FARKLE



OBJECTIVE OF FARKLE:  Be the first player to score 10,000 points

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 or more

MATERIALS NEEDED: Six 6 sided dice, way to keep score

TYPE OF GAME: Dice game

AUDIENCE: Kids, Adults


INTRODUCTION OF FARKLE

Farkle is a dice game that came about sometime in the 1980’s, and it is played many different ways.  The rules and scoring can be quite simple or difficult depending on which variation is being played.  Farkle is available for purchase in stores, but it is not necessary unless official score sheets are desired.

MATERIALS

 All that is needed to play Farkle is a set of six 6 sided dice and a way to keep score.

THE PLAY

On a player’s turn, they roll all of the dice.  They may set aside any of the point scoring dice they choose and continue rolling, or they can keep their point total and end their turn.  Dice are scored as they are rolled, and combinations cannot be formed across multiple rolls.  If a player is able to set aside all six dice for scoring, they may scoop up all six dice and continue their turn.

FARKLE

If a player rolls and does not get any scoring dice, they have just Farkled.  Their turn ends and they lose all the points they have accrued that turn.  Farkles should be documented because a penalty is earned for every three Farkles.

EXAMPLE TURN

Player 1 makes their first roll. The results are 1,2,2,4,5,5.  They decide to set aside the 1,5,5 for a total of 200 points.  They choose to roll the remaining dice and get a 2,3,5.  They set aside the 5 for an additional 50 points.  Please note that the three 5’s cannot be combined to form a three of a kind because they were rolled on separate occasions.  At this point, Player 1 has earned a potential 250 points, but they are greedy and decide to roll the two remaining dice one more time.  They roll a 3,4 which earns zero points.  They just Farkled meaning they lose all of the points they had accrued up to that moment, and their turn immediately ends.

SCORING

Points are awarded based on the value of the dice.

Single 1 will earn 100 points each

Single 5 will earn 50 points each

Three 1’s will earn 1000 points

Three 2’s will earn 200 points

Three 3’s will earn 300 points

Three 4’s will earn 400 points

Three 5’s will earn 500 points

Three 6’s will earn 600 points

Three pairs will earn 750 points

Straight will earn 1500 points

Two three of a kinds will earn 2500 points

Three Farkles in a row and the player loses 1000 points

WINNING

The first player to reach 10,000 points or more wins the game.

Mark Ball
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