The dice notebook
Dice Games with Two Dice: Three Simple Games to Try
Two dice can support a quick number challenge or a full game with a board and scoring. Shut the Box adds numbered tiles; Going to Boston uses three rolls; a simple highest-total contest needs only dice and a way to record points. Agree on the rules before you begin, because house rules vary.
1. Shut the Box
You need two dice and numbered tiles or a sheet showing the numbers. On each turn, roll and close one or more open numbers whose sum equals the dice total. Continue until no legal combination remains. Add the numbers still open for your score; lower is better.
For a roll of 7, if all tiles are open, you could close 7, 1 and 6, 2 and 5, 3 and 4, or 1, 2 and 4. A closed tile cannot be used again in the same round. Read the full rules for the site's one-die switch and scoring examples. You can also play Shut the Box online.
2. Going to Boston with two dice
Agree on a two-dice variation before starting. Each player rolls both dice, sets aside the higher die, then rolls the remaining die once. Add the two kept values. After everyone takes a turn, the highest total wins the round; agree whether a tie shares the win or triggers a reroll.
Example: roll 2 and 5, keep 5, then roll the other die and get 4. The total is 9. This is an explicitly defined two-dice variation; versions using more dice or different scoring also exist.
3. Highest total
Each player rolls both dice once and adds the values. The highest total wins the round. Play an agreed number of rounds and count round wins, or add all totals for a cumulative score. Decide how to handle ties before the first roll.
Example: a 3 and a 5 total 8; a 2 and a 6 also total 8. Under a shared-win rule both players receive a round win. Under a reroll rule they roll again.
Choose the game for your group
| Game | Extra materials | Main decision | | --- | --- | --- | | Shut the Box | Numbered board or paper | Which legal combination to close | | Going to Boston variation | Score sheet optional | Keep the higher first die | | Highest total | Score sheet optional | Agree on ties and match scoring |
The online game on this site is Shut the Box. The other examples are tabletop activities and are not described as online modes. For more on comparing possible Shut the Box moves, read the strategy guide.
Rules scope: The Little Dice Club rules. Sources and calculation methods. Probability examples are not overall game win rates.