If you're looking for a dice game, you might want to check out the board game Bunco. If you've never played Bunco, don't worry, we've got simple rules for the game of Bunco so you can learn the rules, start playing, and have fun!

What is Bunco

Bunco is a dice-rolling luck board game. It is easy to operate, does not require any skills, is easy to get started, and is highly social. It is a good choice for family gatherings, team building, and leisure and entertainment! When the points of the dice rolled by the player are all consistent with the current round number, the player will get the corresponding points. After multiple rounds of accumulated points, the final victory will be achieved.

Player Numbers and Groups

1. Number of players:

Usually 12 players participate in the game, because this number is divisible by 4. However, the game can also be played with more or fewer players as long as the total number of players is divisible by 4, so that each table has 4 players. If the number of players is an odd number, a "ghost" player can be designated, and his partner is responsible for rolling the dice and keeping score for the "ghost" player.

For example: There are 13 players participating in the game, and a "ghost" player can be designated for one of the players. Then this player needs to help the "ghost" player roll the dice and record his own score, that is, this player rolls the dice and records the score twice.

2. Grouping:

12 players are divided into 3 groups, each group of players is around a table. The three tables are "main table", "middle table" and "loser table". There is a bell on the "main table", and the players at the main table will ring the bell to indicate the start and end of the round and master the rhythm of the game. If there are more than 12 players, they will be numbered, i.e. main table, middle table 1, middle table 2, loser table...

Method of assigning players to different tables: collect the players' score sheets, draw asterisks, circles and triangles on the back of each score sheet, and let the players draw their own score sheets.

The players with asterisks are the "main table" players,
The players with circles are the "middle table" players,
The players with triangles are the "loser table" players.

3. Teams:

At each table, players sitting opposite each other in the first round are teammates. This team arrangement may change after each round.

Bunco Preparation

• Six sided dice (3 dice per table)
• 1 bell, placed on the main table (used to announce wins in certain games or special situations)
• A score sheet and a pen for each player

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Basic Rules

• At the beginning of each round, the current round number will be used as the target score, such as 1 for the first round, 2 for the second round, 3 for the third round, and so on.
•  In each group, there is a player who acts as a dice thrower. The dice thrower picks up 3 dice and throws them at the same time.
• Then check whether the 3 dice thrown meet the corresponding scoring rules and record the score on the score sheet.
•  After each score, the player can continue to throw the dice until no score is scored.
• When the rotating player fails to score, the next player becomes the new rotating player.
• When a player reaches 21 points first, the round ends. After each round, the players are regrouped according to the score.
• There are a total of six games. The player who wins the most rounds wins, but in some Bunco games, the player with the highest team score or the most Buncos will also receive rewards.

Scoring Rules

• Roll one matching round: 1 point 
• Roll two matching rounds: 2 points
• Roll three matching rounds: 21 points, this is called a "Bunco"
• Roll three of any same number: 5 points, this is called a "Mini Bunco" 

Warm tips: what is a ”Mini Bunco“?

Simply put, when you throw three dice of the same number, you can score 5 points, and then you can unlock a mini bunco achievement. But you have to pay attention to the difference between a mini bunco and a bunco, or you will lose more valuable points.

The criteria for scoring a mini-bunco versus a big victory bunco is: whether or not it matches the target number for the current round.

In the first round, the target number of rounds is 1.

When you throw 3 1-points: then you get the Big Victory “Bunco” - 21 points.

When you throw 3 2-points (three identical numbers other than 1): you get the Mini Bunco - 5 points.

How to Play Bunco

Each table will have one person acting as a scorer, and the dice will be rolled in a clockwise direction, starting with the scorer.

1. In the first round, try to roll as many 1s as possible, because the goal score in the first round is 1. If you roll a 1, you get 1 point; if you roll two 1s, you get 2 points; if you roll three 1s, you get the highest score of 21 points. At this time, the player will shout "Bunco" and record "#" on the score sheet of the player who rolled "Bunco".

2. Let the first player continue to roll the dice until he rolls a point that does not score, then he needs to pass the dice to the next player. For example, if the first player rolls 2, 3, and 4 in the first round, because the points he rolled do not match the current round number 1, he needs to stop rolling the dice and pass the dice to the next player.

3.If one of the groups on the main table scores more than or 21 points, the first round of the game ends, and the main table needs to ring the bell and say "Game Over!" At this time, the players on each table need to stop rolling the dice, and the scorekeeper will add the player's score to their respective teams. The group with the most points on each table will be the winner of each table in the first round. If the two groups at the same table tie, each group will choose one person to roll the dice, and the one with the higher score is the winner of the table.

4. After the first round, teammates and tables need to be replaced. The winning team of the main table will stay at the main table, and the losing team of the main table needs to go to the middle table; the winning team of the middle table will come to the main table, and the losing team of the middle table will go to the losing table; the winning team of the losing table will go to the middle table, and the losing team of the losing table will stay at the losing table. At the same time, after each group exchanges to the corresponding table, it is necessary to shuffle the seats and exchange teammates. The winning team writes "W" on their scorecard, and the losing team writes "L" on their scorecard.

5. The second round begins, and the number of rounds in the second round is 2, so each player tries to roll a point of 2 to score. Bunco is a six-game game, Players accumulate more points by rolling the dice and maintain the score advantage until the end of the sixth game.

6. When all rounds are completed, the scorekeeper counts the scores of each team, the number of Buncos each player gets, and the total score. The player with the highest total score and the most Buncos wins. If multiple players have the same total score, they can play an extra game to determine the final winner and give some rewards accordingly.

How do I fill out the Bunco Score Sheet?

In the game of Bunco, the first and second most important props are dice and score sheet. You can get dice by just going to the dice shop, but you need to understand the scoring rules before filling in the score sheet. But don't worry, I will teach you how to fill in the sheet step by step.

Variant gameplay

As a popular party game, Bunco does have some variations or different ways of playing to increase the fun and variety of the game. Depending on the player's preferences and the game environment, the rules can be adjusted, such as changing the score target, introducing new function cards, etc.

Variations of basic rules

• Variations in the number of dice:

Although the traditional Bunco game uses three dice, some variations may use a different number of dice, such as six or twelve, to accommodate different game scales and player preferences.

• Scoring rule adjustments:

In the traditional Bunco game, players need to roll three identical points to get points or "win points". But in some variations, this number may be adjusted, such as rolling four or five identical points to score.
In addition, some variations may introduce additional scoring methods, such as rolling all dice with odd or even points.

Straight: Roll three consecutive points to get 10 points, such as rolling 1, 2, 3

Odd: Roll three different odd numbers to get 7 points, such as rolling 1, 3, 5

Even: Roll three different even numbers to get 8 points, such as rolling 2, 4, 6

• Game rounds and rounds changes:

The traditional Bunco game usually includes multiple rounds, and each round has multiple rounds. But in some variations, the number of rounds and rounds of the game may be adjusted to accommodate different game times and player needs.

• Changes in dice style:

By using 10-sided or 20-sided dice, you can really increase the competitiveness and reduce the probability of Bunco. Or just use three dice and play Bunco as usual, trying to roll the same numbers as usual.

Special gameplay and rules

Super Bunco:

In this variant, players need to roll five or more identical points to get a "Super Bunco" score, which is usually higher than the traditional Bunco score.

Bunco Plus:

This variation introduces additional scoring opportunities and bonuses. For example, if a player rolls multiple Buncos in a row in a round (such as two or three consecutive Buncos), they may get additional bonus points.

Teamwork:

In some variations, players may play as a team instead of fighting alone. Team members can work together to roll Bunco or other scoring combinations to win the team victory.

Time limit:

In order to increase the tension and challenge of the game, some variations may introduce time limits. For example, each player or team may have only a limited time to roll the dice and decide how to combine the points to score.

Special props and rules:

Some variations may use special props or introduce additional rules to increase the complexity of the game. For example, props such as special dice bags, scoreboards, or timers are used to assist the game.

Social and interactive elements

Player communication and interaction:

In the Bunco game, communication and interaction between players are very important. Some variations may encourage players to guess or bet before rolling the dice to increase the fun and interactivity of the game.

Rewards and Penalties:

Some variations may introduce rewards and penalties to make the game more interesting. For example, the player or team with the highest score may receive a prize, while the player or team with the lowest score may face some kind of punishment (such as performing a show or paying a small fine, etc.).

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