Farkle Rules
The Rules of Farkle
Ok, first things first. What are the OFFICIAL rules of Farkle? There are copyrighted© rules, and rules pertaining to trademarks™ and rules that are used in day-to-day play. There are the rules from Hoyle’s Standard Games. There are the rules your grandmother played by. There are even the rules from the Reign of Good Queen Bess. So which are the REAL rules?
Here at Farkle Rules - we’ve researched the various versions of the game now known as Farkle (or maybe Farkel) analyzing the differences so we could arrive at a core set of rules common to most versions of the game. We’ve also kept track of the different variations in scoring, determining how they effect game play.
To make things easy, we’ve documented the core rules here, followed by the most common scoring and play variations for you to incorporate into your own Farkle parties.
But when it comes right down to it, Farkle is what you make it. Different friends and different times may call for different versions. Our best advice to you is - whatever rules you do choose to use, WRITE THEM DOWN, so there’s no argument later.
Farkle
Getting Started
Farkle is a pretty casual game and can be played impromptu with a minimum of setup. All you need is six dice, some paper and pencils for scoring, a copy of the scoring rules, and a place to play.
The number of players for Farkle is flexible. Two or more can play (although a minimum of three, and a max of 8 is suggested.)
Each player rolls one die, the highest score going first. Ties are rerolled.
Game Overview
The players take turns rolling the dice, with the objective of having the highest score above 10,000 in the final round.
During each player’s turn, they initially roll six-dice trying to score points. As long as they score at last one point, they can remove the scoring dice from play, and either bank their points or continue rolling.
If the dice you roll do not score any points, you pass the dice and you get a Farkle, losing all points accumulated for that turn.
If the player manages to score on all six dice, they have “hot dice” and may choose to roll all six-dice again, or they can bank the points and pass the dice.
At the end of the players turn, they write down any points scored and pass the dice clockwise.
Scoring Farkle
Each 1 = 100 pts
Each 5 = 50 pts
Three 1’s = 1000 pts
Three 2’s = 200 pts
Three 3’s = 300 pts
Three 4’s = 400 pts
Three 5’s = 500 pts
Three 6’s = 600 pts
Straight (1-2-3-4-5-6) = 1000 pts
It is important to note you can combine different types of scoring.
(1-3-4-4-4-5) could be scored many ways. For example:
1) (1) could be kept for 100 points.
2) (1-5) could be kept for 150 points.
3) (4-4-4) Could be kept for 400 points.
4) (1-4-4-4) Could be kept for 500 points.
5) (1-4-4-4-5) Could be kept for 550 points.
In the case of scoring options 1-4 the player would typically throw the remaining dice (if they were to pass, why leave points on the table?) In the case of scoring option 5, they could either bank their point and pass the die, or throw the remaining die, with a 1 in 3 chance of scoring (getting a 1 or 5). If they were to score, they could bank their final score and pass the dice, or throw all six dice again, and further increase their score, since they have “Hot Dice”.
Each roll is scored separately. If you were to roll two 5’s for 100 points, if you rolled a 5 on the next roll, you would not get 500 points for 3 fives, you would get another 50 points for a total of 150 points.
Winning the Game
Players continue rolling until a player reaches 10,000 points. Once any player reaches 10,000 pts, the final round begins, and every other players gets one additional turn to score as many points as they can. The player with the most points at the end of the final round is the winner.
Additional Scoring Options:
Three pairs = 500 points
- optionally 600, 750, 1000, or 1500
Four of a kind = Double (2x) the 3 of a kind value
- also Four of a kind = 1000
- also Four of a kind = 4x the 3 of a kind value
Five of a kind = Triple (3x) the 3 of a kind value
- also Five of a kind = 2000
- also Five of a kind = 6x the 3 of a kind value
Six of a kind = Quadruple (4x) the 3 of a kind value
- also Six of a kind = 3000
- also Six of a kind = 8x the 3 of kind value
- also Six 1’s = 5000
- also Six 1’s = Instant Win (no playoff)
Two Triplets = 2500 points
Scoring Variations:
Three 1’s = 200 points (Pocket Farkel)
No points for a straight
Straight worth 1500, 2000, or 3000
Game Play Variations:
Getting on the board (popular)
Until a player has a score written down (on the board) they are required to continue rolling until they score at least 500 points. (Alternatively 350 or 400).
Game Goal
The target game score to exceed may be something other than 10,000.
Hot-Dice Roll
Players who score using all six dice are required to roll at least one additional time.
Three Farkles
A player rolling three Farkles in a roll loses 1000 points
Piggybacking
A player can choose to begin their turn by rolling the dice remaining after the previous players turn. If they score on at least 1 die, they receive 1000 points in addition to the regular points they accumulate. (Alternatively, they receive the full amount of the previous players points)
Team Farkle
The game is played in teams, with teammates sitting opposite each other and combining their scores. Game play is usually to 20,000.
Farkle - The Instant Party in a Box! The Standard Game, Rules, Dice cup, and lots of score sheets.
Design by
Folks:
I learned this game in the late 1970s when I was in the US Air Force, stationed at a small support base in Italy. The person who taught me learned it from a French ex-pat in Thailand, where he was stationed during the Vietnam War in the mid-1960s. This Frenchman said he had learned it from Portuguese sailors in Polynesia during World War II. The Frenchman called it “Merde” and so it came to me as “Sh*t.” (With the corresponding change in game terminology, e.g., “You’re not likely to Sh*t rolling five dice.”) The rules and scoring were much the same as the standards above, with a couple of variations I haven’t seen mentioned here or elsewhere:
1) Rolling a Farkle (I’ll use the less-scatological term
with 6 dice is worth 1000 points and you get to continue.
2) One die is colored differently to the others; if you roll a 4 on this die, it’s a wild card. Otherwise, this die is counted normally.
Anyway, interesting to see this game has an even longer history than I was aware, and I’m pleased to see that it’s unlikely to be forgotten!
–Uroshnor
Uhhhhh isn’t this called Yahteez???
Yes it is.
Yahtzee is a different game.
Yes, it uses 5 dice.
The scoring is very different, trying to fill a sheet with certain types of scoring. Great game, but really not very much alike in scoring.
Read for yourself at: Wikipedia Yahtzee Entry
sister and brother-in-law introduced this game at a family gathering. We also played that when a player was successful we recorded those points and the next person could accept that score take the dice and continue.
what would your score be if you rolled four 3’s and two 4’s? there is a disagreement whether this would be three doubles or just the four 3’s would be counted?
When calculating your score, you are allowed to choose whatever combination would give you the most points.
Just as you could score 3 1’s as 100 points (3 separate 1’s) or 1000 points, you can score four 3’s and two 4’s as three pairs for the 500 points.
Those rules you have listed are jankedy! We played by the rules printed in the pocket farkel set bought by a pal at the UT co-op in the early 90’s. Recent pocket farkel set’s rules have the same. 3 1’s is 300, not 1000. The scores should follow the probability. 4 of a kind of anything is 1000. 3 pairs is 1500. simple, in print, makes sense cause the scoring follows the probability. -that’s how we roll!!!
I have played a game like farkle but it was played with 5 dice. but the rules where the same for scoreing and all so can it be played with 5 dice to?? thank you Ann
My family has played this for a long time - I don’t know where they learned it I just know 1 day we were all playing it after Thanksgiving dinner & loving it!!
I was introduced to the game as “Greedy”
It is all played the same but shortened to win at 5,000 pts
The only dice you can bank are 1s & 5s or a 3 of a kind on the same roll - we also do a straight for 1,500pts but to get a straight you have to be LUCKY!!
Also if all six dice are banked you keep on rolling till you can’t bank anymore
WE LOVE THIS GAME!!
Thank you for having this posted so we could clear up some disagreements - we are going to definitely WRITE THEM DOWN this time
Question, If you don’t get a 1 or a 5 then you farkle? What if you get all 6s in one roll? what if the first roll you get three 1s and 2 sixes. you roll the remaining one and get a six. Did you fail to get the 2 triples? I’m confused because I thought that as long as you left a dice down that you were aiming for you could continue. Like your first roll was two 6s with an additional 2 3 4 4. You say you want the two 6s and you roll the others and get another 6, then you continue know that if you fail to get another 6, 1, or 5 that you farkled. I would greatly appreciate your help.
In my oppinion this game doesn’t make sense otherwise since you really can’t get six of a kind unless you have either all 1s or 5s because they are required to continue. or you can only get six of a kind in the first roll. Help!
-Roxas
I was introduced to “Farkle” on New Year’s Day, while visiting family. My Niece and Nephew received the game for a Christmas gift. We are a card playing group normally, with an occasional mix of Yahtzee….we had a good time, and the kids would giggle everytime someone used the term, “Farkle”. I wasn’t aware it had that type of history…but, it is very enjoyable when a family comes together for a little fun. ‘Great Game’, won’t buy the board game probably as I have a gillion dice I’m sure around the house…but, it will be fun to pass a new game on to my husband’s side of the family as well as my grandchildren. It’s an easy enough game to understand that nearly any age group could participate with little or no supervision.
My sister just got this game for Christmas. We’ve played it a lot and the scoring is not real similar to what’s listed on the Farkle, Farkle Plus, or Farkle Extreme scoresheets. We have the Farkle Game released by Patch.
The jist is the same though, 500 to get on the board and go to 10,000 to win. 1’s are 100 and 5’s are 50. But the scoring of the combos are what’s different. If I think of it I’ll snag them to post here so others can see.
They have this online too. Just google “zilch dice game”.
Besides some minor differences in the scoring, one important rule we’ve adopted is that after your score a triplet, or more, on one toss, that same number counts for 100 points on the remaining dice left in that set of six. This of course adds to the scoring, making it easier to get “hot dice” in any roll. We also have 750 minimum to get “on the board, with 350 points minimum to take points after that.
question we have just come to: when one player rolls to reach 10,000 with one die unused, can the following player piggyback on that roll to try to exceed his point total and thereby win?
We play by the rules listed above. The only ones from the variations we use are 500 to get on the board and the piggyback which can only be done when a player farkles. (but I’ve never heard it called piggyback until now)
I don’t like it when all the extra ways of scoring is included. You can’t make it too easy where just about anything is a scorable.
@Roxas
You only Farkle on the first roll if you don’t score any points. A Farkle just means you rolled 1 or more dice and didn’t score on the dice you just rolled.
@guy
To play it online you don’t have to ‘google’ anything. Just click the ‘Play Online’ tag at the top of this site!
@Jinny
When we play with piggybacking, we do allow a piggyback on the last roll. Makes the game riskier, and the person on the last roll sometimes has to take a chance to make it harder for whoever comes after them.
It should be obvious that there are more versions of the game out there then we could possibly count. Our guess is the “Farkel” version was purposely change so they could have their own product. As for four of a kind, piggybacking, 5 of a kind, and different final scores, use whatever you like!
we absolutely LOVE playing farkle. if you wanna make it more interseting use 12 dice instead of 6!!!
In the 70’s we used to play a game very similar to Farkle, but it was called “Push”. Does anyone remember this version? I just remember that if you scored with all six dice you could say “push” and roll again to add to your score or lose it all.
I was taught a game like this in the late 70’s - it was just called “10,000″
Played with 6 dice, scoring is what I couldn’t exactly remember, but I thought if you rolled the 3 of a kind (say 4’s) and then rolled a 4 on the left over dice - that it added to the 400???
Wow - that was a long time ago!
We never had an official “game” - just a friend showed me with some dice…
I also know this game as “10,000″ The way I was taught was as Wendy mentioned - we are able to play off of a 3 off a kind as long as it is in the same roll. We also play with a small straight (1,2,3,4,5 or 2,3,4,5,6) worth 1,000 points and the large straight (1,2,3,4,5,6) is worth 1,500 points
If you have some rambunctious friends over, you can try strip Farkle. First, make sure everyone is wearing the same number of articles of clothing. Scoring is the same. Now, the differences: You must throw till you farkle, then record your points. After everyone has thrown, everyone except the high scorer has to remove a piece of clothing, but, everyone keeps their points. A player drops out when he/she has no more cloths to remove. When there is only one person left with any cloths on, the game is over. All points are added up and high scorer wins (even if they had to drop out before the game ended.) It is a great game when you have been doing shots.
I just learned FARKLE on Facebook. While it is similar to Yahtzee, it is also quite different.
I have found it to be quite addicting, and am having a friendly comptetion with my sister and her girls who live across the country.
That game of FARKLE requires only 300 to bank to get started.
Great fun, Elizabeth
I learned this game back in hte early 70’s, but I was told it was called win or bust. I do like the name Farkel.
fun game.
hi guys
I just taught my six and seven year old how to play, and for fun we looked it up online. I LOVED THE COMMENTS. I have to agree with the ADMIN. not CK because this GAME IS FREE passed down from many a College Student and others, it is difinatly house rules and not something you buy in a box,that is bunk. You only need Dice and a pencil & paper & a spirit of fun! We played with five dice with people who have never played 25 years ago, which is what I played with my kids today, their first time. More dice is more fun for experienced players (love the comment on 12 dice, have done that!!!). My added rule is if you get 3,000 in your turn (or the agreed upon amount) you get to make a rule (like quarters, anything goes as long as the group is willing.). We would use this in the 1980’s as a way to put in “three pair are a thousand”, at that time. Or “Can’t Farkle on Doubles”, if you have only two dice to throw and you go for it, if you throw a double you get another chance. Also, we added for fun, a small straight, five in a sequence, in a six dice game.
Farkle is fun, because its Easy! PS. Don’t ya love is when someone says, “Do you know Farkle?” WOW its going to be a great camping trip!!!!!!!
I just learned this game from a lady who just turned 100! She learned the game 45 years ago in Mexico. The version she taught me uses 10 dice, going to a final score of 40,000. Scoring does not include the straight 1,2,3,4,5,6 and does not include multiple pairs. You are required to get 2,000 points to get on the board, and minimum 750 after that. 5 1’s = 10,000. No deduction for multiple Farkle’s. The rest is pretty much the same. It is a fun game!
I learned this game from my sister-in-law’s family in the ’70’s. I was visiting my brother in California. They called it “Around the Corner”. It was also called “Nazarene Dice” because these people belonged to the Nazarene Church. We had a minimum of 500 to get on the board, and 250 after that. When you score all 6 dice you go around the corner, and continue rolling. My sister-in-law always said they should try to market the game. When my husband and I went to Texas for the winter months, Voila!! The game appeared as Farkle and it is even played on South Padre Island in a tournament configuration. Go figure! I’ve seen adults wearing “Farkle Champion” T-shirts. We have taught all of our family this game, and it is good for the kids to count and add in their heads.
Does anyone know if there’s a name for having Farkled (is this a verb?) 10 times in a row? Because I’m apparently a whiz at doing *that*, but nothing else.
If there’s no name for it, maybe there should be. A Royal Farkle? A Cheap Date?
we play the game but we called it zilch, because if don’t get any points you are zilched
I don’t know when I was introduced to Farkle but my family has loved it. I also use it in my classroom as it is a great way for students to practice their arithmetic skills. A couple of things I do as far as the play is if you haven’t been able to bank the first 500 points after the 3rd roll the player can bank any points they can earn on that 4th roll as long as they do not Farkle. This has helped keep a player who is having a run of bad luck from being too discouraged. We also call piggybacking a steal. By our “house” rules the only time a player can not steal is on a players first bank. It is a great game for all ages and a great way to spend time interacting with family and friends.
We ran into a special situation where we like to get as close to 10000, but not go over, as to get as many points so that others will not pass you up on the final round. If you are shaking and get enough to go over, but have a non-scoring die, can you opt NOT to take one of the scoring dies in order to stay under the 10000? It is a big discussion here.
We play that you have to score EXACTLY 10,000 points to win so there is strategy involved in the last few rounds. If you roll more than you need, you take a Farkle and try again next turn.
I learned this game from my grandmother who passed away in 2001 in her 80’s and she called it Zonk. When you started to Zonk/Farkle more than a few times in a row she called it “building a ladder” because, well, you put a line across the spot where a score ought to go, and if you put a line on each side it looked like a ladder.
I work in a juvenile detention and am now passing it on to the kids there, and I think of my grandmother every time I play. Sweet memories of us all together and laughing. I’m smiling right now.
I have been playing this game since I was a child. (I am 56 years old now).I was taught that it’s name was 10,000. My mother taught it to me. All the rules you mentioned are the same, except you always use 6 dice. And, the only straight that counted was the large straight, which was counted as 1000 points. Three aces were 1000. Also, I have never heard of the “banking” or, rolling doubles counting as a score. The only thing that was counted were three of a kind, 1’s were 100 points and 5’s were 50 points. You take the number on the dice and multiply by 10 for three of a kind, except three aces. Also, we have to get 750 points before you can count the score. We always count a straight as 2000. All six aces was an automatic 10,000 or a win (which I have only done once in all the time I have played it). I didn’t know there were other names or versions of this dame. I learn something new every day. Thanks for the discussion on it.
Belina
This game is very siliar to a game my family plays called “6-dice” or “6-die” or “bones”. My late uncle Craig had introduced this game to my family when he was young, so the reason why is unclear for these variations (he’s dead so yeah I just can’t ask him how he learned this game). one theory in my head is that he felt the need to simplify the game.
The way I learned, or the way he taught our family was the same as standard farkle described above, but …
> game: 5000 points
> # of dice: 6
> to score/”open”: roll a “one” & a “five” to start scoring.
> each “five”= 50 points (3 “fives”= 150)
> each “one”= 100 points (3 “ones”= 300)
> 3 of a kind in one roll (2s, 3s, 4s, 6s)= 100 points times the rank of the three of a kind (2s= 200… 6s= 600).
> “straight” in one roll (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6)= 1000 points
> 4, 5 & 6 of a kinds do not affect scoring
> “two triplets”, “three pairs” & “4 of a kind + 1 pair” don’t count.
> if you use all 6-dice, even in a series of rolls, you *must* roll.
> you must take *all* scoring combos even if you would benifit by taking less.
> everyone has one chance to beat the player who went above 5,000 first.
> you don’t keep track of “burns” or as you would know it as “farkle”.
These rules takes maybe 10-30 minutes to follow thru with up to 2-5 players more with 6 of course.
However the standard rules this site gives is, in my experience, a hour or more with 2 players but it might take less when one gets used to them. Enjoy these rules (as I’ve made variations of my own that I not telling all of you).
Hmmm… Is the glass of scotch part of the game?
My husband and I have played Farkle in…hmm…at least 7 countries around the world, having tried it out on a youth trip to the Brazilian Amazon back in 1990 and realized this game’s most amazing and useful characteristic. And THAT is this: Farkle can be played, and taught, without common language! Furthermore, it’s a terrific way to learn your numbers in, say, Portuguese, or Arabic, or German. And everyone, everywhere, loves to yell “FARKLE” and laugh. Our favorite Farkle memory is of playing with our traveling companions in the entryway of a horrible, moldy hostel in Tripoli, Lebanon, with the 250-year-old (well, he looked it anyway) proprietor leaning over us to watch — and finally joining right in.
When a young Dutch guy joined in a game in England one rainy night, he told us how his grandmother had taught him the game during his childhood, calling it “Stripey” for the line drawn through the zero when writing down a “Farkle” on the score sheet. Sweet story — but the name “Farkle” is way more fun to yell, isn’t it?!
I learned this years ago as “Zap”. Variations on triples. If you throw 3 of a kind, score 100x their normal value (3 3s = 300, 3 5s = 500, since 1s = 100, then 3 1s = 1000, etc.) and that number now becomes “hot”. In the next throw, the same number is an additional 100x that number, but if you don’t throw at least one of those numbers, then that number is no longer hot (3 3s = 300, now 3s are hot, throw a 3 in the next throw for an additional 300, as long as you keep throwing 3s, 3s stay hot and you keep getting points). 1s and 5s are always worth something. Stand alone they’re worth 100 or 50, but if they are hot (from the previous throw), then a 1 is worth 1000 and a 5 is worth 500. A thrown straight was worth rediculous points so you could bacially win the game with a straight.
Lauren
My aunt taught our family this game in 1998.
Her “twist”: When you roll four 2s in a turn, you cut your total score in half! It definitely adds some excitement to the game.
you all play different you have to start out with one , five and a3 pair if you roll a 5 is 500 points 3 ones is a thousand staight is 2500 points you always have to have a one or five after you roll if you have 3 fives and you roll the other 3 dice and dont get a one or five games over. I guess everyone has differnt rules.So whats the real rules. one or five gets you in or any three of a kind then if you want to keep it you roll or you stay.
We have played this game for years and called it BullS#!t…. It was introduced to me in the early 70’s flying in a Marine Corps C-130 somewhere over the Desert heading to MCAS Yuma, AZ. Same rules as you have above
When I’m done with a game It ask’s me If I want to roll again I do but It won’t let me. What am I doing?
My question is if you have “hot dice” and roll again, do you only roll that one xtra time or take an entire xtra turn? And also, if you farkle on the xtra roll or turn from the “hot dice” do you lose the previous original points that you accumulated from the 6 dice before you took your xtra roll/rolls?
Thanks-
A question: If you piggyback successfully and choose to take your opponents points, do you receive thier total accumulated score or only the points he or she rolled on that turn. It seems to be a great game but we are still trying to learn. Have a GREAT THANKSGIVING and thank you. Al Best
My mom and I play Farkle every evening. Tonight for the first time we had a tie score at the end of the final round playing according to regular core rules. My questions is, who wins? Do we have a “roll off” or just call it a tie game?
I learned to play Farkle years ago from my mother! While playing with an aunt & a cousin we had a situation that I need help in resolving! My aunt rolled & saved a 1,5 die! The next roll she had 2,3,4,6 & claimed a straight & continued rolling! My cousin said that it wasn’t correct because you cannot add on after the original throw of the dice. I bought the game & it didn’t answer this particular question!
JAZ
12/21/09
OMG!!! I’m sooo confused!!!!
OK, so, say I roll: (three 5/one 3/one 4/one 6)
That’s 150 points (according to the point system I use)
Because I got points, I have the option to stop or I can roll dies 3, 4, and 6.
Now, if I do not score with those three, do I loose the 150 points from the three 5’s?
We play that you need 750 just to get on the board. 10,000 is game, and you have to stop at exactly 10,000 to win. Then each player after the win gets one more turn to try to match the winning 10,000. I wonder what the 7’s count as???
My husband and I learned this game one cold, snowy day in New Berlin, Wisconsin back in 1975. Our neighbors had tried to teach us the card game, Sheepshead, a Milwaukee-area game, but we couldn’t get it. Farkle is so much more friendly to the Bridge-minded person! Sheepshead is apparently reverses a lot of the rules of Bridge.
I hadn’t thought about the game for several years, and while looking for Christmas decorations I came across a pocket version of the game. The next thing I knew, I was writing a Christmas card to the couple who had taught us the game. What fun it was back then, and what fun it will be to teach it to our teenaged grandsons on New Year’s Eve.
Glad to know it’s still alive and well!
Heather
We play this game every Friday night. We do score a little differently. You need 700 points to get on the board. you must roll a 1 or a 5 or three of a kind. We only use 1=100 5=50 three 1’s=1,000 and three of a kind is what ever it is 2’s=200 3’s=300 4’s=400 5’s=500 6’s=600 and a straight is 1500 points A farkle for us is when you roll 4 2’s in one roll and then you lose all your points and have to start over with getting 700 points to get on the board. It is a fun game one where you can chat and do not have to watch what the other players are doing as you do in a card game.
Hey JAZ… everyone I’ve ever played with counts each throw separately. This isn’t Yahtzee. your aunt farkled. her second throw was worthless.
@Jim… no you don’t lose your score. If you keep throwing dice, you add the new score on. that’s what makes it so fun! I got greedy(reckless) once…kept on having hot dice…got 8000 points racked up. Threw once more and farkled on 6 dice! What a rush that was!
In Grad School in the 70s, we also had the rule, if your roll could make a combination such that only one die is left over, you MUST take that combination and you MUST roll again. This way other players are always looking at your roll, and you try to SNEAK those combinations past them. Example 1-2-3-3-3-5: you MUST take 1 for 100, 5 for 50, 3-3-3 for 300, and MUST roll the one left over die.
I’m not clear on when you can start over with all 6 dice during your turn. It is after you have saved back 5 or 6 of the previous dice for scoring? I don’t know who would continue and roll only 1 dice and risk your score.
I learned the game in the 70’s andwas taught by using 3 dice of a different color of which if you roll 3 of a kind in the color that amount was doubled.has anyone else done this?do they have such a farkle?
and why am I purple with such a mean face?
[...] to choose from. There is always Chess or Cards that can be played with just two. How about dice. Farkle is a great dice game that can be played with two people. They say you can play with three or more [...]