FARKEL RULES - FarkeL is a fast-paced game for parties, family nights, college tournaments, church events, traveling

FARKEL is a high-score dice game in which players roll dice for points. You roll six dice; remove only the dice you want to use for points, re-roll the remaining dice. If you can eventually make all six dice count for score, pick them all up and keep going. If none of the dice you roll can count for score, you lose your turn and any points you made during that turn.

To get scoring dice of every roll, and to be the first player to get more than 10,000 points.

Each player must roll at least 500 points during one turn to get on the scoreboard.

Only ones and fives count by themselves. Other numbers count as three-of-a kind or more but not in pairs.

You don’t have to remove all the dice that count on your roll, only the ones you want to use for score. Continue rolling & removing dice.

Dice can only count for score once. After dice are removed, you cannot add to them for a bigger score (for example, you can’t add a six to three previously rolled sixes to make four-of-a kind).

If you roll no scoring dice, your turn is over and you lose all the points you rolled on that turn. This is called a FARKEL.

You may stop rolling at any time, take your points and pass the dice if you’re afraid of rolling a FARKEL.

When one player reaches 10,000 points, all other players get one more turn to try to beat them.

Partners simply add their scores together under one name, EACH PARTNER MUST ROLL 500 POINTS TO GET IN THE GAME.

When a player quits rolling with several dice remaining, the next player can roll those remaining dice. If they score, they get the same points as the previous player plus the points they just rolled. If they roll no scoring dice, they lose their turn.

Some players find it a challenge to discover new ways of playing FARKEL. For instance, with more than four players, you may want to make 5000 the winning score to speed up the game. When playing high-stakes, a player trying to pick up the previous player’s score may have to put up 1000 points for the opportunity to try. Also, if you roll four-of-a-kind and a pair you can count the combination as 1000 points. Whatever the rules, FARKEL is a fun game for everyone.

Q. Do I have to remove ALL scoring dice after every roll?
A. No. You only have to remove SOME scoring dice after every roll. That could be just a "one", even if you have also rolled a couple of "fives" on that roll.

Q. Can a player come from behind, tie the game-winner and stop with dice left?
A. There are no ties in Pocket Farkel. Players must continue to roll - even if there's only one or two dice left. It's called a game of guts and luck!

Q. Can you add a "six" (for instance) to three previously-rolled sixes, to get four-of-a-kind? Or keep part of a straight to try to complete the straight?
A. Absolutely not. This is not Yahtzee®. In Pocket Farkel, you must get your high-combination scores on just one roll or you don't get them at all.

Q. I rolled four-of-a-kind and a pair. What is my score?
A. 1500 points. Four of a kind would be 1000, but if you're lucky enough to pair up the other two dice, it's actually three pairs even though four dice are identical.

Q. If you make all six dice count for score - in one roll or several rolls - do you have to pick them all up and keep going?
A. No, in a standard game you can stop rolling any time you choose. However, in a High-Stakes™ game you've just left the next player six dice to roll.

Q. Why do some players score three "ones" as 1000 points and not 300 points?
A. The traditional game called "Farkle" was played with just five dice and it was harder to roll three-of-a-kind. Pocket Farkel uses six dice and three of anything is a very common roll; thus, a lower score is counted.

Q. If I roll three "ones", do I have to remove and score all three dice?
A. Each "one " is worth 100 points anyway so we rule that the three "ones" can be separated and you may choose to remove only one or two for scoring and re-roll the rest. You wouldn't separate three "fives" since you've just rolled 500 points.

PLAYING WITH PARTNERS

Q. Do we put everyone's name on our score sheet, using several columns?
A. No. Use first initials such as "M&C" and use only one column per team.

Q. How do we add the scores?
A. After rolling the required game-entry points, the first partner puts their score in their "team" column. When their partner rolls a game-entry score, it is added to the first partner's score. The game continues by adding partners' scores to their previous team total using just one column per team.

Q. When one partner goes out, is the game over?
A. When one partner goes out, every other player at the table gets one more roll and those scores are added in their "team" column. The winning team is the team with the highest total combined score of every member of the team.