Tag Archives: Dice

The History of the Dice

The History of Dice

Generally considered the oldest known gaming implements, dice in one form or another date back thousands of years and have only increased in popularity with the huge range of modern board games available. Although the advent of plastics has changed how dice are now manufactured, the basic concept has largely remained the same, and they have been used throughout history where random numbers are needed.

Divination
Primitive societies around the world used objects similar to dice for the purpose of divining the future. These were made from the ankle bones of animals such as sheep or buffalo, and were often marked on four sides. The Romans and Ancient Greeks have been discovered to have used dice made from bones and ivory, as well as various stones and minerals, although they varied in shape and basic design.

The Cube
Based on archaeological finds in tombs, cube-shaped dice were in use in Egypt as far back as 2000 B.C. Cubic dice dating back to 600 B.C. were also found in excavations in China. Both the Egyptian and Chinese types featured markings very similar to the numbers on modern-day dice. There are written references to dice in ‘The Mahabharata’, an ancient Sanskrit epic dating back more than 2000 years, and cubic dice were used along side pyramid-shaped ones in the Royal Game of Ur. This is one of the oldest known board games, and dates back to Sumer in the third millennium B.C. It is believed that cubic dice were introduced into Europe by the explorer Marco Polo, during the fourteenth century, where their popularity spread rapidly.

Probability
Up until the 16th Century, people believed that the outcomes of dice rolls were down to the influence of gods or other supernatural forces. It wasn’t until scientists such as the Italians Girolamo Cardano and Galileo studied dice games mathematically that they began to understand concepts like probability, randomness and statistics. Because of this, dice played an important part in the development of modern mathematics and our understanding of chance.

Development of the Modern Die
When plastics emerged, it was inevitable that the technology would be used to make dice, as it is well suited to producing them on a large scale and lightweight enough to make an ideal material for them. Various new designs have been developed since then, including the 100-sided Zocchihedron, invented in 1985.

A Guide to Craps Etiquette

Craps is a casino game that many people enjoy, and those that want to roll the dice need to learn the etiquette. The following guidelines should be helpful in showing you how to behave whilst living in the sprawling world of craps.

Learn the Language

Craps has a vocabulary of its own, with terms like Come out Roll, Big Red, and Craps Check being used. Players need to understand these to follow the game, so should take the time to learn the common terminology to help with proper etiquette.

Buying Chips

Players looking to buy chips should place money on the table to get these before the shooter has the dice in their hand. They cannot hand money directly to a dealer, so do not try to do this. Simply place the bills on the table and the dealer will provide the equivalent worth of chips.

Making Bets

Players can make their own Pass/Don’t Pass and Come bets by placing chips directly on the correct space in front of them. They can also place field bets on the table themselves or get a dealer to make them. As with money, dealers can’t take chips directly from a player, so simply put them on the table and ask for the bet to be made.

Hands Up

Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t play by this rule. A player must get their hands up from the table quickly after making a bet to avoid affecting the game by having the dice hit them.

Throwing

The dice should be thrown hard enough by the shooter to hit the opposite wall and leave the bed of the table before settling down in place to show the numbers.

Noise

It is acceptable for players siding with the shooter to make some noise and cheer a win. Those betting against should hold their peace though as it is considered bad etiquette to be cheering for a loss. Don’t be surprised when you’re called out for acting like crap(s).

The etiquette details shown above are some of the guidelines to be aware of. Take the time to learn them and you can soon have some fun rolling with the dice.

Tips for Playing Craps

Craps is an exciting game that is enjoyed by millions of enthusiasts throughout the world. Let us that a quick look at some sure-fire tips that can help any player walk away a winner.

Perhaps most importantly, it is always recommended to play the odds. This is important, for an odds game will not give the house any edge. Thus, the chances of winning a round are vastly increased.

The “gambler’s fallacy” needs to be ignored. In other words, there is no such thing as a trend in craps. If two threes are rolled in a row, the chances are just as equal that a third three will be encountered. Each roll is independent of the others.

Finally, such craps lingo as “Comin’ out!” and “Bet those hard ways!” are terms that are commonly heard. Understanding the meaning of these and other phrases is essential to develop a robust playing strategy.

Get Your Head Around Craps Lingo

Taking some time to learn the terms used in a craps game will not only help you enjoy the game more but may also improve your chances of winning. Some of the main terms are:

Any 7 -this is a bet that the next roll of the dices will equal seven.
Boxcars – this is when two sixes have been rolled and it refers to the American term for the last cars on a train.
Any craps – this is a bet that the next roll will equal either two, three or twelve.
Big Red – this refers to the number seven. Craps players will not say seven at the table during a game.
Bones – this is another term for dice.

There are many other terms used in craps. If you hear something that you don’t understand, just ask!

For more craps terms this website is a goldmine.

Helpful Crap Strategies

If you want to be a winning player at craps then you need to know the odds. The most favourable odds in Craps are the pass line bet and don’t pass line bet. With these bets the house has only a 1.41% advantage. To make these bets you must have already placed a minimum bet on the don’t pass line or pass line. Most casinos will also limit the amount that you can wager on these objects. Once you have an understanding of the different odds on offer, here are some specific strategies that you can use when playing craps:

The Classical Regression StrategyThis Craps strategy involves the following steps:Step one – First wait until the shooter has established a point before you make your bet.Step two – Once the point has been established you should place two units on both the 6 and the 8.

Step three – When a single hit occurs taken down the bet on the 6 and the 8 by one unit.

The Anything But 7 Strategy

The aim of the strategy is to win with anything other than a 7.

Step one – Wait until the shooter has established a point before you make your bet.

Step two – Once the point has been established you should place two units on the five, six and the eight.

Step three – Place a single unit on the field.

If none of this makes any sense to you we suggest reading our previous blog posts on the subject, which are much more broad and basic.

The History of the Dice

Dice is an old game that involves a small object being thrown. Typically, this will be a cube, which will have six faces bearing different numbers from one to six. The numbers are traditionally represented by dots.

The numbers on a die are used to determine the outcome of a variety of games. When a die is thrown the side that rests facing upwards is used to determine the score. There are a variety of games where dice are thrown, and these range from craps to role-playing games.

Sometimes dice will be triangular rather than cubed, or have as many as ten sides. While, in place of dots or numbers, symbols may be used.

The origins of dice date back millennia, with the earliest evidence going right back to 3000BC. Even in ancient times dice was played from the Indus Valley right through the Middle East and up to Greece.

Craps may be Seeing a Name Change in Britain

Two countries separated by a common language. That’s how George Bernard Shaw described England and America. An American patron of the Hippodrome Casino in London’s Leicester Square demonstrated this by asking where the Craps was. A helpful member of staff showed him to the men’s toilets.

It’s this confusion, and the embarrassment caused to English patrons, that’s led Simon Thomas, the Hippodrome’s owner, to rename the game. From now on the game is called ‘Dice’, at least in the Hippodrome. Despite the change of name, Thomas is sure that the game will be a big success.