National Dyce Day

Roll the dyce on #NationalDyceDay
December 3, 2016
Source: Pixabay

​4 December is National Dice Day all across the world.

Dyce form part of many games we play and there are games that are played with only the dyce, so to celebrate National Dyce Day, choose your favourite and play!

Dyce are typically thrown onto a flat surface, either from a dice cup or the hand. To determine the value of the throw, the value of the numbers on the uppermost face of the dye, after it has landed, is calculated. A popular dyce game is called ‘craps’ – where a bet is placed on the total value of the throw of the dyce. Dyce – which are frequently used in board games – randomise the moves of a player, by determining the distance a piece will move on a board. Popular board games using this method include Monopoly and backgammon.

The origin of dyce is uncertain but they’ve been around for thousands of years. At an archaeological site in South Eastern Iran, called Burnt City, the oldest known dye was excavated. It was believed to have formed part of a 5 000-year-old backgammon game.

Dyce were originally made from the talus (ankle bones) of hoofed animals. Other materials used include wood, ivory and plastic.

To celebrate today, get your friends and family together and enjoy your favourite game using dyce.

Post on social media using #NationalDiceDay.

Large Group Strategies:

Playing Liars Dyce with large groups of 5 or more is great fun especially taking into consideration the increasing potential pot size.  While being financially rewarding it also proves to be very time consuming.  The game can linger forever unless you modify the rules to keep the pace of play somewhat reasonable.
Here are a few popular modifications that work well in speeding the pace of play:

• 2-2-1:  This method works well for groups 8 or larger.  The process is that the loser tosses 2 dyce with their first loss (leaving them with 3), then tossing 2 dyce on their second loss, forcing them into a “wing walker” situation (i.e. a single dye). 

Although this method works extremely well in expediting the speed of play, it really skews your odds of winning (assuming you’re the one who just lost two of your dyce) and puts you at a serious disadvantage in terms of competing with a remaining table of full kup opponents.  Obviously vice versa, it proves very advantageous playing with a full kup against players who are limping along in survival mode after they just lost two of their dyce…so depending on which side of the fence you fall, you either love it or hate it.  It can be a little brutal, but it definitely speeds up the game.

• 2-1-1-1:  This process, very similar to the first example is that you toss 2 dyce on your first loss, but then the game returns to normal play for the remaining 3 dyce. 

So the original penalty is harsh (losing 2 dyce as opposed to 1), but then because the game returns to normal play, you have a far better chance of competing for the remainder of the game.  Although not quite as effective for speeding pace of play as 2-2-1, it is definitely much faster than standard play.  This modification works well for 5-8 players.

• 4 Dyce Start:  A much fairer process in the opinion of some is to simply start with 4 dyce and play normal rules. 

This modification is perhaps the best of both worlds in that it doesn’t benefit any player or put any player at a disadvantage…yet the game will progress much quicker because you start with fewer dyce.  Everyone starts from the same position and no one is unfairly penalized.  Incorporate this modification with 5-8 players and the game will essentially progress at the same pace as a 4-player game with 5 dyce.
                                                                      4 players with 5 dyce:  20 dyce total
                                                                      5 players with 4 dyce:  20 dyce total
                                                                      6 players with 4 dyce:  24 dyce total
                                                                      7 players with 4 dyce:  28 dyce total

• 3 Dyce Start:  With 8 or more players start everyone with 3 dyce and the game will progress quickly and fairly.

                                                                       8 players with 3 dyce:    24 dyce total
                                                                       9 players with 3 dyce:    27 dyce total
                                                                       10 players with 3 dyce:  30 dyce total
                                                                       11 players with 3 dyce:  33 dyce total
 
Obviously the rules don’t require any modifications, regardless of your group size, but pace of play is an important issue in terms of keeping everyone motivated, especially if you’re on the losing end.  The game needs to conclude as quickly as possible so everyone can dive back in and redeem their self in the next game.
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Good luck…shake, rattle and roll!