The High Low Dice Game is a mix of luck and strategy, and it’s great for parties. In this game, you try to score points (or coins) by correctly guessing whether your next roll is higher or lower than the reference number.
You can play it as a normal game or turn it into a dice-drinking game. You can even add stakes to make it more thrilling. We’ll explain the different ways to play so you can pick your favorite.
First, we’ll go over the basic game and some variations. Then, we’ll talk about the drinking game rules.
Number of Players: 2+
Equipment: 2 six-sided dice, pen and paper
Duration: 5-10 minutes
Area: indoor
Tabletop: yes
Drinking: both
Traditional High Low Dice Game
Here’s how to play:
- Everyone rolls one die to see who goes first. The highest roll starts.
- Roll both dice to set a reference number.
- The first player guesses if their next roll will be higher or lower than this number.
- They roll the dice again. Two things can happen:
- Guess right: Get a point. Rolls equal to the reference count as correct.
- Guess wrong: Lose a point.
- Pass the dice. The next player guesses if their roll will be higher or lower than the last roll.
- The first to 15 points wins!
You can change the winning point total if you want, although we suggest to start with 15 points and see how it goes.
Additional Rules for More Fun
Alternatively, it can be fun to introduce some extra elements to make it even more fun. Here are some fun twists to the High Low Dice Game:
Winner’s Privileges
The winner can make someone serve drinks or do a task.
High Low Bets
You can play with stakes instead of points. Each player starts with a predetermined amount in their hands and adds some to a central prize pool.
- Every time a player guesses correctly, they can take a coin from the pool.
- If their guess is wrong, they add a coin to the pool.
Survivor Style
Instead of counting points, players start with a set of lives. For each incorrect guess, a player loses a life or token without gaining anything at a successful guess. The last player remaining wins the game.
Double or Nothing
In this variation, players can choose to gain two points for a correct guess. However, if the guess is wrong, they lose all points. This adds an extra element of weighing risk versus reward.
High Low Dice Drinking Game
This high low dice game variation is perfect for parties or evenings with friends that involve the consumption of beer. It is very similar to the traditional game, but with some extra rules.
For this game, you do not necessarily need a pen and paper, unless you want to include rules for the winner such as ‘everyone except the winner drinks’. The basic game only requires everyone to have a drink, aside from the two dice.
The drinking rules are as follows:
- When a player guesses right, then that player chooses someone else to take a sip.
- If the outcome is doubles, then everyone must drink.
- If the outcome is a double 6, then one person must finish their drink.
This version can go on as long as you like, although you could still play with points and let it end when one person gets ten points. In this case, you can add the rule that everyone but the winner must chug their drink.
Other Fun Dice Games
The high low game can keep you entertained for quite a while! Whether it’s the normal version or the drinking version, its versatility makes it suitable for any occasion.
If you choose to do the drinking version, then keep in mind to know your limits and never drink more than you can handle. Also, keep an eye out for others and give them sensible advice when you see them going downhill.
If you really like this game, you should definitely check out these fun games with dice:
