This is a game I learned many years ago in Norway. It has travelled with me ever since, literally everywhere from deserts to tundras. I’m always trying to promote the game whereever I go, but I’ve actually never written the rules down. I figure posting about it here is a great way of letting more people know about it and to have it documented at the same time.
To play the game you need a number of dice which is six times the number of players, or some sort of dice simulator.
The objective of the game is to make your opponent(s) loose all their dice, and keep at least one of your own.
Start by handing out six dice to each player. All players then roll one die openly and whoever rolls the highest number starts the first round of the game.
At the beginning of each round all players roll a “hand” consisting of all the dice they have. You should keep your hand hidden from all other players. For example, an opening hand could be 2-3-4-4-5-5.
The player who was selected to go first through the dice roll now starts the first round by saying and placing a “bet” on how many dice of a certain value there are among all players together, for example “seven fours”.
After the opening bet is placed the game moves on to the player to the left of the one who started. This player now has two options, either to “raise” or to “call” the bet. Raising is what you do if you think there are as many, or more, dice as the bet says (the bet is true). Calling is what you do if you think there are fewer dice than the bet says (the bet is false).
Raising is done according to certain rules to make sure that the bet constantly rises. Basically, if you raise the value of the dice you’re betting on, you can stay on the same amount (“four threes” to “four fives”). If you want to stay on the same value or go lower, you have to increase the amount by at least one die (“two twos” to “three twos”). You are allowed to raise both the amount and the value at same time and as much as you want to. These are a few legal raises: “four threes” to “five twos”, “six sixes” to “seven sixes”, “four fours” to “six fives”. The following bets would not be ok: “four sixes” to “four threes”, “five twos” to “four sixes”.
When a player raises the bet, the previous bet is forgotten and the next player to the left has to decide whether to raise or call the new, higher bet. The game continues like this until someone decides to call.
If a player calls the current bet, everyone reveals their hands and the amount of dice of the value in the bet is calculated. The most important when summing up the dice is to remember that all ones are wild cards and count as any value (including one). For example, the hand 1-2-2-3-3-4 contains one one, three twos, three threes, two fours, one five and one six. Players cannot choose whether to count the ones or not, they always count. Another special situation is when your hand is a straight beginning from one and containing all your dice. This means that all dice count as wild cards, the equivalent of rolling a hand of only ones. With four dice, 1-2-3-4 is a proper straight, while 1-2-3-5, 3-4-5-6, and 1-2-3-3 are not.
If the amount of dice of the current value (including ones and straights) is equal to or higher than the bet, the player who called the bet has to put one die aside. This die is completely out of the game and cannot be taken back. If the amount is lower than the bet, the player who placed the bet looses one die.
When a die has been lost, all players roll fresh hands and a new round starts. This time there will be one die less in total. The player who lost a die places the new opening bet. A player who has lost all his or her dice is out of the game and the opening bet is then placed by the next player to the left who still has dice left. A new round is started as long as there are at least two players who still have dice. The winner of the game is the player who remains with one or more dice when all others have lost all theirs.
Recommended reading on the side: Luke Rhinehart – The Dice Man
