LET'S PLAY
Farkle is what happens when luck, greed, and bad decisions all sit down at the same table. It’s quick, chaotic, and incredibly satisfying to shout “Farkle!” at your friends while they lose everything. Part of the Play-in Games Essential Dice Game Series.
Object
To be the first player to reach 10,000 points.
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To do this, you roll six dice, collect scoring combinations, and decide whether to bank your points—or push your luck and risk losing them all.
Set Up
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Assign a trusted score keeper.
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Each player rolls two dice to determine who goes first. Highest total starts. Play proceeds clockwise.
Free printable FARKLE score card,
click image above (you're welcome).
Watch the step by step guide here!
What You Need
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6 six-sided dice
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Score sheet and pen
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2 or more players
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Optional: printable Play-in Games Farkle scorecard (click on the scorecard image)
Game Play
On your turn:
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Roll all six dice.
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Set aside any scoring dice (1s, 5s, or combos).
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You may choose to reroll the remaining dice to increase your score.
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If at any point you can’t set aside any scoring dice—you Farkle. You lose all points for that turn.
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If you choose to stop before Farkling, your accumulated points for that turn are added to your score.
To keep rolling, you must set aside at least one die that scores on each roll. If you manage to score with all six dice, you may roll all six again and keep building your total
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Entry Rule
To start scoring, your first scoring turn must total at least 500 points. Once that’s locked in, you can keep any score on future turns.
Scoring:
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Single 1s = 100 points each
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Single 5s = 50 points each
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Combos:
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Three of a kind = 100 × face value (e.g., three 2s = 200)
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Three 1s = 300 points
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Four of a kind = 1,000 points
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Five of a kind = 2,000 points
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Six of a kind = 3,000 points
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Straight (1-2-3-4-5-6) = 1,500 points
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Three pairs = 1,500 points
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Two sets of three of a kind = 2,500 points
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Four of a kind + a pair = 1,500 points
Special Rules
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If you Farkle—roll and can’t set aside any scoring dice—you lose all points for that turn.
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Farkling can happen on any roll, even your first.
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If you score with all six dice in a single turn, reroll all six and keep going.
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Once points are recorded on the score sheet, they’re safe.
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Game ends when a player hits or exceeds 10,000. All other players get one final turn to beat that score.
Variation – Poker Pass (Combo Carryover Rule)
This house rule lets you pass the momentum—and the risk—to the next player. If a player ends their turn without Farkling, and they’ve left a potential combo on the table (like two 1s or a pair of 5s), the next player can choose to pick up where they left off.
They roll the remaining dice, and they’re allowed to add to the existing combo—like building a three of a kind into a four of a kind, or extending a small straight.
This variation plays more like poker: it’s about reading potential, managing risk, and taking advantage of someone else’s setup.
Key rules:
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The receiving player must use the remaining dice—they can’t reroll all six.
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If they add to the combo, they score it all.
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If they Farkle, they lose their turn.
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Original player still keeps their points.
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It’s not for strict rule followers—but it adds some wild tension and smart risk-reading to a game that’s usually all about solo greed. Give it a shot if your group likes combo-stacking chaos.
Final Thoughts
Farkle is the dice game for people who think “just one more roll” is a valid life strategy. It’s easy to teach, fun to shout, and fits any game night mood—from casual to cutthroat. The risk is low, the chaos is high, and nobody escapes the Farkle.
