Indian Dice
Any number can play and five dice are used. The players throw
one or more dice to determine the order of play, high man playing first,
next highest second, and so on.
Sixes are high, deuces low and aces are wild, that is can be counted
as any number desired. The first player may take as many as three
throws but may stand pat after the first or second if he so desires
Following players may not take more throws than the first player.
After the first throw, the player may put aside any of the five dice
and place the others in the cup for his second throw, or he may rethrow
all five. He repeats this process of selection after the second throw, and
may throw any or all of the live dice the third time, including any of
those which he set aside on his first throws.
The object is to secure high poker hands which rank in the follow-
ing order: five of a kind, four of a kind, full house, three of a kind,
two pair, one pair. No pair and straights do not count. Whatever the dice
show after the last throw is the final value of the hand.
As an example, the first player throws two fives and the other dice
show two, three and four.Unless he wants to throw all five again in the
hope that he will throw something better than a pair, he places the two
fives to one side and throws the remaining three dice in an attempt to
better his hand similar to the draw in Poker. If he throws ace, three,
four this time, and if the ace is wild, he places it with the two fives and
has three of a kind.He then throws the last two dice in an attempt to get
another five, or a pair which will give him a full house.
Each round is called a leg. If it is a two-handed game, the player
winning two out of three legs wins the game. When there are more
players, they are all entered in two legs. The lowest man in the first leg
plays a two-handed game with the lowest man in the second leg and the
loser pays the check.
If two players tie for low man in any leg, they play it off in the
same way. When played as a betting game for stakes, the high man in
the first leg plays a two-handed game with the high man of the second
leg. When played for drinks, low men play off, loser paying the check.If
two or more men in any leg tie, they also play it off.
The game is an even-up proposition, each player having an equal
chance.
Poker Dice
Similar in some ways to Indian Dice. It is usually played with five
poker dice whose sides bear the playing card denominations: Ace, King,
Queen, Jack, Ten and Nine although the usual spotted dice are some-
times used, Ace being high followed by 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 in that order.
The Ace is also sometimes played wild.
Any number can play and each player throws one die to determine
the order of play, highest man going first, next highest second, and so
on.
The object is to throw the highest poker hand in either one or two
throws as desired.After the first throw, the player may stand pat or may
draw (as in draw poker) by throwing one, two or three of the dice
again. The object is to secure high poker hands which rank as follows:
five of a kind, four of a kind, full house, straight (any five cards or
numbers in numerical sequence), three of a kind, two pair, one pair.
The extra die or dice not included in one of the above hands do
not have any value. If a player throws 4 jacks, for instance, the fifth die
does not help to decide the winner in case of ties. Tying players throw
off. In the two-handed game the best three hands out of five win.
Source: John Scarne, "Scarne on Dice"
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