Pig - Rules, History & Strategy Guide

Pig's exact origin is unclear, but variants have been played for over a century — it's often the first dice game taught to children because the rules fit on a postcard yet the optimal strategy is mathematically rich.

The game has been the subject of academic analysis since the 1970s, with optimal "hold at N" strategies derived for two-player play. Pig is now a staple example in game theory and probability classes.

You roll one die repeatedly on your turn, accumulating points — but if you roll a 1, you bust and score zero for that turn.

1. On your turn, roll the die and add the value to your turn total.
2. After each roll, choose to ROLL again or HOLD.
3. If you roll a 1 at any point, your turn ends with zero points added (your saved score is safe).
4. If you HOLD, your turn total is added to your saved score and play passes to your opponent.
5. First player to reach 100 saved points wins.

Pig's optimal strategy is well-studied. The simple "hold at 20" rule is close to mathematically optimal for most positions and is what beginners should learn first.

• Default to holding at a turn total of 20. Each additional roll has a 1/6 chance of wiping it out — at 20 the expected value of rolling drops below the expected value of holding.
• When you're trailing badly, push past 20 — the cost of a bust is small compared to the cost of losing.
• When you're close to 100 (within reach in one turn), keep rolling until you can win on the spot.
• When your opponent is close to winning, take more risk on your turn — a conservative hold won't catch up.

Two-Dice Pig (also called Big Pig) busts on any 1 from either die, with double-1s being especially punishing. Pass-the-Pigs uses miniature pig figurines instead of dice. The "hold at 25" variant exists but is mathematically inferior to "hold at 20" for typical play.