How to Play the Ten Pins Dice Game
- 1). Decide the order of play. Since throwing first doesn’t necessarily give anyone the advantage, opt for the youngest player or the oldest player to start the game. Otherwise, choose randomly or roll the dice to see who begins. This game requires two or more players, and is best played with four.
- 2). Throw the dice. This is the first of your three rolls for the first frame of Ten Pins.
- 3). Hold back any die you choose (or neither if you so desire), remembering you still have two more throws for this frame. If you’ve thrown two 5’s, it’s considered a strike and you receive 10 points, plus the total of your dice by your last throw for this frame.
- 4). Throw the die (if you’ve held one back) or dice again. If you end up with two 5’s by your second throw, it’s considered a spare and you receive 10 points plus the total of the first roll for the next full frame you will throw. You can now pass the dice to the left. If you do not have two 5’s, hold back any die you chose and continue with your turn.
- 5). Throw the die (if you’ve held one back) or dice a third time. If you end up with two 5’s by this throw, it’s not considered anything and you receive 10 points or whatever points are shown on the dice (from 9 to 2).
- 6). Watch for gutter balls. If one of your dice comes up as a 6 in your throw, it is considered a gutter ball. Nothing can be scored or held back for this throw. If you've held back a die from a prior throw and you then throw a 6 on your third throw, your total points for that frame are only on the one die that didn't go into the "gutter."
- 7). Pass the dice to the player on your left and play continues around the circle.
- 8). Tally the score at the end of 10 frames (or rounds). Highest score wins the game of Ten Pins.
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