1-4-24

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 6
Objective: Use six dice to secure a 1 and a 4, then aim for the highest total score from the remaining four dice (maximum score: 24).

Gameplay

1. Rolling the Dice:
   • The first player rolls all six dice.
2. Selecting Dice:
   • After each roll, the player must set aside at least one die to keep.
   • Once a die is kept, it cannot be re-rolled.
3. Ending a Turn:
   • A turn ends when all six dice have been set aside.
4. Requirements:
   • To qualify, a player must keep both a 1 and a 4.
   • If a player fails to keep both a 1 and a 4, they are disqualified for that round.
5. Scoring:
   • Once a 1 and a 4 are set aside, the remaining four dice are totaled to determine the score for that turn.
   • The highest possible score is 24 (achieved by rolling four sixes).

Winning the Game

• The player with the highest score at the end of all turns wins!

Ship, Captain, Crew

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 5
Objective: Roll to assemble a “ship” (6), “captain” (5), and “crew” (4) in that order, and score as high as possible with the remaining two dice.

Gameplay

1. Players roll all five dice up to three times per turn.
2. The goal is to set aside a 6 (Ship) first, then a 5 (Captain), and finally a 4 (Crew) in that order.
3. The sum of the remaining two dice determines the player’s score.
4. Players who complete the Ship, Captain, and Crew early may re-roll the remaining dice for a higher score.

Winning the Game

• The player with the highest score wins. In case of a tie, hold a playoff round.

Treasure Hunter

Players: 2 or more (Best for 2-4 Players)
Dice Needed: 5
Objective: Roll your dice to gain treasure and aim for the highest wealth score.

Gameplay

1. Each player rolls all five dice on their turn.
2. Players select any dice they want to “keep” as part of their treasure and re-roll the remaining dice.
3. Players have up to three rolls per turn.
4. After three rolls, add up the total value of the kept dice to determine the player’s score for that turn.

Winning the Game

• The player with the highest total score after an agreed number of rounds wins.
• Optional: Set a winning target score, such as 100 points, to determine the game’s length.

Rolling Riches (Left, Right, Center)

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 6
Coins/Tokens Needed: 6 per Player
Objective: Be the last player with one or more coins/tokens.

Gameplay

1. Each player rolls one die per quarter they have. If a player has more than six quarters, they roll all six dice.
2. Resolve the dice rolls:
   • 1, 2, or 3: Do nothing.
   • 4: Place one quarter into the pot.
   • 5: Pass one quarter to the player on the right.
   • 6: Pass one quarter to the player on the left.
3. If a player rolls only 4s, 5s, and 6s, losing all their quarters, everyone shouts “Loser!” and bangs on the table.
4. Players who lose all their quarters are temporarily out of the game. If a player on their right or left gives them a quarter, they rejoin the game and can roll on their next turn.

Winning the Game

• The last player remaining with one or more quarters wins the pot.

Aces (Dice-Only Version of Left, Right, Center)

Players: 2 or more (Best for 3-6 Players)
Dice Needed: 5 per Player
Objective: Avoid being the player who rolls and removes the last 1 (ace) from the game.

Gameplay

1. Rolling the Dice:
   • On their turn, a player rolls all their dice.
2. Dice Actions:
   • 1s (Aces): Remove all rolled 1s and place them in the center. These are out of play.
   • 2s: Pass each rolled 2 to the player on the left.
   • 5s: Pass each rolled 5 to the player on the right.
   • Other Numbers: Keep any remaining dice for the next roll.
3. Continuing the Turn:
   • A player continues rolling their remaining dice until they fail to roll a 1, 2, or 5.
4. Running Out of Dice:
   • If a player has no dice left, they are temporarily out of the game.
   • They re-enter the game as soon as they receive a die from a neighboring player.
5. Ending the Game:
   • The game ends when the final 1 (ace) is rolled and placed in the center.

Winning and Losing the Game

• Standard Play: The player who rolls the last 1, and therefore has the last die, is the winner.

Pig

Players: 2 or more (Best for 3-5 Players)
Dice Needed: 1
Objective: Avoid rolling 1’s and be the first to score 100 points.

Gameplay

1. Players take turns rolling the die:
   • Rolling a 1 ends the turn with no points gained.
   • Any other roll adds points to the turn total.
2. Players may choose to “hold” before rolling a 1, securing their points.
3. The game continues until a player reaches 100 points.

Winning the Game

• The first player to reach a total of 100 points wins the game.

Variation

• Allow other players to finish the current round after a player reaches 100.

Big Pig

Players: 2 or more (Best for 3-5 Players)
Dice Needed: 2
Objective: Be the first player to score 100 points while avoiding rolls with a single 1.

Gameplay

1. Rolling the Dice:
   • On their turn, a player rolls both dice.
2. Scoring Rules:
   • Single 1: If either die shows a 1, the player scores no points for the turn, and their turn ends immediately.
   • Double 1 (Big Pig): If both dice show 1, the player scores 25 points.
   • Doubles (other than 1-1): If both dice show the same number, the player scores double the sum of the dice.
   • Other Rolls: The player scores the sum of the two dice.
3. Continuing the Turn:
   • Players can keep rolling as long as they avoid rolling a single 1.
   • Players should announce their accumulated score during their turn.
4. Ending a Turn: A turn ends in one of two ways:
   • Hold: The player chooses to stop rolling. Their accumulated score is added to their total and recorded on the notepad. These points are now “safe” for the rest of the game.
   • Rolling a Single 1: The player loses all points accumulated during that turn and their turn ends.

Winning the Game:

• The first player to reach a total of 100 points wins the game.

Horse

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 1
Objective: Avoid being the last player to accumulate all letters in the word “HORSE.”

Gameplay

1. Players take turns rolling the die in a clockwise direction.
2. The goal is to avoid rolling a 1.
3. If a player rolls a 1, they receive the next letter in the word “HORSE.”
4. Players who collect all five letters in “HORSE” are eliminated from the game.

Winning the Game

• The last remaining player who has not spelled “HORSE” wins the game.

Lucky Dice

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 3
Objective: Score exactly 15 points to safely exit the game while avoiding being the last player remaining.

Gameplay

1. Determine Turn Order:
   1. Each player rolls one die.
   2. The highest roller goes first, followed by the second-highest, and so on.
2. Set the Lucky Number:
   1. Roll one die to determine the “lucky number” for the entire game.
3. Rolling the Dice:
   1. On their turn, a player rolls all three dice.
4. Scoring Rules:
   1. Big Lucky: If all three dice match the lucky number, the player is safely out of the game.
   2. Little Lucky: If all three dice show the same number but not the lucky number, the player scores 5 points.
   3. Matching the Lucky Number:
      1. If one die matches the lucky number, score 1 point.
      2. If two dice match the lucky number, score 2 points.
      3. Roll all three dice again to continue the turn.
   4. No Lucky Number: If none of the dice match the lucky number, the player’s turn ends.
5. Reaching 15 Points:
   1. Keep a running total of each player’s score.
   2. When a player scores exactly 15 points, they are safely out of the game.
   3. Over-rolling: If a roll would take a player over 15 points, the roll is invalid, and the player must re-roll.

Winning/Ending the Game:

• Play continues until only one player remains. This player is the loser.

Going to Boston

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 3
Objective: After 10 rounds, be the player with the most points.

Gameplay

1. Rolling the Dice:
   • On a player’s turn, they roll all three dice.
   • Set aside the highest die.
   • Re-roll the remaining two dice, then keep the highest die of the two and re-roll the last die.
   • Total the values of all three dice and record the result on the notepad.
2. Scoring:
   • The player with the highest total from each round earns 1 point.
   • In case of a tie in a round, the round is replayed.
3. Rounds:
   • There are 10 rounds in total.
   • After each round, the winner (highest score) earns 1 point for that round.

Winning the Game:

• After 10 rounds, the player with the most points (won the most rounds) is the winner.
• If there is a tie, a playoff round is played to determine the winner.

Variation

• Instead of each round being worth 1 point, each progressive round is worth 1 point more than the last:
  • Round 1 = 1 point
  • Round 2 = 2 points
  • Round 3 = 3 points, and so on.
• A total of 55 points is up for grabs.
• The player with the most points after 10 rounds wins.

Farkle

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 6
Objective: Set aside scoring combinations to accumulate points. Be the first player to reach 10,000 points to win.

Gameplay

1. Rolling the Dice:
   1. A player rolls all six dice at the start of their turn.
2. Scoring Combinations:
   Players must set aside at least one scoring combination after each roll:
   1. Triplets:
      1. 1s = 1,000 points
      2. 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s = 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 points, respectively.
   2. Single Dice:
      1. 1 = 100 points
      2. 5 = 50 points
   3. Continuing the Turn:
      1. After setting aside a scoring combination, the player may re-roll the remaining dice.
      2. If all six dice are set aside as scoring combinations, the player may roll all six dice again to add to their total.
   4. Ending the Turn:
      A player’s turn ends in one of two ways:
      1. Banking Points:
         1. The player may end their turn voluntarily, banking the accumulated points. These points are recorded and safe for the remainder of the game.
      2. Farkle:
         1. If the player rolls and fails to set aside a scoring combination, they score 0 points for that turn.

Winning the Game:

• Keep a running total of each player’s points.

Example Turns

1. Player rolls: 1, 1, 5, 4, 3, 6
   • Sets aside two 1s (200 points) and one 5 (50 points).
   • Re-rolls the remaining three dice: 2, 4, 6 (no scoring combinations).
   • Scores 0 points for the turn (Farkle).
2. Another player rolls: 5, 5, 5, 2, 3, 6
   • Sets aside three 5s (500 points).
   • Re-rolls the remaining three dice: 1, 5, 4.
   • Sets aside one 1 (100 points) and one 5 (50 points).
   • Chooses to end their turn and banks 650 points.

Bluffer’s Dice!

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 5
Dice Cups: 1 per Player
Objective: Make accurate guesses about all the dice in play and be the last player remaining.

Gameplay

1. Players shake their dice in a cup, slam it down, and peek at their dice without revealing them.
2. The starting player makes a claim about the total number of a specific value on all dice (e.g., “three 4’s”).
3. Continuing clockwise, players can either raise the claim or challenge it.
4. Aces (1’s) are wild and can count as any number.
5. If a claim is challenged, all players reveal their dice:
   • If there are more corresponding dice than claimed, the challenger loses dice equal to the difference.
   • If fewer, the claimant loses dice.
   • Exact matches result in all but the claimant losing one die.

Winning

• The last player remaining with dice wins.

Par

Players: 2 or more (Best for 3-5 Players)
Dice Needed: 5
Objective: Keep high dice and re-roll low ones to score 24 or higher and achieve a high hit number.

Gameplay

1. Players roll all five dice and set aside at least one die per roll.
2. Players aim for a total of 24 or higher from their five dice:
   • Below 24: Lose points equal to the difference.
   • 24: No points gained or lost.
   • Above 24: The number above 24 becomes the “hit number.”
3. Roll all five dice again, aiming to match the hit number. Record the total matches as your score.

Winning the Game

• The highest score wins, or players can agree on a target score.
• Chip variation: Players gain or lose chips based on points.

Hearts

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 6
Objective: Be the player with the most points after reaching or exceeding 100 points.

Gameplay

1. Rolling the Dice:
   • On a player’s turn, they roll all six dice.
2. Scoring Sequences:
   • Starting with 1s, score 5 points for each die that belongs to a sequence:
     • A single 1 is worth 5 points.
     • 1, 2 is worth 10 points.
     • 1, 2, 3 is worth 15 points.
     • 1, 2, 3, 4 is worth 20 points.
     • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is worth 25 points.
     • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is worth 30 points.
   • If a roll contains multiple sequences, score all of them.
     • Example: A roll of 1-1-2-3-3-4 contains two sequences: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1, for a total of 25 points.

3. Losing Points:
   • If a player rolls three or more 1s, they lose all their points for that round and return to a score of 0.
4. Round End:
   • Record each player’s score after every round.
   • When a player reaches 100 or more points, finish the current round so that all players have the same number of turns.

Winning the Game:

• The player with the most points at the end of the round is the winner.

Beat That!

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 2
Objective: Roll the highest possible two-digit number.

Gameplay:

1. Each player rolls two dice per turn, arranging them to form the highest possible two-digit number.
2. For example, if a player rolls a 4 and a 6, they could make 64.

Winning the Game:

• After all players have rolled, the player with the highest number wins the round.

Chicago

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 2
Objective: Score the highest in each round by matching the current round number.

Gameplay:

1. Each round corresponds to a number (e.g., Round 1 = 1, Round 2 = 2).
2. Players roll two dice, aiming to match the round number with their combined roll.
3. If a player rolls the exact round number, they score; if they roll higher, they score zero.

Winning the Game:

• After 11 rounds, the player with the most points wins.

Knock Out

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 2
Objective: Avoid rolling a predetermined “knock-out” number.

Gameplay:

1. Pick a knock-out number, such as 7.
2. Each player rolls two dice on their turn, adding the numbers.
3. If a player rolls the knock-out number, they’re out of the game.

Winning the Game:

• The last player remaining wins.

Combination Station (Yahtzee)

Players: 2 or more
Dice Needed: 2
Objective: Score the most points by rolling specific combinations with five dice over thirteen rounds.

Gameplay

1. Each player takes turns rolling all five dice up to three times per turn.
2. After each roll, players can choose to keep or reroll any number of dice to improve their combination.
3. At the end of a turn, players must record a score in one of thirteen categories on their scorecard.
4. Each category can only be scored once during the game.

Scoring Categories

Upper Section:

• Ones, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes
• Score the sum of the dice showing the specified number.
• Bonus: If the total of the Upper Section scores is 63 or more, add a 35-point bonus.

Lower Section:

• Three of a Kind: Sum of all dice when three dice show the same number
• Four of a Kind: Sum of all dice when four dice show the same number
• Full House: 25 points for three of one number and two of another
• Small Straight: 30 points for a sequence of four consecutive numbers (e.g., 1-2-3-4)
• Large Straight: 40 points for a sequence of five consecutive numbers (e.g., 2-3-4-5-6)
• Combination Station (formerly Yahtzee): 50 points for five dice showing the same number
• Chance: Sum of all dice (used when no other category fits)

Winning the Game

• After thirteen rounds, each player’s scores are tallied.
• The player with the highest total score wins the game.

Strategy Tips

• Aim for the Upper Section bonus by focusing on high-scoring categories early.
• Reserve the Chance category for turns with difficult rolls.
• Take calculated risks when rolling for high-value categories like Combination Station.

Sources

Ask the Bellhop. (2023). 25 Free tabletop games that only require you to have some standard dice on hand to play. Tabletop Bellhop. Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://tabletopbellhop.com/blog/free-tabletop-dice-games

Dice Cold. (n.d.). Games. Retrieved January 9, 2025, from https://www.dicecold.com/games

Group Games 101. (2023). 20 fun dice games for kids & adults to play at home or anywhere! Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://groupgames101.com/fun-dice-games

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