Hazzard


	John Bright's Regiment of Foote Part of the Roundhead Association in the English Civil War Society

The Game of HAZARD also known as "CRABS"

	"Certainly Hazard is the most bewitching game that is played on the dice, for when a man begins to play he knows not when to leave off, and having once accustomed himself to play ay Hazard, he hardly, ever after, minds anything else.” - Charles Cotton, "The Compleat Gamester". 1674 Hazard was described by name in the 12th century, and was probably played long before that, perhaps under a different name. It continued as the main dice game in England with some modifications, for over 700 years until its peak in the 19th century. Crockford's gaming club, at that time, had expenses for three new pairs of dice per night, and more as called for by the players, which ran to £2,000 per year at about a guinea a pair. The form of the game described below is a 17th century version based on Charles Cotton's account in the "Compleat Gamester", 1674. In later years the game was simplified, a process which continued to produce the modern game of Craps. Rules of Hazard Play commences when one of a group of gamesters around a table, choses to act as banker, or "Setter". He takes a sum of money and places it in a circle drawn at the centre. When he has done this another player, known as the "Caster" or "Shooter", indicates that he will accept the bet, by knocking the table next to the circle with his fist or a dice cup. Play then continues and the outcome of the bet is settled in either two or three stages.

		These stages are: 1. Casting the Setter's Point or Main. 2. Trying for a Caster's Point or Chance. 3. If the outcome of the bet has not already been decided; throwing the dice until either the Main or the Chance is obtained, to decide the winner.

Casting the Setter's Point or MAIN
The Caster first has to throw a MAIN for the Setter. This has to be one of five numbers:-
5, 6, 7, 8, or 9.
All other numbers which occur are re-thrown until a permissible MAIN is achieved.

Trying for a Caster's Point or CHANCE
The Caster then has to throw a Point for himself, which can be any one of seven numbers:-
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10.
If he succeeds that number becomes the CHANCE.

If, while trying to establish a CHANCE for himself, the Caster throws the number already chosen as the MAIN, it is a NICK, and the Caster has won the bet.

If the MAIN is either 6 or 8, and the Caster throws a 12 this is also a NICK and the Caster has won.

If, while trying to establish a CHANCE for himself, the Caster throws a 2 or 3, this is a CRAB or OUT, and the Caster has lost the bet.

If the MAIN is either 5, 6, 8 or 9, and the Caster throws 11, this is also a CRAB or OUT.
If the MAIN is either 5, 7 or 9, and the Caster throws 12, this is also a CRAB or OUT.

MAIN	NICK	CRABS
5	5	2, 3, 11, 12
6	6, 12	2, 3, 11
7	7	2, 3, 12
8	8, 12	2, 3, 11
9	9	2, 3, 11, 12

Deciding the Outcome
If the Caster produces a CHANCE without throwing a NICK or a CRAB, he continues to throw until he again produces the MAIN, in which case he LOSES, or the CHANCE, in which case he WINS. No numbers other than the MAIN or CHANCE affect the game at this stage.

Side Bets
A big feature of this game was that all players, including the Setter and Caster, could at any point in the game lay side bets with any of the other players:
e.g. "Even money the Caster will throw 2, 3 ,11 or 12 in three rolls".
"Even money the next number is odd", etc.

These bets should be proposed and accepted or rejected very quickly,
as this means one can sometimes accept the most ludicrous bets.

Some good even money bets:
Bet even money that the Caster will or will not throw a:

4 or 10 before throwing 7
3 or 9 before throwing 7
3 or 5 before throwing 7
2 or 8 before throwing 7
2 or 6 before throwing 7
5 or 11 before throwing 7
6 or 12 before throwing 7
8 or 12 before throwing 7
9 or 11 before throwing 7
4 before throwing 10
5 before throwing 9
6 before throwing 8
2, 3 or 4 before throwing 7
10, 11 or 12 before throwing 7
Any Odd number before throwing Any even Number
Any number below 7 before throwing any number above 7


	[Home] [Events] [About] [Re-Enactment] [Roles] [Drill] [Games] [Tall Stories] [Sponsor's Guide] [Forum] [Contact Us] [Links] [The Gallery]