Captain 5-count Craps
5 Count Craps
5 Count Craps
Captains 5 Count Craps

The method proposes that a player can expect to win playing Craps as long as comps are factored in. Well, the article states that the casino rates a 5-Count player as if he/she had bet on every shooter, and this is not always the case. Some supervisors are aware of betting frequency, and they can lower the rate at which a 5-Counter receives comps.

Come out roll on any new shooter - $10 on DP.

If shooter throws 2,3,or12 - do same bet.
If shooter throws any point number - go to step 2.
If shooter throws a 7 or 11 do not replace the bet, but immediately start the Captain's 5-count system - starting with the next throw of the dice. If shooter gets past the 5-count, place a come or pass bet and take single odds. Place another come bet on the next roll and place single odds. Continue to keep 2 come bets with single odds on the table for as long as the shooter holds the dice. Obviously, if the shooter keeps making the numbers then you can press the odds up or make additional come bets. If the shooter 7's out then start step 1 all over again

Place a $5 don't come bet.

If the shooter 7's out - you won $5 from DP bet - go back to step 1.
If the shooter rolls 11 - do not replace DC bet.
If the shooter rolls 2,3 take winnings and repeat bet; if 12 then same bet.
If the shooter rolls any point number - go to step 3.

Do not make any more bets until:

Shooter seven's out - you won $15 - go back to step 1.
Shooter kills both of your bets - DP and DC. If you no longer have any bets on the table, immediately begin the Captain's 5-count. Employ the same method of betting as I described in step 1, letter C.

The 5-Count, the Captain's method for finding hot shooters and reducing a player's overall risk at the craps table, starts with a point number (the 'point numbers' are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) and ends with a point number. Let's take it step by step. The shooter has.
Hawaii Craps Shooters (3) Inside the Casino (4) jaido DI (1) Let it Roll (9) Low Rollers Craps (4) Mel Lum Ho – Craps Hawaii (36) Mike Cope (1) Miles to Memories (5) No 7's Dice Club (14) Not Leaving Las Vegas – a Vegas Video Channel (9) OnPointGambling (1) Paul Enockson (1) Platinum Craps (1) Platinum Gamblers (1) Press by One (19.

This method seems to have quite a few safeguards against 1 shooter killing your bankroll on DP by not allowing yourself to lose more than 1 bet per shooter to a 'natural' on the come out. It also makes sure that if a hot roll develops - you are on the right side of the table.

Appendices
Miscellaneous
External Links

Introduction

Basic strategy blackjack players sometimes ask me for a simple way to overcome the small house edge in blackjack, with little worry over being recognized as a card counter. This is often done with the motive of milking the casinos for comps and offers. What follows is, in my opinion, the easiest card counting strategy to achieve the above goal and still put the odds in the player's favor.

How It Works

Captain 5-count Craps

Establish what your minimum and maximum bets will be. Usually the maximum will be 8, 16, or 32 times the minimum bet, or any power of 2, but you can use whatever bet spread you wish.
At the beginning of each shoe, start with your minimum bet, and a count of zero.
For each five observed, add one to the count.
For each ace observed, subtract one from the count.
If the count is greater than or equal to two, then double your last bet, up to your maximum bet.
If the count is less than or equal to one, then make the minimum bet.
Use basic strategy for all playing decisions.

This strategy was designed to be most effective on a six- or eight-deck game. I recommend playing only on games with liberal Strip rules, which are as follows:

4-8 decks
Blackjack pays 3 to 2
Dealer stands on soft 17
Double after split allowed
Late surrender allowed
Re-splitting aces allowed
75%+ penetration

Such games are easy to find in Las Vegas, although sometimes a higher minimum bet is required. In the low-roller pits, the dealer will usually hit on a soft 17, which is bad, costing the player 0.22%.

Simulation Results

The following results were provided by Norm Wattenberger using his Casino Vérité software. The rules above were used, with six decks, and 75% penetration. In my opinion, Casino Vérité is the most robust and accurate blackjack simulation software on the market. It can be used to test just about any card counting strategy under any set of rules and conditions.

Ace/Five Count Statistics

Spread	Player Advantage	Average Initial Bet	SCORE
1-8	0.30%	2.7	3.1
1-16	0.45%	4.2	5.3
1-32	0.57%	7.1	6.5

SCORE is an acronym, coined by Don Schlesinger, for Standardized Comparison Of Risk and Expectation. It is defined as the advantage squared divided by the variance. The SCORE may also be interpreted as the expected hourly win per hand for a player with a $10,000 bankroll, who sizes his bets according to the Kelly Criterion, to achieve a 13.5% risk of ruin. As a basis of comparison, a Hi-Lo counter, with a 1 to 8 spread, under the same rules, has a SCORE of 8.40, compared to the 3.1 of the Ace/Five count.

Source: 'Blackjack Attack,' third edition by Don Schlesinger.

Earlier Strategies

5 Count Craps

After publishing this section, somebody accused me of stealing the idea from Edward Thorp. Indeed, in 1969 Thorp did discuss a similar strategy in his book 'Beat the Dealer,' in the fourth chapter titled 'A Winning Strategy.' The difference is that Thorp's strategy tracks fives remaining against total cards remaining. Later, in 1971, Lawrence Revere published a similar strategy as Thorp's in 'Playing Blackjack as a Business,' chapter 7 titled 'The Revere Five Count Strategy.'

Practice

Practice your card counting skills with our trainer.

Acknowledgments

Norm Wattenberger: For the simulation results, using his Casino Vérité software.
Don Schlesinger: For his many edits to this page.

5 Count Craps

Captains 5 Count Craps

Written by: Michael Shackleford