How To: Play pig dice

The game of pig involves a bit of gambling and strategy, and is easy for any person to pick up. Learn how to play with this video.

Pig is a deceptively simple dice game that anyone can learn in a snap.

Step 1

Roll one die for your first turn. Playing with two dice is optional.

Step 2

Enter points on the score sheet if the number rolled is two, three, four, five, or six points. If you roll a one, you lose all the points you accumulated during that turn, and you lose your turn.

Step 3

Continue rolling the die until you're happy with the number of points you've scored. Then, "hold" by handing the die over to your opponent, and track all points earned during your turn.

TIP: Knowing when to stop rolling and end your turn is the key to winning at Pig. It's an exercise in deciding between gut instinct and greed.

Step 4

Reach 100 points first and win the game.

Step 5

To play with two dice, roll both for your first turn. If you roll a one on either die, you score zero for that turn and your turns ends, but if you roll two ones – or snake eyes – you lose your turn and all the points you've earned during the game.

Did you know? The rules of Pig were first described in 1945 as a folk dice game by math whiz and gaming expert John Scarne.