Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-04-05


From The Cincinnati Commercial Gazettel
There are carpets on the floors, and mirrors
and sideboards and pictures galore. In place
or the casual sidewalk or hallway there is a
green cloth table on which the uncertain
cubes disport themselves, and the cash seen
lying about is silver, gold and paper. The
penny is out of doors.
1t would be difficult for one unacuuainted
with the undercurrent Of life" to imagine
the revolution which the recent adoption of
craps as a ''parlor" game has brought about.
Faro was thought 10 be the final and greatest
work OF the goddess OF Fortune, but that il
50 no longer, and there is simply one reason,
assuming both schemes equally fair, for the
change. 1t is this;
The player can get quicker action for his
money
And now something about the way in
which the new game is played
The table is big, oblong affair, covered
with green baize cloth. Sitting on one side
Is the banker. To his right Is a check rack
and pile OF bills and coin. Directly In front
OF the banker and chalked on the cloth are
the numbers 4, 5, o, z, 8, 8 and 10. A
marker" OF counter lies close by, and when
player throws a number the banker places
the counter on that mineral A little fur
Their out, and running from the rack all the
way around to the bankers left hand are
two circular parallel lines, about two inches
apart. Within this space are placed ali the
bets, save those hereafter specified.
Directly In front Of the rack are the num-
bers 5, g., ard o. To the left OF the banker
and just outside the semicircIe is another
quartet OF the same numbers, 8, q, and g.
Seated at the two sides and front OF the table
are the players. The dice go round from the
bankers left to the right The first TO take
the Cubes lays down his bet In the space be-
tween the semicircular lines All those who
think he will win follow his example. The
others do not bet. The player makes his
throw. If the spots aggregate or II ne
and all who have wagered win. Il two
aces, two SKIES, or an ace and derce come
out they lose. But should the SUN of the
spots aggregate 4, 5, q, 8, o or 10 the banker
places counter on the proper figure before
him. 1t Is q record Of the number thrown.
To win now the player must throw the same
number before he throws the number Z the
bank betting that he will throw before he
throws the number marked. Now for the
use Of the four numbers 5, q, and 9, placed
ut each end OF the table. The players can
bet that the man with the dice Will throw
either OF these numbers before he throws 7.
a. A player continues to handle the dice
until be has thrown before the number he
began on. Then the next gambler takes the
dice
Outside Of the routine OF the ruhs there
are several side issues to craps that are of in
terest. For one thing the bets are all even.
no odds being given or taken. The player
always bets against the bank, and the ra-
ptdtty Of the dice throwing, coupled with the
number OF people engaged in placing wagers,
makes 1t necessary for the dealer TO have
from one 10 three assistants TO look after the
marker, watch the bets, pay losings and pull
In the winnings. Recently at a game in
which the visitor met with phenomenal luck
he started with $40 bet, and by doubling
each time he won became the winner OF
nearly $4,000 III half an hour. In faro even
the thigh rolling" games have limit of $50,
but in craps there is no limit save the size of
the bank roll The player makes his wager,
throws the dice, and wins or loses within the
minute. Sometimes he departs with hun
dreds 70 his pocket but more often he retires
with little or nothing
Oontz, by the way, is the name under which
the new form of craps was introduced to the
public, but this title has not met with popu-
lar favor and the original designation re-
mains In use.
Meanwhile there are many ''old fashionedn
sports who adhere to their first love. Faro
has been their pastime and source OF revenue
for years, and they viii have none of the new
tangled wiles for Turing money from the
pockets Of the wealthy, the unwary or the
desperate. 1t will be long. indeed, before
craps gets so thoroughly systematized as faro,
The older game runs through series OF
gradations which place it within the reach of
all who are foolish enough to risk their cash
ON the turn of a card
In the swell club house one finds colored |
servants in livery, elegant surroundings, |
'hoice liquors and cigars, courteous employees
md ivory chips worth in money when pur-
hased for betting purposes from SLIPS to $50
ach. The man who saunters in, gives his
cat to winter, buys $500 worth of counters
nd wins three or four thousand dollars in the
curse Of q sitting, strolis out languidly when