Shut the Box rules
What you need
A Shut the Box board with tiles numbered 1 to 9 (some boards go to 10 or 12) and two dice. One or more players; each takes a full turn in order.
Playing a turn
- Start with every tile open.
- Roll two dice and add them up.
- Shut any combination of open tiles that adds up to that total: a 9 could shut the 9, or 8 + 1, or 6 + 2 + 1.
- Roll again and repeat. When 7, 8 and 9 are all shut, you may roll a single die instead.
- Your turn ends when no open tiles add up to the roll.
Scoring and winning
Add up the tiles still open: that's your score, and the lowest score wins after everyone has had a turn. If you shut every tile, you've shut the box and win immediately. Some groups instead read the open tiles as a number (3 and 5 open = 35), which punishes leftover tiles even more.
Strategy
- Go high first. The 7, 8 and 9 can only be closed by big rolls, so take them whenever you can.
- Use fewer tiles. For an 8, shutting the 8 alone keeps 5 and 3 available for later rolls.
- Roll one die late. When only small tiles are left (6 or less in total), one die is more likely to hit what you need.
A pub game with a long history
Shut the Box has been played for centuries, and it's said to have been a favorite of sailors and fishermen in northern France and the English Channel. Today it's a fixture in pubs, on coffee tables and as a quiet solo game.
More dice games: play Farkle, Left Right Center and Bunco.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Shut the Box?
Roll two dice and shut any open tiles that add up to the total. Keep rolling and shutting until you can't make the number with the tiles left. Your score is the sum of the open tiles, and the lowest score wins.
When can you roll one die in Shut the Box?
Once the 7, 8 and 9 are all shut, the remaining tiles add up to 21 or less and you may choose to roll just one die. Rolling one die makes small numbers easier to hit.
What does 'shutting the box' mean?
Closing every tile, 1 through 9. That's a perfect score of 0 and usually wins the game on the spot.
Can you play Shut the Box alone?
Yes. Solo, the aim is to get the lowest score you can, or to shut the box completely. The game above keeps your personal best.
What's a good Shut the Box score?
Anything under 10 is a good round. Even with perfect play, you shut the box completely only about one game in ten.
What's the best strategy?
Shut the high tiles first, and use as few tiles as you can for each roll: an 8 is better shut as the 8 than as 5 + 3. High tiles are the hardest to close later.