Farkle rules: how to play Farkle
Farkle is a push-your-luck dice game for two or more players. On your turn you roll six dice, set aside the ones that score, and choose between rolling again for more points or banking what you have. Roll nothing that scores and you lose the lot. The first player past 10,000 points sets up a final round.
Play Farkle online to learn as you go, or keep reading for the full rules.
What you need
- Six standard dice (a cup helps)
- Two or more players
- A score sheet: paper, or our online Farkle score sheet
Starting the game
Everyone rolls one die; the highest roll goes first and play moves to the left. Pick one person to keep score.
How a turn works
- Roll all six dice.
- Set aside scoring dice. After every roll you must take out at least one die or combination that scores. You don't have to take them all.
- Roll again or bank. Roll the dice you didn't set aside to add to your turn total, or stop and add the turn total to your score.
- Hot dice. If all six dice have been set aside, pick them all up and keep rolling. The turn total carries on.
- Farkle. If a roll contains nothing that scores, your turn ends and you score nothing for it. Points banked on earlier turns are never lost.
Farkle scoring
| Dice | Points |
|---|---|
| Single 1 | 100 |
| Single 5 | 50 |
| Three 1s | 300 |
| Three of any other number | Number × 100 (three 4s = 400) |
| Four of a kind | 1,000 |
| Five of a kind | 2,000 |
| Six of a kind | 3,000 |
| Straight (1–6) | 1,500 |
| Three pairs | 1,500 |
| Four of a kind + a pair | 1,500 |
| Two triplets | 2,500 |
Combinations only count within one roll: dice set aside on different rolls can't be combined. Check any roll with the Farkle scoring calculator.
Getting on the board
Your first banked score must be at least 500 points in a single turn. Until you manage that, keep rolling or risk ending with nothing. After you're on the board, you can bank any amount.
Winning
When a player banks a total of 10,000 or more, every other player gets one last turn to beat that score. The highest score after that final round wins.
An example turn
- You roll 1, 3, 4, 4, 6, 2. Only the 1 scores, so you set it aside: 100.
- You roll the other five: 5, 4, 4, 4, 2. You keep three 4s (400) and the 5 (50). Turn total: 550.
- One die left. Bank 550, or roll it hoping for a 1 or a 5 and hot dice. A 1 or 5 comes up one time in three.
Popular house rules
- Three 1s worth 1,000 instead of 300.
- Doubling: four of a kind is double three of a kind, and so on.
- A 500 or 1,000 point penalty for three Farkles in a row.
- A different opening score (300 or 1,000), or none at all.
- Playing to 5,000 for a shorter game.
10,000, Zilch, Greed: other names for Farkle
The same push-your-luck dice game goes by many names. 10,000 (or Ten Thousand) is named after the winning score; Zilch, Greed, Hot Dice and Dix Mille are other common names. The rules are the ones on this page, though tables that call it 10,000 often play with only five dice, score three 1s as 1,000, and skip the six-dice combinations like three pairs. The scoring calculator lets you switch to those values.
Tips
- Keep fewer dice early. Setting aside one 1 and rolling five dice usually beats taking every 5.
- The fewer dice you have left, the higher your chance of a Farkle. With two or fewer, banking is usually right.
- Late in the game, chase the leader: in the final round, only beating their score matters.
Frequently asked questions
How many dice do you use in Farkle?
Six standard dice. Players share them and roll all six at the start of each turn.
How many players can play Farkle?
Two or more. It works best with two to six; with more players each person waits longer between turns.
How many points do you need to win Farkle?
10,000 in the standard game. For a shorter game, play to 5,000.
Do you need 500 points to get on the board?
Under the classic rules, your first banked turn must total at least 500 points. Some groups skip this rule or use 300 or 1,000 instead.
Can you stop rolling after the first roll?
Yes, once you're on the board you can bank after any roll in which you set aside at least one scoring die.
Is the 10,000 dice game the same as Farkle?
Yes, 10,000 (Ten Thousand) is another name for Farkle, after the winning score. Some groups that call it 10,000 play with five dice and score three 1s as 1,000; otherwise the rules are the same.
What happens if you Farkle three times in a row?
Nothing in the boxed rules. A common house rule takes away 500 or 1,000 points for three Farkles in a row.