Dice Poker — Rules & how to play
Around the table · 2026 edition
Roll five dice, claim matching poker hands on the board, and connect five chips in a row. A game for ages 8+, about 30 minutes.
At a glance
- Players: 2–12, in two or three evenly sized teams. Up to three people may play individually, one per colour. Never use more than three teams.
- In the box: Dice Poker board, five six-sided dice, 150 chips (50 in each of three colours), and three storage bags.
- Goal: Complete runs of five chips horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Two players or teams need two runs; three players or teams need one.
Set up
- Place the board in the centre and choose one chip colour per team.
- With two teams, alternate colours around the table. With three teams, alternate every third seat.
- Everyone rolls one die. Highest roll starts; turns continue to the left.
Read your dice
- One pair: two matching dice.
- Two pairs: two separate pairs, such as 3-3-5-5-1.
- Three of a kind: three matching dice.
- Straight: 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6.
- Full house: three of a kind plus a pair.
- Four of a kind: four matching dice.
- Five of a kind: all five dice match. This is wild.
Most hands have two squares on the board.
Take a turn
- Roll all five dice. You may roll up to three times total.
- On the second and third rolls, reroll any number of dice, including dice previously set aside.
- After your final roll, place one chip on an open square matching your hand. If every matching square is covered, or your dice make no listed hand, your turn ends without placing a chip.
Runs and winning
Five chips of your colour in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row make a run. Chips in a completed run stay on the board and cannot be removed.
Your second run may share one chip with your first, but must use at least four chips that were not in the first run. Extending the same line does not make a second run by itself.
- Two players or teams: first to complete two runs wins.
- Three players or teams: first to complete one run wins.
Special squares and rolls
- Centre square: free for everyone to count in a run. No one claims it.
- Lucky 7 and Lucky 11: if your dice total exactly 7 or 11, you may claim the matching Lucky square instead of your hand’s square.
- Five of a kind: wild; place a chip on any open square.
- Bouncer: when every Straight square is covered, a later straight lets you remove one opponent’s chip instead of placing your own. The same applies to full houses after every Full house square is covered. You cannot remove a chip in a completed run.
Ways to play
Short game: play to one run. Open hand: let teammates discuss rolls; the standard game keeps that discussion quieter.
Made in Canada · SKU 5157043 · 2026 edition