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Fear Not…

 

Play detached! Don’t engage emotion and ego. These concepts have been at the heart of my lessons for the twelve years that I have been teaching gaming classes.

 

What is it that you are supposed to be doing or not doing when playing a casino game?

 

 According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders plague about 40 million Americans. A study of the disorder, by Harvard Medical School, puts the dollar costs on the economy at approximately $42 billion annually. How much of this cost is attributed to anxious players’ losses in a casino is not reported. What is known is that fear is the most basic primal emotion linked to survival. Surviving a game of chance, is after all, the bottom line.

 

Understanding how fear rules the brain is currently under investigation by scientists. They are researching the possible relationships of major medical problems to anxiety. Not that fear is a bad thing, we all need enough of it to protect us at the appropriate times. The concern is the times when the emotion of fear takes over our brain and overloads us with undue stress. That can happen when playing a casino game. Decisions, productivity, reasoning, and logical action can be adversely effected by too much fear.

 

According to Michael Fanselow, a professor at U.C.L.A., “Fear is the most powerful emotion.” Scientists who study the brain say fear is often the emotion “king” that rules the brain. Studies of fear have found that being very afraid effects other bodily functions. The good news is that it is usually possible to distinguish between situations that pose a real threat from those that are merely a perceived threat.

 

Panic attacks are a fear based feeling that treats an emotional discomfort as though it were a real danger. The brain is somewhat tricked and over reacts to the situation. Scientists are exploring ways to dampen the process of the kind of fear that causes panic attacks. Counseling, meditation, relaxation exercises, and, of course, drugs, are some ways a person can overcome anxiety attacks.

 

In the brain, the amygdala is like central casting, responding to fear. The Amygdala is kind of like a smoke detector, the amygdala sends the alarm to other systems in the body. Again, we do have the ability to sorting out real danger from perceived danger unless suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome and that can be treated too. Sometimes it is just a little smoke, no fire. When we do have those attacks, they may result in an emotional overload which causes irrational behavior. Researchers have identified a specific chemical reaction in the amygdala responsible for overcoming fear. In other words, we do have the ability to control our fear.

 

When I address playing detached in a casino game, it is to engage control of negative emotions, especially fear. Playing with “scared money” is one kind of fear. Though I have no data, I feel that players too often enter the game with an anxious feeling about their money. They are overly concerned and worried about losing. Because they are uncomfortable with losing perceived fear moves to the forefront of their emotions, other body functions become involved, causing further distraction or irrational behavior. It is easy to see how a player can be overcome with stress. As stress builds, the player tries to gloss over the negative emotion, and continues to play. Under the influence of emotional stress, their focus is diminished, and they lack the awareness needed to play a controlled game. To add to this, the casino has installed an environment to further distract the player. A loss at the table fuels the anxiety and in short order the player is on tilt. He or she is out of control, and in desperation, chasing a loss. The very thing they fear, which is losing money, supplies the player’s brain with the last thing the player needs, negative emotion, more fear.

 

By playing detached, the player is able to sidestep the anxious feelings and maintain self control. The fear will not be reacted upon as a real danger. Compare the difference between doing something that you enjoy, like a hobby, to gambling. With gambling, there could be the feeling of fear for the amount of money at risk, losing the money and failure. Look at the hobby that you enjoy. It is likely that you never have anxiety when engaged in the hobby. You succeed at the hobby and you are free of negative emotion. You do not experience stress and you are probably feeling 100% good about what you are doing.

 

 Detaching emotionally from fear is doable. We are capable of overriding fear in the amygdala and taking charge of our game. It involves practice of course and discipline. Recognizing or admitting the anxiety is the first step. Understanding how you react to the anxiety comes next. Then, as you are able to discriminate between perceived fear and real danger, you can detach emotionally allowing yourself to be 100% focused on the game.

 

The Skill of Table Selection...

 

I subscribe to the philosophy that there is a good game out there and it is up to me to find it. When it comes to casino games, you become the patient hunter looking for your game. However, before you can select a table, you have to select a casino.

 

With all the casinos in Las Vegas, which one is best for crasp?

 

The best casino for craps is one where you feel comfortable and where you feel honored. I like to play were I stay. It makes it very easy to play at any hour and if am tired - I just pop upstairs for a nap. If there is not a game at my “home casino”, I have several options. Best if you line up your options logically. If I jump into a cab or drive to say, Mandalay Bay, (I use an extreme here) and I don’t find it to my liking, I have gone a long ways out of my way and wasted time and burned energy. Chasing around burns energy in a town where you need it the most, better to have a plan in place first.

 

Before selecting a table or a casino, you should have a battle plan. I map out where I will start out and follow that up with a second, third, fourth and fifth choice, if necessary. I also make sure I have plenty of time for the session. I don’t want to find a good game just before catching a dinner date, a show or my flight home.

 

Everyone has a favorite casino. I like playing at the Mirage. If there is not a game at the Mirage, it is a seven-minute walk to Treasure Island or ten minutes to the Venetian. Caesars Palace is just the other side of the Mirage, making for four-world class casinos to choose from, in my battle plan. Across from Caesars, is Bellagio and Balley’s.

 

Okay, so say we are at our first choice for a session. How do we choose the table that is best?

 

1.      Watching games before entering is key. It is a free tour. It takes discipline to watch rather than just buy-in and play, but your investment in time watching is invaluable.

 

2.      Look at all the tables. Minimum bet does not matter at first. You are looking for positive conditions. Survey everything going on in the craps pit. As you check out the games, look for the table limit that fits your betting budget. Selecting a table is always a learning experience, so never disregard tables with a higher minimum than you can afford to play. Table selection takes practice and I recommend that you always check out everything as you develop the skill. Practicing makes you a better player.

 

3.      Survey the players. Looking for winners and losers. Now, I do not refer to the amount of chips in the rack. I mean I look for your “playmates”. You take time to find a mate or a business partner – use the same criteria to find compatible table-mates.

 

4.      Looking at the amount of chips in the rail is limited help in choosing a table because any game can change in a heartbeat.

1. If you see a bunch of chips in front of all the players, usually it is too late for you to get in on it. The table is full. (Side note: if you really want in, often you can squeeze in next to either dealer on the inside hook. You have to make yourself “little” so as not to interfere with the dealers. It seems like players are intimidated playing back in the pit and this spot is often open even on a crowded table.)

2. If a couple of players have more chips than most of the others, you have to question did “Mr. Chips” just buy-in, or is he the most skilled player at the game? Perhaps the others are playing “loosie goosey” and they are poor players.

3. Be alert when buying in. If several players quit and are coloring-up after a long hand, you may be buying into the back end of a hot table. It means that you showed up 30 minutes too late. The game is over and it is going to cost you as the table reverts back to random probability.

 

5.      The Noisy Table that’s the craps player’s dream table right? Maybe so, or it can be your worse nightmare.

1. If it truly is a hot table, the cheering is advertising and will have drawn in every “want to be” in the casino. By the time you show up, the table is full and it’s too late. All you can do is watch from the second row. You got there 30 minutes late.

2. Everyone seems to be having fun, cheering and winning. Yet upon closer examination, several of the players are acquainted. It’s “boy’s night out” kind of energy. Usually, there is a lot of “action” on the prop bets. They cheer with every roll misleading the reality. The analysis could be that the cheerleaders may be simply drunk and feeling good about everything. The table sounds like a winner, but is really just out of control with free drinks.

 

6.      Open table position if you are a dice setter.

1. If you are really serious about setting dice, then you better get really serious about being able to confidently shoot from any position and I mean every position. The principles of setting are basically the same. You just have to make the adjustments physically and mentally.

2. Don’t let your dogma of “I can only shoot from left stick” keep you out of a potential game. Games with potential are too few. When you find a working table, you better get yourself in the game.

3. The dice in anyone’s hand can act out of probability… John Wayne is dead so don’t get caught up thinking you are Superman and can only win money if you have your sacred position. Make all positions your position.

 

7.      Putting it together, you are picking your playmates you are picking a table that feels like it has potential. It is the right table limit for your bankroll and you may or may not have your best of all positions. What next? You buy-in.

1. You buy-in, but you do not have to play.

2. You can watch for awhile and see if what you perceived is correct. That is to say, does your table show signs of life and is it worthy of your play?

3. Don’t worry about sitting out. If you have chosen correctly, you will still be in for the money. If you missed one good roll and it goes to point and out, you missed nothing. Often, you will find that it was the only roll. Sitting out actually saved you money by not chasing after the one good hand.

4. I cannot over emphasize the advantage of buying-in and watching for a while. Unlike blackjack, for example, where you more or less have to play, you can just stand at the craps table and watch as long as you want. Watching a craps game provides you with valuable information. True you won’t win, but you can’t lose. Keeping yourself out of losing games extends your bankroll and that’s a win.

 

8.      Overall, when it comes to table selection you are looking for what I refer to as “table support”.

1. Table support is the personality of the table. It is the action that supports the betting or the lack action for paying bets. You have to consider, is it worth your time and investment to risk playing at that table?

2. Will the “personality of the table support your style of play?

3. Are the players holding the dice and rolling numbers and points or is it one pass and out or 5 rolls followed by a seven, just when your bets are set up?

 

9.      Table selection takes patience, discipline and practice. It involves the “energy” of right place and right time. The most important aspect of table selection is recognizing the losers. Keep yourself out of the losing games and you’ll always be a winner.

 

 Well, that’s it for this edition of the Playing 4 Keeps™ Newsletter.

 

See you at the tables Playing 4 Keeps™

Michael Vernon

 

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Purpose Statement:

Playing 4 Keeps™ enriches a player's experience to become a consistent winner. My commitment to you is empowerment. Learning to employ discipline creates confidence and strengthens intention through metaphysical lessons. I empower students showing them how to avoid losing sessions. Most importantly I create metaphors that link the knowledge of casino games to winning ways in "the game of life". Michael Vernon

 

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