Learn To Play Zilch

I thought that you would like instructions for the dice game that we played as part of the activities shared on Monday’s Craft Night. When you have time, please read "Susie Homemakers" . It wasn’t too long after that I noticed the game became popular with other family members, especially the young adults and even children of school age. Of course, there was no money involved, just the sheer joy of having fun.

Unfortunately I do not have instructions that I can copy from. You’ll have to bear with me as I try my best to explain the workings of this as simply as I can.

Zilch

This is a game whereby you use six dice numbering 1 to six. The purpose of the game is to get 5050 points or more to win. Any amount of persons can play. One player usually keeps score. The names of the participants are placed across the top of a sheet of paper in order of their turn in playing. To decide who will be first is your choice, either letting the host or hostess start the game or each player can toss the die and whoever has the highest number will be first to go. Whoever wins the game is first to start another. Each game is played until a player gets 5050 points or higher, but the round has to be finished to the last player listed. There is always that chance that another player will get a higher number and beat that player. These are some key points to know. Each die is represented in this fashion:

A die with 1 represents 100 points.
A die with 5 represents 50 points
Three dice with the same number is counted in hundreds (three of 3 becomes 300 points, three of 5 becomes 500, etc.)
Four of the same number, any number, earns you 1000 points
Five of the same number earns 3000 points
Six of the same number gives you a bonus of 10,000
A straight or all six numbers gives you 1000


Here’s how you play. The dice is in a round shaker container. Toss the dice out of its holder onto the table. If you get a 1 or a 5, you must put at least one die aside to be counted, then toss again always putting aside a 1 or 5 until your points add up to 350. If you happen to get two fives in a toss, you must at least put aside a five or both if you wish, and continue playing. Personally, I wouldn’t put aside two fives in the first throw, because I could get four or even five of a kind in the next toss. You might just toss three of a kind in that throw. As long as there is one die or more left you can stop, providing you made your 350 points or more, the more the better, of course. But if you get a straight or a full house, you still have to throw out the whole set of dice again to earn another 50 before recording your points and letting the next person take over. Only 350 or more points are recorded in a turn. Even if you had 300 put aside, and in the next throw you do not get at least another 5 or 1, you get zilch, that's nothing for that turn. At the beginning of your turn you can toss out a straight. Now that is 1000 points, but here is the catch, you must throw out the dice again and get at least a 5 or a 1 to end that round. Some players make it exciting and continue playing in order to rack up more points. But that is taking a chance that you may lose everything for that round by not getting a key number and wind up with Zilch for that round.

Another play is two sets of three of a kind; say a 6 and 3. That earns you 900 points, but again, you have to toss again to get that 1 or 5 giving you an extra 100 or 50 points on top of that 900. I hope you are following what I’m saying. Now if you are very lucky to get 5 of a kind, you do not have to throw out that remaining die. You just earned 3000 points, and that play could have helped you go over the winning points of 5050, especially if you were the last one in the row. But if there are players left before the round is finished, they are allowed to play to the end of the row. You never know, one of them may toss out four of a kind, or three of a kind or even make a full house, and the player can continue playing for a very long time, until the points are higher than yours, thereby winning the game. Always remember, if you do not have the key number, that 1 or 5 in a toss, you must relinquish your turn for that round and a zero (zilch) is put under your name for that round. I have been unlucky in getting Zilch (nothing) four or five times in a row. You do get sympathy from the other players; sure you do. In the meantime, the numbers are adding up for the other players. Usually the person keeping score announces what each player has if the numbers are high, say over 4000, so that they can make bolder plays to win the game.

Have fun. If there is something that you don’t understand, e-mail me and I’ll try to explain further. I can’t go over all the plays, because it will take forever.