Farkle

Dice

👤 Players:

2-8 (Best at 4)

⏱ Time to play:

30 minutes

♟ Equipment:

6 six-sided dice.

🧠 Designer(s):

Public Domain. First catalogued by Hugo Kastner in "Die große Humboldt Enzyklopädie der Würfelspiele"

QR Code

Player Aid

Combo	Score	Example
Single 5	50	5
Single 1	100	1
Three-of-a-kind	100 x pip value	333 as 300 points
Four-of-a-kind	1,000	2222
Five-of-a-kind	2,000	66666
Six-of-a-kind	3,000	333333
Straight (1 through 6)	1,500	123456
Three Pairs	1,500	33,44,66
Two Triplets	2,500	222,555
Four-of-a-kind + Pair	1,500	1111 + 55

Objective #

Be the first player to score 10,000 points.

The Play #

On their turn a player rolls all 6 dice. They must be able to take at least one scoring die out of the roll. Once the scoring combo is removed, the player can continue rolling the remaining dice or stop and take their accumulated score.

At any point on their turn no can dice be scored it is a ‘farkle’*. This ends the player’s turn and all accumulated score from that turn is lost.

If all six dice eventually score (hot dice), you may start rolling with all 6 again, keeping that turn's accumulated score. Players can choose to stop after all 6 dice score.

Scores cannot be combined to make bigger rolls. (ex. If a player has scored 3-of-a-kind in 5’s on one roll, then rolls double 5’s in the next roll, the player cannot combine the 5’s to make a 5-of-a-kind.)

You may stop at any time and receive the current score of the dice and the player’s turn ends.

Optional Rule: The ‘Van’t Hof 6’ #

Accumulating 6 ones (across all rolls) scores 3000. The player forfeits other point totals created by rolling the 1's when taking the score of 3000.

Final Round #

When one player reaches 10,000 points, each following player gets one more turn. The winner is the player with the highest score.

Nathan's Note: This encourages an all-or-nothing final round which can result in a spectacular upset if scores are close.

Optional rule: #

For shorter games, reduce the winning score to 5000. Same rules apply.

Scoring Combinations #

Nathan's Notes: An old family favorite, sort of a less-structured Yahtzee. Can be a good game-as-social-activity as everyone cheers or taunts each other on their turns. Because it's only 6 dice, this can be played almost anywhere.

Date added: 10 May 2024

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