Dice Rules + Printable Scorecards
ROLL RALLY
Played with 5 dice | 1–5 players
How to Play:
1. Each player gets up to 3 rolls per turn to achieve the best scoring combination.
2. After each roll, you may set aside any dice you’d like to keep and re-roll the others.
3. After your third roll (or sooner if you choose), record your score in one open category on the sheet.
4. Each category can be used only once per game.
How to Score
Upper Section:
Add the total of the chosen number (e.g., all 3s in the Threes box).
Score 35 bonus points if your Upper Section total is 63 or more.
Lower Section:
3 of a Kind = Total of all dice
4 of a Kind = Total of all dice
Full House (3 of one + 2 of another) = 25 points
Small Straight (4 in a row) = 30 points
Large Straight (5 in a row) = 40 points
5 of a Kind = 50 points
Chance = Total of all dice
Bonus 5 of a Kind = 100 points for each extra one rolled!
How to Win:
When all categories are filled, add up your Upper and Lower Section totals. The player with the highest Grand Total wins!
Advanced Strategies:
While this game is largely dependent on luck, strategic decision-making can increase your chances of scoring higher. Prioritize filling scoring categories that are most difficult to achieve or offer the highest point potential. Keep track of which categories your opponents have filled in to inform your own scoring decisions.
FARKEL
Played with 6 dice | 2 or more players
How to Play:
1. Roll all six dice to start your turn.
2. After each roll, set aside at least one scoring die (see scoring chart below).
3. You can choose to roll the remaining dice to try for more points — but if you roll and get no scoring dice, you Farkle and lose all points for that turn.
4. You may bank your points at any time to keep them safe and pass the dice to the next player.
5. You must score at least 500 points in a single turn to “get on the board.”
How to Win
Keep rolling and adding up your scores until someone reaches 10,000 points. Once a player hits 10,000, everyone else gets one last turn to beat the score.
Scoring Highlights:
Single 1 = 100 points
Single 5 = 50 points
3 of a kind = 100 × face value (except 1’s = 1,000)
4 of a kind = 1,000 points
5 of a kind = 2,000 points
6 of a kind = 3,000 points
Straight (1–6) = 1,500 points
3 pairs = 1,500 points
2 triplets = 2,500 points
Tip: Know when to stop! Sometimes banking a smaller score is smarter than risking everything for a bigger roll.
Additional Game Variations
3. Going to Boston
Players: 2+
Dice: 3
Game Type: Simple scoring
Going to Boston is a quick and easy dice game that's great for players of almost any age.
Each player rolls three dice. Keep the highest die, then roll the remaining two. Keep the highest die again, then roll the final die.
Add the three dice together to get your score for the round.
Example
You roll:
6, 4, 2
Keep the 6.
Roll the remaining two dice and get:
5, 3
Keep the 5.
Finally, roll the last die and get:
4
Your score for the round is:
6 + 5 + 4 = 15
Play a set number of rounds, then add up the scores. The player with the highest total wins.
4. Ship, Captain, Crew
Players: 2+
Dice: 5
Game Type: Strategy
Ship, Captain, Crew is all about trying to roll three specific numbers:
6 = Ship
5 = Captain
4 = Crew
Players roll five dice and try to establish the numbers in that order.
Once you've rolled a 6, keep it. Then look for a 5. Once you've established your 5, try to roll a 4.
After getting the 6, 5 and 4, the remaining two dice become your "cargo." Add those two dice together to determine your score.
Example
You establish:
6 + 5 + 4
Your remaining dice are:
5 + 3
Your cargo score is 8.
The player with the highest cargo score wins the round.
5. Greed
Players: 2+
Dice: 6
Game Type: Push-your-luck
If you enjoy Farkle, Greed is another dice game worth trying.
Players roll six dice and look for scoring combinations. Depending on the rules you're using, individual 1s and 5s can score points, while three or more of the same number can earn larger bonuses.
After scoring, players decide whether to bank their points or keep rolling.
The risk is similar to Farkle: if you roll and don't get any scoring dice, you can lose the points you've accumulated during that turn.
The goal is to accumulate the most points before the game ends.
Tip: Greed gets more exciting as your score grows because every additional roll comes with a bigger risk.
6. Bunco
Players: 4+
Dice: 3
Game Type: Group game
Bunco is a great choice for larger groups because everyone gets involved and the rules are simple.
The game is played across six rounds. In each round, players try to roll the number corresponding to that round.
For example:
- Round 1 → Roll 1s
- Round 2 → Roll 2s
- Round 3 → Roll 3s
- Round 4 → Roll 4s
- Round 5 → Roll 5s
- Round 6 → Roll 6s
Players earn points for matching dice, with a roll containing three of the target number earning a special bonus called a Bunco.
After all six rounds, players total their points.
7. Beat That!
Players: 2+
Dice: 5
Game Type: Number-building
Beat That! is incredibly simple and can be played with almost any number of players.
Give everyone five dice and have each player roll.
Players then arrange their dice to create the highest possible number.
For example, if you roll:
6 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1
You could arrange them as:
64,321
The player who creates the highest number wins the round.
To keep things interesting, change the challenge from round to round:
- Highest number
- Lowest number
- Highest even number
- Highest odd number
- Highest three-digit number
- Highest four-digit number
It's easy to learn and can be adapted for different ages.
8. Sevens Out
Players: 2+
Dice: 2
Game Type: Push-your-luck
Sevens Out is one of the easiest dice games to learn.
Players roll two dice and add the numbers together. Continue rolling and adding points to your score.
But there's one important rule:
Roll a 7 and your turn is over.
The player can continue rolling as long as they avoid a 7.
For example:
Roll 4 + 3 = 7 → Turn ends.
Set a target number of rounds or play until someone reaches a predetermined score.
The simplicity makes Sevens Out a great choice for a quick game.
9. Pig
Players: 2+
Dice: 1
Game Type: Push-your-luck
Pig proves that you don't need a pile of dice to have a competitive game.
Players take turns rolling a single die and adding the result to their score.
You can keep rolling to build your score, but there's a catch:
Roll a 1 and you lose all the points you've earned during your turn.
You then pass the die to the next player.
Players must decide whether to keep rolling or stop and bank their points.
The first player to reach a predetermined score—such as 100 points—wins.
10. Balut
Players: 2+
Dice: 5
Game Type: Combination scoring
Balut is a dice game that has some similarities to Yahtzee.
Players roll five dice and attempt to create different combinations. Depending on the version you're playing, scoring categories can include:
- Pair
- Two Pair
- Three of a Kind
- Four of a Kind
- Five of a Kind
- Straight
- Full House
Players record their results in different categories throughout the game.
Once all categories have been filled, add up the scores. The player with the highest total wins.
It's a great option if your group enjoys games that involve planning, probability, and scoring combinations.
Which Dice Game Should You Play?
The best game depends on what kind of experience you're looking for.
For a quick game: Try Pig or Sevens Out.
For a family game: Try Going to Boston or Beat That!
For larger groups: Try Bunco.
For strategy: Try Ship, Captain, Crew or Balut.
For push-your-luck excitement: Try Farkle or Greed.
For classic scorecard gameplay: Try Roll Rally or Balut.
The best part about dice games is that they're easy to set up, easy to learn, and can turn almost any gathering into a friendly competition. Grab your dice, keep score, and see who can come out on top!