Math Game Monday: Farkle

A great classic game for groups or family play.

Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s play some math!

Farkle

Math Concepts: addition to ten thousand, probability with dice.

Players: any number.

Equipment: six six-sided dice, pencil and paper for keeping score.

Set-Up

Optional: The Number Game Printables Pack includes a Farkle scoring guide. Cut the page in half and give one sheet to each player.

The 23-page printable (pdf) Number Game Printables Pack file includes hundred charts, graph paper, and game boards from the first two Math You Can Play books.

How to Play

On your turn, throw all six dice. If you like your score (see below for scoring), write it down and pass the dice to the player on your left. Or keep going. But beware: every time you roll the dice, you must set aside at least one scoring die. If none of the dice score, you have farkled, and you lose all the points you have accumulated that turn.

If you get all six dice to score, you have hot dice, and you may roll them all again to continue building up points. If you don’t farkle, then whenever you decide to stop rolling, add the points you have collected to your running total for the game. Writing down this score marks the end of your turn.

The first player to reach 10,000 points might win the game. But all the other players get one last chance to try and pass that score without farkling. Highest final score wins.

Scoring the Dice

There is often more than one way to score your dice, and you do not have to set aside every die that could score. Try to keep the highest score you can, while still leaving yourself as many dice as possible to throw again, thus decreasing your risk of a farkle.

Every roll is scored separately. If you set aside two ones and then get another one on your next throw, that does not count for 1,000 points.

Each 1 = 100 points
Each 5 = 50
Three 1s = 1,000
Three 2s = 200
Three 3s = 300
Three 4s = 400
Three 5s = 500
Three 6s = 600
Four of a kind = Double the score for three of them
Five of a kind = Double the score for four of them
Six of a kind = Double the score for five of them
Three pairs = 500
Straight (1-2-3-4-5-6) = 1,000
Two triples = 2,500

History

Farkle-style games have been played around the world for centuries, probably since dice were invented. Because of this, rule variants are common, so be sure that all players agree on which version you’re playing before the game begins.