Fitzroy Roulette System

The Fitzroy System. « on: October 24, 2014, 01:58:08 PM » At first I was under the idea the Fitzroy system and the D'alembert were the same system, but after reading on both systems the Fitzroy is a little different. Allerdings bietet das Fitzroy Roulette System gleich zwei verschiedene Spielvarianten zum Ausprobieren an. Die erste Variante Bei der ersten Variante des Fitzroy Roulette Systems wird jeweils ein Jeton auf eine einfache Chance, wie oben beschrieben, gesetzt. Sollte der Spieler gewinnen, setzt er wiederum einen Jeton auf eine einfache Chance.

Roulette is a very simple, lottery style casino game where player’s attempt to predict what number will hit. Played with a Roulette Table, a Roulette Wheel and a small ball, players who bet on the correct number, group of numbers or col+or win their bets, while those who do not, lose their bets.

What you can find in this Roulette guide:

European & American Roulette

The European Roulette wheel contains 37 numbers, 1 through 36 and a 0. In the American version of Roulette, there are 38 numbers, 1 through 36, 0 and 00, on the wheel.

European Roulette offers the player better odds (lower house edge), therefore is the popular favorite. Both Roulette variations are offered by practically all online gambling sites.

European Roulette

European Roulette is different from American Roulette because of the fact that it only has one zero. European Roulette is also called Single Zero Roulette for that reason. By only having one zero it is far better to play because of the lower house edge associated with it.

European can be found in most casinos across America, but not all. If you are in Europe though; it will be found in every casino that you visit. As the name suggests, this Roulette game is synonymous with the European gambling world.

If you play casino games on internet gambling sites then you will find that it is offered at every casino. If you enjoy playing a game of Roulette than there really is no reason why you shouldn’t be playing European Roulette. Who wants to give the casino a better chance of winning?

European Roulette wheel

There are 37 numbers in European Roulette. That is one less number than American Roulette because that game has two zeros. The numbers range from 1 through to 36, plus the zero. The 36 numbers are divided into two by their color. There are 18 red numbers and 18 black numbers on the Roulette wheel.

European Roulette table

It is fairly easy to make a bet in Roulette because of the simple nature of the table layout. The Roulette table is designed in such a way so that the numbers are color coordinated with the wheel. That makes it easy for us to distinguish between the different numbers and colors.

In European Roulette, there are a number of different bets that you can make. These bets are not difficult to make either. Again, because of the way the table is laid out, all you have to do is find the relevant section. If you want to bet on a color, certain number or a group of numbers it is simple once you know how. Each bet has its own designated area so all you have to do is place your chips where it’s appropriate.

History of European Roulette

As you might have already guessed from the name of the game; Roulette was created in France. It was first played in 1796 but it took a fair while for it to become popular. It wasn’t until casinos added the second zero (what we call American Roulette which is described below) that it became popular.

As the casinos saw that there was money to be made more and more decided to add it to their casino game selection. Because the game was initially invented in France the name stayed as Roulette. It also never lost its name because to this day the same game is played around Europe. That is, it still has one zero with the lower house edge.

Roulette wheel

If you examine the Roulette wheel, you’ll see that the numbers are utterly scattered. They revert from high to low, red to black and odd to even so that there is no advantage to specific groups of numbers.

The croupier, like the dealer in Blackjack, controls the Roulette table, wheel, and bets. Once all bets have been placed (see inside and outside bets on the right side), the croupier will spin the wheel in one direction. He will then drop the small, silver or white ball into the Roulette wheel, tossing it in the opposite direction that the wheel is spinning.

The ball will pop around the numbered/colored pockets on the wheel until finally coming to a rest in a single pocket. The pocket the ball stops in is the winning number/color.

American Roulette

American Roulette is widely popular in the US and is almost identical to the traditional European Roulette game. To fully understand how and why this casino came about I will take back into history so you can gain a better understanding.

The American Roulette wheel and table are different

The American Roulette wheel is almost exactly the same as the traditional version. As I alluded to above, there is an extra zero. It is placed on the opposite side of the wheel to the regular zero and is called double zero or 00.

The table in Roulette is basically a different representation of what you see on the Roulette wheel. Everything that you see on the wheel you can bet on. With that in mind, the table is displayed in a way where all you have to do is put your chips on the spot that matches what you want to bet on.

In Roulette, there are many different types of bets that can be made on each spin of the wheel. It is up to you to decide whether you want to bet on a single color, number or maybe even a row. All of these bets have different odds and probabilities of winning.

I suggest that you do a little bit of research into some of the smarter bets that you can make in Roulette before you hit the tables with your hard earned money. While at the end of the day it is all about the fun and excitement, you can give yourself a better chance of winning. Playing American Roulette is much more enjoyable to me when I’m winning and I would assume it would be for you too.

History of American Roulette

Blaise Pascal from France is the man that created the game of Roulette way back in the 1700’s. The history of Roulette is somewhat cloudy though. What we do know is that in the 1800’s the game became popular in both Europe and the United States.

At some point in the 19th century, it is believed that a Frenchman brought the game to New Orleans which is where the game took off. It didn’t take long for the casinos to realize that there was a lot more money to be made by altering the house edge of this game.

They put their heads together and smartly came up with the idea to add another zero to the Roulette wheel. This instantly doubled the house edge, thus increasing their revenue stream. Now that the casinos in America had a much better source of income from the game they were much more open to promoting it. These days you see it in almost every casino that you play in and it is enjoyed by many.

Playing American Roulette online

American Roulette can be found in pretty much every online casino that you play in. If you are playing at a casino that doesn’t offer it then it is time to change. It is a widely popular game and one that certainly shouldn’t be overlooked.

You will also find that European Roulette will be offered at these online casinos as well. The difference between the two is that European Roulette only has the one zero. That means that there is less of a house edge. I advise that you play this version where possible because ultimately you have a better chance of winning.

Roulette betting rules and their payouts

There are a lot of different ways to place a bet in Roulette. Different sets of numbers with different orders are covered by each bet.

Inside and outside bets

Inside bets are bets placed within the numbered diagram of the table. Players may choose a single number, two numbers, an intersecting group of four numbers, a row or column of numbers, etc. The more numbers selected, the lower the payout will be; ranging from 5:1 to 36:1.

Outside bets are the options outside the numbered betting display. These bets include 1st 12, 2nd 12, 3rd 12, 1st Column, 2nd Column, 3rd Column, Odd or Even, High or Low, Red or Black. Outside bets pay 2:1 or 3:1, depending on the odds.

Roulette bets can be made in specific minimum and maximum amounts. The Roulette table should display the min-max betting limits. For instance, one table may accept bets of $1 to $100, while another may take $100 to $1,000. At the more expensive table, every bet must be at least $100, not to exceed $1,000 on a single bet.

Straight Up

You can bet on any particular number, including the zero, by placing your chips on the center of a number.

Split Bet

You can bet on two numbers by placing your chips on the line that divides the two numbers.

Street Bet

Betting on a row of three numbers is called a street bet. You have to place your chips on one of the border lines of the roulette table, at the end of a corresponding row.

Corner Bet

You can bet on four numbers by placing your chips at a corner where four numbers meet.

Four Bet

You can bet on the numbers 0, 1, 2, and 3 by placing your chips on the borderline, where the line between 0 and the first row comes together.

Line Bet

It’s called a line bet when two street bets are combined. This is done by placing your chips on the border line of the roulette table where the line dividing the two rows comes together.

Column Bet

At the bottom of each number columns, you can find three boxes labeled 2 to 1. You can place bets for all of the numbers in a column by placing your chips in one of these boxes.

Dozen Bet

There are three boxes labeled “1st 12,” “2nd 12,” and “3rd 12”. You can bet on a dozen of numbers (12) by placing your chips in one of these boxes.

Odd & Even, Red & Black, and High & Low Bets

There are three boxes along the long side of the roulette table labeled Odd & Even, Red & Black, and Low & High. Each of these boxes covers 18 numbers.

Roulette winnings chart

When it comes to betting in Roulette it is important to understand the payouts of each bet that can be made. By having a look at the following Roulette winnings chart, a quick point of reference is provided to the keen Roulette player.

On a side note: Betting in roulette can involve two, three, or even four numbers. For example, using the zero, you can place bets on: 1 + 0, 1 + 2 + 0, 2 + 0, 3 + 0, or 1 + 2 + 3 + 0.

Whenever you are in doubt of the Roulette payouts you can come back to this page and quickly access the information you are seeking. One of the main reasons Roulette players enjoy this winnings table so much is because they can look at it while working out their betting strategies. Whether you are new to the game or a seasoned pro, you are likely to benefit from reading the information on the table above.

European Roulette has the best odds

Roulette is offered by virtually every casino, online and land-based, in one form or another. If the option is available, select European Roulette for it’s lower house edge versus American Roulette.

In European Roulette, the expected house edge for a player making inside bets (on the actual numbers) is 97.3%. This means that for every $100 that goes down on the table, $97.30 is paid out. So the casino makes an average profit of $2.70 for every $100 wagered on Roulette.

The most used Roulette strategies

Over the years many people have tried to come up with different Roulette strategies to beat the casinos. These days the casinos have taken actions against it. For example, by setting table limits to prevent bets from being doubled infinite times. By putting rules and strategies like this in place casinos can protect and guard themselves against large losses from gambling systems.

As you will see with almost every gambling strategy, it takes time and dedication to master and make them successful. It doesn’t matter whether it is poker or a casino game, you will have to be diligent and patient in order to win on a consistent basis.

Part of the reason why you have to strictly enforce the rules of the Roulette strategies that you use is that you generally win in small amounts. It can take long periods of time without a mistake to build your bankroll to a point where it has been significantly increased. On the other hand, if you slip up and make a mistake then the result could be disastrous. This highlights the importance of sticking to the core rules of the Roulette betting system and doing to diligently.

Can a Roulette strategy be used when gambling online?

With the measures that casinos, especially online casinos, such as the ones you can find on Gambling Sites, have taken in recent times to prevent losing to betting strategies, it makes it a lot tougher and renders some of them ineffectual. If you take the Martingale System as an example, it is now almost completely useless as a serious method to use because of the table limits imposed by casinos. You can’t simply just keep doubling your bet until you win because the table limits now restrict how much you can bet on a certain hand.

With most things you see in life, there is a constant evolution. Roulette is no different in that respect either. People are always coming up with new and exciting ways to try to swing the house edge in their favor.

One thing is for certain though; almost all Roulette and gambling strategies that you see these days are based around traditional systems. Below we have listed the most important Roulette strategies that players use and more importantly we give you access to a specific article on exactly how the betting system works.

Even if you don’t think you will directly use a Roulette system like this it is beneficial for you to learn them anyway because of the principles that they are based upon. Once you learn them thoroughly you will begin to connect the dots on how things came about and how they relate to each other.

Labouchere System

The Roulette Labouchere strategy often referred to as the cancellation system, is played on single chances like Black, Red, Odd, Even, High or Low. The Roulette player starts out with a series of numbers, for example 1-2-3-4. This list also determines the amount of money the player wants to win, in this case, that would be a total of 10 units (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10).

The first bet amount is determined by the sum of the series’ first – and last number. In our example that would have been a bet of 5 units (1 + 4).

In the case of a win, you double up and you will have to remove the used numbers from the series. The next bet will a bet of 5 units (2 + 3), the last two remaining number in the series.

In the case of a loss, using the example on the left, the numbers’ sum will be added to the end of the series. The new series of numbers becomes 2-3-5 and you will have to make the next bet with 7 units (2 + 5).

Another example for the Roulette Labouchere strategy:

• Series: 1-2-3-4-5
• Bet: 6, Win: 6, Profit: 6
• Series: 2-3-4
• Bet: 6, Lose: 6, Profit: 0
• Series: 2-3-4-6
• Bet: 8, Win: 8, Profit: 8
• Series: 3-4
• Bet: 7, Win: 7, Profit: 15

Fitzroy System

The Fitzroy roulette strategy starts with betting one unit on a single chance, for instance on Red or Black. In case you lose, you will add another unit to your bet progressively until you win, then you’ll start over.

Using this Fitzroy method, the range of your bets is $1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, etc. The danger is that your betting amount may end up very high when losing consecutive times.

Martingale System

When executing the Roulette Martingale strategy, probably the most famous betting system, you’re doubling your betting amount after every loss. Every time you will win, you will win enough to win one unit. For instance, you have lost you first bet of $1, but won your second of $2. This means you have a $1 profit ( $4 – ( $2 + $1 ) ).

The danger of the Martingale method is that you could end up losing a lot when reaching the Roulette table limit, hence the reason why tables have limits. If your starting bet was $10, and you would lose 10 consecutive times, then you will need $5,120 to be able to continue betting the Martingale system.

Contra d’Alembert System

Just like most Roulette strategies, the Contra d’Alembert strategy for Roulette is played on a single chance bet. You start by betting one unit on Red. When you lose, you will repeat betting one unit every time until you win. Once you win, you will have to double your bet, and you will keep doubling up each time you’ll win, until your next loss.

For instance, when betting on Red:

• Start: bet 1
• Win: bet 2
• Loose: bet 1
• Win: bet 2
• Win: bet 3
• Win: bet 4
• Loose: bet 3
• Win: bet 4
• Win: bet 5
• Loose: bet 4
• Etc…

The advantage of the Contra d’Alembert method is that you will win a lot when the table is hot and you’re hitting a nice series of wins. On the other side, the losses are limited, as you will lower your bet with one unit each time you lose.

Winning chances will remain relatively low when you’re betting without seeing a hit for a while.

Ascot System

The Ascot strategy for Roulette is a variation to the Contra d’Alembert system. You will start by writing down an odd series of numbers, i.e. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7.

The first bet, placed on one of the single chances (Black, Red, Odd, Even, High or Low), will be the middle number, in our example the 4. If you win, the next bet will be the first number (5) to the right numbers, and if you lose, the next bet will be the first number (3) to the left.

This method enables you to play a longer period with a relatively low amount of betting money.

You can determine the series yourself, as long as it consists of an odd length. A typical series of numbers for the Ascot method is:

• 2-3-5-8-13-20-30

Who is Blaise Pascal and did he really invent Roulette?

The origins of Roulette go all the way back to the 10th century, as parchments with numbers in comparable order to the current numbers in Roulette, were discovered by archaeologists in the Caucasus region.

In contrast to a general opinion, Roulette was not invented by the French mathematician Blaise Pascal, who lived from 1623 to 1662, but appears most likely to be invented by a Chinese monk and brought to Europe by a Jesuit missionary. Blaise Pascal instead was the first person to use his scientific experience for calculating the probabilities in Roulette.

In the 17th century, a primitive form of the Roulette game was played in Italy. Since gambling was illegal, the aristocrats played in their mansions, named “Casini” in Italian, hence the name “Casino” still being used nowadays.

In the mid 18th century, legal casinos (such as the casinos in Baden-Baden and Monte Carlo) were established all around Europe and the Roulette game could finally be played legally.

By Captain Browning.

Fitzroy Roulette System Free

Fig. 1.

The Roulette table, which is covered with a green padded cloth, and marked out as shown in Fig. 1, is divided into two portions, the Roulette, or Wheel as it is commonly called, itself being let into the centre of the table between these two portions.

Fig. 1 is an illustration of one-half of the table, the other half being marked in exactly a similar manner. It will be seen that the cloth is divided into three long columns of figures, marked from 1 to 36. At the bottom end of these columns there are three spaces, representing all the numbers in the first, second, and third column respectively. There are three similar spaces both on the right and on the left, marked 12 D, 12 M, 12 P, indicating the third (Dernière), the second (Milieu), and first (Première) twelve (Douzain) numbers.

On either side of the column of figures are further spaces to mark the Rouge (or Red numbers); Impair (or odd numbers), Manque (all numbers from 1 to 18 inclusive) on the one side; and the Noir (or Black numbers), Pair (or even numbers), and Passe (all numbers from 19 to 36 inclusive) on the other side; at the top of all is the space reserved for zero.

The Roulette, or Wheel, itself (Fig. 2) consists of a narrow circular ledge (A. A.) fixed in the table, and sloping downwards. Within this ledge is a brass cylinder (C. C.), suspended on a pin at its centre, and capable of being made to revolve by means of a cross-head or handle (H. H.).

The outer edge of the brass cylinder is divided into thirty-seven small compartments, numbered in irregular order from 1 to 36, and coloured alternately Red and Black; the 37th compartment being the zero.

The game is played in the following manner. A croupier—styled the Tourneur—calls out, 'Messieurs, faites vos jeux,' when the players place their stakes on that portion of the cloth which indicates the chance they wish to play upon. The tourneur then says, 'Les jeux sont fait,' and throws a small ivory ball round the inclined ledge (A. A.) in one direction and turns the cylinder in the opposite direction. When the ball is coming to rest the croupier calls out, 'Rien ne va plus,' after which no further stakes can be made. As the ball comes to rest it gradually slips down the ledge, and finally lodges in one of the compartments in the cylinder. The number of this compartment is the winning number, and upon its colour, figure, &c., depend the results played for. It is announced by the tourneur in this way, 'Onze, noir, impair, et manque,' which means that number 11, the Black, the uneven, and the manque (numbers 1 to 18) win. The losing stakes are first raked into the Bank, then the winnings are paid, after which the tourneur again says, 'Messieurs, faites vos jeux,' and the game proceeds as before.

Fig. 2.

There are no less than eight different methods of staking at Roulette. Besides the three even chances: Red, Black; Pair, Impair; Passe or Manque, one single number may be backed. This is called staking en plein. Or two numbers may be coupled (à cheval); or three numbers (transversale pleine); or four numbers (carré); or six numbers (transversale simple, or sixaine). In addition, the first, second, or third dozens of numbers (Douzaine Première, Milieu, or Dernière), and the first, second, or third column each of twelve numbers may be staked upon. The odds offered by the Bank against backing a single number en plein is 35 to 1, and the odds against the other chances in proportion: thus against either of two numbers appearing 17 to 1 is paid; against either of three numbers, 11 to 1; against either of four, 8 to 1, and so on; while obviously against each dozen, or column, 2 to 1 is paid; the Red, Black, Pair, Impair, Passe, or Manque being even money chances.

A player wishing to stake on any of the even chances, or the dozens, or the columns, places his money on the portion of the cloth marked out for that chance. To back a single number, the stake is placed where that number is painted on the cloth; to back both of two numbers, the stake is placed à cheval—that is, on the line between these two numbers. To stake on three numbers with one coin, the amount is placed on the border-line of the outside number of three numbers. Four numbers are backed when the coin is so placed that it touches all four numbers, and six numbers are combined in one bet by placing the stake on the outside of the line dividing these six numbers. Zero may also be staked upon by placing the coin in the zero area; also zero, 1, 2, 3 (quatre premières), by putting the stake on the outside of the line dividing zero from 1, 2, 3; or zero coupled with 1 and 2; or 2 and 3 in a similar manner. In the illustration (Fig. 1) an example is given of staking in all these various ways. It will be noticed that consecutive numbers on the table can only be staked upon in combination, not consecutive numbers on the Wheel. Thus to combine the three voisins, or adjacent numbers, 0, 26, 15 on the Wheel, three separate stakes would be required.

Any two dozens may be combined, or any two columns, by placing the stake on the line between the two; and the player, when successful, receives one-half of the amount risked. Also any two even chances, such as Rouge and Impair, whose position is adjacent on the cloth, may be combined with one stake by placing the coin on the dividing line between the two; the player is paid even money when both events turn up, and he only loses when neither event appears. But to bet on both Passe and Noir or Rouge and Manque at the same time, two separate states would be required.

The maximum stake allowed on the even chances is 6000 francs (£240)—on a single number 180 francs is the highest possible stake; the maximum stakes on the other chances are in proportion—thus 3000 francs on a dozen or column, and 720 francs on a carré of four numbers. In each case the minimum stake is 5 francs, except when two dozens or two columns are combined with one stake, when at least 10 francs must be risked.

Each table is presided over by two chefs-de-partie, who sit on elevated chairs on either side of the Wheel. There are four croupiers, who sit at the Banque (one being the tourneur), whose duty it is to pay out the winners and rake in the losings. In addition, there is a croupier sitting at either end of the table, who looks after the interests both of the players and of the Bank generally.

There being thirty-seven compartments in the Wheel, and as the odds of 35 to 1 only are paid on the winning number, it follows that on all stakes on numbers, or combination of numbers, the Bank has one chance in thirty-seven, or a percentage of slightly under 3 per cent. in its favour.

The percentage in favour of the Bank on all monies staked on the even chances, however, is only one-half of this amount. On the appearance of zero, all the money at stake is swept into the Bank, with the exception of that on zero itself—which is paid at the same rate as any other number—and the amounts on the even chances—Rouge, Pair, Manque, &c.: these stakes are placed on the lines on the outside of the table (see Fig. 1), and are then said to be in prison.

On the next coup, if the stakes happen to be on the winning chance, they are allowed to be withdrawn by the player. The reader will please notice that this is theoretically exactly the same thing as if the punter halved his stake with the Banker, and this he is allowed to do if he chooses. Should two zeros appear consecutively the stakes are placed still further over these lines; they are now doubly in prison, and have to be doubly released therefrom before the player gets his own money back.

Thus it will be seen that, theoretically, once in every thirty-seven spins the Bank wins half of all money staked on the even chances; on which chances, consequently, the Bank may be said to have a percentage of slightly under 1½ per cent. in its favour. This difference in the percentage in favour of the Bank is either unknown to, or totally disregarded by, the great majority of punters at Monte Carlo; but the player, by judicious methods of staking, to a great extent, can despoil the Bank of its higher percentage. An examination of the illustration (Fig. 1) will show that the following are Red numbers, viz. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34, and 36. Thus Impair contains 10 Red numbers, and but 8 Black ones. The first column includes 6; the second column 4; and the third column 8 Red numbers. Thus a player staking on Black and Impair has no less than twenty-eight numbers in his favour, on eight of which he wins both his stakes, and on twenty he neither wins nor loses. Or a punter staking on the third column and Black, is guarded by twenty-six numbers, on four of which (the four Black numbers in column 3) he receives 1½ times his stakes, on eight (the eight Red numbers in column 3) he receives ½ times his stakes, and on the remainder he neither wins nor loses. Similar wagers can of course be made by combining Red and Pair, or the first column and Red, and so on. Now a player wishing to stake on a great many numbers (which is a very frequent occurrence, and is popularly known as 'plastering the table'), instead of placing his money on the various transversales, carrés, and en pleins, by which method he loses all his money if zero appears, should rather stake the equivalent amount on Black and Impair, or Red and Pair, which, as explained, covers twenty-eight numbers. By this method he loses only one-half of his money if zero appears. Nothing is more usual than to see a player stake à cheval on two dozens. A more idiotic method of gambling cannot be conceived. The equivalent amounts (supposing the douze P and the douze M are selected) should be staked on Manque, and the transversale of 19 to 24. Now if zero appears half the stake on Manque is saved, but in the former case the entire stake would be lost!

Many similar instances of good and bad staking could be quoted, but the average player at Monte Carlo considers the percentage against him to be so insignificant that it is scarcely worthy of his notice. However, as its insignificance represents a gain of some hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling per annum to the Administration, it should be worthy of a passing thought at any rate.

Fitzroy Roulette System Chart

Nearly every player at Monte Carlo has a system of some sort, generally played on the even chances. There are, however, systems for playing on numbers, dozens, &c., but these for the most part are of the most fantastic and insane order. The writer has actually known a player whose system was to back thirty-five out of the thirty-six numbers, on the principle that, having but two numbers against him, he would be very unlucky not to win one unit per coup!

Hundreds of people play on one particular number after the appearance of some other particular number, and are confident in themselves that, for example, 3 always turns up after 25; or 10 after 0. A very favourite stake is zero et les quatre premiers—that is, zero en plein, and zero coupled with 1, 2, 3. Another very general stake is les voisins de zéro—or zero and the numbers on either side of it on the Wheel. This is a simple bet to make by putting one coin à cheval between 0 and 3, one between 32 and 35, and one each on 26 and 15. The underlying idea of these zero bets is that the Bank cheats; that it wants zero to turn up; and that the tourneur is skilful enough to throw zero when he wishes. A more ridiculous assumption could not be made—in the first place, because the tourneur cannot throw the ball even to a particular section of the Wheel, much less into zero itself; and in the second place, because the gambling could not possibly be carried out in a more straight-forward manner than it is by the Administration at Monte Carlo. If the tourneur could throw the ball into any compartment he chose, he could, through his friends, ruin the Bank whenever he wished.

Fitzroy Roulette System Review

If I had space I could tell a story of how M. Blanc offered to give a certain player a year's practice at spinning the Wheel, and then to allow him to be his own croupier and stake as he chose. This is a fact; and yet I have often heard the following class of whispered conversation in the rooms: 'Now's our time—there's a lot of money on the even chances—wait till the ball is spun and then bet on zero.'

Some players back their age, when not too old—an eventuality that can occur only to the sterner sex. A sweet and blushing maiden of some fifty summers may be observed always to place her stake on No. 28—'Because it's my age, my dear, and to-day is my birthday!' Others back the number of their cloak-room ticket, or the number of the hymn for the day (if they should happen to have been present at church to hear it sung)—indeed everybody has a pet number; and why not? One number is just as likely to appear as any other. These are not systems in the true sense of the word, but they constitute a systematic method of staking, which is always advisable for play—be they ever so weird and fantastic—as they keep the player within certain limits, and prevent him from losing his head, and making wild plunges to retrieve all his losses by one lucky spin of the Wheel.

The more business-like systems are played on the even chances. Many are exceedingly ingenious, and on paper would appear certain to 'break the Bank at Monte Carlo!'

The underlying principle of all such systems is to play a Martingale—that is, after each loss to increase the stake in various proportions until all previous losses have been recouped, and a profit is shown. The commonest and simplest to play is the 'Montant et demontant,' which consists in increasing the stake after a loss by one unit per coup until the player is one unit to the good. Thus if the first stake be lost, the next stake would be two units, which is also lost, as is the next one of three units. The player would now have lost six units in all. His next stake becomes 4, which, supposing it to be won, would leave him a net loser of two units. The stake would now be dropped to three units; for the object is to be but one unit to the good. Should this stake win, the game would be started all over again with one unit. On the other hand, if the 3 had been lost, the next stake would be 4, and so on. There are many other systems. The general principle of them all is exactly the same; the calculations and paper results being nothing more nor less than an ingenious method of juggling with figures.

The Fitzroy system aims at winning one unit per coup played. For the working of this system it is necessary to keep a column in which imaginary losses are written down: the player assuming that he loses one unit more and wins one unit less than he actually does. The stakes are increased by unity as in the 'Montant et demontant' system, with the exception of the second stake, which (after a loss) is three instead of two units, until the imaginary losses column comes out clear. Here is an example of ten coups played on the Fitzroy system:—

Showing ten units won for ten coups played, the imaginary loss column now reading ±0.

Another very ingenious scheme is that known as the 'Labouchere' system. To play this so many figures are written down that their total equals the 'grand coup'^[109] that is being played for. Ten is the customary coup, and the figures 1, 2, 3, 4 are written down on a piece of paper. The method of play is to stake the sum of the extreme figures, and if a win is scored, these two figures are erased; while if a loss is incurred the amount of the stake is written down at the end of the row of figures, and the next stake is the sum of the new extremes. When all the figures have been erased the coup is made, and the player either begins a fresh game or retires from the table. Here is an example: 1, 2, 3, 4: first stake 5, which is lost. The row now reads 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; and the next stake (6) is won, the row reading 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; the next stake (2+4) is lost, when we have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The next stake is 8, which is won, and we read 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; the next stake being 7, which is won, the 4 and 3 are erased, when it will be found that the net profit is 10 units.

Example of a bad run at a 'Labouchere' system. The 'grand coup' is 10; so the starting figures are 1, 2, 3, 4. The player is supposed to stake on Red throughout. The dot shows which colour wins.

Showing 29 coups, of which the player wins 9, with a net loss of 890 units. The next stake would have to be 55 + 270 (325), i.e. if the game had been played with a one louis unit, a heavier stake than is allowed at Roulette.

Systems are very amusing and profitable to play, provided nothing abnormal occurs. But something abnormal will occur sooner or later, and the amounts staked and lost become colossal, and finally the maximum is reached: no higher wager can be made, so the system fails. The flaw in all systems is that the losses on an unfavourable run are out of all proportion to the gains on a favourable one. A 'Labouchere' runs into hundreds in no time, and is in fact one of the most treacherous systems to play for this reason. Let the reader dissect the play of a Labouchere on such a run as that on p. 460, which is a far from uncommon one.

This tableau, in which the player only wins 9 out of 29 coups—or, say, one in three—may be said to be far out of proportion, as the player is 'entitled' to win as many coups as he loses (leaving zero out of the question). Let it be noted at this point that zero does not affect a system played on the even chances in any degree whatsoever. Any system worthy of the name can withstand zero, even two or three zeros. It is the Bank's limit, and the limit alone, that proves the downfall of all systems. To resume. Of course a player 'ought' to win two coups out of four, and so he will as a rule, and systems are devised so that a player may be a winner, even if he loses three and four times as many coups as he wins. A glance at those figures not yet erased in the example quoted will show that had the punter not been debarred from staking, owing to the Bank's limit, with three successive wins he would have got all his money back and been ten points to the good on the whole transaction, and still have only won twelve times against the Bank's twenty. What no system, played with a Martingale, has yet been able to accomplish, is to prevent the stakes becoming colossal when the series of losses turn up in some particular sequence or disposition.

The best method to keep the stakes within reasonable limits, and to guard against arriving at the Bank's maximum on an adverse run, is to employ a varying unit. Thus after a net loss of so many single units, operations are re-started with a double unit; if an equal number of double units are lost, the play is re-started with a triple unit, and so on; the same unit being employed until all previous losses have been retrieved, and a gain of one 'single' unit made.

A 'Montant et demontant' system can be played very easily in this manner, by increasing the unit employed after each complete loss of ten units—e.g. after a loss of 10 single units, the system is started afresh with a double unit; when 10 double units have been lost, or a net loss of 30, the system is started afresh with a 3 unit stake, and so on.

This system may be varied by changing the unit after successive losses of 10, 20, 30, 40, &c., and by staking sufficient to show a net win of the amount of the unit employed. Thus when playing with a double unit, to try and win 2; or if playing with a unit of 5, to try and win 5 units net.

Every system has its Waterloo—it will succeed for days, possibly weeks, and small gains be made; but finally the occasion must and will arrive when all previous profits and the system player's capital will be swamped. At the end of this article will be found a scheme devised by the writer whereby the punter puts himself into the position of the Banker as nearly as possible, and consequently is enabled to win such vast stakes as are lost by a system player in the ordinary course, when that particular sequence of events occur which demolishes his system.

Here is an example of a 'Montant et demontant' played in the usual method, and played with an increasing unit after each net loss of 10 units. The player is supposed to stake on the Red throughout; and the dot indicates which colour wins.

Had the player lost 60 units, he would have re-started the system and played 4, 8, 12, &c.; and if this play showed a net loss of 100 units, 5, 10, 15, &c., would have been staked, and continued with until either the net loss was 150, or the net gain 1 unit, in which case the player would begin all over again with a single unit.

Another style of play is to bet on the prospect of the colour, or even chances, running in a particular way. Some people play for an intermittence of colour, consequently always stake on the opposite colour to that which turned up last. Others play for the run, and so always stake on the colour that last appeared. A very popular wager is to stake on the 'Avant dernièr,' or on the colour that turned up the last time but one. By this means there is only one combination of events by which the player loses, and this is if the colours go two of one kind, followed by two of the other; but the weak point about it is that the player may miss his first stake and his last one, although the series goes in his favour. Yet another common method of staking is to play 'the card'—that is, to play in expectation of previous events repeating themselves. Thus if the previous throws have given three Blacks, followed by three Reds, the expectation is if three Blacks immediately occur, that three Reds will also occur.^[110] Such theories, of course, have absolutely no scientific basis, and, in the opinion of the writer, are only vexatious and a cause of trouble to the player, who should invariably stake on the chance that is most convenient to where he is sitting. He has an equal chance of winning, and by this means will save himself the trouble of reaching across the table, both to place his stake and to retrieve his winnings.

There may be, however, some reason in playing for a run on one colour or chance, but not staking until after this colour or chance has appeared. By this means the player, if he plays flat stakes, is square on all runs of two, wins one on all runs of three, two on all runs of four, and so on. He loses one unit on every intermittence, but against this he loses nothing at all on all runs of the opposite colour or chance.

Had this method of staking been followed in the example given on p. 460, it will be seen that the player would have won 2 units on Red and 4 units on Black, and the highest stake necessary on any coup would have been 3 units; and had it been adopted in the example given on p. 457, only 70 units would have been lost on the Red side, and the highest stake risked 16; while on the Black, 41 units would have been won, with 9 as the highest stake.

It is advisable, when playing a system, to play on both sides of the table at once. The calculations for both Red and Black are kept, and the differences staked on the Red or Black as the case may be. The writer has actually seen a player stake the full requisite amount demanded by his system on both Red and Black at the same time. This of course gives the same net result as staking the difference on one colour, provided zero does not turn up. If it does, however, the player loses one-half of two large stakes in the one case, instead of only one-half of a small stake in the other case.

The advantage of playing a system on both sides of the table at the same time is that double as much can be won with the same capital that is required for playing on one side only. Indeed, slightly less capital is required, for obviously the player must be winning something on one side to go against his loss on the other. The objection, of course, to this dual system of play is, that there is a double chance of striking an adverse run.

While on the subject of where to stake one's money, the reader, if a novice at Monte Carlo, is recommended to hand the amount of his wager to one of the croupiers to place on the table for him. This will ensure both the money being placed exactly as the punter desires, and the receipt of any winnings, without disputes on the part of other players. Unless one's French accent is above reproach, it is advisable to talk English to the croupiers. The writer, wishing to stake on Nos. 3, 12, and 15 on one occasion, handed the chef-de-partie three 5-franc pieces, saying, 'Sur le 3, 12, 15, s'il vous plaît.' After a short conversation on the subject the chef said in perfect English, 'If monsieur will please speak English, I will see that his money is correctly staked.'