Using Sam Grafstein`s Pensioner`s Play

[Dylanfreake]

A Friday trip to Tunica saw me using the Dice Doctor`s Pensioner`s Play . In this way of play , you try to get one DC and two DC wagers established . It has been a while since I have used this play. You play each wager naked (no odds).


I found a spot at a $5 table and played $15 wagers . My Loss Limit was $270 which is $15 x 18. The $270 loss Limit is well within 4% of my total gambling bankroll (I never risk more than 4% of my Total Gambling Bankroll during any one session). At any time that I lose a wager , I make no more bets on that shooter according to Sam`s instructions. After a loss to a shooter short of three units, I use the remaining units, sometimes one or sometimes two, on the next shooter and continue on each shooter until a total of three units is lost at which time I begin on the next shooter with three units.


My first session started off terribly. I lost my first three wagers and had lost two of my next three wagers, until I finally won a wager. From there ,it seemed like it was kissing your sister time. A DP would get established and then a 7 or 11 would show with a wager in the DC box. But, I continued on and after playing for 2 hours and 3 minutes , I ended with a one unit ($15) win. Time for lunch while watching folks line up to place wagers for the next days college football games at the newly opened sportsbook.


After a hotdog, French fries and Pizza, I was ready for session #2. The $5 table that I had just left was full of players, so I bought in at a $10 table that had about 10 players on it. I liked that since I do not shoot the dice . I need a table that has plenty of shooters.. Choppy tables are actually perfect for me since I really do not mind losing . A table that keeps the rightside players happy and the Darkside players happy , as well, is perfect for me. Once again I lost my first three units (a total of $45) , but this table was a little better for me . I hit a few Cowtippers ( DC or DP parlays ) , but lost a $60 one . By the time it was time to leave for home , 2 hours and 9 minutes later, I was 8 units ahead ($120).

It is always a fun day when you leave the casino with more money in your Total Gambling Bankroll, while playing with some good guys and girls. I enjoyed revisiting SG`s Pensioner`s Play after a few years , maybe even a decade.

[stratocasterman]

I admire you grinding away at the Dark Side and revisiting Sam Grafstein`s Pensioner`s Play DF. I do the Dark Side myself with the randies on the DP in a Grand-Martingale fashion or MP's CT-SL.

Hey, that is a good Win, any day, in my book. Fun for sure!

I will be planning a trip soon to visit my Dad in Hot Springs, AR. Maybe we can hook-up in Tunica if I get some free time.

[Dylanfreake]

Sounds great.


The Pensioner`s Play by Sam Grafstein in his book The Dice Doctor, worked out pretty good this time. Of course it could have gone the other way. You just never know, but with a loss limit and playing within your bankroll , you can play another day no matter the outcome.


I think on my next casino visit, I shall play the same except using $20 units, just for kicks . My loss limit will be $360. I may even think abot going up to a $25 unit after that. A $30 unit would be slightly outside of the 4% of my Total Gambling Bankroll. Money management , in my opinion , is my most important aspect of my game ,along with using wagers that have a lower house edge. I still believe that leaving a table when you are ahead, no matter the amount you are ahead is most important.

[heavy]

My spin on that system would simply be to reduce the size of your first DC bet. Try $15 DP followed by a $10 DC, then another $15 DC. You get a partial hedge effect from the DC on the first DP. While it goes against the Grafstein grain, my play is to get two bets established - one DP and one DC. Then, if I get knocked off of one I lay sufficient odds to recoup that loss on the remaining bet. If I lose both I am through on that shooter.

[Golfer]

DF still winning. Yep, all is right with the universe. Yet, you might do a little better on your menu selections. He He.

Golfer

[Dylanfreake]

Golfer, I like that redneck food, although I am ready for a double bone porkchop which is high-classed eating; hope you and your family are doing well. We may be out west Oct.1.

[SteveO]

I admire you grinding away at the Dark Side and revisiting Sam Grafstein`s Pensioner`s Play DF. I do the Dark Side myself with the randies on the DP in a Grand-Martingale fashion or MP's CT-SL.

Hey, that is a good Win, any day, in my book. Fun for sure!

I will be planning a trip soon to visit my Dad in Hot Springs, AR. Maybe we can hook-up in Tunica if I get some free time.

Hey Michael. How you been doing? If you actually do make it to Tunica let me know. It’s only about a 6 Hour drive from here and I’d be happy to meet up with you guys.

[stratocasterman]

Doing OK SteveO! Thanks for the heads up.

Getting ready to MOVE...arrrrrrrrrg...to the new condo. Not much time to get to the casino now...Danga!

Wife talked like maybe shipping me off sometime next March maybe, who knows. Just taking things a day at a time you know.

[flextimeLV]

Hey DF-- weird coincidence, I just played a $15/unit Pensioner at the Horseshoe Southern Indiana (Louisville). Finished down 4 units. What's your opinion on the double-up move when holding one unit left? Do you do it or take the two units and go DP/DC?

On the other hand, should the shooter again make the point you had covered, you would only have one unit remaining. You must now hope to run into enough Miss-outs to get back your three units and again start playing for a profit. The quickest way of doing this would be to parlay your bet with this one unit, providing it's a winning roll. (One winning unit makes two. Two winning units make four, for a net profit of one unit, right? Right?)

[Dylanfreake]

That is where I deviate from SG`s play . If I have one unit left to play, I will play that unit and if I win , I then make a DP and try to get a DC established with the second unit.

Yesterday , I did visit the casino and play The Pensioner`s Play once again with not as good a result as the last time . I shall report that session later on today.

[Dylanfreake]

Off we went to the casino and I once again played The Dice Doctor`s Pensioners Play. This time I used $20 betting units.

The table was packed with players . One a guy, from St. Louis who was there on a junket ,was moaning and groaning that he had lost $9,000 while he had been there . I was thinking < I`m kinda cringing because I am down a hundred dollars>. This table was not good for the rightside player or the Darkside player.. As a matter of fact everyone at the table was moaning , except me ; I never moan , I just play, I guess you can say , I take the bad with the good.


Well, there was also one other player at the table who was there when I bought in and was there when I left 2 hours and 44 minutes later. He was just quietly playing -------no moaning and groaning from him. We were on a $5 table and he was only making a $6 six and a $6 eight bet every shooter ----one hit and down on both bets , waiting on the next shooter. It seemed like every shooter at that table shot at least one six or eight during his turn with the dice. This little, quiet guy was not worried about how he should be making more money ; he was only interested in collecting money.


This session for me did not turn out as well as my previous Pensioners Session. After playing 2 hours and 44 minutes , I left the table down $160.

My next Pensioners Play session , I shall make $25 unit wagers with a loss limit of $450.

[flextimeLV]

Looking forward to hearing about it. I'm also playing the Mrs. Dice Doctor which is a slight variation from the Pensioners. I lay odds at a $5 table and no odds anything higher. Played two sessions last night on a $10 table at Harrah's Metropolis (Paducah): up 7 units, down 8 units, net down 1 unit. The drunk hag designee butterflying around from game to game twice gave me 3 points (10,4,9), knocked 'em down, 7'd out, and left. I could only shake my head and laugh (a little). Thank you for coming! It helps make the game great.

[220Inside]

So, the Pensioner's play is a simply a DP, followed by 2 DC bets, all naked, and wait for decisions?

I do something like this from time to time, except on the first DC, I'll lay enough on the DP to cover the DC in the event of a PSO. After the first DC travels, remove the DP lay. I place the second DC with no hedges. Even if the hand goes PPSO, I still win one unit.

[Dylanfreake]

Flextime, yes the Pensioners Play is very similar to Mrs. Dice Doctors Play. I used that play during my early days of craps play.

22inside, The Pensioners play is attempting to get a DP and two DCs established before losing a wager .Whenever you lose a wager , you make no more bets on that shooter.

My next casino trip will be the first week in Oct, so I shall make a post on the 9th or 10th of October after I get home, since I am not smart enough to have a smart phone.

[flextimeLV]

Pensioners: 3 units per shooter, 6 shooters to give yourself a fair chance, 18 units total. Low-roller playing $5 needs $90, which will let you play 2-3 hours without getting hurt. Add the odds hedge: worst case you need $10 odds to protect the first DC. Add $60 in odds protection (6 shooters) and you're looking at a $150 bankroll. There's no built-in 'get back' for the eventual bullfrogs, so I guess you eat them. Maybe you separate the $90 playing units and $60 odds protection and when they run out, that's it. If the latter, no more odds protection while the remaining $90 plays out.

Interesting.

[Dylanfreake]

Flextime , I think that makes a nice adjustment to the Pensioners Play. During my recent play there were three straight point-seven outs where I won the DP but lost the DC . When that happened , I told the guy next to me that "I felt like I was kissing my sister"; that`s when the guy told me he was $9,000 down.

[bahdbwoy]

I tend to parlay only once on occasion twice... I prefer to put that parlay win aside and use it occasionally as odds to cover a DC getting on

[flextimeLV]

Pensioner/Mrs. players are such grinders, we rarely get much excitement except for that occasional double or triple parlay which survives the C/O or travels. We need a bone thrown our way here and there. You won't hear us cheer, but there might be a slight smile under the ballcap, should she come home.

[Dylanfreake]

On a recent trip to Las Vegas , while on the plane , I wrote in my gambling journal that the reason that I like the Pensioners Play is that it is a slow grind and sometimes by having patience while you are behind , you can all of a sudden be back to even. Of course anything can and will happen at a craps table so you can also lose everything during a session, rapidly.


Well , anything can and did happen while I was playing in Lost Vegas.


My first session was at Mirage and lasted only 39 minutes because the table emptied and there were no shooters. I was behind one unit, a $25 one. During the course of three playing days I always bought in for $500 and played $25 units and attempted to stay at the table , playing through the $500 buyin.


My second session at Mirage resulted in a 3 unit loss. This 2 hour and 2 minute session did last through my buyin.


My third session at Mirage ,after I smoked an afternoon Arturo Hemingway Signature Cigar and had a neat Diplimatico Rum at Rhumbar , got me into winning territory with a 5 unit win in just 10 minutes of play, since my wife wanted to go over to Bellagio to use some of her freeplay.


I was at the table at Bellagio for 32 minutes and had a 2 unit win . The $25 table emptied and the $10 and $15 table were packed with players so I ended up playing my last session at Caesars Palace where we were staying.


At Caesars I had my worst session of the trip losing 16 units in 1 hour and 53 minutes. Yes, that is a $400 loss. For the first day , I am down 13 units .


Breakfast on this first day was at The Pantry at Mirage which we always enjoy. We had dinner while at Bellagio , eating at the buffet.



I shall repot later on day 2 and day 3.

[bahdbwoy]

Whoa.. good luck DF...

Is that your current play? No cow tipping or single DP with odds? Or do you switch it up routinely?