Welcome to Playing 4 Keeps™, and the rest of the story…

Playing 4 Keeps™ first appeared on the Worldwide Web in 1995. It was first published as a sub-domain. May 31, 2000, the site was published as a stand-alone web site. Recently, I had to overhaul the Playing4keeps.com web site, as I was stuck with an antiquated editing program that no longer would run on today’s technology. An abbreviated story of my life as a gaming instructor follows, told by Don Guangoche.

Don Guangoche:

After a successful first time Easy Money, Mongolian Blackjack weekend, present by Stuart Wilde in London, Stuart decided to add the blackjack program alongside to his Warrior’s Wisdom and Warriors in the Mist week long events. White Dove International Inc. produced the first U.S. Easy Money, Mongolian Blackjack weekend at Squaw Valley Resort, Lake Tahoe, California, in August 1990. A couple of blackjack weekends were also produced in Australia. The last blackjack weekend happened in the summer of 1993, again in Tahoe.

At the time, Stuart said to Michael, “Mate, I am a spiritual teacher. This blackjack thing is a lot of fun and a great little money maker. However, I’m having a bit of trepidation that some of these “little o’l dears” have the wrong idea, and they will be creamed at the tables. They really don’t have the gambler’s instinct and I’m concerned that perhaps they showed up for a “get rich scheme”. You know what I mean? This is my last blackjack gig mate. I’m done. What do you think?”

Phone calls to White Dove continued, none the less, asking about the next Easy Money, Mongolian Blackjack weekend. In early 1995 Stuart gave Michael permission to carry on with the blackjack gig.

November of 1995 Michael presented the first Blackjack for Winners™ weekend seminar in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The event was held at the El Dorado Hotel. A couple of years later, Michael produced the first Do’s and Don’ts of Dice™ in Taos, New Mexico. By 1997, Michael was presenting the both gaming programs in Albuquerque, Denver, and Las Vegas.

In the spring of 1999, Michal received a phone call from Beau Parker. Beau spoke to Michael about his desire to teach dice classes out of his garage in Las Vegas, Nevada. He wanted some direction and advice. Michael answered Beau’s questions about producing gaming classes and promotion.

In 2000, Michael discovered Dicesetter.com, on-line. Michael submitted a few articles that were published by the site’s owner, Irish Setter. In the summer of 2001, Dicesetter.com advertised a craps event produce by Jerry Patterson and PARR. Michael attended the event with the intention of meeting Irish Setter. The event had a huge turnout, over 200 attended. Michael briefly met Beau Parker for the first time. Also at this event was Deborah Garcia, (Soft Touch) who was associated with the PARR organization as a coach. Chris Paulick (Sharpshooter) was there too. With so many players vying to meet the legends of dice, it was hard to meet them all during the short breaks. Michael was able meet and talk with Chris and later Steve Haltom (Heavy) and Irish Setter, Thom Morgan.

Later that year in October, Deborah Garcia contacted Michael by telephone. A mutual acquaintance of Michael’s and Deborah’s, told Deborah that she should contact Michael, the former owner of White Dove International, the publishing company for Stuart Wilde. White Dove also produced Michael’s gaming seminars. Deborah wanted to attend the Do’s and Don’ts of Dice™. However, the next program was scheduled for the spring of 2002. Deborah wanted something sooner. Michael arranged a private class for Deborah, along with five others, in January 2002. It was not until later, when Michael was picked up at McCarran airport, in Las Vegas, by the “Dice Coach,” that he understood he would be teaching his Do’s and Don’ts of Dice™ in Beau Parker’s garaged “dice pit”.

Michael flew back to Las Vegas in February of 2002 for a business meeting with the Dice Coach. Deborah Garcia (Soft Touch) also attended the meeting by Beau’s request. Michael proposed a joint venture with Beau, suggesting a collaborating effort, teaching dice classes together. The proposal took a bit of time to manifest. In between that meeting, Beau and Michael teamed up with Steve Haltom, (Heavy) and Thom Morgan, (Irish Setter). The foursome presented the dice program known as “Craps Fest”. Together, the four instructors produce several “Craps Fests” events.

Following “Craps Fest”, Michael acquired the Dice Busters domain. In a partnership with the Dice Coach, a one day dice class was conceived and promoted on-line at Dicebusters.com. Not long thereafter, early 2005, Soft Touch acquired the web site, Dice Setter, from Irish Setter. She was invited by Michael and Beau to join the “Dice Busters™” program and the “Three Amigos” became an inseparable team. The trio continues to present the Dice Busters Experience once each year in June.

In the summer of 2005, Michael left New Mexico to care for his ailing mother in Colorado. After her passing, Colorado seemed to be more home to him than Taos. Michael continues with his passion for gaming lessons at his home in Pueblo West, Colorado. He continues to write gaming articles and promoting his gaming books for craps and blackjack.

Hard to say exactly where it all began, but it could have been a comment made to Michael by Stuart Wilde. It was December, 1992, Surfer’s Paradise, Australia. The two men had just returned to the Four Seasons Hotel after a night out playing blackjack and dice at Jupiter’s Casino. “Mate, fancy a drink before calling it a night?” Stuart asked Michael. “Sure, one’s good. Two’s better.” Michel replied. It was during their conversation that Michael took on an implied challenge. Really, not so much of a challenge as it was a matter of fact statement. Stuart said, “It’s a pity, really, that we don’t have a system for playing craps like card counting for blackjack.” From that point on, Michael pursued the puzzle pieces for success at craps. His efforts resulted in the Do’s and Don’ts of Dice™. A metaphysical approach to gaming. And the rest, as it is too often said, is history.

Welcome to the game my friend. It is by no accident that you have found your way to the Playing 4 Keeps™ website. Good fortune is yours.

Don Guangoche