HAZARD

dice game dating back at least to the 14th century and once popular and played for high stakes in English gambling rooms. The name of the popular American dice game of craps derives from the nickname crabs for the cast 11 in hazard. The modern rules of craps also grew out of the old English game. In hazard the banker, or setter, sets a stake. The player, or caster, calls a main (a number from 5 to 9, inclusive) and then throws two dice. If he throws in, or nicks, he wins the stake. Five is nicked by 5; 6 by 6 or 12; 7 by 7 or 11; 8 by 8 or 12; 9 by 9. The caster throws out, losing the stake, when throwing aces or deuce-ace (crabs, or craps) or when throwing 11 or 12 to a main of 5 or 9, 11 to 6 or 8, and 12 to 7. Any other throw is his chance; he keeps throwing until the chance comes up, when he wins, or until the main comes up, when he loses. When a chance is thrown, the setter pays more than the original stake, according to specified odds. In French hazard the player throws against the house. In English, or chicken, hazard the player throws against an opponent. Chuck-a-Luck (q.v.), a game played with three dice, is sometimes called hazard.