Golden Touch Craps

Posts of the Month - March

A unanimous vote gives the POM to TonyM's post, and the POD to Butcher's post. Congratulations to both.

Goddess

POM: AC REPORT - MARCH 2011

TonyM - 09:01am Mar 29, 2011 PT
Primer, Refresher,Advanced, Elite Video

I have had a day to reflect on the Advanced Class this past weekend and wanted to make a post about it.

In addition to the class, I took the video analysis.

I learned so much that I am not sure where to start.

The Video Analysis was an incredible eye opener (and hand closer..as in a baseball closer...I will explain later).

I walk up to the table and throw for Billy the Kid, and NFF, my instructors for the analysis. After a few throws I see the frustration on their faces. I throw some more. More frustration on their faces. I find out that I am "waving to the guy at the end of the table on my finish" and that I am opening my hand. I am also either dropping my arm and/or picking it up instead of reaching out and keeping my hand closed. They show me my throws...close up..very ugly...Its like looking in the mirror for me....not comfortable at all. I get some tough love from them...They tell me how to fix my finish. Show me how it should be done. Take me to another table and work with my grip, arm position, release...just about everything. I am at a loss....

What have I been doing these last two years...Its like starting over. I go back to the video table. They film me again. FRom the front and back. Again, I suck. Only this time I know it. Dom comes by this time. I feel the pressure...I'm trying to stay calm. I throw...one die falls out about 12 inches from my release...the other goes wildly into the wall....I hear Dom snort...Billy gets red...I know he is pissed....I try and say something stupid...No one laughs...It is awkward. They review my throws again. Again I suck.

Back to the throwing table with Billy...He is again giving me tough love. I resolve to commit to the changes. I focus like I had money on the table. Maybe a little better after this. We now go back to the video table. I feel like I am at an audition... But I realize that I have to focus like I have 30 and 250 on the pass line with odds and a six as the point. I go thru a series of throws. Comments good and bad...Maybe I am getting better, I think... Then we go for the final review of the video. A real closeup of my release. I finally nail a release and I can see the dice rotate...5's, 4's, 3's. Dice are together...I am excited....They drop below the rail out of site...The video cuts to the back view....I see the dice finish into a hard way...Awesome.

In any event, the video analysis sets the stage for the advanced class to follow. However, I realize that I probably should have taken the refresher again instead of the Advanced Class. I will explain later.

So now we go to the class. I watch the other guys throw. Fredo, Mike the Muscle, Broski, Matt, Rob, Barry....They all look better than me...I ask myself, what am I doing here....But there is nowhere to go and no where to hide.

Billy the Kid and NFF start instructing us. I realize real quick that most are in the same position. We all need work on our grip and throw. This is not good as the advanced class assumes we have that down already. We spend a lot of time on things we should have known already...that is why I say that I should have been in the refresher class. But Billy the Kid and NFF, make the best of it and instruct us on the basics...I felt bad for them because they really wanted to spend the time on advanced techniques. But they managed to get us on track to some extent.

These guys just emptied the bank on us. They gave us everything they had to offer. They didn't mince words and they were not worried about hurting our feelings. Their goal was to make us advanced players in every way. I learned how to handle different table types..I learned how to add/take away revolutions on the dice to accommodate different tables. I learned the importance of an "A" shot. We discussed betting techniques....way too much to include here...

I learned to throw from a different position... Everything, and I mean everything, done or said at the table was designed to give us an edge.

I could only say thank you to them at the end for giving us all they had.

NFF and Billy: I said it to you there, but I want to repeat it: THANK YOU.

To my teammates: Fredo, Mike the Muscle, Broski, Matt, Barry and Rob...I hope we get to play together. I had a great time with all of you. Let's have a reunion, do a table takeover, and win!
Regards to all.

POD: AC Refresher Class 2011 , by Butcher

Butcher describes his experience in the refresher class, and it should inspire others who have not yet decided to take the primer or refresher class.