How To Play Cornhole
Cornhole is world famous, enjoyed by millions, and we’re bringing it back to New Zealand! Test your accuracy and technique where the sky is the limit!
A Guide To Backyard Dice
What You Need To Play
- 1 Basket
- 5 Wooden Dice
- Backyard Games Scorecard
How To Play
- All players roll a die with the highest roll starting the game. Play continues clockwise.
- Fill in the top column of the scorecard with players names.
- For each turn a player has up to three rolls to achieve their desired outcome.
- Roll your dice with the intent of scoring higher than your opponents at the end of thegame.
- Each turn and roll you must decide what combo you are after.
- After each turn, the player must fill in an empty box in their column.
- Play continues until each player has filled in all their boxes for 13 rounds.
- You can fill the boxes in any order that you like but ensure that only one box is filledper round. The only exception is if you roll a Bonus Yardzee.
First Roll
- Roll all 5 dice.
- After you have rolled, put aside any dice that you want to keep. If you roll your desired outcome, mark your score and your turn has ended.
- Proceed to your 2nd roll if you want a better combination.
Second Roll
- Roll all dice that you did not set aside.
- If you would like to roll all 5, you can.
- After your roll, set aside any dice that you want to keep. If you roll your desired outcome, mark your score and your turn has ended.
- Proceed to your 3rd roll if you want a better combination.
Third Roll (Final Roll)
- Roll all dice that you did not set aside.
- If you would like to roll all 5, you can.
- You must enter a score at the end of this roll, whether you like your dice combination or not.
- If your dice combination does not fit into any remaining boxes, a zero must be entered into one of your choosing.
Scorecard
Upper Section
This section is for combinations of the same dice value from 1-6. At the end of your turn, add up the dice of the same number, then enter this value into the appropriate box.
Example: if you were going for fives and you end up with the following combination after your final roll you would enter 15 into the five columns.
BONUS: If you score over 63 points in the upper section, you get a bonus 35 points!
Lower Section
The lower section scores the various dice combos.
3 of a Kind (3 of the same dice)
Your score the face value of all 5 dice:
4 of a Kind (4 of the same dice)
Your score the face value of all 5 dice:
Full House (Any 3 of a kind and a pair)
Worth 25 points, regardless of the face value of the dice.
Small Straight (Any 4 consecutive dice)
Worth 30 points, regardless of the face value of the dice.
Large Straight (Any 5 consecutive dice)
Worth 40 points, regardless of the face value of the dice.
Chance!
Add up the face value of any roll. No combos necessary. CHANCE is a one-off you can use anytime. It’s a catch-all safety net when you can’t score anywhere else and don’t want to enter ZERO. Example: Score = 19
Yardzee!
5 of a kind. 50 Points. Regardless of the face value of the dice.
Yardzee Bonus!
If you roll multiple YARDZEES, you can rack up a seriously high score.
One extra Yardzee = bonus 100 points! Put a tick ☑ in the YARDZEE bonus box. As this is a bonus, you must also fill in another empty box as follows:
- Score the total of the 5 dice in the appropriate upper section box. For example, if you had a bonus YARDZEE of 5’s, fill in the top section ‘fives’.
- If that too is full, use your Chance or fill in any one of the combos with your 5 dice. Score as normal, e.g., Full House is 25 points.
- If you’ve already scored zero in your YARDZEE box, you can’t get a YARDZEE bonus of 100 points. However, you can use the YARDZEE to fill in another box in the sameway as above.
Winning
The player with the highest OVERALL TOTAL at the end of the game of all 13 rounds is the winner. Don’t forget to add your 35-point bonus if you score over 63 points in the upper section.
Top Tips & Tactics
Winning is all about being strategic to get the highest score. Here’s how:
- At the start of each game, you’ll find your roll can be entered into several of the boxes. You must decide which box to fill in on that turn.
- Bear in mind that some combos are easier to roll than others and you will (unless you’re a real dice shark) probably have to enter a zero at some point.
- Balance scoring between the upper and lower sections to maximise your score.
- Leave your CHANCE roll until later in the game when your options are becoming more and more limited.
- The real mastery of the game is not just being a high roller but knowing which box to fill in and when.
INTERESTED IN A GAME?
HOW TO PLAY
Let us settle any disagreements over game rules with our easy-to-understand guides, so you can focus on having fun with friends and family.
How To Play Tumbling Tower
Put your focus to test with the Giant Tumbling Tower! Enjoy this skilled based games with as many players as you would like!
How To Play Backyard Skittles
Backyard Skittles is a fun multiplayer game for the kids and the family! Test your skills with this strategic battle to knock over the pins!
How To Play Kubb
Kubb, also known as Kings & Queens, is a strategic game covering a backyard battlefield. Hone in on the opposition and strike when they least expect it!