets are on the 4 or 10.
Number
Place Payoff
Buy Payoff
Lay Payoff
6 or 8
7-6
6-5
5-6
5 or 9
7-5
3-2
2-3
4 or 10
9-5
2-1
1-2
Examples of basic play
Example 1:
Let’s say you put $10 on the pass line. On your come-out roll you get an 11, so you win $10. The game now starts over, with a new come-out roll. You roll a 9, which becomes the point. You decide to bet $10 on the come line before your next roll. On your next roll you get a 6, which is now the point you need to hit in order to win your $10 come bet. Your next roll is a 9, which is the point you needed to hit to win your pass line bet, meaning you just won another $10. You bet $10 on the pass line again, and your new come-out roll is a 7. You win $10 for your pass line bet, but lost the $10 you had previously bet on the come line.
Example 2:
This time you decide to bet on the don’t pass line. You roll a 4, which becomes the point. You bet $10 on the don’t come line, and your next roll is a 7. You lose your don’t come bet, and win your don’t pass bet, so you just broke even. Since you just sevened-out, the player to your left becomes the new shooter.
Note: Individual casinos may pay some of these bets at different odds than those listed below. The payoff odds listed are the most common throughout North American casinos. Actual odds, of course, do not vary.
Proposition bets are generally located in the center of a craps table, and often pay off at high odds but with a significantly higher house advantage.
One roll bets that the shooter will make an 11, or “yo” (pays 15-1, actual odds 17-1); 3, or “ace-deuce” (15-1, actual 17-1); 2, or “snake eyes” (30-1, actual 35-1); and 12, “box cars” or “midnight” (30-1, actual 35-1). A “hi-lo” is a combination bet on 2 or 12, paying 15-1 (actual odds 17-1); the stickman places this bet on the line dividing the 2 and 12 bets.
Bets that a shooter will make a hardway number such as 4-4 (before throwing a 7 or an 8 the easy way such as 6-2 or 5-3). The hard 4 (2-2) and hard 10 (5-5) pay off at 7-1 odds (actual odds 8-1), and the hard 6 (3-3) and hard 8 (4-4) pay off at 9-1 odds (actual odds 10-1).
The Horn is a bet that involves betting on 1 unit each for 2, 3, 11 and 12 at the same time for the next roll. The bet is actually four separate bets, and pays off depending on which number is actually rolled, minus three units for the other three losing bets. Most players do a “Horn High” bet which involves betting an additional $1 on one of the 4 choices, with the most frequent being a $5 “horn high yo” bet (which means $2 on the 11, $1 each on 2, 3 & 12).
A hop bet is a bet on any combination of the dice on the next roll. For example, hard 8 on the hop pays 30-1 (actual odds 35-1) if two fours appear on the dice on the next roll only. “Easy” combinations may also be bet, such as a 3-5 or 4-6, paying off at 15-1 odds (actual odds 17-1). On most craps tables, hop bets do not have a designated space on the layout; instead, they are kept in front of the boxman, often with a “hop” marker placed on top of the chips.
Craps is a bet that the shooter will roll 2, 3 or 12 on the next roll. The true odds are 8-1 and the casino pays 7-1.
C & E is actually two bets. A player is betting one unit on craps and another unit on 11. One of the two bets will always lose, and the other will pay off as above.
Any Seven is a bet that the shooter will roll a seven on the next roll. The true odds are 5-1 and the casino pays 4-1. This bet is also nicknamed “Big Red,” since the “7″ on its betting space on the layout is usually large and red.
A whirl or world bet is a five-unit bet that is a combination of a horn and any-seven bet. The bet is effectively a push if a 7 rolls, since the 4-1 payoff on the any-seven bet is offset by the other four losing bets.
The field bet is a wager that one of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 will appear on the next roll of the dice. This bet pays 2-1 on the 2 or 12 and even money on the others; many casinos will instead pay 3-1 on the 2 or 12. The house advantage is slightly more than 5%, reduced to 2.7% when the 2 or 12 pays 3-1. This bet is located in a box between the don’t pass line and the come box. Unlike the other proposition bets which are handled by the dealers or stickman, the field bet is placed directly by the player.
The Big 6 and Big 8 wagers are considered by craps players as sucker bets because they pay even money while a player can bet on the same proposition (a 6 will be rolled before a 7) by placing the 6 or the 8, which pays 7-6 (true odds are 6-5). Veteran craps players avoid these bets, and some casinos (particularly those in Atlantic City) do not even offer them. These are located in the corners behind the pass line, and bets are placed directly by players.
Most of these bets are very costly and disadvantageous to the player, because the house percentage on these bets can be 11.1% and up. Knowledgeable craps players often restrict their action to either the pass line or don’t pass line with full odds. More aggressive players can also bet on the Come/Don’t Come with full odds which is statistically identical to the pass/don’t pass bet.
The fundamental bet in craps is the pass line bet, in which one bets that the dice will pass (that is, roll the point number before rolling a 7). A pass line bet is also won if the come-out roll is a 7 or 11. The following discussion assumes that the shooter, as is usually the case, is betting on the pass line.
If a 4,5,6,8,9, or 10 is thrown on the come-out roll (i.e., if a point is set), most casinos allow pass line bettors to take odds by placing from one to five times (and at some casinos, up to 100 times) the pass line bet behind the line. This additional bet wins if the point is rolled again before a 7 is rolled (the point is made) and pays at the true odds, 2-to-1 if 4 or 10 is the point, 3-to-2 if 5 or 9 is the point, and 6-to-5 if 6 or 8 is the point. While the house has a small (1.4%) advantage on pass line bets, the house has no advantage at all on odds bets. Therefore, taking the maximum odds (which vary by casino) can lower the house percentage for any given bet down to as low as 0.5%.
Odds bets in craps are one of the few bets offered at a casino that are completely free of any house advantage. Another such bet is the “double-up” option offered to the player in some forms of video poker after winning a hand.
Let’s see why that is. There are 36 possible permutations (ways to roll a pair of 6-sided dice):
1-1 = 1 way to make a 2
1-2 2-1 = 2 ways to make a 3
1-3 2-2 3-1 = 3 ways to make a 4, true odds pays 2-1
1-4 2-3 3-2 4-1 = 4 ways to make a 5, true odds pays 3-2
1-5 2-4 3-3 4-2 5-1 = 5 ways to make a 6, true odds pays 6-5
1-6 2-5 3-4 4-3 5-2 6-1 = 6 ways to make a 7
2-6 3-5 4-4 5-3 6-2 = 5 ways to make an 8, true odds pays 6-5
3-6 4-5 5-4 6-3 = 4 ways to make a 9, true odds pays 3-2
4-6 5-5 6-4 = 3 ways to make a 10, true odds pays 2-1
5-6 6-5 = 2 ways to make an 11
6-6 = 1 way to make a 12
There are a total of 36 possible combinations. So on the come-out roll there are 8 ways to win, 4 ways to lose and (36-12=) 24 ways to start a point.
The odds of making the point are the ratio of the number of ways to make a 7 to the number of ways to make the point. For example, there are five ways to make a 6 or 8, so the odds of making a point of 6 or 8 are 6-5. Therefore an odds bet of $5 on 6 or 8 pays out $6.
Many experienced craps players only make pass line and odds bets since the odds are much more favorable to the player than any other bets in craps, and in fact most casino games. The pass line and odds bet is one of the best wagers you can make in gambling, and a lot of the excitement and fortunes of craps can be experienced with this simple bet.
The rules for the come wagers are the same as for the pass line except that they can only be made after the come-out roll. Effectively, they represent starting a new game using the same stream of numbers being generated by the existing (pass line) game.
Because of the come bet, if the shooter makes their point, a player can find themselves in the situation where they have a come bet with odds on it, and yet be rooting for the shooter to roll a 7 on their next come-out roll. Because of this, it is usual that odds bets on come wagers are presumed to be not working. That means that if the shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out roll, any players with active come bets lose their initial wager but will have their odds money returned to them, unless they tell the dealer that they want their odds working. Conversely, if the shooter rolls a number that matches an active come bet, the original bet is paid off at even money and the odds money is returned to the player (unless they told the dealer that they wanted their odds working, in which case they are paid at the true odds).
There is also a don’t come box in which one can place bets that the dice will not pass on the next sequence starting with the immediate roll as a virtual come-out roll; even the shooter may bet that he or she will miss out. Don’t pass and don’t come bets are basically the opposite of pass and come bets; the player is betting that a 7 will be rolled before the point. On the come-out roll a 7 or an 11 is a loss, whereas a 2, 3, or 12 is a win. Casino craps layouts bar either 2 or 12 on the don’t pass and don’t come bets. This means that if 2 is barred and the shooter rolls a 2 on the come-out roll, the wager is a stand off and the player’s money is returned.
When betting against the shooter, the bettor must put up the long side of the bet. Thus a don’t pass bettor who bets $10 when the point is a 4 could place an odds bet of $20 behind the line. If the shooter rolls a 7 before achieving their point, the bettor would receive $10 for the don’t pass bet plus $10 for their odds bet. Even though the house advantage on the don’t pass and don’t come bets are almost identical to the pass line and come bets, for most players the disadvantage of putting up the long side of the bet makes the don’t pass line less desirable. Additionally, many craps players consider don’t pass and don’t come bets to be in poor taste, or even “taboo”.
Craps (previously known as crabs) is a casino dice game, which is especially popular in the USA. Craps is a simplification of the Old English game hazard. Players wager money against the casino on the outcome of one roll, or of a series of rolls of two dice.
Craps can also be played in less formal settings and is said to be popular among soldiers. In such situations side bets are less frequent, with one or several participants covering or “fading” bets against the dice.
The players take turns rolling the dice, and they all bet on the same roll, regardless of who is rolling. The player rolling the dice is called the shooter. The first roll of a new round is called the “come-out roll.” All bets are based on the total of both dice together, or on the specific combination of the roll.
Craps features a plethora of bets, but the most fundamental is the “pass line” wager, which nearly all players make. On a come-out roll, the pass line bettors win when either a 7 or 11 is rolled. A 2, 3, or 12 loses, and is called “craps”. When any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) is rolled it’s called the point. Once a point has been set, the pass-line bettor wins if the point is rolled again, and loses if a 7 is rolled first (“seven-out”). After a seven-out the dice pass to the next shooter for a new come-out roll.
The opposite of a pass line bet is the “don’t pass” bet, which wins on a come-out roll of 2 or 3, loses on 7 or 11, ties on 12, and goes to the point round when any other number is rolled. In the point round the don’t pass bet wins if a 7 is rolled and loses if the point is rolled. People who bet on the don’t pass are called wrong bettors, while those who bet on the pass are called right bettors, only because most craps players make the pass line bet instead of the don’t pass bet.
A casino craps table is run by four casino employees: a boxman who guards the chips, supervises the dealers and handles coloring out players; two base dealers who stand to either side of the boxman and collect and pay bets; and a stickman who stands directly across the table from the boxman and announces the results of each roll and then collects the dice with an elongated wooden stick. He is also in charge of managing the bets made on the center of the table (hardways, yo, horn, etc). For clarity, the number 11 is referred to as “yo” so as not to be confused with the number 7.
A new shooter, who must bet the table minimum on either the pass line or the don’t pass line to play, is presented five dice by the stickman and picks two.
The dealers will usually insist that the shooter roll with one hand and that the dice bounce off the wall surrounding the table. These requirements are meant to retard cheating attempts by players switching the dice or making a “controlled shot.” If a die leaves the table, the shooter will usually be asked to select another die from the remaining three but can request using the same die if it passes the boxman’s inspection. This requirement is used in an effort to reduce cheating the game by players substituting loaded dice for the regulation dice.
Cosmic Wimpout is a deceptively simple, user extensible game combining chance and skill. The game promotes wisdom, fun, and fellowship; and many Cosmic Wimpout afficianados believe that long term playing of the game can eventually unlock the secrets of the universe.
It is played with 5 six-sided cubes displaying assorted arcane symbols. An optional combination score board and rolling surface, in the form of a piece of cloth or felt available in various colors and designs, may also be used. Players supply their own game piece for score keeping.
The origins of the game are shrowded in the mists of time, but it continues to be manufactured and distributed by a small group of friends. Possibly based on Pig and/or Zonk, Cosmic Wimpout was introduced in the 1970s and has often been associated with the Berkeley, Grateful Dead, and other free-form subcultures.
The annual tournament currently takes place at the Green River Festival in Greenfield, Massachusetts.
More of a carnival game than a true casino game, Chuck-a-luck — sometimes called birdcage for the wireframe cage used in the game — is a simple gambling game. The cage, shaped somewhat like an hourglass with a pivot at the middle, contains three dice. Players have the option of betting on the numbers 1 through 6. If the number appears on one die, the bettor is paid even money. Should it appear on two dice, the winner is paid at 2-1 odds. If the number appears on all three dice, the payoff is at 10-1 odds. Some games also have a bet which pays 30-1 for “any triple,” when all three dice match. The operator may also offer a “big” or “small” bet which pays even money when the total on the dice is 10 through 17 for the “big” bet, and 4 through 10 for the small; both bets lose when a triple is rolled.An elementary examination will find that the game’s expected value (barring loaded dice, which are common), is worse than that of most other table games, often much worse.
The game is sometimes used as a fundraiser for charity, but the odds of coming away with more money than originally put in are quite small.
A version of the Big Six wheel is loosely based on chuck-a-luck, with various combinations of three dice appearing in 54 slots on a spinning wheel. Because of the distribution of the combinations, the house advantage for this wheel is even worse than chuck-a-luck.
Cho-Han Bakuchi (or Cho Ka Han Ka, or simply Cho-Han) is a traditional Japanese gambling game using dice.The game uses two standard six-sided dice, which are shaken in a bamboo cup or bowl by a dealer. The cup is then overturned onto the floor. Players then place their wagers on whether the sum total of numbers showing on the two dice will be “Cho” (even) or “Han” (odd). The dealer then removes the cup, displaying the dice. The winners collect their money.
Depending on the situation, the dealer will sometimes act as the house, collecting all losing bets. But more often, the players will bet against each other (this requires an equal number of players betting on odd and even) and the house will collect a set percentage off winning bets.
The game was a mainstay of the bakuto, itinerant gamblers in old Japan, and is still played by the modern yakuza. In a traditional Cho-Han setting, players sit on a tatami floor. The dealer sits in the formal seiza position and is often shirtless (to prevent accusations of cheating), exposing his elaborate tattoos.
Many Japanese films, especially chambara and yakuza movies, have Cho-Han scenes. The character Zatoichi is a noted fan of the game.
Chingona is a dice game played by two or more players, using five poker dice and a cup. It is usually played to decide who is to pay for the next round of drinks, but betting can also be involved.
Cee-lo (sometimes spelled cilo, celo, c-lo, or cee-low) is a game of chance played with three six-sided dice. The game is stereotypically played in urban settings such as alleys or stoops.Each game involves two or more players. A bet amount is decided upon and each player puts that amount in the pile or pot. Each person then goes on to roll all three dice at once, and continues to do so until a recognized combination, or number, is rolled.
The most common combination is two of the same number, and a third different number. The value of the roll is the third unique number. The objective is to have the highest valued roll to win. However, there some special combinations:
1 2 3
The lowest possible roll.
4 5 6
The highest possible roll.
“Trips”
If you roll three of the same number, this is known as rolling “trips”. All other players must now roll a higher number with trips or 4 5 6 to win.
If two or more players roll the same highest combination, a new round of the game begins between those players. Sometimes each one deposits twice as much money into the pot as he did in the previous round. The rolling process again occurs, with only those left in the game rolling. The game ends once there is a single winner in a round, with all the money in the pot going to them.
Common variations
A common practice is that if a player wins with trips or 456, all players must pay double the original bet.
If a player rolls the dice 5 times without getting a combination, they are out.
Cee-lo is sometimes played that if a 456 is rolled then it is an automatic win and no one else can even tie it.
Likewise, a 123 would be an automatic loss and the person who rolled it would be automatically out. This loss includes for all “pushes” that may occur in a hand.
In the West Coast Version, besides a 456, the highest pair wins and the 3rd number is of no meaning. 123 is meaningless, but roll “trips” and you’re out.
In a two player game if you roll the dice and If the odd dice is a “1″ you “aced out”…lost automatically If the odd dice is a “6″…”head crack”… you win automatically…
Not all Button Men are evenly matched against one another. Though designers attempt to balance a Button Man’s strengths and weaknesses, necessarily it happens that some arrangements of die sizes and skills are more likely to win games than others. Buttons that are exceptionally powerful (or that have problematic special abilities) may be declared not to be “tournament legal” by Cheapass Games, meaning that tournament organizers should consider disallowing those buttons. Most illegal buttons are rare or promotional ones with unusual die skills or special rules. All buttons that have not been licensed from Cheapass (including all of those that exist only on the Button Men Online web site) are illegal by default.
Button Men Online maintains statistics on the hundreds of thousands of games that have been played on the site. Among tournament legal Button Men, win percentages range from the mid-teens to the high sixties.
Therefore, part of the strategy of the game is to begin by selecting a relatively powerful button. However, buttons may be stronger or weaker when playing against other buttons with certain characteristics. For example, a button with small Poison dice might be powerful in general because it has fewer dice worth positive points for its opponent to capture. However, a button with large Shadow dice might be powerful against that button specifically because it can allow the round to end with the Poison and Shadow dice unable to capture each other, and therefore still counted towards their owners’ scores.
Swing and Option dice help to offset buttons’ natural strengths and weaknesses by ensuring that a button’s number of sides need not be exactly the same from one round to the next. Tournament organizers may also choose to minimize the importance of the “meta-game” of button selection (usually with the idea of shifting importance to the players’ skill) by somehow penalizing stronger buttons, or by enforcing random button selection.
However, chance plays a large role in Button Men; it is always possible for a 20-sided die to roll a 1 at an inopportune time. Among tournament legal buttons, at least, no match-up is impossible for either side to win. Inevitably it happens that a weaker Button Man or a less skilled player will claim some improbable victories due to lucky die rolls. This effect is offset somewhat, however, by the rule that a player must win three rounds to win a game.
Articles on Cheapass’ “official fan site” discuss questions of strategy such as choosing the optimal size for Swing or Option dice (including a mathematical formula for how many sides the “larger” Button Man must keep in order to win), and determining which capture to make to have the best chance of protecting one’s remaining dice.
After selecting their buttons, players assemble their dice. Most buttons have five dice, but some have more or fewer, and in certain cases the number of dice may change over the course of the game. The size—that is, number of sides—of most dice is specified and unchangeable, but most buttons have at least one Swing or Option die, which means that the player has a choice of sizes to use for that die. Swing dice, represented by letters like variables in algebra, may have any size within a certain range of integers: for example, an X Swing die may have any whole number of sides between 4 and 20, including odd numbers. Option dice, represented by two numbers separated by a line or slash, give the player a choice of only two sizes: for example, an Option 8/12 die may have either 8 or 12 sides, but no other number. Die sizes typically range between 1 and 30, and any fair random number generator may stand in for a “die” of a non-standard size. For example, a two-sided die is easily simulated by a tossed coin, and a coin plus an eight-sided die can serve as a sixteen-sider: if the coin lands heads, add 0 to the value on the eight-sider; if tails, add 8.
Conceptually, small dice represent speed, and large dice represent strength.
Players select the size of their Swing and Option dice in secret, and reveal them after selection is complete. Then all dice are rolled and arranged in size order in front of their owners. The player with the die showing the lowest value takes the first turn. In the case of a tie for the lowest value, the next lowest value is considered. If all dice are tied, the round ends in a draw, and is replayed. The right to take the first turn is called initiative. Some dice have special skills that change their effect on initiative.
Starting with the player who gained initiative, players take turns using their own dice to attack and capture their opponent’s dice. Most dice can participate in either of the two basic types of attack:
Power: In a power attack, one attacking die captures an opposing die that is showing a value lower than or equal to its own.
Skill: In a skill attack, one or more attacking dice capture an opposing die that is showing a value equal to the sum of their values.
After an attack is made, the captured die is added to the capturing player’s score pile. All dice that participated in the attack are rerolled. The player’s turn ends, and his opponent’s begins.
A player may not pass his turn unless he is unable to make a legal attack. When both players pass consecutively (which usually, but not always, happens because one player is out of dice), the round ends and scores are counted.
Each player scores the size, in points, of each captured die in his score pile, plus half the size of each of his dice that remained uncaptured (some die skills can alter this total). The player with the higher total wins the round. Usually it is the case that the player who captured more dice wins the round. However, when there is a large difference between the number of die sides each player owns, it may be possible for one player to lose all of his dice and still win the round.
Between rounds, players may, if they wish, change the size of their Swing and Option dice to any other size in the allowed range. In tournament play, only the losing player may do so.
The first player to win three rounds wins the game.
Die skills
Dice in Button Men can be assigned one or more of over 30 official and unofficial die skills, which may augment, reduce, or simply alter their abilities. Usually, die skills are assigned only to some of the dice on a button, so that the player can only use those skills while those dice remain in play. In a small number of cases, however, special skills (other than die skills) are assigned to a button rather than to its dice, so that its player can always use them.
Some common die skills and their meanings are:
Focus: At the beginning of each round, the player who does not win initiative may, at his option, reduce the values showing on one or more of his Focus dice, if and only if he gains the initiative by so doing. His opponent may then respond by doing the same with her own Focus dice. The players continue “focusing” in this manner until one of them is unable to or chooses not to. Any Focus dice that were “turned down” as part of a successful bid for initiative are considered “dizzy” and may not participate in an attack during their owner’s first turn.
Shadow: Shadow dice may not make power attacks. Instead, they make shadow attacks, in which they capture any die showing a value between their current value and their maximum value, inclusive. For example, a ten-sided Shadow die showing a value of 8 could capture any die showing an 8, 9, or 10. Shadow dice can participate in skill attacks as normal.
Poison: Poison dice attack normally but are scored differently. At the end of the round, instead of adding the number of sides of a Poison die to their scores, players subtract half the number of sides on any Poison die they captured, and the full number of sides on any Poison die of their own that remained uncaptured.
Stinger: When making a skill attack, Stinger dice may be counted as if they were showing any number between 1 and the value they are actually showing. Thus, a normal six-sided die showing 3 and an eight-sided Stinger die showing 6 could combine to capture any die showing a number between 4 and 9, inclusive. As a trade-off, Stinger dice are not considered when determining initiative.
Dice can have more than one skill assigned to them, but some skills contradict one another. For example, a Focus Stinger die could never be used for its Focus skill, since its owner could never gain initiative by reducing the value showing on a die that does not count towards initiative.
Button Men is a game designed for fan conventions and other public venues. It can be played almost anywhere on short notice (provided the dice are at hand), and games are quick to complete. Buttons are meant to be worn on clothing, bags, or other accessories, advertising that the wearer has a button to play with and is open to challenges. Buttons also frequently advertise something else, such as a company, a webcomic, or another game. The Sluggy Freelance set of buttons, for example, features characters from that comic, and the BRAWL set features characters from another Cheapass game. In 2000, Button Men Online won the Origins Awards for Best Abstract Board Game of 2000 and Best Graphic Presentation of a Board Game 1999 .
Button Men can easily be extended simply by creating more buttons. It has continued to be so extended since its inception; as of 2004, over 200 buttons have been printed. Many are by now out of print, though many others are still available, primarily via purchase from the Cheapass Games web site. Companies other than Cheapass must pay a licensing fee to use the Button Men artwork in distributing their own buttons.
Button Men Online, a website developed by Dana Huyler and officially endorsed by Cheapass Games, allows users to play games over the internet via a web-based interface with e-mailed notifications. Button Men Online features most of the printed buttons, an additional 250+ “buttons” that exist only on the site, and a random button generator. In 2003, Button Men Online won the Origins Award for Best Play-by-mail game of 2002.
Button Men is a dice game for two players, invented by James Ernest of Cheapass Games and first released in 1999.Games are short, typically taking less than ten minutes to play. Each player is represented by a button of their choice. Buttons are metal or plastic discs, about 2–2.5 inches (about 5–6.5 centimeters) in diameter, with a pin on the back that can be used to fasten them to clothing. They bear the name and illustration of the combatant (the “Button Man”) whose role the player is assuming. They also indicate the number, size, and skills (if any) of polyhedral dice to be used by the player.
Button Men is a game designed for fan conventions and other public venues. It can be played almost anywhere on short notice (provided the dice are at hand), and games are quick to complete. Buttons are meant to be worn on clothing, bags, or other accessories, advertising that the wearer has a button to play with and is open to challenges. Buttons also frequently advertise something else, such as a company, a webcomic, or another game. The Sluggy Freelance set of buttons, for example, features characters from that comic, and the BRAWL set features characters from another Cheapass game. In 2000, Button Men Online won the Origins Awards for Best Abstract Board Game of 2000 and Best Graphic Presentation of a Board Game 1999 .
Button Men can easily be extended simply by creating more buttons. It has continued to be so extended since its inception; as of 2004, over 200 buttons have been printed. Many are by now out of print, though many others are still available, primarily via purchase from the Cheapass Games web site. Companies other than Cheapass must pay a licensing fee to use the Button Men artwork in distributing their own buttons.
Button Men Online, a website developed by Dana Huyler and officially endorsed by Cheapass Games, allows users to play games over the internet via a web-based interface with e-mailed notifications. Button Men Online features most of the printed buttons, an additional 250+ “buttons” that exist only on the site, and a random button generator. In 2003, Button Men Online won the Origins Award for Best Play-by-mail game of 2002.
Bunco (also Bunko and Bonko) is a parlor game played in teams with three dice. A winning throw in Bunco is to throw three of a kind of a specified number.Although most popular soon after its inception in the late 1800s, Bunco has seen a resurgence in recent years. Currently, it is played at parties and other social gatherings.
Link
World Bunco Association, Bunco is a registered trademark owned by and used in commerce by the World Bunco Association… www.worldbunco.comwww.ebunco.com
Video: Ladies Night Out – Bunco!! – The Daily Buzz
Big and small is a dice game of pure luck. It is a popular gambling game in China and is still offered in some casinos in Asia, notably in Macau. A variation is the common casino game Sic bo.
Rules
The game is played with three dice. Traditionally, the dice are placed on a plate, covered with an inverted bowl and the plate and bowl are then shaken together. After gamblers place their bets, the banker uncovers the bowl, pays the winners and the game continues on to the next round. In modern casinos the dice are shaken mechanically, and the outcome is keyed into a computer which automatically lights up the winning zones on the table.
The game is called “Big and Small” because the main bets are on “high points” (big) or “low points” (small). Other bets are also offered:
Name of Bet
Winning Criterion
Dividend
Odds of Occurrence
House Advantage
Big (大)
Dice Total: 11 to 17 Player loses if “Alls”
1 to 1
48.61%
2.78%
Small (小)
Dice Total: 4 to 10 Player lose if “Alls”
1 to 1
48.61%
2.78%
All 1 (圍一)
All 1
1 to 180
0.46%
16.7%
All 2 (圍二)
All 2
1 to 180
0.46%
16.7%
All 3 (圍三)
All 3
1 to 180
0.46%
16.7%
All 4 (圍四)
All 4
1 to 180
0.46%
16.7%
All 5 (圍五)
All 5
1 to 180
0.46%
16.7%
All 6 (圍六)
All 6
1 to 180
0.46%
16.7%
Any Alls (全圍)
All x
1 to 30
2.78%
16.7%
This is a game in which no skill is required on the players’ part, and the house always has an advantage.
Bau cua ca cop is a Vietnamese gambling game using three dice. The six sides of the dice, instead of showing numbers one through six, have pictures of a fish, prawn, crab, rooster, calabash gourd and stag. Players place wagers on a board, betting on which pictures will appear. (The game is similar to the English dice game Crown and anchor).
Bau cua ca cop is often played at Tet (Vietnamese New Year).
Marvel battle dice is a game that uses small figures, which are placed inside dice, and then rolled. There are currently 69 of these figures from the first Set, and can be purchased in battle booster packs, or the starter set.
Purchasing
The figures can be purchased in booster packs (listed above), or in the starter sets. The booster packs contain 3 random battle figures, and also comes with one battle dice. The starter set comes with 6 figures, two of which are secret figures. There are also battle dice launchers, which are large sized versions of the Fantastic Four’s Thing (comics), and The Hulk.
The Game
The game works by placing the figures (approximately 1″ inch) in the battle dice, which have certain attributes by popping the dice open. When the dice are rolled, the player with the lower dice roll goes first. They select an attribute on the character, and use them to battle the other figure(s). Then the attributes take place, and so on and so forth, and the player with a certain roll wins, etc. Currently, there are 23 different dice. The attributes are: Intelligence, Strength, Speed, Durability, Energy, and Fighting Skills. Attributes are measured on a 0-6 scale, 6 being the highest. Characters are ranked points; in most tournaments teams cannot exceed 30 points making figures like Dark Phoenix too expensive to use. A comprehensive explanation can be found at any of the first two links in the links section.
Marvel Set 1
In January Playmates released the first set consisting such characters as: Captain America, Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus, Professor X, Psylocke, Dark Phoenix, Apocalypse, Cyclops, Sentinel, Magneto etc. There are also “Clear” forms of the characters that “re-arrange” their abilities. Three characters were left out of production and are currently tournament prizes: She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, and Red Skull. The only other promotional characters from Set 1 are Stealth Wolverine and Spider-Man.
Marvel Set 2
In July Playmates will release the second series. This set includes the popular Galactus, Phoenix, Storm, Pyro, Scarlet Spider, Vision, Juggernaut, Omega Red, Scarlet Witch, Electro, Green Goblin, Kingpin, etc.
DC Set 1
The first DC Set will be released in the Fall and includes characters like Starfire and Superman.
Bet on the Champions League - Find detailed, continually updated information on the Champions League, together with a history of the event and options for online betting at bet123.net. Other major sporting and betting events are also covered.
Industry: Gaming - Latest news releases for Industry: Gaming from PRWeb
online casino games - at the new Silver Oak Casino? With $750 in Welcome Bonuses, Second Chance Free Chips and great new monthly offers Silver Oak is the place to be!
poker site - More Fantastic Online Poker Signup Bonuses
The rules vary slightly from one casino to another, but the expected value of several bets is only slightly negative (the most favorable bets with the most favorable rules offer a house advantage of as little as 0.18%). All bets have a negative expectation except for the “free odds” bet that the player is allowed to make after a point is established on a flat (line) bet (this bet has a long-term expected value of 0). However, the “free odds” bet cannot be made independently, so the expected value of the entire bet, including odds, is still negative. Since there is no correlation between die rolls, there is no possible long-term winning strategy. While experienced blackjack players who learn to count cards can gain a small mathematical advantage over extended playing sessions by diligent study, there is no comparable strategy for craps.
