Zilch

You will need

You'll need 6 Dice
5 dice can be used if that's all you've got)
Score pad and writing implement for recording the scores.
A good dose of luck is an optional but useful tool.

Before you start

Clarify the target score (winning score) - generally it's 10,000 but if you want a shorter game 5,000 is commonly used as a target.
Clarify which scoring method you'll be using.

Object of the game

Be the first to 10,000 points (or more) AND stay in the lead ater your opponents all have one last go to try and beat you.

*When the first person to 10,000 or more has finished their turn, all other players get an extra turn to try and get the highest score and win - in this final turn, each player plays until they either get the highest score (which they'd then take) OR until they throw a zilch.

The Play

All players throw ONE dice to see who goes first. The player with the highest value goes first.
The player throws all six dice at the beginning of their turn.
Once they have thrown their dice, the player looks for one or more scoring dice and:
1. If there are no scoring dice for the throw, the player gets a zero for their turn and their turn is over. A 'z' is marked on the score pad for their turn if they are on the board. A dash '-' is marked on the score pad if they are not yet on the board.
2. OR If there is one or more scoring dice, the player may:
  - take the full score of all scoring dice* and finish their turn (the points for the turn are added to their total score for the game.
  - OR a player may choose to take one or more scoring dice from the hand and set them aside, announcing the subtotal of their score and may then throw the REMAINING to try for extra points.
Return to step 3 and repeat as often as desired - if all six dice have been taken out as scoring dice, you can then pick up the dice and throw again.They may do this indefinitely - however - if they throw a 'Zilch' (eg. get nothing for a throw) then they lose the entire score so far for that hand and get zero. If all six dice have been taken as part of the score, the player can then pick up all six dice and throw again. It's up to the player to choose when to stop while they are scoring (a matter of greed really), however, if they throw and get no scoring dice in ANY throw during their turn then they get Zilch/zero/squat/nada/nothing for that 'hand'/go.
The winner is the first person to 10,000 or above - unless their score is beaten by another player in their final turn. (See 'Object of the game').

*NOTE: To get on the score board, a player MUST throw and keep 500 points or more. Scoring di

Getting on the board

To get on the score board and thus be in the game, you must throw (and take) at least 500 points in one turn. (If you are having a friendly game, you can waive this rule). NOTE: You cannot get a minus score until you are on the board but once you are on the board, if you aren't careful with the Zilches you can end up with a negative score.

Scoring

has no scoring value on it's own.
has no scoring value on it's own.
has no scoring value on it's own.
has no scoring value on it's own.
is worth 100 points on it's own.
is worth 50 points on it's own.
is worth 1000 points when three are rolled in a single throw.
is worth 200 points when three are rolled in a single throw.
is worth 300 points when three are rolled in a single throw.
is worth 400 points when three are rolled in a single throw.
is worth 500 points when three are rolled in a single throw.
is worth 600 points when three are rolled in a single throw.
A straight using all six dice is worth 1500 points when rolled in a single throw (ie. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Any three sets of pairs are worth 1500 points when rolled in a single throw.

If you throw more than 3 of any number - you get extra points for each extra dice of that value. There are three different scoring methods that I am aware of to do this. I learned using scoring method one but you can use which ever you prefer.

Scoring Method 1

If you threw 4 dice of the same face value you get a set score for the first 3 dice of that value (above), and you then half that score and add the half to the score you already had for the 3 dice. (eg. 3 x fives = 500. 500 / 2 = 250) and add that value to the score you already have (eg. 500 + 250 = 750). You follow this process for every dice that shows the same value after the first three. So 5 dice showing five in a single throw would be worth (4 x fives = 750. 750/2 = 375. 750 + 375 = 1125). See scoring chart below to save your brains.

dice value/s	Special	1	2	3	4	5	6
	No of dice of this value
ones	n/a	100	200	1000	1500	2250	3375
twos	n/a	0	0	200	300	450	675
threes	n/a	0	0	300	450	675	1012.5
fours	n/a	0	0	400	600	900	1350
fives	n/a	50	100	500	750	1125	1687.5
sixes	n/a	0	0	600	900	1350	2025
Straight (1-6)	1500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
3 sets of pairs	1500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
3 'zilch' hands in a row	-500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Scoring Method 2

This one is simple but makes the game slower - simply add an extra hundred points for each extra dice of a given value after the first 3 (eg. if you throw 4 x fives then you would get 500 (for the first three fives) PLUS 100 (for the extra five) = 600 points.

dice value/s	Special	1	2	3	4	5	6
	No of dice of this value
ones	n/a	100	200	1000	1100	1200	1300
twos	n/a	0	0	200	300	400	500
threes	n/a	0	0	300	400	500	600
fours	n/a	0	0	400	500	600	700
fives	n/a	50	100	500	600	700	800
sixes	n/a	0	0	600	700	800	900
Straight (1-6)	1500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
3 sets of pairs	1500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
3 'zilch' hands in a row	-500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Scoring Method 3

This one is simple but makes the game almost too fast at times - simply times the score by two for each extra dice of a given value after the first 3 (eg. if you throw 4 x fives then you would get 500 for the first three, double that for four and so on.

dice value/s	Special	1	2	3	4	5	6
	No of dice of this value
ones	n/a	100	200	1000	2000	4000	8000
twos	n/a	0	0	200	400	800	1600
threes	n/a	0	0	300	600	1200	2400
fours	n/a	0	0	400	800	1600	3200
fives	n/a	50	100	500	1000	2000	4000
sixes	n/a	0	0	600	1200	2400	4800
Straight (1-6)	1500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
3 sets of pairs	1500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
3 'zilch' hands in a row	-500	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Penalties

As noted above you can keep throwing the dice for as long as you are getting scoring dice however, if you get no points in any given throw then you are said to have thrown a Zilch and you get no points for that hand. NOTE: You cannot get a minus score until you are on the board.

If you have THREE hands of Zilch in a row (get zero on your third hand in a row) then you lose 500 points on the third hand.

Special throws with all six dice

A straight In any turn where you throw all six dice and get a straight (eg. the six dice show the values of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) you get 1500 points for that throw and can pick up all six dice and throw again (or, of course, take the points and end your turn). NOTE: If you are playing with only 5 dice then your straight can be made of dice showing the values 1-5 or 2-6.

Three sets of pairs In any turn where you throw all six dice and get three sets of pairs you get 1500 points for that throw and can pick up all six dice and throw again (or, of course, take the points and end your turn). NOTE: Unfortunately, this does not apply if you are playing with only 5 dice.

The Winner

The winner is the first person to get to 10,000 EXCEPT if one of the other players in their final go throws a score that gives them a higher total than the person reaching 10,000 first.

Once one player has thrown a score of 10,000 or more then all other players get one final go to win.

Notes

There are varying rules on the web for zilch and I will add links for at least a few of these resources to this page in the near future.

While the basic game is the same, people play different variations of the game. I've noted three scoring methods for the basics that I'm aware of on this page but I'm sure there are others - as long as everyone playing is clear abou the scoring system from the start, I don't think it really matters. My family uses scoring method one - it doesn't matter which you use as long as you make up your mind which one you'll be using before the game starts!

Some sample hands will be put up as an example in the near future.

Some strategy tips will be put up in the near future.