Want to learn how to play Farkle? If yes, this guide will introduce you to all the nitty-gritty of the game.
Farkle is a dice game with different scoring options for two or more players. Players who can score 10,000 points first win the game.
Looks pretty simple right? Yes, it is. But to play like a pro, you must know the game’s rules. So, here is an extensive guide on Farkle rules that’ll save you from Farkling; let’s read further.
Bonus: You can download a printable PDF version of the Farkle rules for offline use.
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Other Names For Farkle
Farkle is also known by the following names:
- Cosmic Wimpout
- 1000/5000/10000
- Zilch
- Zonk
- Six Dice
- Hot Dice
- Squelch
To play the game, you’ll need six dice, a piece of paper, and a pencil to record the scores.
Scoring Combinations Of Farkle: Remember Them To Win The Game
Each number or dot carries different points, and a combination of certain numbers also holds special scores. More details about the same are here:
- 1 = 100 points
- 5 = 50 points
- Three one’s = 1000 points
- Three two’s = 200 points
- Three three’s = 300 points
- Three four’s = 400 points
- Three five’s = 500 points
- Three six’s = 600 points
- Four of any number = 1,000 points
- Five of any number = 2,000 points
- Six of any number = 3,000 points
- One pair and four of any number = 1,500 points
- Rolling 1,2,3,4,5,6 straight = 3,000 points
- Two triplets = 2,500 points
- Rolling three pairs (two 1’s, two three’s, and two four’s) = 1,500 points
How To Play Farkle?
It begins with all players sitting in a circle, and one of them chooses to go first. There are no set rules for who should get the first chance. It is all up to mutual agreement.
Once the game begins, players take turns clockwise. Please note that the game for a player only starts when they can score 500 points, scores lesser than 500 is not counted. Once they score 500, they can roll it out as many times as they want.
Players have to throw all six dice at once and check for scoring combinations as per game’s rules which I mentioned above.
One of the main trends of Farkle is to keep aside scoring combinations. For example, If you get a scoring combination in each roll (three one’s, three fours, etc.), you should keep at least one pair of dice aside.
Players can choose to set aside any scoring pairs and roll the remaining dice, however, it’s not necessary to do so. You may or may not choose to keep aside the scoring pairs. Players usually do so, in order not to lose all the points as you can’t predict what you will roll out next.
Here is an example to understand it better. If you rolled three fours and 1, 2, 3, you can keep aside as many of the fours as you want or just keep one four aside.
In the following turn, you will roll out five dice and keep another dice aside when scoring a combination. In the next turn, you will roll four dice, and the game continues.
The player can continue rolling until they decide to pass on to another player or until they lose their points.
But while rolling, if they don’t get any matching dice or scoring combinations, they lose all the points scored in that round, which is called Farkle.
Let’s understand this better with an example. Suppose you score 500 points on your first throw; in your second and third roll, you score 200 and 400 points, respectively. Your total score now is 1100.
But if you do not roll out any combinations in the fourth round, then your score will come down to zero. Points you collected in the previous rolls won’t be lost.
In the end, the player who scores 10,000 points first wins the game. Players can stop rolling at any point in time during the game if they fear Farkling, and they will accumulate the points collected until their last roll.
If a player scores on all six dice, whether in pairs or at a stretch (1 to 6) in the same turn, they get to roll all six dice again and continue rolling until they decide to pass the turn to another player. But according to the rules, if they Farkle while rolling, they lose all the points scored so far.
Here is a video tutorial that’ll make understanding the game easier:
Some Important Scoring Variations Of Farkle
The standard scoring system mentioned above isn’t the only one. People use different variations of the scoring system, and the following are a few important ones:
- Players may set an alternative winning score for the game that is greater or lesser than 10,000 (e.g.,5000, 20,000 or 15,000)
- If a player rolls three Farkles in a row, he gets a penalty of 1000 points.
- When a player manages to score on all six dice, it’s called a hot dice roll.
- Six 1’s are equal to 5000 points, which is equal to winning the game if the winning score is 5000.
- Three ones are equal to 3000 points, which is also called Pocket Farkle.
- Some variations of the game give no point for a straight (rolling out 1 to 6)
- If a player throws four or more twos (2s), that player’s entire score for that turn gets canceled, and his turn ends immediately.
- There is also a five-dice variation of the game. But certain scoring combinations like two triplets won’t be possible here.
Well, that’s pretty much it. It’s not a highly complex game, but to win the game, you must learn the art of rolling the dice perfectly.
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Farkle Rules FAQs
- Does Farkle Have Five Or Six Dice?
Farkle has six dice. But once you get a matching pair, you can keep aside one or more dice and continue rolling. But there is a five-dice version of the game as well, which is also very popular.
- Why Is It Called A Farkle Game?
The game got its name from its inventor Sir Albert Farkle. During the initial phase, the dice were made from Farkleberries, which is why people started calling it so.
- Can Children Play Farkle?
Yes, Farkle is suitable for all age groups and children above six to seven can also play the game.
Conclusion
Farkle is quite an old game that is best played with your family and friends. The game started with a set of conventional rules, but now there are different variations. I mentioned all the essential rules and scoring details in this guide, and I hope it helps you understand the game better!