Bunco

You will need 3 dice for each table, pen and paper at each table, a bell, cards to mark on for each player, and a clothespin.  The host of the game will also need a pen, marker or hole punch to mark cards.

You can design cards for each player any way you want, as long as one side of the card is marked with numbers and the other side has players name.  You write across the back of each card 1,2,3, etc.  We usually numbered to 30. Each time someone wins, person hosting the game (that would be whoever's house you are at) will go around at the end of each round and mark one number off the back of each winner's card.  This is how you keep track of who wins at the end of the night.  You play this game for 2 hours or however long you want.  We did this one night a month, and each person had their own month to host.  We had twelve people so this worked very well.  It cost each person $10 to play bunco for the night, and this money went to the person hosting the next month's game.  This went to buy gifts for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, boobie and bunco gifts.  First was $40, 2nd was $35, 3rd was $20, 4th was $15, boobie was $5 and bunco was $5.  That added up to $120.  You can make amount each person pays whatever you want and each prizes amount whatever you want also.  Our cards ranged from index cards, to paper plates, to napkins, to things printed off computer. 

Bunco is a very fun game to play.  You will need at least 4 players.  For every 4 players you have, you'll need a card table, chairs,  and 3 dice.  You can decide who will start the round first any way you want.  We did it where the person keeping score for the table rolled first.  Play continued to the left.  The player directly across the table from you is your partner. 

Getting bunco

When you roll all three dice at the same time and roll all three of the designated number (if you are rolling for ones and get three ones, or are rolling for 5's and get all three 5's in one roll) that is a bunco and worth 21 points.  This ends play at the head table, or if you are at one of the other tables, keep rolling!!!  When you roll a bunco you yell bunco and you get the clothespin.  WATCH OUT because someone who rolled bunco before you will try to hide it!!  No one wants to give up the pin especially towards the end of the game.  Towards the end of the game you will have lots of screaming and people rolling as fast as they can!!  You will have lots of fun!!

Playing the Game 

The person keeping score picks up all 3 dice and rolls when the head table rings the bell. You start with one's.  If you roll all the dice and get a one, then you score a point.  If you roll 2 one's then you get 2 points.   If you do not roll any one's then the turn goes to player on left. If you are lucky enough to roll 3 one's that is a bunco and you get 21 points. Pick up all the dice and roll again. Keep adding up your points until you don't get ones.  If you roll all three dice and get three of one number (rolling for 6's and get three 2's in one roll) then your team scores 5 points, and you roll all three dice again.           Scorekeeper will write down your points when you turn is over.  If you don't roll any one's then it is the next players turn and you don't score any points.  If you roll a one, then pick of the other two dice and roll.  If you get another one, pick up the remaining dice and roll.  If you roll a one pick up all three and start over. Play continues all the way around the table until the head table (if you only have 4 players, then you only have 1 table and you are the head table) rings the bell.   When round is over, and everyone switches seats and tables and the hostess marks everyone's card who won.   The head table rings the bell again and you roll all 3 dice and will be rolling two's this time.  When this round is over and head table rings the bell again you will roll 3's and so forth.  When you reach 6's then you switch back to ones and start over.

Head Table`` This can be any table that bunco players want as long as there is only one head table.

Play just like instructions for playing game. Head table gets a bell to ring to signal to everyone else that that round is starting and when it is over.   You ring the bell when head table has a team reach 21.   If first person rolls a bunco (all 3 dice are of the same number and it has to be the number for that round) then you ring the bell and round is over.  Otherwise you play the game and keep rolling until your team reaches 21. Winning team stays at the head table, and losers move to next table.  One person from the winning team at this table has to move over a chair so you don't have the same partner for the next round.

All other tables

Play is started by head table ringing the bell.  You have to roll as fast as you can and keep score on paper so you know who has the most points when head table rings the bell again.  Keep adding up the points even if you get 21.  Only head table stops at 21. Winners at these tables move to the next table and losers stay.  One person from the losing team must move over one chair so they don't have the same partner for the next round.  Same goes for the winners moving on.  You will not have the same person over and over again. 

One thing to remember!!!!  Don't forget to take your card with you everywhere you go.  This is how it is determined who wins at the end of the night.

Keeping Score

Person keeping score adds up each persons points when their rolling is over.  Before round starts, write US  and THEM.  Us is the scorekeeper and person directly across the table from them.  Them is the other two people.  Write down each person's score under correct heading.  Keep rolling until head table rings the bell.  If you are at a regular table, winners move, and head table losers move.  Scorekeeper rolls dice at start of round.

Example

Everyone is seated and ready to begin.  Player across table is my partner.  Head table rings the bell and score keeper rolls all three dice.  This is the first round, so we are rolling for one's.  Scorekeeper rolls a one, three, and four.  She keeps the one, picks up the three and four and rolls them.  She gets a one, and a six.  She keeps the one rolls the six.  She gets a four.  She writes 2 under us (for her team).  I roll and get a four, four and six.  I get no points, and dice go to next player.  She rolls, and gets 3 one's.  She picks up dice and rolls again.  She gets no ones.  Scorekeeper writes down 21 under us (it's her partner) and dice go to my partner.  She rolls three 5's.  She picks up dice and rolls again.  She gets a one, three and six.  She keeps the one and rolls the three and six.  She gets a two and a five.  Scorekeeper writes down 6 under them.  And now it's scorekeepers turn again.  This keeps going until head table rings bell.  The team with the most points moves to the next table and partners up with someone different.  If we had been the head table, as soon as one team had 21 we'd ring the bell and round would be over.  Losers at the head table move to the next table.  Hostess of the game goes around and marks all winners cards by crossing off a number.  Everyone is ready and head table rings bell.  Scorekeeper picks up all three dice and rolls.  We are rolling for two's now.  So on and so forth.

This sounds difficult, but once you get the hang of it, you will love it.  It is so addicting.  After the designated time is up, we went with two hours, the hostess figures out who has the most marks on their card.  Remember each time you win you get a number marked off. The person with the most wins, wins first, and then the next highest gets second, and the next highest gets third and so forth.   If you have two people tied (doesn't happen often) but it does happen, the people tied will each roll one dice and the person who rolls the highest number wins the prize.  The loser wins the next prize down.  If they were rolling to see who got 2nd, the one that rolled the lowest number would get 3rd.   Boobie prize is the person with the lowest wins.  Bunco prize is the person with the clothespin when game was officially called over.  Remember to get your clothespin when you get a bunco!!  Everyone always tries to get the bunco prize for some reason.  You could even make a prize for the most bunco's if you wanted to.  We always wrote on our card the number we buncoed on.  Some people would have 5 bunco's!!

I promise once you get the hang of this game, you will love it.  I used to play this all the time and couldn't wait for bunco night!!  Remember the more the merrier this game is.  Just make sure you have an even amount of players.  You can have 4, 8, 12, 16, etc.  As long as it goes by fours, so each person has a partner.  Now go play bunco and have the best night of your life!!!!