Farkle Rules and Scoring: The Full Chart, Exact Odds and a Score Calculator
Quick answer
In Farkle you roll six dice, set aside at least one scoring die (1s, 5s, three of a kind and other combinations), then either bank your points or roll the rest. If a roll has no scoring dice, that's a farkle and you lose everything you scored that turn. The first player to 10,000 points wins. With six dice you farkle only 2.31% of the time; with one die left it's 66.67%.
| Players | 2 or more |
|---|---|
| Equipment | 6 standard dice, pencil and paper |
| Goal | First to 10,000 points |
| Chance of a farkle with 6 dice | 2.31% (1,080 of 46,656 rolls) |
| Chance of a farkle with 1 die | 66.67% |
Farkle is a push-your-luck dice game for two or more players: roll six dice, keep the ones that score, and decide whether to bank your points or risk them on another roll. Below are the standard rules and the full scoring chart, plus something rule sheets don't give you: the exact chance of farkling with any number of dice, so you know when to stop.
How to play Farkle
- Roll all six dice on your turn.
- Set aside at least one scoring die or combination (see the chart below). You must keep at least one every time you roll.
- Choose: bank the points you've scored this turn and pass the dice, or roll the remaining dice to try for more.
- Farkle: if a roll contains no scoring dice at all, you lose every point you scored this turn and your turn ends.
- Hot dice: if all six dice end up scoring, you can pick them all up and roll six fresh dice, keeping your running total.
- Winning: the first player to reach 10,000 points triggers the end; every other player gets one last turn to beat them.
Many groups add a minimum opening score, usually 500 points in one turn, before a player can bank anything for the first time.
Farkle scoring chart
These are the most widely used scores. House rules vary, so agree them before you play.
| Combination | Points |
|---|---|
| Each 1 | 100 |
| Each 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 (1–2–3–4–5–6) | 1,500 |
| Three pairs | 1,500 |
| Four of a kind + a pair | 1,500 |
| Two triplets | 2,500 |
Only dice from the same roll can form a combination. If you set aside two 3s, you can't add a third 3 from your next roll to make three of a kind.
Farkle score calculator
Click any die to change its value, or roll random dice. The calculator shows the most points you can take from the dice on the table, using the chart above.
Score a Farkle roll
Farkle odds: the chance of farkling with 1 to 6 dice
We counted every possible roll for each number of dice (46,656 rolls for six dice) and checked which ones contain no scoring combination:
| Dice rolled | Farkle rolls | Chance of a farkle | Chance all dice score (hot dice) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 of 6 | 66.67% | 33.33% |
| 2 | 16 of 36 | 44.44% | 11.11% |
| 3 | 60 of 216 | 27.78% | 5.56% |
| 4 | 204 of 1,296 | 15.74% | 4.01% |
| 5 | 600 of 7,776 | 7.72% | 3.03% |
| 6 | 1,080 of 46,656 | 2.31% | 8.44% |
P(farkle with 1 die) = 4 ÷ 6 = 66.67%Only a 1 or a 5 scores. With two dice you farkle if both show 2, 3, 4 or 6: (4/6)² = 16/36 = 44.44%.
The pattern is steep. With six dice a farkle is rare, about one roll in 43. By the time you're down to two dice, you'll farkle almost half the time, and with one die, two times in three.
When to bank: a simple rule of thumb
Every extra roll trades a chance of more points against the risk of losing the whole turn. A useful one-roll test: keep rolling only if the points you'd expect to add are bigger than the points you'd expect to lose.
Roll again if: average points from the roll > chance of farkle × points at riskWith 3 dice, a roll averages about 87 points (counting farkles as 0) and farkles 27.78% of the time, so rolling again pays off on average while you're risking less than about 312 points.
| Dice left to roll | Average points from one roll | Chance of a farkle | Roll again if your turn total is below |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 66.67% | about 38 |
| 2 | 50 | 44.44% | about 112 |
| 3 | 87 | 27.78% | about 312 |
| 4 | 144 | 15.74% | about 912 |
| 5 | 226 | 7.72% | about 2,926 |
| 6 | 425 | 2.31% | about 18,340 |
This is a rough guide, not a perfect strategy. It looks one roll ahead and ignores the bonus of hot dice, so it's slightly cautious with many dice. But it explains what experienced players do by instinct: with five or six dice you can keep rolling almost regardless of your turn total, while with one or two dice left you should usually bank unless you have very little to lose.
Common Farkle variations
- Opening minimum: 300, 500 or 1,000 points in one turn before you can bank for the first time.
- Three 1s: some groups score them at 300 instead of 1,000.
- Four or more of a kind: some play "double the three-of-a-kind score" for each extra die instead of fixed 1,000 / 2,000 / 3,000 scores.
- Three farkles in a row: a 500 or 1,000-point penalty in some house rules.
- Ten Thousand, Zilch, Greed: close cousins with their own scoring tweaks. See our 10,000 dice game guide.
More dice games and tools
- Online dice roller if you're missing dice
- Yahtzee odds: the chance of a Yahtzee in one turn
- Shut the Box: rules, odds and a playable version
- Liar's dice: rules and a bid probability calculator
Frequently asked questions
How much is three of a kind worth in Farkle?
Three of a kind scores 100 times the face value: three 2s = 200, three 3s = 300, up to three 6s = 600. Three 1s are the exception and score 1,000.
What are the odds of a farkle?
It depends on how many dice you roll. With 6 dice it's 2.31%, with 5 dice 7.72%, 4 dice 15.74%, 3 dice 27.78%, 2 dice 44.44% and with a single die 66.67%. We counted every possible roll under the scoring rules on this page.
What happens if all six dice score?
That's called hot dice. You can pick up all six and keep rolling, adding to the points you already have this turn. With six dice, about 8.4% of rolls use all six dice in scoring combinations.
Do you need 500 points to get on the board?
It's a very common house rule, not a universal one. Many groups require a player to score at least 500 in a single turn before they can bank any points. Agree the rule before you start.
What's the difference between Farkle and 10,000?
They're closely related dice games, and many people use the names interchangeably. Ten Thousand (also called Zilch or Greed) usually has slightly different scoring for some combinations. See our 10,000 dice game guide for the common differences.
Sources
- Farkle — Wikipedia
- Two Basic Rules of Probability — OpenStax, Rice University. Multiplication rule; independent events