Play Farkle online for free
Farkle is the push-your-luck dice game played with six dice. Roll, set aside the dice that score, and then decide: bank your points, or roll the rest and risk losing everything you made this turn. A roll with nothing that scores is a farkle. The first player to 10,000 points sets up the last round.
This version has real 3D dice that tumble across a felt tray. Tap a die to set it aside, and the buttons tell you exactly what is at stake: Roll 3 · 27.8% means three dice left and a 27.8% chance to farkle. Play the computer on Easy, Medium or Hard, or a friend on the same device. A coach shows which dice to keep and when to bank, the house rules menu lets you play the way your family does, and Daily Dice gives everyone the same rolls each day.
How to play Farkle
- Roll all six dice.
- Set aside at least one scoring die or combination. Dice that can't score turn grey. Every die you set aside must be part of a scoring combination, and combinations only count within one roll.
- Bank or roll on. Bank to add this turn's points to your score, or roll the dice you have left to try for more.
- Farkle: if a roll has nothing that scores, you lose every point from this turn and play passes on.
- Hot dice: if all six dice have scored, pick them all up and keep rolling. Your turn total carries on.
- The last round: when someone banks 10,000 or more, every other player gets one more turn to beat them. The highest score wins.
Farkle scoring chart
These are the classic scores, the ones most Farkle sets and apps use.
| Combination | Points | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Single 1 | 100 | ⚀ |
| Single 5 | 50 | ⚄ |
| Three 1s | 1,000 | ⚀⚀⚀ |
| Three 2s | 200 | ⚁⚁⚁ |
| Three 3s | 300 | ⚂⚂⚂ |
| Three 4s | 400 | ⚃⚃⚃ |
| Three 5s | 500 | ⚄⚄⚄ |
| Three 6s | 600 | ⚅⚅⚅ |
| Four of a kind | 1,000 | ⚂⚂⚂⚂ |
| Five of a kind | 2,000 | ⚃⚃⚃⚃⚃ |
| Six of a kind | 3,000 | ⚁⚁⚁⚁⚁⚁ |
| Straight (1–6) | 1,500 | ⚀⚁⚂⚃⚄⚅ |
| Three pairs | 1,500 | ⚁⚁⚃⚃⚅⚅ |
| Four of a kind + a pair | 1,500 | ⚂⚂⚂⚂⚄⚄ |
| Two triplets | 2,500 | ⚁⚁⚁⚅⚅⚅ |
Single 2s, 3s, 4s and 6s are worth nothing. Dice can be added up: ⚀⚄⚄ is 100 + 50 + 50 = 200, and four 1s count as three 1s plus a single 1 (1,100), which beats four of a kind.
Farkle odds and strategy
The fewer dice you roll, the more likely you are to farkle:
| Dice to roll | Chance to farkle | Best play banks at |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2.3% (1 in 43) | Almost never: keep rolling |
| 5 | 7.7% | 3,100 or more this turn |
| 4 | 15.7% | 1,050 or more |
| 3 | 27.8% | 450 or more |
| 2 | 44.4% | 300 or more |
| 1 | 66.7% | 350 or more |
The last column comes from playing for the most points per turn, which averages about 600 points a turn and reaches 10,000 in about 18 turns. A few lessons from it:
- Don't keep every scoring die. If your first roll is ⚀⚄⚄⚁⚂⚃, keep only the 1 and roll five dice. Two more 5s are worth 100 points, but rolling five dice instead of three is worth more.
- One die is better than two. With one die left, a 1 or a 5 gives you hot dice and all six back. That's why the bank point is higher with one die than with two.
- Bank small turns with few dice. With two dice left you farkle almost half the time, so 300 is already worth taking home.
- Play the score, not just the turn. When you are far behind, or the other player is close to 10,000, take more risks. The Hard computer plays to win the game rather than to score the most points, and that is exactly what it does.
Big combinations on a roll of six dice: three pairs about 1 in 26, a straight 1 in 65, two triplets 1 in 156, four of a kind plus a pair 1 in 104, six of a kind 1 in 7,776.
Farkle, Zilch, 10,000, Greed and Hot Dice
They are all the same family of dice games, and people often learn it under one of these names. 10,000 and Greed are older names, usually with simpler scoring: singles, three of a kind and sometimes a straight. Zilch is a popular online name for the same game, and Hot Dice is named after the rule that gives you all six dice back. Farkle is the name most players in the US know, with extra six-dice combinations such as three pairs and two triplets.
Farkle house rules
Almost every family plays Farkle a little differently. Open New game → House rules to change:
- Scoring: Classic, or Simple 10,000, where each die beyond three of a kind doubles the score (four 3s = 600, five 3s = 1,200) and three pairs, four of a kind plus a pair and two triplets don't count.
- Opening score: you need 350, 500 or 1,000 points in a single turn before you can bank for the first time.
- Three farkles in a row: lose 500 or 1,000 points.
- Play to 10,000, 5,000 or 2,500 for a shorter game.
The coach and the computer adjust to whatever rules you choose.
FAQ
How many points are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 worth in Farkle?
On their own, a 1 is worth 100 points and a 5 is worth 50. A single 2, 3, 4 or 6 scores nothing. Three of a kind is worth the number times 100 (three 4s = 400), except three 1s, which are worth 1,000.
What is 5 of a kind worth in Farkle?
With the classic rules used here, five of a kind is worth 2,000 points, four of a kind 1,000 and six of a kind 3,000. Many families play a doubling house rule instead: each extra die doubles three of a kind, so five 4s would be 1,600.
Is 10,000 the same as Farkle?
Yes, they are the same family of dice games. 10,000 (also called Zilch, Greed or Hot Dice) usually has simpler scoring without three pairs or two triplets, and often an opening score, such as 500 points in one turn before you can bank for the first time. You can switch to those rules under House rules.
What is the highest score possible in one roll of Farkle?
With the classic rules, six of a kind is the best single roll at 3,000 points; the chance is 1 in 7,776. Two triplets are worth 2,500, and a straight or three pairs 1,500. There is no limit to a whole turn, because hot dice let you keep rolling.
What are the odds of a farkle?
With six dice the chance of a farkle is only 2.3%, about 1 in 43. It rises to 7.7% with five dice, 15.7% with four, 27.8% with three, 44.4% with two and 66.7% with one die left.
What are hot dice in Farkle?
When every one of your six dice has scored during a turn, you have hot dice: you pick up all six and roll again, keeping the points you already have this turn. You can do this as many times as your luck lasts.
What are the most common Farkle house rules?
An opening score (often 500 points in one turn before your first bank), a penalty of 1,000 points for three farkles in a row, doubling for four, five and six of a kind, and a shorter game to 5,000. All of them can be switched on in this game's New game menu.
Can I play Farkle against the computer?
Yes. Choose Easy, Medium or Hard in New game. Hard plays to maximise its chance of winning the game, not just its score, so it takes more risks when it is behind and fewer when it is ahead. You can also play a friend on the same device.
Is this Farkle game free?
Yes. It runs in your browser for free, with no download and no account, on a computer, tablet or phone.
More dice games: Yatzy with five dice and a score card, Backgammon and its sailors' variant Acey Deucey. No dice at all? Try the classic domino game.
Farkle is a traditional dice game. This free version is not affiliated with PlayMonster or any maker of boxed Farkle sets.