Chapter 6-Various Dice Games

On triples, a bet that the throw will be any triple, such 3-3-3 or 5-5-5, the house pays 30 to 1. But the actual odds are 35 to 1. You can also "call your triple" and if it comes up, the house pays 180 to 1. Great odds? Not when you consider the correct odds or chances of making it. They are 215 to 1.

For a particular total, from 4 to 17, the house pays less than the correct odds. The house advantage in each case ranges from 10% to 20%.

The house pays even money on High (total 11 to 17), Low (total 4 to 10), Odd and Even numbers. But the house wins whenever a triple shows in the High and Low Bets. For in-

CHUCK-LUCK CAGE

If you want to set up a "friendly game" at home you can buy all the equipment. A cage, highly polished, runs around $100. A cloth layout, about $15. And a set of three dice, about $10.

To make the game "unfriendly" the rest of the equipment can be had for a price. A magnet to hook up under the cage, plus batteries, wires and operator's switch cost between $75 and $100. And three magnetic dice, about $50. Rather expensive (but if you're that kind of a guy), the equipment pays for itself. stance, 15 loses if 5-5-5 comes up, and 9 loses if 3-3-3 comes up. Still, these bets are the best for the player. The correct odds are only 111 to 105 against him.

Although we've commented on how it's possible to rig a Chuck-Luck cage, licensed gambling houses do not have to go to the trouble — anymore than they do with their crap tables. They make sufficient profit operating honestly. So here as in the game of Craps, you won't get cheated if you play Chuck-Luck at a recognized house.

PRINCIPAL BETS IN CHUCK-LUCK

This is an oldtimer, perhaps the oldest of all dice games. It's suspected that the cavemen throwing their pebbles had the various sides crudely marked with different spots. So in reality, they were probably playing High-Low dice.

Two dice are used, and in its simplest form the player who throws the highest number takes the money. Any number can play, but most often the game is played by two — a sort of honeymoon dice. Also, Low can be thrown for instead of High. And in the case of a tie, the first caster is the winner.

When it rated as a gambling house game the rules were a bit different. Since the house had to show a profit, it needed an advantage. Thus, all ties were settled in favor of the house. For example, if a player rolls a combination totaling 6 and the house rolls a 6 — the player loses. At first thought, this doesn't seem too bad. But think of it another way.

If a player rolls a 7, there's one chance in 6 (pretty good odds) that the house will get the same total — and win. Also, other ties come up just as frequently. And this is with the house running the game honestly. Consider now what the house can do — if it cheats.

You throw a 10, so the house needs a 10,11 or 12 to win. The crooked house will do it — by means of a crooked die which helps that 10,11 or 12 along. And if they switch the game, playing for Low instead of High, there are dice that show double 1.

It's easy to see why High-Low lost its favor with honest gamblers.

Liar dice is mostly thought of as an American game, popular in Army officers' clubs and with soldiers in general. However, it's believed that it started in London, being a poor man's take off on the game of Hazard. But except that dice cups are used it hardly resembles the game of Hazard.

Liar dice is a simple game in comparison. Still, it does afford some bluffing and poker face action which makes it much more than just another game of chance with dice.

Ten dice, two dice cups and a light wooden screen are used. The screen should be at least a foot in height, and about a foot and a half in length. The screen is mounted on a table between the players so that neither can see what the other rolls.

Each player uses five dice and a dice cup. The dice points rank as follows: the 1 or ace is the highest, and then 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. To start the game, the players each roll one die to determine who is to be the caller. High man, of course, is the caller.

Such a set up can be found in many Army officers' clubs. The equipment includes ten dice, two dice cups, and a light wooden screen at least a foot high — so that one player can't see what the other rolls. Some lying is part of the game — thus the name. The enlisted man, not to be out done by the brass, often improvised to play the game. There were always enough dice around. A couple of canteen cups served as dice cups. And one could always dig up a board of some sort for a screen.

Each player shakes his five dice in the cup and rolls them against his side of the screen. Now the caller announces some poker hand (see illustration of hands in Liar dice). Remember, the wooden screen prevents one player from seeing the other player's roll. Thus, the caller need not announce his actual hand. He could actually have just one pair — but bluff and announce that he had two pair. This is the part — and a legal part of the game — that makes Liar dice interesting. How much can you get away with — and how much will the traffic bear?

These are the hands that may be formed in Liar Dice, and ties are broken as in Poker.

When a player announces a hand he must identify it clearly. He cannot say "I've got a full house" or "fours full," but must call his hand as such —"three fours and two aces."

However, in the case of "one pair" it's hardly necessary to identify each die — someone else is certain to beat you.

As the opponent of the caller you may do one of three things: (1) you can lift the screen, (2) claim a better hand, (3) roll again.

If you lift the screen, you end the play. By doing such you are saying, "I don't believe you fella. You don't have that good of a hand." And if your guess is true — meaning the caller was bluffing — you who lifted the screen win the round. But if the caller had the hand he called, or a better one, he wins.

Or let's say that you claimed a better hand than the caller. In this way, you transfer the decision to the caller. Then he must either raise the screen, claim a still higher hand, or roll again.

A player is entitled to three rolls per round. In other words, after his first roll he may find himself with a small pair, say 2-2. He can pick up the other three dice and roll them again. But he does not have to use all three rolls. And he can choose his own times for the second and third rolls.

However, once deciding to roll again, the player commits himself to claim a higher hand than was announced by his opponent. And if he failed to better himself by additional rolls — he cannot try to save himself by lifting the screen. But after taking his three rolls — a player either keeps claiming higher than the other — or brings a showdown by raising the screen.

Bluffing, many times, or knowing when to call a bluff, are the most important skills in this game. So if you're good at either you'll like Liar dice. And probably get your share of winnings.

POKER DICE

Next to Craps, poker dice is probably the most popular dice game played in the United States. It's a favorite in many big city bars and restaurants where the wagering customers play it to decide who picks up the tab. Of course, you can play for cold cash as well.

Five dice and a dice cup are used. The dice can be either the standard dice, marked with spots — or the genuine poker dice with miniature playing card faces — the ace, king, queen, jack, 10 and 9 — incised on the six faces of each die, as such:

And some bars and restaurants offer an interesting variety of dice cups for their patrons — with cheese cake photography — pin ups — or cups made into skull and bones, the devil, and the like:

While the face value of special poker dice descend from the ace to the 9, the value of standard dice usually descend from 6 to 1. Of course the players may prefer to consider the 1 as an ace, in which case the faces would rank 1, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2

Whichever type of dice are used, the rules are the same. The object of each player is to form the best poker hand in a minimum number of rolls of the dice.

FIVE OF A KIND — five higher dice beating five of a lower rank.

FOUR OF A KIND — if two players throw the same four, the point of the fifth dice determines the winner.

FULL HOUSE —as in poker itself, the highest ranking full house takes it.

THREE OF A KIND-TWO PAIR-ONE PAIR.

As you'll note, STRAIGHTS do not usually count, but there's nothing preventing the players from putting them in. Also, when using standard dice, some players make the 2's wild. And when using regular poker dice, sometimes the 9's or 10's are made wild. The rules vary so much that one can pretty nearly set his own, as long as all the players agree.

Theoretically, any number may play, but ideally the game is played by groups of two to five. A larger number than that would slow down the desired fast pace of the game.

As we said, rules and methods of play vary, but usually the players bet only once, by putting up an ante before the dice are rolled. Each player has three rolls. And the starter is determined by each player rolling one die for high. High man is the starter.

With his first roll, the starter rolls all five dice. He may set aside any of these to be part of his eventual poker hand, and then roll the rest again. And from the second roll he may set aside certain dice, and roll the remaining dice again.

Or he may stand at any time, and not take any additional rolls due him.

If the starter is satisfied with his first roll, he need not take the other two in which case the other players are limited to one throw each. But if he decides to use his second and third roll — the other players do the same.

Naturally, the high hand wins when the game is being played for an ante. In the case of paying for drinks or a meal, everyone wins except the low man — he gets the check.

Yacht Dice

Yacht dice is another form of Poker dice. How it got its name isn't too clear. But since yachting, in its true sense, has to do with the pursuit or the chase, maybe that's it. In Yacht, it is a sort of chase for the highest score.

The game may appear complicated but actually is not. Although completing a game requires considerable time, it is by no means slow. Thinking must be quick so the game is rapid. And depending upon the size of the ante, it's a fascinating game from beginning to end.

Five dice are used and a dice cup. Any number from two to about ten may play, but the game is best with five players. And if each player antes, say five dollars, the jackpot of twenty-five dollars is both a friendly and interesting one.

The players take turns in rolling the five dice, three rolls at each turn. Each player gets twelve turns. There are twelve different combinations to be rolled, and a player must choose one of these for each of his turns, scoring in proportion to his success.