Dice games can be played to pass time with family, friends or to break the ice in a new group. It is important to play fair and follow the rules. Here are a few dice games and their rules.
Rahul Thadani
Dice games have been around for a long time indeed, and their staggering number makes it slightly difficult to know the rules for all possible dice games there are.
We start playing with dice as children, as it is an exciting game of luck and chance. As we grow older, we start playing more advanced games, and learning as many more as possible. There is a certain downside to this hobby, in the sense that this habit can often make an individual addicted to gambling, which is a major social evil.
For people playing just for the sake of fun with either family members or friends though, this is a great way to pass time and bond with each other. Rest assured that you'll have a great time as these games are a lot of fun and don't require much effort at all.
There are many, many games to choose from, and it really is just a matter of choice in the end. Some people have certain preferences, while some people even come up with their own games and rules.
Pig
This is a very simple game that can be played with 2 or more people, but it requires only one single die. The objective of the entire game is to be the first person to reach 100 points.
A person has to keep rolling the die until either of 2 things happens, either he/she rolls a 1, or he/she decides to stop rolling. In case he/she decides to stop rolling then all the numbers rolled till now add up to that person's score. But if the person gets 1, then nothing is added to the score. Each player gets his/her turn in a sequential manner.
For example, if player A rolls 5 times, and gets the numbers 3,6,4,3, and 2, then all these are added up and the players score is 18. Now, if he chooses to stop rolling, the die goes to player B for his turn.
But, if player A wants to continue and rolls a 1 in his next turn, then his total score will be 0, and the turn would pass on to player B. The idea is to not get greedy and to stop rolling when a decent score has been made in each turn.
Zilch
This is a game played with 6 dice and as many people as you want. The objective is simply to score more than your opponents. The following is the scoring system:
One 5 - 50 points
One 1 - 100 points
Three 2's - 200 points
Three 3's - 300 points
Three 4's - 400 points
Three 5's - 500 points
Three 6's - 600 points
Three 1's - 1000 points
A straight - 1500 points
Zilch (none of these) - 0 points
Players throw the dice in alternate turns and whenever they hit a zilch (score 0 points), the turn moves on. As long as they keep getting one of the scoring conditions, their points keep adding up.
After each turn though, one of the dice must be cast aside and 'frozen' by the thrower. When this happens, the 2nd throw will consist of 5 dice, and this will go on until all 6 dice are frozen. Keep in mind that as soon as a person throws a zilch, his turn is over.
When all 6 dice are frozen, the person can add their scores and start over with all 6 dice again. There is a min. scoring value set before the game starts, and once a person reaches this requirement, he/she can stop rolling the dice, and the next player's turn comes. When a person hits a zilch, they get absolutely no points whatsoever for the entire turn.
There are many such games which can be played for bonding and entertainment purposes. You may also invent your own rules. The most important thing is to have fun and not over-complicate things. The game of dice is mostly about luck, someone has to win, and someone has to lose.