Dice Games

Farkle - Rules, History & Strategy Guide

Farkle is a push-your-luck dice game for two or more players using six dice. Each turn you roll, set aside scoring dice such as 1s and 5s, then either bank your points or roll again and risk losing them all. First to 10,000 points wins, usually within 15–30 minutes.

Reviewed & updated 2026-07-16

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History & Origins

Farkle belongs to a large family of folk dice games that evolved through kitchen-table play and barroom house rules. Because it was spread informally, many players learned slightly different scoring tables, but the core identity stayed the same: roll, set aside scoring dice, and decide whether to press your luck.

That risk loop is what made Farkle stick. Even people who do not normally love rules-heavy games understand the tension instantly, and the name itself became shorthand for the bad roll that wipes out a greedy turn.

How to Play

A standard Farkle turn starts with six dice. Certain faces or combinations score, and after each scoring roll you can bank the turn or keep rolling the remaining dice.

Roll all available dice and identify the scoring combinations.
Set aside at least one scoring die or combination.
Choose whether to bank the points you have built or continue rolling the remaining dice.
If a roll produces no scoring result, you farkle and lose the unbanked points from that turn.
If all dice score, you get hot dice and may roll a full fresh set again.

Strategy Tips

The best Farkle decisions are about context rather than heroics. A solid lead, a close race, and a late-game chase all justify different levels of risk.

Bank earlier when the table is thin and the penalty for a miss is high.
Push harder when you are behind and need a swing turn to catch up.
Learn the scoring patterns so you can read the board quickly without second-guessing.
Respect hot dice, but do not let one lucky reset talk you into reckless rerolls every turn.

Variations

Scoring tables vary across families and apps, especially for straights, three pairs, and multi-of-a-kind bonuses. Some versions add an entry threshold before points count, while others race to a target score with a final equalizing round.

Play Farkle on Arcadia

Play Farkle on Arcadia to put these rules and ideas into practice right away.

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Quick Answers

What is a farkle?

A farkle is a roll that produces no scoring dice or combinations, causing you to lose the unbanked points from that turn.

What are hot dice in Farkle?

Hot dice happen when all rolled dice score, allowing you to roll a full set again and continue the same turn.

Is Farkle more luck or strategy?

Luck drives the dice, but strategy shows up in banking discipline, table awareness, and choosing when to press versus protect.

What are the odds of farkling on a roll?

With all six dice, only about 2.3% of rolls score nothing under the common scoring table. The danger climbs as dice are set aside: roughly 28% with three dice, 44% with two, and 66.7% with a single die, since only a 1 or a 5 scores on its own. Those numbers are why pressing on with one or two dice is usually a losing gamble.

How do you score points in Farkle?

In the common table, a single 1 scores 100 and a single 5 scores 50, while three of a kind scores 100 times the face value — except three 1s, worth 1,000. Many rule sets add bonuses such as 1,500 for a six-die straight or for three pairs, so it pays to confirm the table before playing.

What score do you play to in Farkle?

The standard target is 10,000 points, and many groups require a minimum opening turn of 500 points before a player can start banking at all. When someone crosses 10,000, each other player typically gets one final turn to overtake them.

What other names does Farkle go by?

The same game circulates as Ten Thousand, Zilch, Zonk, Hot Dice, and Greed, among other names. Scoring tables shift slightly between versions, but the roll, set aside, bank-or-press loop is identical everywhere.

Do three pairs score in Farkle?

In the most widespread rule sets, yes — three pairs score 1,500 points. It is one of the most variable rules between tables, with some families scoring it lower or not at all, so agree on it before the first roll.

When should you stop rolling in Farkle?

A useful baseline is to bank once you are down to one or two dice, since the farkle chance is then 66.7% or about 44% respectively. Push past that only when you are far behind or an opponent is about to win, when the value of a big turn outweighs the likely bust.

Is Farkle the same as Yahtzee?

No. Yahtzee gives you exactly three rolls to fill thirteen fixed scoring categories, while Farkle is open-ended push-your-luck: you can keep rolling as long as you keep scoring, but one dead roll erases the whole turn. Farkle is the riskier, faster game; Yahtzee is more about category management.

Can you play Farkle online for free?

Yes. Arcadia has a free browser Farkle played against an AI opponent, with no download or account required. Automatic combination detection makes it a painless way to learn the scoring table before playing with physical dice.