I destroyed my study – got rid of the bookcases, carpet and put down some nice wood flooring. All this was done – just for me to have a place to practice. I am lucky that I have a construction business so the material and labor was not as bad as it would have been for most.
I was almost tempted to have my carpenter build me a table. But after speaking with USA Gaming Supply, I decided to have them build it. They offered an option that I had not thought of. My actual table that the felt is attached to is cut in half. This makes it real easy to assemble and maneuver around the house, if I ever decided to move the table.
If my memory is right, when the table arrived it was in four boxes. There was supposed to be five boxes. Since the table is split it requires a middle leg that is not required with most tables. The manufacture forgot this minor fact. After opening the boxes I called them up and asked about the middle leg, I was told not to worry they had it and they would ship it right out.
The biggest problem with this is that my Type A personality wants everything NOW! So a friend of mine and I started putting this bad boy together. I decided since my books no longer had a home they could be used to support the middle of the table. The sides (to include the backboards, chip rails and drink rails) came in three big pieces. It took the two of us a good 30 minutes to assemble the table. It weights 450 pounds – good solid oak.
This is a regulation 12-foot table; complete with drinking rails, dual chip rails and vinyl padding. Pictures of my table are posted on the board, have a look and tell me what you think.
The missing leg showed up a couple of weeks later. Lucky for me two of my friends showed up to help (they wanted to toss the dice and this was the price). With three of us we had the table disassembled and reassembled in less than 15 minutes. Where this thing is, is where this monster is going to stay.
Since the tables arrival I’ve purchased as CD player to listen to music and a new laptop to track my tosses and check out what is going on, on the board. The laptop is also handy to take on trips for recording trip reports. And as you guys know I recorded the results of every toss on my last trip – good or bad.
I had many chats and PM about the table and the general consensus was that “a table will take your game to a new level.” I can say now that I know this to be true. Put realistically how many people want a room dedicated to a craps table? Okay we all know I’m a “little off center,” but how about the average guy who travels to a casino every now and then. Would I recommend you purchasing a table? This would all depend on you not me. Okay for you married guys it might depend on the wife. TSOMM thinks if I spend a nickel on me she gets (and does) spend a quarter on her (please note she is my “word smith” who checks out my articles before the are posted).
When I go to a casino I try to find a table that most matches the characteristics of my own table. Where do my good teams win? Where do the better teams dominate? Every heard of home field advantage?
You’d be surprised by the number of people that wanna stop by and toss few. I welcome any and all board members. But I’m talking about people who have never tossed the dice in their life. A craps table intimidates most people, “it’s to complicated.” In just a few minutes they are hooked on the game itself. Not many have the dedication to become a true DI’er.
Story time: I was talking to a couple of guys in the office and we started talking about Las Vegas. So of course I started talking about craps. It was decided that they needed a little demonstration. I tossed a few and one guy excused himself, to get something out of his truck. He came back with a magnet. He wanted to check out the dice – he could not believe that they were flying together. I told him “Hey - it’s what I do.” He was pretty sure I had some “funny” dice.
Having your own table does change your practice habits, at least it has changed mine. As I have mentioned I practice all the time and in all “in-between” times. Also if I set the dice I record that toss. The only times I am not recording my tosses are when I toss without setting the dice or “Prep Time.”
Prep Time as I call it is practice a few days before a trip to casino. My Prep Time practice is when the chips are brought into play. I actually buy-in and place my bets as if I were in an actual casino. There are no do-overs! I’ve come very close to losing my buy-in more than once, but I usually come out pretty good.
The table arrived just prior to the Great American Crapshoot, and the practice on my table was to serve me well at the GAC. This is what I will be talking about next.
