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If you're looking for ways to entertain in your backyard, a set of giant dice goes a long way. You can use the yard dice in thousands of ways in outdoor settings, be it a backyard or a beach. Also, most of the games are suitable for all ages.
Join us as we reveal all yard dice games you can try out with your family and friends. All of them require a few yard dice, enough yard space, and a piece of paper to keep score.
Best Yard Dice Games
Keep note of the number of dice required to play the game, and the number of players required. Most of the games require at least two players, but there are a few that mandate at least 3 players.
Game Name | Number of Dice | Price |
---|---|---|
Yardzee | 5 | Check Price |
Pig | 6 | Check Price |
Twenty-One | 1 | Check Price |
Going to Boston | 3 | Check Price |
Ship, Captain, and Crew | 5 | Check Price |
Snake Eyes | 2 | Check Price |
Double Whammy | 2 | Check Price |
Farkle | 6 | Check Price |
Yardzee
Yahtzee, or in this case, Yardzee, is a dice game in which the main objective is to score points by rolling five dice and meet certain combinations, like in poker. It requires at least two players, a set of yard dice, and wide outdoor space.
The players start the game by rolling three yard dice each. If they don't make any combination at the first roll, they choose to keep one of the dice and re-roll the other two. Each player can roll the dice up to three times in a turn so as to make several scoring combinations while dice remain in the box. There are thirteen turns in each game and thirteen boxes divided into upper and lower sections.
Whether you'll complete Yahtzee or not depends on whether a particular one is required or any Yahtzee.
- Upper Section
There are six boxes in the upper section, where you determine the score by adding up all the dice of a certain number.
For instance, if in one round a player makes a combination of three aces, and numbers 2 and 3, they score 3. With that said, when the total score of a player is at least 63 in these six boxes, they add a bonus of 35 to the upper section score.
- Lower Section
The lower section contains a number of poker-like categories, where you score if you meet some of the following combinations:
- Three of a Kind – Three dice are the same. Score: Sum of all dice
- Four of a Kind – Four dice are the same. Score: Sum of all dice
- Full House – Three of one number and two of another. Score: 25
- Small Straight – Four sequential dice (1-2-3-4; 2-3-4-5, or 3-4-5-6). Score: 30
- Large Straight – Five sequential dice (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6). Score: 40
- Yahtzee – All five dice are the same number. Score: 50
- Chance – Any combination. Score: Sum of all dice
Pass the Pig
Pig is a dice game suitable for any age and is played with a single six-sided die. It requires no more than a few feet of grass in your backyard, at least two players, and a piece of paper to keep track of the score. The objective of this game is to score at least 100 points from all die rolls and the first player who does so is the winner.
The game is played in such a way that each player takes a turn to roll the die. The rules are the following:
- When a player rolls any other number but a 1, they get that same number of points and continue their turn.
- If a player rolls a 1, they score no points, and the next player takes a turn.
- When a player chooses to 'hold', they add their turn total to their score, and the next player takes their turn.
To make the game even more fun for the adults, you can include some beverages as well. For instance, the player who rolls a 1, takes a drink.
Twenty-One
Twenty-one is a simpler version of the card game Blackjack, which is played witha single die and by two or more players. In order to win the game, a player must score a total of 21 or close to it, but not go over.
Firstly, each player rolls the die. The one who gets the highest number goes first. The player starts the game by rolling the die as many times as they want, adding up the numbers they get.
The aim is to score a total of 21 or as near as possible to it. When the player scores over 21, they're bust and are out of the game. Once all the players take their turn, the player, whose total is highest and nearest to 21, wins. In the case of a tie, the players continue by taking an extra turn. They re-roll the die, aiming to score under 21 once again.
To play Twenty-one, you need a yard die, small yard space, and something to keep score. You can play it with stakes, as well. At the start of the game, each player puts a unit in a pot. When a player busts, they put an additional unit in there. The player who wins the game takes the pot. In the case of a tie, the players can divide it equally among themselves instead of playing an extra round.
Going to Boston
Going to Boston requires three yard dice and three or more people. Before the start of the game, the players decide on how many rounds they're going to play. The main objective of the game is to win as many rounds as possible.
The directions are the following:
- Each player has three throws of the dice in one turn.
- After the first roll, they put the dice with the highest number aside, and continue rolling the other two.
- In the second roll, they also keep the highest die number and roll the last die. If a player rolls the same highest numbers after the first or second roll, they reserve only one of them.
- Add up the numbers of all three dice to get the score for that round.
- Then, the next player continues rolling.
- The player who scores the highest total wins the round.
- In the case of a tie, they go with an additional round of rolling.
- Once all the rounds are played, the player who won the most rounds wins the game.
This game is suitable for both kids and adults. If you include beverages in the adult version of the game, the rules are – when you don't win the round, you drink. For kids, on the other hand, you can include some sweeteners, which is the prize for the one who wins the round.
Ship, Captain, and Crew
Ship, Captain, and Crew is a dice game, which is played withfive dice and by two or more people. In this case, you need a set of giant dice and not-that-small yard space available.
The object of the game is to roll a 6 (the 'ship'), 5 (the 'captain'), and 4 (the 'crew') with three dice, and get the highest score with the other two. Alternatively, the 4 is sometimes called the 'Mate', and the other two dice are the 'Crew'.
Before the start, each player rolls three dice. The one that scores the highest total goes first. Also, the players agree on the number of rounds they're going to play.
List Of Dice Games
The player starts by rolling all five dice. If they get a combination of 6, 5, and 4 – that is, the 'ship', 'captain', and 'crew' at the first roll, they put them aside.
However, they must have the 'ship' first, before they can set the 'captain' aside. The same goes for the 'crew', they must have the 'ship' and 'captain' to set the 4 aside. The remaining dice, which aren't reserved, are rolled again. A player can take up to three rolls in a turn.
After a player has rolled a 6, 5, and 4 in order, the remaining two dice are the 'cargo', which determine the score of the player for that round. If a 6, 5, and 4 aren't rolled in order on a player's turn, they don't score for that turn. If players tie for the highest amount of 'cargo', they take an additional turn. The one with the highest score wins the game.
If played as a drinking game, all the players except the winner must drink.
Snake Eyes
Snake Eyes is a fun yard dice game that requires a set of yard dice, a rope, and at least two players.
Start the game by making a ring on the ground with the rope, around 3 feet in diameter. Now, all the players need to throw all six dice, one at a time, into the ring, standing on a previously established line around 10 feet back. They can divide into teams as well.
For each die that landed in the circle, the player or team adds up the value shown on each to get the total score. The first one who reaches 21 or throws all 1s is the winner.
Double Whammy
Double Whammy is a drinking dice game that requires two dice, three or more players, and shots. The main objective is to roll numbers that won't result in you needing to take a drink.
As this is a drinking game, make sure to consume responsibly. Also, don't drive after.
Each player rolls the dice. You'll be required to take a drink if you score anything that:
- Adds up to 6, such as 1-5 and 2-4;
- Has a 6 in it, such as 1-6, 2-6, 3-6, 4-6, and 5-6.
If you roll a double, like two 1s, 2's, 4's, 5's, you take that many drinks as the number you get. For instance, you roll two 2s, you take two drinks.
When you roll double 3s or 6s, you're penalized twice – a double whammy, because you've scored something that adds up to 6, as well as something that has a 6 in it. In this case, you take six drinks.
The player continues rolling until they get something that doesn't require drinking, like 1-2, 1-4, and so on. Then, they pass the dice to the next player.
Farkle
Farkle is a popular yard dice game, which is played by two or more players and a set of giant dice. Besides, a piece of paper is required for keeping score.
Each player rolls the yard dice and aims to reach a winning total, which is usually 10,000 points. The player who starts the game rolls all six dice at once. After each throw, they must set aside one or more dice. At this point, the player can either bank the accumulated score and end their turn, or throw the remaining dice.
If the player scores all six dice, they have 'hot dice', and can continue by throwing all of them once again. On the other hand, if they don't score with any dice, they have 'farkled' and lose all the points they have scored in that turn.
Standard scoring
So you count your points, you should reach at least 500 in a single round. Take a look at the following scores for single dice or combinations of dice:
Dice Combination | Score |
---|---|
1s | 100 |
5s | 50 |
Three 1s | 1000 |
Three 2s | 200 |
Three 3s | 300 |
Three 4s | 400 |
Three 5s | 500 |
Three 6s | 600 |
Four of a Kind | 1,000 |
Five of a Kind | 2,000 |
Six of a Kind | 3,000 |
A Straight of 1-6 | 1,500 |
Three Pairs | 1,500 |
Four of a Kind with a Pair | 1,500 |
Two sets of Three of a Kind | 2,500 |
For instance, if a player rolls 1-2-2-2-5-6, their options are the following:
- Earn 200 points for rolling three 2s and re-roll the remaining dice;
- Score 100 points for rolling a 1 and re-roll the remaining dice;
- Earn 50 points for rolling a 5 and re-roll the remaining dice;
- Score three 2s, a 1, and a 5, getting a total of 350, and then re-roll the remaining die;
- Score three 2s, a 1, and a 5, getting a total of 350 and finish the turn.
FAQs
🎲 What are yard dice?Yard dice are hand-sized dice, with which you can play a wide variety of games in an outdoor setting. Just like the regular dice, the giant ones come in a set of six. Therefore, you need only a set of yard dice and enough outdoor space to play any dice-based game.
🎉 What games do you play with yard dice?Any game that can be played with regular dice can be played with the giant ones as well, except that you need available outdoor space for the latter. Some of the most popular yard dice games to try out are Yahtzee, Farkle, Going to Boston, Twenty One, Double Whammy, and many more.
🔢 How many dice do I need to play a yard dice game?While some yard dice games can be played with a single six-sided yard die, the others require a whole set of six dice. However, the list of yard games you can play is long, so you can choose whichever works for you best.
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Let's be honest. In today's world, no one has time to sit down with family and play games for recreation. With adults being engrossed in earning millions and kids being engrossed in video games, indoor and outdoor sports are becoming extinct. There are hardly any teenagers who are excited about indoor board games. Even if they are, it is probably because of the app of the same game in their smartphones. In this list, we are going to take you through the Top 10 Best Dice Games of All Time. One can play this game with friends as well as family and have a great time.
Best Dice Games of All Time - The Directory of Board Games
Dice games are one of the biggest aspects of indoor games. A lot of nostalgia is linked with dice games. Dice games usually remind us of good family time and happy moments.
10. Dix Mille
At number 10 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, we have Dix Mille. It is the name of a family dice game, very similar to Farkle. It also goes by other names, including Zilch, Zikchers, Foo, Boxcar, Bogus, and Crap out. The game required six standard dice and a pencil and paper for scoring. Each player starts out 'off the table' with a score of zero.
Players collect points during their turn, and either add those points to their cumulative score or continue rolling with the risk of losing all points accumulated that turn if a scoring combination is not rolled. To begin a turn, if the player is 'off the table' a player must score at least 1000 points in a single turn.
9. Farkle
At number 9 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, We have Farkle. It is a simple dice rolling strategy game that we sometimes play. If you have Yahtzee or Twnziat at home, you can use the dice and their rules. Farkle is played by two or more players, with each player in succession having a turn at throwing the dice.
Each player's turn results in a score and the scores for each player accumulate to some winning total. Farkle is a folk game and thus variant rules are used in different playing communities. Players may be required to achieve a certain threshold score in their opening turn before they can begin scoring.
8. Button Men
At number 8 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, we have button men. It is a very short game with one game generous taking around ten minutes to finish. Each player has to choose a pin- back button which would represent them in the game. The buttons are made of metal or plastic and are around 5 centimeters to 6.5 centimeters (2 inches to 2.5 inches) in diameter.
Each button has a ping attached to its back. The game consists of several rounds. It begins with the players rolling their dice. Then both the players take turns & try to gain control of, capture, or neutralize the dice of their opponent, depending on the current value of the dice. The first player who succeeds to win 3 rounds becomes the winner. To start the game, both the players choose a fighter and gather the dice required for playing. Players are not allowed to change their fighters which the game is running.
7. Quarriors
Speaking of the top 10 best dice games of all time, at number 7 of this list, we have Quarriors. It is a pool-building game made by Wiz kids. The players represent a titular mystical warrior, and players roll dice which gives them Quiddity (as in-game currency) which allows them to purchase additional skull Dice or creature Dice, which can then be usual to attack the opponent.
The games have a lot of variabilities, in that the dice that are available to purchase each game changes, so the way they interact can cause a great variety of changes in the game.
6. Zambales
At number 6 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, we have Zambales. The Negnitos of the Zambales region of the Philippines first made this dice game popular. Two wooden cubes are used as dices. Each die is marked with the following on its six sides 1, 2, 3, 10, +, #.
The player has five chances to throw the two dice. If the player pairs the dice, he or she wins. If the player cannot pair the dice within five throws, the game ends all.
5. Yahtzee
At number 5 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, we have Yahtzee. It is one of the most popular dice games in America. Yahtzee is a dice game made by Milton Bradley which was first marketed as' Yahtzee' by the National Association Service of Toledo, Ohio in the year 1940.
The object of the game is to score points by rolling five dice to make certain combinations. Players can roll the dice up to three times in a turn to make various scoring combinations. A Yahtzee is five- of- a kind and scores 50 points, the highest of any category. The winner is the player who scores the most points.
Most Popular Dice Games
4. Dice Chess
At number 4 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, we have Dice chess. It can refer to a number of chess variants in which dice are used to alter gameplay; specifically that the moves available to each player are determined by rolling a pair of ordinary six-sided dice.
There are many different variations in the form of dice chess. Besides, this game is as weird and interesting as it sounds.
3. Dudo
At number 3 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, we have a game called Dudo. It is a specific form of Liars Dia, a family game collection having many variants. It takes at least two players to play the game. However, more than two individuals can also participate in this game.
The gameplay involves guessing the current number of dice placed under small cups. A player loses one die if he or she loses one round. The player who succeeds to keep at least 1 die at the end of the game becomes the winner.
2. Boggle
This one here is not technically a dice game but it qualifies the cut. Allan Turoff designed this word game. The game is played using a plastic grid of lettered dice, in which players attempt to find words in sequences of adjacent letters. The game begins by shaking a covered tray of its cubic dice, each with a different letter printed on each of its sides.
We have seen stars of a popular television show, the big bang theory, playing Klingon boggle, which was regular boggle but in Klingon.
1. Backgammon
At number 1 of the top 10 best dice games of all time, we have the best of them all…i.e. the backgammon. Besides, it is one of the oldest board games known. It is a two-player game where playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dices, and a player wins by removing all of his pieces from the board before their opponent.
Backgammon is a member of the table's family, one of the oldest classes of board games in the world. It involves a combination of strategy and luck.
These were the top 10 best dice games of all time. If you liked the list and enjoyed it, leave comments below and try these games out. Tell us which one you like the best and check out our other lists too.