Dice Games for Family Fun

Playing dice games can be a great way for families to spend time together. Most dice games require little equipment, aside from, obviously, dice and very few game playing skills. This makes dice games a really good option for most family members. Here are some fun dice games to play the next time you and your family want to have some fun together:

* Drop Dead – Do not be fooled by this game’s name. This is a most entertaining game of chance for players of all ages who would like to play for small stakes or just for fun.

Playing Time: Approximately 5 minutes for each round

Number of players: Anyone can play. There is no minimum or maximum number of players. This game can be played with head-to-head competition between two players, but competition among a group of six or more will prove the most exciting.

Number of dice needed: Five

Other equipment needed: You will need a piece of paper, with the names of all players at the top, for a tally sheet and a dice cup.

Object of the game: The object of this game is to achieve the highest score in a given number of rounds or innings, with 5 innings being considered a game.

How to start: The order of the play is not important in this game. Any player in the group may begin.

How the game works: The game play proceeds clockwise. A game is not considered over until all five innings have been played out by all players. The first player will begin his turn by rolling all five dice. If, among the five dice cast, there are no 2’s or 5’s, he scores the sum of the faces of the five dice and then he rolls again. Any throw that yields either a 2 or a 5, or both, does not score and the 2’s and the 5’s are set aside, and the remaining dice are recast. A player’s turn continues until all the dice are “dead”; that is, until all the dice have shown either a 2 or a 5. If a player rolls all 2’s and 5’s on his first turn, he does not score or cast again. The results of all casts which do not yield a 2 or a 5 are then added to compute the total score for a player’s turn. The game is played for a total of five rounds. The player with the highest total sum of all rolls at the end of five innings is the winner. “Drop Dead” is a game of chance, so no strategy hints are given. Keep in mind that this is not a high scoring game and a player tallying 20 or more points in a turn has done very well.

* Going to Boston – This game is also known as Yankee Grab and Newmarket. It is a great game that can be played for a short period of time or extended into complicated play for a longer period of time. This can also be a great tool for helping younger children understand addition.

Number of players: It can be played with any number of players though 4 or more players are best.

Number of dice needed: 3

How to start: The order of the play is not important in this game. Any player in the group may begin.

How the game works: Each of the players has three throws with the dice as follows. On the first throw of the dice, the highest die must be set aside and the two others retained for another roll. On the second roll, the higher die is kept and the lower is used for last roll. When two dice are equal, one must be used for the last roll. After the third throw, the player’s total is the sum of the three dice. Once each player completes 3 rolls, he passes the dice to the next player and so on and so forth through as many rounds as desired.