Pirates Dice

About the Game

Pirates Dice is a hidden-dice bluffing game where players try to outsmart each other by making claims about the dice hidden beneath everyone's cups. Players raise bids, call bluffs, and try to avoid losing their dice.

Each player starts with five dice. Losing a round costs one die, and losing all your dice eliminates you from the game. The last player remaining wins.

What You Need

• Five Pirates Dice per player.
• One cup per player.
• The original barnacle-style cups when available.
• Regular Solo cups for additional players when the original cups run out.
• A table or flat surface for everyone to play around.

The number of players is limited by the number of dice available, not by a fixed player limit.

Setup

1. Give each player five dice and a cup.
2. Players may use the original game cups or regular Solo cups.
3. Each player rolls their dice inside their cup.
4. Place the cup upside down on the table to conceal the results.
5. Players may look at their own dice without revealing them to anyone else.
6. Choose a starting player to make the first bid.

How to Play

1. Make a Bid

On your turn, announce how many dice showing a particular face you believe are on the table across all players.

For example, you could bid that there are at least four dice showing a 3. Your bid includes everyone's dice, not just your own.

2. Raise the Bid

The next player must either raise the current bid or challenge it. A higher bid claims a greater quantity of a face or a higher face value at the same quantity, following the game's bidding rules.

You can bluff. Your bid does not have to match what you actually see under your cup.

3. Challenge a Bid

If you believe the previous player has made an incorrect bid, challenge them instead of raising it. All players reveal their dice so the claim can be checked.

• If the bid was correct, the challenger loses one die.
• If the bid was incorrect, the player who made the bid loses one die.

4. Skull and Crossbones Wildcard

The 1 face represents the skull and crossbones and acts as a wildcard. It counts toward the face value being bid, helping determine whether a claim is correct.

Apply any special wildcard exceptions specified in the commercial game's rulebook.

5. Start the Next Round

After the losing player gives up one die, all remaining players roll their dice beneath their cups again. Begin the next round with the appropriate starting player according to the game's rules.

Losing Dice and Elimination

Losing a Round

Every time a player loses a round, they lose one die. They keep playing with their remaining dice.

Being Eliminated

When a player loses their last die, they are eliminated from the game. Under the house rules at The Orchard House, eliminated players take a shot.

Eliminated players no longer participate in bids or challenges. The remaining players continue until only one player remains.

Winning the Game

The last player remaining with at least one die wins the game. Pay attention to your own dice, keep track of other players' bidding patterns, and decide when a claim is worth challenging.

House Rules and Game Variations

• There is no fixed player limit. Use as many players as your available dice allow.
• Use the original barnacle-style cups when possible and Solo cups for additional players.
• The 1 face acts as the skull-and-crossbones wildcard.
• Losing a round costs one die.
• Players are eliminated when they lose all their dice.
• Eliminated players take a shot under the house rules.

The game is based on the commercial Pirates Dice set. For specific bidding sequences, ties, and special cases not covered here, refer to the rulebook included with your copy.