New Craps Players

Hey Craps Players,
I'm introducing my grandson and his wife to real Craps play (money involved) this coming Thursday. They are new to this exciting game and are very hyped to go with me to the casino. As a birthday gift, I'm starting them out with $200 each and we'll plan to be conservative with our betting initially.
I'm suggesting $5 on the Pass Line, $6 on each the 6 and the 8, and $5 on the 5 and the 9. That puts us at $27 on the table (depend on the Point number).
The other strategy I like for beginners is the "Iron Cross." My only exception to this is I don't like earning just $2 a play when we know the 7 is always on our doorstep. At best I will suggest to them to try the "Iron Cross" but for only 3 to 4 times.
I will talk with them regarding Craps etiquette and general rules of play.
From your experience, what strategies or ideas would you suggest to new folks just learning this game?
Thanks,
Dick

stay away from the iron cross. If you want them to enjoy themselves they need to win, or have a chance to win. If they win a bunch of bets and end up with +11 it won't be fun.

Personally I would have them do $5 pass, $6 on 6 and 8, 2x odds and maybe 1 come bet. Probably would stay away from the come bet on the first time.

Teach them to take 1 or 2 wins and then do full press on 6/8.

Good Luck

Stay away from the cold table. They will have a lot of fun and money at the end of the day.

Quote: 90crapsplayer66

Hey Craps Players, ... what strategies or ideas would you suggest to new folks just learning this game?

My 2 cents... Keep it simple at the start!

• Empty Table? Depending on the time of day and where you play, you might snag an empty craps table. Then, you can give them real-time coaching without bothering other players. The crew will probably do their best to be supportive, as it's often fun to see new players as they learn the game.
• As Player. Sometimes new players are timid and pass the dice when offered to them. And, that's OK. Maybe place small amounts on the 6 and 8. Remind them they can increase, lower, or REMOVE place bets. Good chance of winning a little, small chance of losing much, and the new players get to watch the table as they become more and more comfortable with what many new players find complex and confusing about craps. You are there to answer their questions in real time
• As Shooter. Start with Pass Line bet and 1x (maybe 2x) odds. Just that. See how their pass-line bet works once or twice. Make sure they understand they cannot REMOVE their pass-line bet once a point is set. Then, when they understand the mechanics of the pass-line bet, you can perhaps suggest a Come bet, explaining its similarity to the pass-line bet.

If your new players are still excited about craps after playing the lower HA bets (discussed above), then you can dig into all the intricacies of Iron Cross or other betting suggestions. But, no need to overwhelm them at the start.

Good Luck!

I always suggest newbies play the minimum Pass and accept that they sometimes win or lose on the first roll, thereafter wanting the point and not a 7. I would also suggest they took odds probably using bets that give a whole number for payout (e.g. $5:even numbers, $6:5/9 or just $10). That way they get the idea of what's the game is about without worrying about all the other bets. At the end of the evening the objectvie is they understand the basic rules of the game rather than all the bets available.

Have fun

What is your goal / objective? I know you want to have fun with your family and make money... but what are you realistically trying to achieve? How much would you be happy with winning? How much time do you want to spend on the table? Are you willing to sacrifice time playing on the table for dollars won? Or do you want to spend a lot of time having fun and not care if you lose it all?

Once you are up... leave on the uptick.

Sage advice from WmW! He must be reading those John Patrick craps books!

I'm starting out with $200 myself, and I'm making it 3 sessions of $60 for 10 x $6 bets per session. If I just bet the passline, or just a placebet, I have an object goal to double or nothing my session money somehow, sometimes multiple times. A session might last typically 30-90 minutes this way. I could stretch a session out to 5 hours if I had no real luck. But $60 is like just the damn minimum I can play for a session. If I was up $60, I might add single odds; if I was up $120 on top of that, I'd bet the 6 & 8 for $6; with 4 sets of $60 sitting in my rail. If I get to $480, I could double my bets to $12. I find table minimums to be an extreme concern on a low budget. Monday-Thursday before 6pm I can find a $5 table. Outside of those times it's likely higher table limits.

I think the Iron Cross is a bit much for someone new to the game. Especially since it is my belief it should only be played when the Point is 5 and you have (or can afford to have) your 6 and 8 place bets equal enough to pay more than you lose on the Field bet. And when the Point becomes a 5, and you start playing the Cross, take the place 9 down.

Thanks cowboy-----I'll check this strategy out and see how I do. I appreciate your imput on this subject.
Dick