A Beginners Guide to Craps

Craps History

It is said that craps is the oldest dice game on the planet and has been played since the times of the crusades and is commonly believed to have been derived from the game Hazard which was invented by Sir William of Tyre and his knights during the crusades. Hazard became exceptionally popular during the 17th century amongst the English nobility who frequented the up market gambling houses. Once the French discovered this easy to play and social game they changed the name to crabs, crabs was the name given to the lowest value of a throw of the dice in hazard. Eventually crabs came to the United States and was played feverishly and spread to the other parts of the country via the Mississippi river boats - each player bringing a new element to the game. A famous dice maker, John H. Winn revolutionized the game by changing the layout of the board and introducing the "Don't pass bets" area on the board. And the rest as they say is history.



Forms of Craps

Today three major forms of craps exist: Casino craps - craps played at proper tables throughout most land based casinos in the world. Street craps - played without a table, street craps is a more informal version of the game and is exceptionally popular amongst soldiers and students looking to pass the time before heading back to the books. Online craps - combines both street and casino craps and present a more simple way of enjoying the game. Craps is very popular amongst online gamers and works exactly the same as table craps. The only thing missing from the online version is the social nature and camaraderie that takes place round the craps table. What is great, though, is that you can play on your own - you don't need hoards of people around to enjoy yourself. A great way to familiarize yourself with online craps is to play the free games available from the online casinos before playing with the experienced gamers. There is also a wealth of information on the web about craps, its strategies, history, terminology and tips on how to play.

Rules of Play

Played by one or more players, craps is won by a simple throw of the dice. Players take turns rolling two dice in a series of rounds. The player rolling is known as the "shooter" and the first throw of a new round is termed the "come-out roll". If the total of the two dice is 7, 11, 2, 3 or 12 on the come-out roll the round ends immediately and another come-out roll must thrown. A total of 2, 3 or 12 is called craps while a result of 7 or 11 is called a win. If any other number if thrown on the come out roll the number becomes known as the point. Once a point is rolled the shooter will re-roll the die until the point number is rolled again, at which point the round ends and the same shooter throws another come out roll. If a 7 is thrown instead of a point the round ends and the person to the left of the shooter in the previous round becomes the new shooter.

The Table & Bets

A craps table is divided into three, the left side, center and right side. Each side mirrors its opposite side and contains the following sections: * Pass and Don't Pass Line Bets * Come and Don't Come Bets * Odds Bets * Place Bets * Field Bets There are several types of bets in craps which include Pass Line, Don't Pass Line, Come, Don't Come, Place, Odds, Field, Buy, Lay, Proposition Bets, C & E Split, Big 6 and Big 8, Any Seven, Any 11, Horn and Hop Bets. To explain them all in one article would be impossible. There are several online craps resources which will provide you with an in-depth description of the kinds of bets.



A Game of Etiquette As craps is a game of dice and luck there are quite a few rules etiquette for table play. Keep these in mind if you are a first time player: It is considered bad luck to say the word "seven" so use the phrase "big red" instead. It's also considered bad luck for a shooter to leave the table after a successful come out roll or to change the dice in the middle of a roll. All hands or elbows must be kept away from the table when a player is ready to roll as to not interfere with the dice. It is also considered bad form to have food or drink on the table rail.

Placing a late bet or placing a bet when the dice are not in the middle of the table are also frowned upon.

Don't forget to tip the dealers!