DICE GAMES

 

1 Die

Thirty-six

[source: John Scarne, "Scarne on Dice"]

Any number can play and one die is used. Each player puts a stake

in the center forming a pool and each one throws the die to determine

order of play, low man going first, next highest next, and so on. The

players throw the die in turn and continue to throw, adding each number thrown to the previous one and calling out the totals. The object is to reach 36 or approach it as closely as possible without passing it. Players passing 36 are busted. The player who comes closest to 36 wins. Ties divide the pool. Most players throw again at 32 or less; stop at 33 or more.

2 Dice

Hazard

Caster Rolls First Roll (called the Main)
If the roll is less than 5 or greater than 9 - Pass the Dice left.
Otherwise, the other players bet.
Caster Rolls again (called the Chance)
From this role there are 3 options: Win immediately, Lose immediately, or go into next phase.
Phase I- Immediate Win/Loose:

Main Roll =

5

6

7

8

9

Chance Roll =

5

6,12

7,11

8,12

9

Caster Wins

Chance Roll =

2, 3, 11, 12

2, 3, 11

2, 3, 12

2, 3, 11

2, 3, 11, 12

Caster Looses

Phase II- If Caster did not Win or Loose on second roll, the roller continues rolling.
Betters can bet between each roll.
If the Main is rolled, the Betters win. If the Chance is rolled, the Caster wins. Caster must match all bets if caster looses. Losers pass dice to the left. If Caster wins, then Caster keeps the dice and plays again.

3 Dice

Buck Dice

Any number can play and three dice are used. Each player throws

the dice to determine the order of play, the player making highest score

goes first, next highest second, and so on.

The low man then throws one die and the number thrown becomes

the point number. The high man begins by throwing all three dice,

scores one point for each point number thrown. He continues to throw

as long as he throws point numbers which are added as he goes along.

When he fails to throw a point number on any throw, the dice pass to

the next player.

The object is to score exactly 15 points, called Buck or game, and

each player, as he reaches this score, drops out of the game until only

one player remains who is the loser and who foots the bill. If a player

whose number is close to 15, on his next throw, reaches a total above

15, the throw does not count and he must throw again. Any three of a

kind (not point numbers) is a Little Buck and counts 5 points.When

the point number appears on all three dice, it is Big Buck or The

General which counts 15 points and eliminates the player no matter

what score he has previously made.

When played on a bar, three crosses, called bucks from their re-

semblance to the end view of a sawbuck, are drawn on the bar with

chalk. The center of the cross is erased when the player throws his first

point number and one arm of the cross is erased for each additional

point number thrown. When all three crosses are rubbed out, he has

scored fifteen.

In one popular variation, the additional rule is added that when

the shooter has 13 point numbers to his credit and 2 to go, only two

dice are thrown, and when he has scored 14 and has only I to go, only

one die is thrown.

The player shooting first has a slight advantage.

5 Dice

Aces

[source: John Scarne, "Scarne on Dice"]

Also called Aces To The Center, Deuces To The Left, Fives To

The Right.

Any number can play and each player must have a dice cup and

five dice. Each player throws five dice and the player throwing the

highest poker hand (Ace is high and 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 represent King,

Queen, Jack, Ten and Nine respectively) takes any seat and is the first

shooter; the player throwing the second highest hand sits on his left and

shoots second; and so on. Tying players shoot again.

The first shooter begins by throwing five dice. Each thrown die

that shows an Ace is placed in the center of the playing surface; all

Deuces are passed to the player on his left; all dice showing Fives to the

player on his right. The player continues to throw until he either fails to

throw an Ace, 2 or 5 or until he has no more dice left. It then becomes

the turn of the next player on his left who has dice to throw.

Players who have no dice left remain in the game because other

dice may pass to them from the other players at any time.

When all but one die have been placed in the center the player

throwing the last Ace with the last die is declared the loser. When

played for drinks the loser pays the check. When played for a wager the

player throwing the last Ace is declared the winner and takes the pot.

 

 

Sources of information on dice games (not all are period)

Bell, R.C. Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations. Dover: NY, 1979

International Bone Roller's Guild http://members.aol.com/dicetalk/d6alph.htm

Master Games/Traditional Game Rules http://www.mastersgames.com/rules/rules.htm

Wulfric's brief descriptions of many period dicing games. http://www.riconnect.com/wulfric/sca/interest/game/dice.htm

A very good website dedicated to Medieval and Renaissance games http://waks.ne.mediaone.net//game-hist/

A Manifest Detection of Diceplay by Gilbert Walker, c. 1550. (Not specifically a book of games, but since it deals in depth with matters such as cheating at dice, it gives a great deal of context for period gaming.) http://waks.ne.mediaone.net//game-hist/diceplay.html

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