Setup
Players
- 2+
Materials
- A set of 6, six-sided dice
- Paper and pen or pencil to keep score
Scoring
- Each 5 is 50 points
- Each 1 is 100 points
- A three-of-a-kind is worth 100 points multiplied by the number rolled (i.e. three 2’s is 200 points, three 5’s is 500 points)
- A three-of-a-kind of 1’s is worth 1000 points
Objective
Roll scoring combinations of dice to reach 10,000 points before your opponent.
Gameplay
Have every player roll a die (or two); whoever rolls the highest goes first. The gameplay can go either direction around the table.
On their turn, each player will roll all six dice. They then set aside any scoring dice they want to. At this point, they can either end their turn and bank their points for the round or re-roll the dice that did not score at the risk of busting. If when a player rolls, none of their dice score (i.e. they don’t roll any 1’s, 5’s, or a three of a kind), they bust and lose all of their points for that turn. However, if a player scores after rolling all six dice, they have “hot dice” and can roll all six again, essentially restarting their turn.
When a player busts or ends their turn, the dice pass to the next player. Everyone keeps taking turns until one player reaches 10,000 points. When they reach 10,000, every other player gets one more turn before the game ends.
Endgame
Once a player reaches 10,000 points, the dice go around the table one more time. Whoever has the highest score at the end of the game, wins!
Dice 10,000 Tips & Strategy
Whenever you re-roll dice after scoring, you always run a risk of busting and losing all your points. A safe strategy is that if you roll three of a kind on your first roll, immediately end your turn without rerolling. There are still 11 out of 36 possibilities that score when you reroll those two dice, but a higher chance of busting, so ending your turn is guaranteed points.
In other situations, it can be a little more difficult to decide. A good rule of thumb is that the more dice you are rerolling, the higher the chance your next roll will score (i.e. your odds are best rerolling five dice).
Dice 10,000 Variations and Alternate Rules
- Progressive Scoring: If you roll a three of a kind on the first roll, then roll another of that number, the score for a three of a kind is doubled. For example, if you already have a three of a kind of 2’s for 200 points, rolling a fourth 2 increases your score to 400 points. Rolling a fifth or sixth of a number similarly doubles the score. You still set aside the scoring dice. If you set aside two 1’s or 5’s, then roll a third one rerolling your non-scoring dice, this can count as a three of a kind. This rule does not apply in the standard scoring.
- Additional combinations: In addition to the base scoring, you can also include points for three pairs (500 points), a straight of 1-6 (1000 points), a full house (score of the three of a kind plus 250), or even a non-scoring first roll (i.e. 2-2-3-4-4-6, 500 points). If someone rolls a six of a kind on their first roll, this can also be awarded 10,000 points and that player automatically wins.
- Threshold Scoring: For a player to begin banking points, they must reach a minimum point value in a roll, for example, 500 points. Once they reach this threshold, they can score any number of points in subsequent turns.
- Strike Out: If a player busts three times in a row (takes three turns without scoring) they lose a set number of points. This can be 500 points or another agreed upon value.
FAQs
What is the highest possible score to roll without getting six of a kind?
If you roll three 1’s and are playing progressive scoring, rolling three more 1’s will double your score to 2,000, then 4,000, then 8,000 points. Of course you can then reroll all six and keep scoring, but this is most points you can get rolling only six dice.
What if two players tie in the final round?
Have them play another round and see who scores higher!
