How to Play

• There are 4 players per table (ideally, at least 3 tables with 12 total players).

• At each table, there are two teams. Your team/partner is who you are sitting across from. Your partner will change after each round.

• One person at each table keeps score for each player at the table using the Table Tally sheet.

• The head table (table 1) starts/stops each round using a bell—in our case, a tiny gong.

• A game is 6 rounds. We'll likely only play 2 full games in a night (maybe 3).

A bunco is when a player rolls three of a kind matching the number of the round we're on.

• E.g., during round 4, a player rolls three 4s.

• Buncos are worth 21 points

A baby bunco, also known as a mini bunco, is when a player rolls three of any number other than that of the round we're on.

• E.g.; during round 5, a player rolls three 2s.

• Baby buncos are worth 5 points

Outside of buncos and baby buncos, players earn 1 point for each number rolled that corresponds to the number of the round we're on. 

• You roll 3 dice and try to roll the number that corresponds with the round number. E.g., during round 4, you're trying to roll 4s.

  • • You get 1 point for each number that matches the current round number.

    • You re-roll all 3 dice for each roll within your turn.

    • If you don't roll any of that number, it moves to the next player.

    • If you roll a bunco, your turn continues.

    • If you roll a baby bunco, your turn is over and it goes to the next player.

IMPORTANT: Don't forget to tally your buncos and baby buncos on your Scorecard during your turn.

• The head table hits the gong to start and stop each round.

• Each person at the table takes a turn and you keep going around and around and around until someone at the head table rolls a bunco or reaches 21 points in that round.

  • • When someone at the head table reaches 21 points, they will hit the gong to signal the end of the round.

    • If someone at a table other than the head table rolls a bunco, everyone continues playing until the head table hits the gong.

• Once a round ends, you add up your scores from the Table Tally and see which team (pair of players) won at that table.

  • • If you are on a team with the person who got a bunco or 21 points, your team automatically wins that round (winning is not necessarily based on the highest total score between those two players).

    • If there is a tie at the end of a round, go around the table once more, and the team with the most points after that extra turn is the winner of that round.

• Mark your score for that round on your Scorecard and a "W" (if your team won) or an "L" (if your team lost).

• After each round, teams will move tables depending on who won or lost.

• Head table: winners stay, losers move. All other tables: winners move, losers stay.
  Example:
  TABLE 1 (HEAD) - Winners stay, losers go to table 3
  TABLE 2 - Losers stay, winners go to table table 1
  TABLE 3 - Losers stay, winners go to table 2

• When you move tables, just make sure you don't have the same partner as the previous round—just switch seats.

• A "ghost" is used when we don't have enough players (in multiples of 4).

• The player with the ghost for a partner rolls for the ghost and collects ONLY points for their team, not buncos or baby buncos, etc. Ghost players will not have a scorecard. It is important that you roll for the ghost player or else the timing and team scoring would be affected. 

• When you move tables with a ghost, you take the ghost with you and switch partners as if playing with a real person.

• When tallying final scores at the end of the night, the ghost player is not eligible to win any of the categories (obviously).