Rules for card, dice & board games

The indexEvery game on the site, with its type and how many can play.

• #
• 31 (Scat)card, 2–9
• 500 Rummycard, 2–8
• B
• Backgammonboard, 2
• Blackjackcard, 2–8
• BS (Cheat)card, 2–10
• Buncodice, 4–24
• C
• Canastacard, 2–4
• Checkersboard, 2
• Chessboard, 2
• Cornholelawn, 2–4
• Crazy Eightscard, 2–8
• Cribbagecard, 2–4
• D
• Dominoesdomino, 2–4
• E
• Euchrecard, 4
• F
• Farkledice, 2–10
• G
• Gin Rummycard, 2
• Go Fishcard, 2–6
• Golf (Card Game)card, 2–8
• H
• Hand and Footcard, 2–6
• Heartscard, 3–6
• K
• Kings in the Cornercard, 2–4
• L
• Left Right Centerdice, 3–12
• M
• Mancalaboard, 2
• Mexican Traindomino, 2–8
• O
• Old Maidcard, 2–8
• P
• Phase 10card, 2–6
• Pinochlecard, 2–4
• R
• Rummikubtile, 2–4
• Rummycard, 2–6
• S
• Shut the Boxdice, 1–8
• Skip-Bocard, 2–6
• Slapjackcard, 2–8
• Solitaire (Klondike)card, 1
• Sorry!board, 2–4
• Spadescard, 4
• Speedcard, 2
• Spitcard, 2
• Spoonscard, 3–13
• T
• Tonkcard, 2–4
• Troubleboard, 2–4
• U
• UNOcard, 2–10
• W
• Warcard, 2–4
• Y
• Yahtzeedice, 1–10

Score sheetsFor the games where the adding up causes the arguments. They run in your browser and save nothing anywhere.

1. Cribbage hand counter

   Pick four cards and the starter; get the count, said the way you say it at the table.

2. Farkle score calculator

   Tap the dice you kept. It finds the best score and keeps the score pad.

3. Hand and Foot score sheet

   Books, cards down, cards left and bonuses, totaled per team for all four rounds.

4. Phase 10 score sheet

   Track every player’s phase and points; count leftover cards in two taps.

5. Yahtzee score sheet

   The full 13-box card with the 35-point bonus and extra Yahtzees added for you.

6. Spades score calculator

   Bids, tricks, nils and bags for both teams, hand by hand, to 500.

7. Euchre score keeper

   Tap who called trump and how many tricks they took. First team to 10 wins.

8. Bunco tally sheet

   Wins, losses, buncos and babies for every player, with prize winners picked out.

9. Dice roller

   Roll up to 12 dice of any common size. Hold dice between rolls and keep a running history.

Closer looksThe parts of a game that need more than a paragraph.

1. Cribbage scoring: how to count a hand

   How to count cribbage hands step by step: fifteens, pairs, runs, flush, and nobs, with double runs, crib flush rules, and worked hands up to 29.

2. Cribbage Pegging: How the Play Works

   Cribbage pegging explained: who leads, the running count, 15 and 31, pairs, pair royal, runs in any order, go and last card, with a full scored example.

3. Farkle Scoring: Chart, Odds, and Worked Turns

   Farkle scoring chart with the common and box tables, the doubling variant, which dice to keep, hot dice, getting on the board, and the odds of farkling.

4. Hand and Foot Scoring Explained

   Hand and Foot scoring: card values, clean and dirty books, red and black 3s, the going-out bonus, meld minimums by round, and a full worked round score.

5. The 10 Phases in Phase 10, With Examples

   All 10 Phase 10 phases in order with a legal example of each, tips for every phase, wild and skip rules, which phases are hardest, and how leftovers score.

6. How to Set Up a Backgammon Board

   Backgammon setup step by step: 2 checkers on the 24-point, 5 on the 13, 3 on the 8, 5 on the 6, which way each side moves, home board side, cube, opening roll.

7. How to Set Up a Chessboard

   Chess setup made simple: turn the board light square on the right, place every piece on its square from a1 to h8, queen on her color, and fix common mistakes.

8. How to Use a Cribbage Board

   How to use a cribbage board: 120-hole and 60-hole tracks, leapfrogging pegs, streets, the skunk line at 91, double skunks, 3- and 4-player boards, buying tips.

9. How Many Cards Are in a Deck?

   How many cards are in a deck: 52 plus jokers, 13 per suit, 12 face cards, 26 red. Also counts for pinochle, euchre, UNO, Skip-Bo, tarot, and cards per game.

10. Every UNO Card Explained

    Every UNO card explained: how many cards are in the 112-card deck, what Reverse, Skip, Draw Two and both Wild Draw 4 rules do, point values, and stacking.

By occasionShort lists, with the reasons.

1. The Best Card Games for 2 Players

   The best card games for 2 players, from cribbage and gin rummy to Speed and Spit, with player counts, game length, and what makes each one fun.

2. Card Games for Large Groups and 4 or More Players

   The best card games for large groups and 4 or more players, from Uno, Spoons and BS to Hand and Foot, Spades and Euchre, with how many each one seats.

3. Dice games anyone can learn

   Six dice games explained: Farkle, Yahtzee, Bunco, Shut the Box, Left Right Center and backgammon. How each plays, what dice you need, which fits your group.

4. Board games and how to play them

   Rules for the board games in most closets: chess, checkers, backgammon, mancala, Sorry!, Trouble and Rummikub, plus cornhole for the yard.

5. Printable rules

   A one-page sheet for every game, set to fit the inside of a box lid.