Dice games are the most portable games there are: a handful of dice, a pencil and a scrap of paper is all you need for an evening of fun. This page links every dice game rules guide on Party Games World, explains a few classic dice games for kids that need no special kit, and helps you choose the right game for your group.
Most of these games use ordinary six-sided dice. If you do not have enough, our free dice roller rolls two dice at a time on any phone, and the game scorekeeper adds up the points for you.
Dice game rules guides
Each of these has a full guide with what you need, setup, scoring tables and variations.
- Farkle (2 or more players): Roll six dice, set aside scoring dice such as ones, fives and three of a kind, and decide whether to push your luck or bank your points. Also known as 10,000 or Zilch, since the usual target is 10,000 points.
- Bunco (12 is classic (any multiple of 4) players): A social dice game played at tables of four in partnerships. Each round has a target number and rolling three of it scores a bunco. Players change tables and partners as they go, which makes it a favorite for clubs and neighborhood nights.
- Ship, Captain and Crew (2 or more players): Roll five dice up to three times to find a 6 (the ship), a 5 (the captain) and a 4 (the crew) in that order, then score the other two dice. Also called 6-5-4.
- Liar's dice (2 to 6 players): Everyone rolls in secret under a cup, then players bid on how many of a face are on the whole table. Challenge a bid you do not believe and the loser drops a die.
More classic dice games you can play tonight
These traditional games do not have their own pages yet, but they are easy to explain in a few lines. Agree the details as a group before you start, because families play them slightly differently.
Pig
Players: 2 or more. You need: 1 die, paper. On your turn, roll as many times as you like, adding each roll to your turn total. Stop whenever you choose and bank the total, but if you roll a 1 you lose everything from that turn. First to 100 wins. It is a perfect first dice game for kids because it teaches risk and simple addition.
Shut the box
Players: 1 or more. You need: 2 dice and a box or paper with the numbers 1 to 9. Roll both dice and cover any numbers that add up to the total (a roll of 8 could cover 8, or 5 and 3, or 6 and 2). Keep rolling until you cannot cover anything. Your score is the sum of the uncovered numbers, and the lowest score wins. Many players switch to one die once 7, 8 and 9 are covered.
Threes
Players: 2 or more. You need: 5 dice. The aim is the lowest total, and threes count as zero. Roll all five dice, set aside at least one, then reroll the rest, again keeping at least one each time, until all five are kept. Lowest total wins the round.
Going to Boston
Players: 2 or more. You need: 3 dice. Roll all three and keep the highest. Roll the other two and keep the higher. Roll the last die. Add the three kept dice; the highest total wins the round. A round takes seconds, so play to a set number of wins.
Yacht (five-dice categories)
Players: 1 or more. You need: 5 dice and a score sheet. Each turn you roll up to three times, keeping any dice you like between rolls, then score the result in one empty category such as fours, full house, straight or five of a kind. Once every category is filled, the highest total wins. It is the old public domain game that many modern five-dice games are based on.
Beetle drive
Players: 2 or more. You need: 1 die, paper and pencils. Each number lets you draw one part of a beetle: commonly a 6 for the body, 5 for the head, 4 for each leg, 3 for each eye, 2 for each feeler and 1 for the tail. You need the body before the other parts. The first to draw a complete beetle shouts "beetle". A great dice game for kids at birthday parties.
Dice games for kids
For children under seven, choose games where the dice do the work: Beetle drive, Pig with a target of 50, or race board games like snakes and ladders and ludo. From about eight, kids enjoy Shut the box and Ship, Captain and Crew, which add simple choices. Farkle and Yacht suit ten and up, and teens love the bluffing in Liar's dice. Big foam dice turn any of these into a fun outdoor game on the lawn.
How to pick a dice game
- Count the dice you own. Pig and Beetle drive need one, Shut the box two, Threes and Ship, Captain and Crew five, and Farkle six. Liar's dice needs five per player and a cup each.
- Think about group size. Almost every dice game works for two to six. For twelve or more, Bunco is the classic choice because it is designed for several tables at once.
- Decide how much thinking you want. Going to Boston and Pig are quick and light. Farkle and Yacht reward a bit of probability sense. Liar's dice is all about reading people.
- Set the target before you start. Lowering a target (for example Farkle to 5,000) keeps games short for kids or busy evenings.
- Roll in a tray or box lid. It stops dice flying off the table and ends arguments about cocked dice. A common house rule: any die that is not flat gets rerolled.
For more game night ideas, browse our board games and card games pages.
Questions people ask
What is the 10,000 dice game?
10,000 is another name for Farkle, a game played with six dice where ones, fives and three of a kind score points. You keep rolling the remaining dice to add points, but a roll with no scoring dice loses everything from that turn. The first player to reach 10,000 points, with others getting a final turn, wins.
What dice games can you play with 5 dice?
Threes, Ship, Captain and Crew, Yacht and Liar's dice (five dice per player) all use five dice. Farkle normally uses six, but some groups play a five-dice version.
What are good dice games for kids?
Pig, Beetle drive and Going to Boston are simple and fast, and they quietly practice counting and addition. Snakes and ladders and ludo are good dice board games for younger children.
How do you play Shut the box?
Roll two dice and cover any uncovered numbers from 1 to 9 that add up to your roll. Keep going until you cannot cover anything, then add up the numbers still showing. The lowest score wins, and covering every number is called shutting the box.
What dice game is good for a big group?
Bunco is made for big groups, usually 12 players at three tables, and players rotate tables between rounds. Pig and Going to Boston also work with large groups because each turn is quick.