Dice Game Rules and Scoring

Before the first roll

Dice games often travel by word of mouth, so two tables may use different scoring for the same name. Agree on the target score, tie procedure, and optional combinations before starting. Choose one player to go first, then continue clockwise. When a rule says to hold a die, leave that die out of the next roll.

Pig

Players: 2 or more. Dice: one D6. Goal: be first to 100 points.

On a turn, roll repeatedly and add each result to a temporary turn total. After any successful roll, choose to roll again or hold. Holding banks the turn total into the player's score and passes play. Rolling a 1 loses every unbanked point from that turn and immediately passes play. Previously banked points are safe.

Example: Ana rolls 4, 6, and 3 for 13 unbanked points. She holds, so 13 is added to her score. If her next roll had been 1, the 13 would have disappeared. A common strategy is to choose a turn target, such as 15 or 20, but the right risk depends on opponents' scores.

Going to Boston

Players: 2 or more. Dice: three D6. Goal: earn the highest round total.

Each player completes one three-stage turn. First, roll all three dice and hold the single highest die. Next, roll the remaining two and again hold the highest. Finally, roll the last die. Add the three held values for the player's score. Dice Row leaves the highest die in the tray at each stage and waits for the player to tap Roll again.

If two dice share the highest value, hold only one of them. Ties at the end may be shared or broken with another complete turn; decide before playing. Play one round for a quick game or several rounds and add each round score.

Farkle

Players: 2 or more. Dice: six D6. Goal: commonly 10,000 points.

Roll all six dice, set aside at least one scoring die or combination, then either bank the turn score or roll the remaining dice. If a roll contains no scoring dice, that is a Farkle: all unbanked points from the turn are lost. If all six dice score, you have “hot dice” and may roll all six again while keeping the turn total at risk.

Four, five, and six of a kind vary widely. A common rule doubles the three-of-a-kind score for each additional matching die. Confirm entry requirements and special combinations before play.

Bunco

Players: traditionally 12, adaptable to smaller groups. Dice: three D6 per table. Goal: score matching numbers through six rounds.

Round one scores every 1 rolled, round two scores every 2, and so on through six. Roll all three dice and count one point for each die matching the round number. Three matching round numbers is a Bunco and is commonly worth 21 points. Three matching numbers that are not the round number are commonly worth 5 points. A scoring roll lets the player continue; a miss passes the dice. Traditional party play uses teams and rotating tables, while a small group can simply track individual scores.

Liar's Dice

Players: 2 or more. Dice: usually five D6 per player. Goal: be the last player with dice.

Each player rolls secretly and looks only at their own dice. The opening player bids a quantity and face value covering all dice at the table, such as “four 3s.” The next player must raise the bid or challenge it. A bid is higher if its quantity increases, or under many rules if the quantity stays the same and the face value increases.

On a challenge, reveal every die. If the bid is met or exceeded, the challenger loses a die; otherwise the bidder loses one. Ones are often wild, but some versions treat them normally or change bidding rules around ones. State the wild-one rule before the game begins.

More quick dice games

Ship, Captain, Crew

Roll five D6 up to three times. First secure a 6 for the ship, then a 5 for the captain, then a 4 for the crew, in that order. Once all three are held, the remaining two dice are cargo and their sum is the score. A player without the complete 6-5-4 sequence scores zero.

Chicago

Play eleven rounds with two D6. The target totals run from 2 through 12. A player earns a point when their roll equals the current round target. After round 12, the highest score wins.

Sevens Out

Roll two D6 and add non-seven totals to the player's running score. Doubles score twice their total. A total of seven ends the turn. Play to an agreed target or give each player one turn and compare totals.

Drop Dead

Start with five D6. A roll containing a 2 or 5 scores nothing, and every 2 or 5 is removed. A roll with neither scores the sum of all remaining dice. Continue until no dice remain; highest total wins.

Midnight (1-4-24)

Roll six D6, holding at least one die after every roll. A valid hand must contain both a 1 and a 4. The other four dice are totaled; the best possible score is 24. A hand missing either required die scores zero.

Beat That

Roll two or more dice and arrange their faces into the largest possible number. With a 6 and 2, make 62 rather than 26. Each player gets the same number of rolls or rounds, and the highest number wins.