how to play bunco
How to Play Bunco
What started as a parlor game is today a very popular die game to pass time. In this article, we give you all the guidance you need in order to play Bunco.
- Three square tables
- A set of three dice for each table (9 dice)
- A set of four pencils at each table for all players
- Three notepads, one for each table
- Bell
- Set: A game of Bunco comprises 4 sets, each of which is made up of 6 rounds.
- Round: Each player rolls three dice and tries to get the number that is called out. A full turn with every player rolling the dice is called a round.
- Head Table: There is one table that controls the speed at which the game is played. This is called the Head table.
- Roll-off: If at the end of one round, there is a tie between the two teams playing the game, then there is another turn of dice rolling of the number that is called out. This is called roll-off.
- Up: The number that has been called out for that particular turn is known as the number that is up.
- Ghost: If the number of players are less than 12, then they can be substituted by something called a ghost player.
- There are four players seated at each table. Two players form a team at each table and the members of the team sit opposite each other at the table. One player at each table has to be assigned as the scorekeeper to tabulate the points.
- Assign each table as head, middle, or bottom. The head table controls the game and at the end of each round, the winning team stays at the head table and the losing team moves to the bottom table.
- The game begins with the scorekeeper at the head table ringing the bell to indicate the start of the game.
- One of the players start the round by rolling the three dice. The objective of the game is to roll the dice to get the number that is up or has been called out. If you get one dice up, you get one point, if you get two dice up, you get two points and if you get three dice up, you get 21 points and win the round. For example, if the number which is up is 4, and all three dice that you roll come up with 4, you win 21 points and win the game. In case, you do not roll the number that is up, the dice are passed on to the player to your left.
- When a team wins the round at the head table, the winning team stays seated and the losing team moves to the bottom table. Change partners after every round. Every game that an individual wins along with his/her partner is counted in his score.
- Since there are six numbers on the dice, there are six rounds in one set. Play at least three sets, but this could be depend on your preference. The player with the most number of wins at the end of all sets, wins the game.