Rules of the dice game 421

421 is a traditional dice game that is mainly played in France and Belgium. The game is easy to learn and is usually played in a social setting

Objective of the game

The objective of the game 421 is to achieve the best combination with three dice. The combinations have different point values, and the goal is to get rid of all game chips.

Required materials

• Three dice
• 21 game chips (or other small objects for counting)
• (optional) an arena

Gameplay

The game is played in two rounds.
In the first round, the players take it in turns to roll all three dice once. The dice eyes are always read from high to low; for example, the sequence 3, 2, 5 corresponds to the number 532. The player with the lowest roll receives the number of chips corresponding to the highest roll (see table below) and may continue rolling the dice. The first round ends as soon as all the chips have been distributed.

In the second round, the aim is to get rid of the chips previously received. Players without chips are excluded from this round, while the player who received the last chips starts. The aim is to achieve the highest possible score (see table below) in up to three throws. The player with the highest roll may give the corresponding number of chips to the player with the lowest number.If a player receives a penalty chip in the second round (see additional rules below), he may re-enter the game from the next roll of the dice. The last player to have all the chips loses the game.

Combinations and scoring

The dice combinations are evaluated as follows:

Additional rules

• 221: If the lowest rolled number is 221, the number of chips received for that turn doubles.
• Tie: In case of a tie, the affected players roll again with one die to determine who has the "better" combination.
• Touching the dice: Only the player whose turn it is may touch the dice. If another person touches them, they receive a penalty chip.
• Dice falls off the table: If one or more dice fall off the table, the responsible player receives a penalty chip. If the falling die touches another player, it counts as unauthorized dice-touching (see Touching the Dice).

Enjoy the game!