You will need to find space where you are free to cry out both in dismay and celebration if you want to play Farkle. You will only need the edge of your seat.

All you need for this game is six dice and a score sheet. It can be played with any number of people. The goal of the game is to be the first player to win 10,000 points.

To designate who goes first, players should each roll one die. Whoever gets the highest roll goes first and then play continues in a clockwise manner.

To play, a person must roll all six dice. There are different scores that go with what someone rolls. At its simplest, if a person rolls a one, they get 100 points. If they roll a five, they get 50 points. Three of any number is that number times 100. For example, three sixes equal 600 points. Four of any number is 1,000 points. Five of any number is 2,000 points. Six of any number is 3,000 points.

A straight is 1,500 points. Three pairs is 1,500 points. Four of any with a pair is 1,500 points. Two triplets is 2,500 points. A player must roll 500 points in one turn to be put on the scoreboard. When a player rolls, they can choose what points they want to separate, but when they do, they can only roll what hasn’t made points. If a person rolls two fives, and they decide to take those points, they can only roll the four dice left.

This resets if all the dice have earned points. A player can decide when to stop rolling. This is because when a player rolls a hand that earns no points, they forfeit the round and earn no points, no matter what they may previously have set aside, for their turn.

This game can be played over Zoom if all parties have six dice with them.

I love this game because it never gets old. I have gone on family vacations where we play this game for hours every night. It can be played by little kids, with some help, and the adults, with every person having a good time.

If you plan to or have already played Farkle, comment on your experiences below.