The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-04-21
The Cane Of Craps.
[NIayersville Spectator

known to HOyle or Webster. Its
origin is mystery. Ii has been
played GU the river for nearly
forty years--though the name
Craps is not over 70 old. The
game is played with two dice and
requires very meagre knowledge
of mathematics. One must be
able TO count from to Il and com
bine the numbers rapidly. There
is no science in an honestly played
game of craps. Blind chance is
the only element Of the game. I'M
like poker, a nero boy may, in the
first game of his life down. the
most expert shooters. AS the
game is fast becoming a National
one, il might be of interest to the
uninitiated public to describe the
game. To satisfy this desire on
the part of our readers-without
encouraging the game--wc give a
description.
The outfit consist of two com.
mon dice. The shooter is chosen
by lot similarly to tho selection of
the dealer ut cards. One die in
thrown aud whoever throws low
est is the man TO make the first
shot. What would be called cut
for deal in cards, is called in dice
"tee wee.r Tho shooter takes
the dice in his hand blows on
them, and with a peculiar swing Of
the arm aud snap of the finger
throws them ont. it's of course
understood that his "auten is al.
ready up-or moro properly down.
III or IL is thrown the player
takes mp the money at once and
continues to shoot, until he looses.
IL he is unfortunate enough to
throw two SKIES, two aces, or an
ace and a duce he loses without any
further ado. To throw either OF
these throws is to "Crap," hence
the name Of gamc. To" pass on
the first throw is to throw Z or IL,
either of which entities the throw
er to the pot. The first throw
may not be a "pass' or a Crap
The player may throw 4, 8, 0, S,9,
or 10, in tho first play. Whatever
his first throw is say for example 0,
he must continue to throw until
no makes "his point "-6.-or lose
by throwing az before he "sixcs !"
and here II may bc said the "crap.
shooters" have made verbs Of nu-
merals. II is common to hear,
"You can't four for u dollar"--
meaning that the shooter would
make Z before he foured.'
When the shooter makes u 4, a
q, an 8, 40, or a 10 any one of these
numbers called the "comes out y
and the player must make the ono
he comes out on before he
sevens," The man that is shoot
ing puts down his money and
when another man covers 1t he Il
said to least" the player. The
dice pass around just rs the deal
does in cards. There is no advan
tage lin throwing, though many
players think they can "pass "
oftener than an opponent. A man
may shoot all day If he wins every
time. The throw only passes
wnen there is q scrap" or q failur,
to make the "come ont"
The sharper depends on his
ability to "ring" In hosses OF
suckcrs.r lie starts shooting
with square dice and submits then
to the players for inspection. HI
throws them once-c0mes out Oh
a ten, say. lie changes the square
dice for q pair of "hosses" tha
have been fixed and shoots unit
he makes his ten, as there is NJ
way to make the now hated 7. III
can easily change square die to
a "hoss." He changes the ducc to
four and the tray and ace to
five, and then he has die tha
has one six, three fivcs and tive
fours. lie can only make mines
tens, and clcvcns and has only on'
way to scrap lie il bound t,
win with these hosses," as he i
bound to make his come out a
there is no chance to seyen.'
The game seems to have 4
: strange fascination to the unlet
! tered. II must not be suppose,
: that the pastlmc is the peculia
amusement of the sable citizen
Among igaorant and unculture,
whites it prevails to a great eS
tent. 1t has reduced the deman
for cards in the South, fully 20
per cent. Seven up that use
to be so popular in this sec ito
has seen its best days, and is rapid
(. ly being forgotten. 1t was ono
! said that the colorcd man coul