Farkel

Compact, simple and fast-moving, this is the type of game you can throw in your purse and play while you're waiting for your food at a restaurant. Subtitled, "The game of guts and luck" the key to Farkel is knowing when to stop! The game includes six dice and a scorepad, packed into a tube. Play goes quickly, with each player rolling the dice and removing "scoring combinations" each roll. Scoring combinations include ones, fives, three of a kind, four of a kind, five of a kind, six of a kind, three pairs, two triplets, or a 1-6 straight. Scoring dice must be removed after every roll, but when the dice are rolled and the player can't use any of the rolled dice for a score, their turn is over and any scores accumulated during their turn are lost. Different scoring combinations are worth anywhere from 50 to 3000 points, and its good mental math practice to tally these every round. The first player to 10,000 points wins. But will you rocket there with a sequence of high-point rolls or creep there steadily by rolling single 1's and 5's? And if you think your family can handle it, try out Spicy Farkel, the next level of Farkel. With double scores, high stakes and a target of 25,000 points, it might get pretty hot! Both Farkel games are packaged in 4½" tall twist-open cylinders with score pads included. Score sheets list the scoring combinations and allow for up to 6 players, with 40 sheets per pad. Please see our website for pocket-sized versions of the game.- Jess