What each box is worth aiming for
| Box | Scores | Aim for |
|---|---|---|
| Ones to Sixes | That number's dice | Three of it: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 |
| 3 and 4 of a kind | All five dice | High numbers, 20 or more |
| Full house | 25 | Two pairs or a triple to build on |
| Small straight | 30 | Any four in a row |
| Large straight | 40 | Five in a row |
| 5 of a kind | 50 | Three or four alike, early |
| Chance | All five dice | A rescue, 20 or more |
The upper bonus: three of each
Sixty-three is exactly three of every number, so think of each top box as "par" for three. Four of a number puts you over par and covers a weak box elsewhere. Suvi shows your progress beside the Bonus line, such as 41/63.
| Ones 2 | −1 |
| Twos 6 | par |
| Threes 6 | −3 |
| Fours 12 | par |
| Fives 15 | par |
| Sixes 24 | +6 |
| Total 65 | +35 bonus |
|---|
Early on, three or more fours, fives or sixes usually belong in the top half. Ones and twos are the cheap boxes for a bad roll: a zero in Ones costs only three against par. Once the bonus is out of reach, stop protecting it and use the top boxes as dumps.
Which dice to hold
- A pair or a triple: keep the matching dice and roll the rest, favouring high numbers whose top box is still open.
- Two pairs with Full house open: keep both pairs. One die to roll gives you a 1 in 3 chance each roll, 5 in 9 over two rolls.
- 2-3-4-5: you have the small straight already. Re-roll the spare die for the large: a 1 or a 6 makes it, 5 in 9 over two rolls.
- 1-2-3-4, 3-4-5-6 or a gap (such as 1-2-3-5): only one number completes it, 11 in 36 over two rolls.
- Nothing useful: keep a five or six if Chance or those top boxes need it, or roll all five again.
When to chase five of a kind
Going for it from nothing, a five of a kind comes up in about one turn in 22. With a head start the chances improve fast:
- Three alike, two rolls left: about 1 in 11.
- Four alike, two rolls left: 11 in 36, almost 1 in 3.
- Four alike, one roll left: 1 in 6.
Chase it when you already hold three or four alike and the box is open: the same dice also build a top box or 3 and 4 of a kind, so a miss costs little. Chase harder late in a game you are losing. Don't break up a made large straight or full house for it.
If you must take a zero late on, the five-of-a-kind box is a common choice. Just know that a zero there gives up the 100-point extras.
A second five of a kind: Suvi's free-choice rule
Rules for extra fives vary from one rule book to another. Here is exactly what Suvi does:
- 50 already in the box: you earn 100 extra points and can put the dice in any open box you choose. Full house, Small straight and Large straight count at full value, 25, 30 or 40, even though the dice aren't a straight.
- 0 in the box: the same free choice at full value, but no 100.
- Box still open: it's an ordinary five of a kind, worth 50 in that box, with no full-value scores elsewhere.
Some rule sets force you into the matching top box first. Suvi doesn't. The large straight is usually the best home for the extra five, unless the matching top box would lock in your bonus: five sixes put 30 in Sixes, twelve over par.
Using the chance box
Five dice average 17.5, so a chance score of 20 or more is good and anything under 15 is poor. Chance is your safety net. Save it to rescue a failed chase, not to use up on a decent roll in round one.
Pick chases with a soft landing. Chasing sixes for five of a kind can fall back to Sixes, 3 or 4 of a kind, or Chance. Chasing a low straight can fall back to almost nothing.
Playing the score, not just the dice
Against the computer or a friend, both cards sit side by side, so use them. Well behind with a few rounds left? Take risks: keep the big boxes open and chase them. Comfortably ahead? Take the sure points and leave your opponent to chase.
If you only remember three things
- Three of each number at the top makes the bonus.
- Keep Chance for a rescue.
- Choose chases that still score if they fail.
Put it to work in a game of Five Dice. For another game of dice and decisions, try backgammon.
Questions
- What is the highest possible score?
- 1,575: thirteen fives of a kind, with five of every number in the top half, five sixes in 3 of a kind, 4 of a kind and Chance, and twelve 100-point extras. Nobody expects to see it.
- Does a five of a kind count as a full house?
- Only once your five-of-a-kind box is filled, with 50 or 0. Then it scores 25 in Full house, or full value in either straight. While the box is still open it scores nothing there.
- Can I score zero in a box on purpose?
- Yes. You may pick any open box, even one where your dice score nothing. Late in the game, a zero in a box you were unlikely to fill is often the best choice.
- Is the upper bonus worth chasing every game?
- Usually. At 35 points it's worth more than a full house, and the dice that build it also feed 3 and 4 of a kind. Give it up only when the numbers can no longer reach 63.
Play it now
Five Dice is free on Suvi, on your phone or computer, no download. Also: Five Dice vs Computer · 2 Player Five Dice · Five Dice With a Friend Online.