Bunco

Bunco

Bunco is a social dice game for 12 players (or any multiple of 4), organised into 3 tables of 4 players each. It is fast-paced, requires no skill, and is designed for social gatherings — parties, charity events, and group outings throughout North America.

Setup

• 12 players at 3 tables: Head Table, Middle Table, and Losing Table
• Each table has 2 teams of 2 — partners sit across from each other
• Each table has 3 dice and a scorekeeper

The Six Rounds

The game has 6 rounds. The target number for each round matches the round number: Round 1 targets 1, Round 2 targets 2, …, Round 6 targets 6.

A Set (Sub-Round)

Within each round, teams alternate rolling all 3 dice. Each die showing the target number scores 1 point for the rolling team. The rolling team continues rolling as long as they score at least 1 point per roll. When a roll scores 0, the other team takes over rolling.

Bunco: Rolling all 3 dice showing the target number = 21 points immediately; that set ends. The player records a Bunco tally.

A set ends when one team reaches 21 points (or scores a Bunco). That team wins the set.

Winning a Round

The team with more set wins at the end of the round wins that round. At the Head Table, the winning team stays; the losing team moves down. At other tables, the winning team moves up and the losing team moves down.

Scoring

After all 6 rounds, each player totals:

• Number of round wins
• Number of round losses
• Number of Buncos

Typical prizes: most wins, most Buncos, and a booby prize for most losses.

Notes

Bunco requires no strategy. The table rotation ensures players interact with all participants over the course of the game.