Gambling in Craps (Part 2)

Sir Crapington pointed to another one of his slotomatons beside him. “Go place a chip on the don't pass bar.” He faced me, who was standing across the table from him. “Place your wager, no trousers.”

“What should I do?” I turned to Rollnaldo.

He nonchalantly sat down with his legs dangling toward the inside of the table. “Just slap a chip down on the pass line.”

“Are you sure we shouldn't think this through more?” I was a bit surprised with how flippant he was with such high stakes on the line.

He let out a yawn. “Don't overthink it. At the end of the day, gambling’s just probability and luck.”

I turned to the nearest slotomaton. “I'd like to put a chip on-.”

Sir Crapington shouted over me. “My slotomatons don't take orders from you. Place your own chip.”

“Are you serious?” I grumbled, as I shoved one of my oversized chips down onto the play area. Climbing down, I dragged it across the felt surface to the outer section of the table labeled ‘pass line’. By the time I returned to my side of the table, I was breaking a sweat again.

“One of you, go roll the dice.” He ordered his slotomatons.

One of the robots picked up both Mayor Rolland and Rollo in its arms. Both of them had nervous looks on their faces, as they braced themselves. The robot proceeded to chuck them across the table, bouncing them off the back wall. The tumbled around until finally coming to a rest… Mayor Rolland fell with his four pipped side facing up and Rollo with his three pipped side facing up.

Not having the ability to talk, one of the slotomatons held up a white board which read, ‘Natural seven. Pass line wins.’

The dice people on the side lines cheered, which I assumed meant I won. “Looks like your call was right on the money.”

Rollnaldo shrugged. “On the pass line, sevens and elevens are an instant win. Rolling either of those numbers has about a twenty two percent chance. Like I said, it all just comes down to a combination of probability and luck.”

The slotomatons handed me back up my bet plus one chip. I now had four chips.

Sir Crapington looked surprisingly unconcerned. “That was just a light warm up. Slotomaton, place both my remaining chips on the 4 to 1 seven wager.”

The robot complied and carried down the final two chips down to the field, placing them onto the grid in the center of the table.

“What's that do?” I wondered.

“He’s playing the center of the table. Proposition bets like that have a higher payout, but are higher risk.” Rollnaldo gave his insight. “You're ahead, so there's no need to make any risky moves yet. My guts telling me to just go with the don't pass bar. Just keep your guard up, he still hasn't used any gambling sorcery yet.”

“What the heck is a gam-?”

“Are you two just going to stand around and chat or are we going to play this game?” Sir Crapington interrupted me.

Not getting a chance to finish my question, I dragged one of my chips back down to the field, placing it where Rollnaldo told me to.

Once again, Rolland and Rollo, both of which were looking a little bit bruised up, were lifted up by a slotomaton.

“Nice job, gamblord. All you have to do is hold out two more rou-.” Before Mayor Rolland could finish his words of encouragement, he and Rollo were thrown across the table, once again tumbling around until coming to a halt. This time Rolland landed, displaying a one and Rollo a two.

“That's three! The gamblord gets an instant win once again.” The dice town folk collectively cheered for me.

A maniacal laughter suddenly cut through the air. “Not so fast. I'll be using my gambling sorcery for this round.” Sir Crapington held out his right hand, as he began to glow with a light blue aura. A moment later, the same aura appeared around Mayor Rolland. He began to levitate off the ground.

“What’s happening!?” I exclaimed.

Rollnaldo shook his head/torso “I knew it. He's using his gambling sorcery.”

“His what?”

“His gambling sorcery. It's a unique ability that most gamblords have, where once during a Gamble Showdown, they can alter a certain variable to give themselves an advantage.” Rollnaldo explained.

In mid-air, Mayor Rolland rotated around until finally being placed back down with his five side facing up.

Another slotomaton held up a white board, which read, ‘Any seven. Front line winner!’

I threw my arm up. “How is that even fair!?”

Sir Crapington snickered again. “This is the power of my gambling Sorcery! Once during a game, I can change the value of a die to whatever I want.”

“By the Kasino King’s decree, gambling Sorcery is perfectly legal and is even encouraged.” Rollando chimed in.

“You gotta be kidding me.” I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand.

“Just relax, we still have one more round.” He reassured me. “After that payout he just got though, we're gonna have to go big or go home.”

In front of Sir Crapington now sat a total of ten chips. “Just place a chip on the pass line. There's no point in taking any unnecessary risk this round.” He dictated to his slotomaton, who once again carried a chip down and put it down on the pass line.

Rollnaldo glanced sideways at me. “Well, looks like you have no choice. It's impossible for you to win unless you play the center of the table.”

“What’s the play then?” I wondered.

“Since he's playing the pass line, if the shooter rolls a craps, which is a two, three, or twelve he'll immediately lose his bet.” Rollnaldo pointed down at the play area as he spoke. “It’ll be risky, but you should put all your chips on rolling a snake eyes.”

“But don't snake eyes have fairly low odds of getting rolled?”

“Yes, about 2.78 percent to be exact… That's the point though.” He began to lower his voice, so no one could hear him. “As the dice are being rolled, I want you to use your gambling sorcery.”

“I'm not sure if I even have one.” I whispered back.

“It could be possible, there are plenty of low level gamblords that don't have one, but I got a good feeling about you. In fact, I bet the fate of the whole town on it.” He confidently grinned.

I wasn't sure why he had so much faith in me or even what motives he had to help me. If he wanted to, he could have easily used this opportunity to dip out of town before anyone noticed.

Shoving all three of my chips down off the table's side wall, I nodded at him. “May the odds be in our favor!” I jumped down onto the velvet and carried over all three of my chips to the 30 to 1 snake eyes bet.

Once back up on the side of the wall, I stood still, attempting to focus. I have no Idea how any of this gambling sorcery worked, but I'd at least try to mimic what that weirdo across from me did.

The slotomaton, for hopefully the final time, picked Rolland and Rollo back up. Both the dice had black eyes, on top of the cuts and bruises they already had. The robot held the dice over its head, preparing to throw.

Imitating what Sir Crapington had done last round, I put out my arm, focusing a little harder…maybe a little too hard, since a constipated feeling started coming from my abdomen.

“Maybe I don't have a gamble advantage after-...” suddenly just as I let my guard down a blue aura suddenly encompassed me. “Holy crap, I'm doing it!... I don't exactly know what it is I'm doing, but something is definitely happening.”

Rolland and Rollo began to glow as well. For about thirty seconds, the blue aura emanated around them and me, until suddenly… “what the-.” The glow faded and nothing seemed to happen.

Sir Crapington let out a laugh. “What kind of a joke of a gambling sorcery was that?”

“Don’t let him get to you, the dice haven't even been thrown yet.” Rollnaldo reassured me.

Finally releasing the dice, the slotomaton hurtled them across the table. They smacked against the back wall, bouncing off of it with a thud. For an unusually long amount of time, they tumbled around the table. Over time, they progressively got slower. As each of their momentums nearly halted, Rolland teetered on his corner between a one and a three and Rollo teetered between a one and a four.

The dice townsfolk on the sideline were completely silent as they stared suspense.

“Come on!” Both Rollnaldo and I shouted simultaneously.

After an agonizing three seconds, the dice finally came to a rest, landing on… one and… one.

“The gamblord has done it!” The dice people danced around in celebration.

I stood still with my mouth wide open, in shock that I actually managed to win at gambling for once.

Sir Crapington fell to his knees in defeat. “How could I lose to some impoverished chap with no trousers!?”

Maybe finally after all I've been through, my luck is finally turning around…