Zarban

This is a dice game related to craps and hazard. In it, two to four players go around taking the role of “gambler”, pushing their luck to rack up coins.

Setup

Each player gets a marker to indicate they haven’t gone bust yet. Each player rolls 2d6; highest roll becomes the first gambler. The player to his or her left becomes the first banker.

Play

The current gambler rolls 2d6.

On a roll of 7

The gambler wins 1 coin to add to their winnings from the bank. It is not at risk of loss if the gambler goes bust.

On a roll of 2 (snake eyes)

If the gambler has no coins at risk, the roll doesn’t count. He or she continues as gambler.

Otherwise, the gambler goes bust. He or she loses all coins at risk and surrenders his or her marker, if he or she still has it. Play passes to the next player.

On a roll of 3 (acey deucey) or 12 (box cars)

If the gambler has 1 or no coins at risk, the roll doesn’t count. He or she continues as gambler.

Otherwise, the gambler goes bust. He or she loses all coins at risk except 1 and surrenders his or her marker, if he or she still has it. Play passes to the next player.

On a roll of anything else

The gambler gets 1 coin from the bank, but it remains at risk in the center.

Passing

The gambler may stop after any roll and add all the coins at risk to his or her winnings. After a pass or bust, the dice pass to the next player left, who becomes the new gambler, and the player to his or her left becomes the new banker.

Play continues around the table until all players have lost their markers by going bust at least once. The player with the fewest coins gets one last turn as gambler.

Winning

When the final gambler goes bust or decides to stop, add up all the players’ winnings. High score is the winner.

Tips

• When all players have more than 10 coins, take 10 coins back from each to replenish the bank.
• To play with a larger number of players, only play until three players have gone bust.