Rules for Playing Dice

Dice games bring both youth and adults together in a relaxed, fun environment. Dice games require little equipment, usually just a certain number of dice, paper and pencils. This gives flexibility to where games can be played. They can be played indoors or outdoors, any place where a flat surface can be used to roll the dice. Different dice games have specific rules to win the game.

Players use three dice when playing Bunco. For a game of 12 people, you would have 3 table with, 4 people at each table. One table should have a bell, becoming the high table. For the first round and each subsequent round, you partner with the person across from you. Players participate in six rounds for each game. The high table starts each game and ends each round with the ringing of the bell. The scorekeeper for each table rolls first.

Players earn points by rolling all three dice. Players receive one point for each target number rolled for that round. For round one, the number 1 die earns a point. For each subsequent round the number of the round and the target die number correspond. Players receive five points for rolling three of a kind of any number other than the target number. Many players call this a Baby Bunco. A Bunco occurs when you roll three of a kind of the target number for that round. You receive 21 points for a Bunco, but you must call it out to receive the points. The player continues rolling as long as he or she scores at least one point per roll.

When the player scores zero points on a roll, the dice move to the next person. Play continues until one of the teams at the high table reaches 21 points. The team then rings the bell and play stops. The teams with the highest scores move up one table. The losing team from the high table moves to the low table. After six rounds the person with the most wins during the rounds wins the overall game. Prizes can also be awarded for most Buncos and Baby Buncos.

Farkle requires six dice, paper and pencil for scoring, and a table. To start the game, each player rolls one die. The highest score goes first. The first player then rolls all six dice. The eventual winner of the game shows the highest total over 10,000 points in the final round. Points are awarded by rolling 1s, 5s, three-of-a-kinds, or straights (1-2-3-4-5-6) in one roll.

Each 1 rolled counts for 100 points, and each 5 counts for 50 points. Three of a kind on numbers 2 to 6 count 100 points times the number rolled. For example, three 2s count for 200 points. Three ones count for 1,000 points. A straight also counts for 1,000 points. After rolling all six dice, the player can slide to the side any scoring dice he chooses. He then rolls the remaining dice. If he ends up rolling all six dice and scores points, he gets to roll all six dice again and continue adding his total. If at any time while rolling he does not score, he loses all points for that round.

To score for the first time, each player must total at least 500 points. After getting at least 500 points, the player on subsequent rounds can choose to stop at any point in her roll to add her total, or chance getting more points. Again, if she does not score on any roll, she loses all points for that round. After a player reaches at least 10,000 points and chooses to stop, each player gets one more round of rolls to try to top the score. After everyone rolls, the person with the highest total wins.

Blisters can be played with two or more players. Hikers during an expedition invented the game, so the goal score for winning usually corresponds with the length of a hiking trail. Many play to 2,145, the mile length of the Appalachian Trail. Players roll six dice in the game, three pair in color. Each player takes turns rolling the dice, attempting to match numbers.

Any dice that match are called scoring dice. When pairing dice, either two together, two pairs together or four of a kind, the player can choose to roll the remaining dice or end that turn, adding points to his game total. When rolling the remaining dice, the player either scores more points or gets Blisters. Blisters means that he rolls dice that do not pair, and he loses all points for that round. If the player rolls uneven pairs (three or five of a kind or a full house) he must roll the remaining dice.

If the numbers and colors match, the players receives 10 times the number on one of the dice. For example, rolling two fives of the same color will net 50 points. Rolling two fives of different colors will net 5 + 5 points, or 10 points total. If a player rolls all six dice and scores, he must continue rolling by rolling all six dice again. Like Farkle, when a player reaches the agreed upon total points for the game, each player gets one more turn to try to beat that person's score.