Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-07
SHOOTING CRAPS"
A Gambling Game that Has Firm Hold Upon
the COIOred PeOple-HOW 1t Is Played.

| buCkUOWn Saloon, Win clOS0u WluOOWS
and doors, and in an atmosphere that
rocked with the fumes from coal oil lamps
and had cigars, dozen or more colored
men and boys sat around a large table
shooting craps" says The Indianapolis
News, and their explanatory outbursts,
frequent oaths, and excited manner, show
ed that the game was for, what was to
them, large stakes. This was the scene
that confronted a reporter a few nights
ago, he having been properly introduced
as ''all right" by habitue of the place.
Only one acquainted with the location
could easily find it, for the way was
through long, dark, and irregular hall.
| the crowd inside included BARRIERS and
| boOtblacks, alike, for social distinctions
are seldom recognized among those who
| gamble. Shooting craps" may not be
a very familiar expression to many, but
it is only another name for playing
''oontz," although there is a bare possibi
lily that this name may not be any more
familiar than the other. For the infOr-
nation of those who are still in darkness
it may be said that "oontz" is a gambling
game which has a firm hold on the color
| ed people, or atleast those who have
weakness for gambling. It requires no
extensive apparatus, and no fixed habita-
ton, for it may be played anywhere, and
it is purely game of chance. In two or
three places however, regular games are
run, and it was one of these the reporter
visited. In consideration of the room,
furniture, lights, and other accessories
furnished by the proprietor, he gets
''take Of"-that is share of each stake
won, averaging from to Is per cent
and the business is very lucrative to him
| 10
thing, and the only chance he runs is be-
ing caught by the police.
To one unacquainted with the way it is
played, "Oontz" is the most mysterious
and bewildering game imaginable, and it
is not easily understood after it is explain
ed. 1t is played with two ordinary dice
''bones" they are called-which are not
shaken out of box, as usual with dice,
are thrown or "shot" out of the hand
This 'shooting'' is invariable accompani-
by snap of the fingers and some incom-
prehensible expression, such as "Hot
stuff" 'Run, Molly, rum" "Come head,
chicken, an git your head cut off, - "Come
and see me-" "Ketch her quick" "A dime
he Fights" "I've got you.'' you're my
honey" and other such stuff, which APP
parently has no meaning. Only two per-
sons can play at this game proper at one
time, and the others who play simply bet
on the outside. The game is based on
combinations of the dice as they fall,
which make seyen-~that is, with a six and
ace on top, a five and deuce, or four and
three The shake is fixed by the two
players, and one of them Shoots" or
throws the dice. If he throws seven the
first time, or an ace 6r duce or two aces
that is Scraps" and he loses. Why, no
body can explain but he does, just the
same. Suppose, however, he throws nine.
Then the game is simplified somewhat
and it becomes plain bet. That is, the
player bets his opponent the amount of
the stake that in continuing the throwing
he will throw nine before he throws seven
and the money is lost and won, as the dice
fall, eventually shO wing up one of these
numbers. In this case nine would be call
ed his point" and the others crowded
around the players simply bet with each
other on the probabilities; that is, one
bets that the other will throw nine before
he throws seven, and the other bets he
will throw seven first. When the matter
is settled the dice goes into the hands of
the other player, and he Shoots" and
thus the game goes on The chances in
the game vary. For instance, six, seven
and eight are the easiest numbers thrown
the dice which will make each of them.
Nine can only be throwd in two ways-a
five and four, and a six and three-ten
can be thrown in two ways, eleven in onlv
one and twelve in only one. Coming
down. five can be thrown in two WAYS,
four in two and three in one, but then if a
player throws three or two in the first
throw he loses anyhow. Now, if the
shooters "pOint' is six Or eight he has an
even chance, for either of these numbers
can be made In as many ways as seven.
If his point IS four, five nine, or ten, the
odds against him are three to two, for
these combinations can only be made in
two combinations, while seven is made in
three and you must remember, if he
throws seven he loses. If his ''point'' is
two, three, ten, or eleven, the odds against
him are three to one. Of course, no man
could Withstand these odds, but a com
pensation is made for him by ''changing
the dealer" as it would be called by card
players in other words, the two PLAYERS
alternate in throwing the dice. If a
thrower is 'playing lucky" as the ex-
preston goes, he will make any number
of outside wagers that he makes his point
especially If the chance is even. The
cOlored people are very superstitious
! dOouG tuo SdL1et anu Oh ldVOT1U0 com
tions will readily bet ali the money they
can command. The fascination it seems
to have for them is remarkable, and it is
not uncommon for men who work hard
all day small wages to lose them all at
night, shooting craps" There NIT of the
slightest element of skill, while the rules
governing it are arbitrary and without
reason, but none of these things detract
from its popularity. The only chance to
cheat in it is by ringing in" loaded dice,
but this is very easily detected. It is the
only form of gambling practiced to any
extent among the colored people here
since the policy shops have been driven
out, and it is not likely to be nearly so
pernicious, as the playing of it is confn-
ed almost exclusively to young men and
boys, and generally for very small stakes.
Policy playing was much NOR. general
among them.
Pieces of Meteor.