Last week while on a two day trip to AC I was playing and although my shot wasn't working too well I had a few nice short hands . On my third hand with the dice I threw the dice and the stick brought the dice back to me. I set the dice positioned them to take my grip when a player at the end of the table throws out two green chips and mumbles something to the dealer. The dealer and the player enter into a discussion about what bet the player wanted. just as I am taking my grip the box says "wait up" and the stick hooks the dice and my fingers and returns the dice minus my fingers to the middle of the table. My focus was gone. The discussion only lasted 30 seconds or so and I had the dice back. I began throwing but instead of focusing on my pre shot routine I was just taking a grip and throwing. I got lucky for a few rolls then sevened out. On my way back to my room I thought about what had happened and came to the realization that the break had destroyed my focus and I had been neglecting to follow my pre shot routine and therefore was throwing without following the fundementals of a good shot. Once back in the room my wife made me a drink and I spent some time thinking about what to do when this type of thing happens. It's not like I was in the middle of a big roll and I managed to have a small profit but the incident triggered a rant in my head at the table so instead of going through the pre shot routine I have worked to ingrain into my play I was ranting in my head about what had just happened. My shot reflected it. So on the ride home my wife agreed to drive which allowed me some time to reflect on this.

I decided I need some type of trigger to snap me back to the game. The day after we got home I set up for a practice session with my wife assisting me by retrieving the dice from the receiving station. I asked her to say "dice are out" when she set the dice down in front of me. As she said this I tried to focus on getting into my pre shot routine. We did this for three sessions of about 15 min.

Today I played at my local casino and sure enough every time the stick said "dice are out" I would lean into the table and take my stance which is the beginning of my pre shot routine. I found myself doing this even when someone else was the shooter lol. I think this might work! So I will continue to work this into my practice in hopes that interruptions in play won't adversely affect my play.

I know that I'm not the only player who has been through this and I am curious as to how others deal with this. In posting this I am hopeful that others will share how they deal with this sort of thing.

Replies:

Posted by: Chuckman on August 27, 2014, 1:39 am

One thing I would suggest is to make your trigger something you say or do. By making the trigger the stickman saying "dice are out" you have put that trigger in the stickman's hand or mouth in this case. If the stickman doesn't say that or says something different you have denied yourself the trigger. My suggestion would be for you to say "dice are out" out loud after the stickman says it. (Oh, and by out loud I don't mean shout it, but quietly and audible to yourself.) Make your statement the trigger. That way you control your trigger.

I have certainly encountered that problem myself. The most recent one I can specifically remember was a don't player was throwing money into my landing zone as I was shooting the dice. It was distracting, but I got lucky. The third time he did it the dealers gave him a load of grief and it dawned on me he was doing it on purpose.

For myself, I am working on an internal soundtrack. The music I play in my head will hopefully become my focus. Not there yet. Still working on it.

Posted by: TheLion on August 27, 2014, 2:09 am

We win in Las Vegas

We win at the only TR Casino in SE PA

We LOSE in AC -- this year

It has been rough up there -- not sure why??? --- but, the losses are mounting in AC

Posted by: Butcher on August 28, 2014, 7:36 pm

Good point Chuckman. I think I will take your suggestion and say it to myself to trigger my pre shot routine. Thanks for posting.