LET'S PLAY
An old pub game that lets you flip, slap, and gloat—Shut the Box is easy to learn, satisfying to play, and far more fun than it has any right to be. Best of all, you don’t need a fancy wooden box to play. You can hack it together with playing cards, dominoes, or anything else that flips and counts.
Object
To be the player with the lowest total score after one player reaches 45 points or more.
To do this, you roll dice and flip over number tiles (or cards) to reduce your potential penalty score. Lower is better.
Points are bad!
Set Up
Each player sets up numbers 1 through 9. This can be done using:
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Custom Shut the Box game box
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or you can substitute the box with playing cards or dominoes for score keeping.
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Roll to see who goes first (highest roll). Play moves counterclockwise.
Watch the step by step guide here!
Game Play
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On your turn, roll both dice.
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Add the two numbers together.
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Flip over any combination of your tiles that equals that sum.
Example: Roll a 7 → you can flip 7, or 6+1, or 4+3, or 1+2+4, etc.
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Keep rolling until you can no longer make a valid combination.
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When you can’t play, total the numbers you haven’t flipped—this is your penalty score.
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The next player resets the box and takes their turn.
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After all players have taken a turn, record scores and reset for the next round, unless a player hits or surpasses a total of 45 points, which ends the game.
Special Single Die Roll Rule
Once you’ve flipped the 7, 8, and 9, you may choose to roll just one die instead of two.
It’s strategic and gives better odds of rolling usable numbers.
Winning the Game
Play continues in rounds. Once any player’s cumulative score reaches 45 or more, they’re out.
The player with the lowest score at the end of the round wins.
Variation: 1 - 12 Box
1 to 12 Version: If you have tiles or cards numbered to 12, gameplay is the same—but you can also multiply the dice instead of just adding. For example, a roll of 3 and 6 could count as 9 (sum) or 18 (product).
If your playing cards only go to 10, use numbers from a Skip-Bo deck (1–12). It works perfectly and saves you from buying more game junk you won’t use. And Skip-Bo is awesome!
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to buy the fancy version. Just grab two dice, a deck of cards, or even some dominoes. Try it first. If you fall in love with the satisfying clack of flipping tiles, go ahead and spring for the wooden box. And if you own a bar? This is exactly the kind of game your patrons should be playing.
