Gamblers

Gamblers falls in the games class along with Jumpers, Weavers, Tunnelers, and Touch 'n Go, in NADAC; and Snooker, Pairs, and Jumpers in USDAA. Gamblers is a game made up of two parts: the first part is the point-gathering period, and the second part is the "gamble" or working away test itself. The two parts are divided by a whistle.

A Gamblers course is not numbered like a Regular, Standard or Jumpers course. Each handler makes up their own course. All of the obstacles have a point value: contacts and long weave poles = 5 points; tire, tunnels, short weave poles = 3 points; and jumps = 1 point. USDAA courses may or my not have a 7 point obstacle, usually something far away from the "gamble" and hard to get to. This includes the obstacles that make up the "gamble" itself. The "gamble" (that area marked off by colored tape) obstacles will have numbers next to them, but they don't count in the opening. You may do any obstacle SUCCESSFULLY twice for points. You may not do any two obstacles in the gamble in the opening in the order they will be taken for the "gamble" but you may do the entire "gamble" in reverse, should you choose to do so. Keep in mind if you do this that jump bars will not be reset and a knocked bar negates the possibility of a completed "gamble".

In NADAC your dog will need to accumulate a minimum of 20 points in the opening period (40 seconds for 20" & 24" dogs) and successfully complete the "gamble" within the time allotted (the judge will tell you that in the briefing, usually in the 15-18 seconds range) in order to receive a Q. You do not have to be across the finish line when the second whistle blows in order to Q; that is for placement should there be a tie. In USDAA the number of points needed and the opening time are figured as a percentage and may vary, the "gamble" time will most likely be within the 15 to 18 second range. The judge will tell you all of this information in their briefing.

In USDAA there are no Qs in games at the Starters/Novice or Performance I level, only the Standard run counts towards a Q. After three Qs in Starters/Novice or Performance Standard you move into Open where the games count. In USDAA Gamblers the table is the last obstacle and marks the finish line to stop the clock. Even though one does not need to do Gamblers in USDAA Starter/Novice or Performance I in order to achieve a title, I highly recommend entry for practice and fun. (I encourage all of my students to enter everything!)

So, how do you get those points in the opening period? When you walk the course you will pick whatever path and obstacles you want to do with your dog. Taking into account how long it takes him/her to do the various obstacles, look for a path that adds up to the points needed (shoot for higher but don't get greedy) and ends up near the start of the gamble. At the end of the opening period the timer will blow the whistle (loudly, I hope), signaling that it is time for you to attempt the "gamble" or working away test. Working away means that the dog will be working in an area into which no part of handler may pass although the dog may cross in and out with no penalty. This area is marked off from the rest of the course by colored tape and there will be 4 obstacles with numbers (NADAC - 2,4,6,8 because that denotes point value; USDAA = 1,2,3,4) that show the order in which they are to be taken. The first obstacle is generally right on or near the gamble line so it is easy to get the dog over that one, the rest of the "gamble" will be handled from a distance of at least 10 feet. The object is to send your dog out and have them work away from you.

Novice gambles are pretty basic and straight forward. Your dog will not be asked to do anything extremely difficult; working at a distance from the handler is enough of a challenge. At the completion of the "gamble" run like crazy for the finish line to stop the clock. If you hear the whistle before you finish the "gamble," run like crazy for the finish line to stop the clock. In USDAA the clock will stop when your dog hit the table. They do not have to down, just hit the table.

OK, now for some TIPS and HINTS:

• The best part about Gamblers is that in the opening dogs receive points for any obstacle they perform/complete successfully, even if it wasn't the one you asked them to do. So if your dog suddenly decides to race across the ring, go over three jumps and through a tunnel, the judge will still be calling out points. If your dog suddenly decides it would rather do the dogwalk than the tunnel nearby, let him/her do it. Be prepared for this to happen and have alternate plans in reserve. Should all your reserve plans turn to dust be ready to "wing it". Be prepared to change plans mid-stride and try not to call your dog off of anything. It is a waste of time. Take the points, change your plan and go on.
  
  
• Go for the higher point value obstacles first (if you can successfully do 2 of the contacts twice you have 20 points, more if one of those obstacles is a 7 pointer), and use the jumps, tunnels and weaves to work your way back to the gamble line.
  
  
• Leave a couple of jumps near the gamble to play on if you need to kill time before the whistle blows.
  
  
• Pick obstacles that your dog LOVES to do and will perform with great enthusiasm and speed. This is not the time to work on weave poles or teeter/totter if he/she dosen't do those reliably. Remember that you can only do obstacles twice successfully for points after that you could be faulted for training in the ring. On the other hand if your dog blows contacts or keeps popping out of weave poles don't continue doing them over and over; go and do something else.
  
  
• Yes, it is OK to do the gamble backwards in NADAC but be careful with those jumps, if they go down they will not be reset. Your gamble points in the closing will stop with the knocked bar.
  
  
• Be careful doing parts of the gamble in the correct direction during the opening period. Dogs have an amazing way of doing just what you don't want them to do... which is the "gamble" in sequence. Your gamble points in the closing will stop with the contiguous obstacles taken in the opening in NADAC and you will have lost your chance to get credit for making the "gamble" in USDAA. Personally, I try to stay away from the "gamble" completely in the opening because there are just too many things that can go wrong. I go for the "gamble" when I hear the whistle.
  
  
• If your dog is driving out and moving fast when he starts the "gamble" sequence their chances of success are much greater then if it is slower and looking back to you. What ever it takes, hit that first gamble obstacle with as much speed as you can, being careful not to cross the line yourself.
  
  
• If it is apparent that your dog will not work away from you, go ahead and cross the gamble line and run the rest of the way next to him/her as fast as you can for the table or finish line. You won't get the "gamble" or the Q, but you wouldn't get either if you stood at the gamble line and kept yelling GO OUT, GO OUT, GO OUT... However, if you stop the clock fast enough, and no one else successfully makes the "gamble", your dog just might win a ribbon on time and points alone. My dogs love winning ribbons, whether they are Qs or not. It's better that you and your dog have a good experience then to struggle and become frustrated.

"Gambles" are not easy to do, especially if you always run in class right next to your dog. Hey, "gambles" are not easy even if you practice working away from your dog in classes. Some dogs are more willing than others to work away from their handlers. This does not necessarily apply only to green dogs, there are many experienced agility dogs that have trouble with Gamblers. Do not be frustrated or discouraged if things do not go as planned; in Gamblers they rarely do. But if it was a sure thing they wouldn't call it Gamblers.

Bonnie Goodfriend, March 2002