How to Play Chicago

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Chicago is a straightforward dice game for two to eight players built around eleven rounds, each dedicated to one possible two-dice total from 2 to 12. Every player rolls in each round, scoring the target number as points if they hit it, and nothing if they miss. The rules take two minutes to explain, the scoring is self-evident, and a full game fits comfortably inside half an hour.

Its appeal is the gentle tension between rounds worth only 2 points and the final round worth 12, which means a player who has been trailing can still win on the last roll. It travels well, needs nothing beyond two dice and a score sheet, and works equally well at a kitchen table, a campsite, or a pub night.

A little history

The precise origins of Chicago are unclear. Dice games structured around cumulative target-number rounds appear in informal play across Europe and North America throughout the twentieth century, and Chicago is widely documented in collections of family and parlour dice games from at least the mid-twentieth century onwards. Why the game carries the name Chicago is not recorded in any reliably sourced reference.

Setting up

1. Gather two to eight players around a flat surface.
2. Give each player a row on a shared score sheet, or their own slip of paper, with columns numbered 2 through 12.
3. Place the two dice in the centre of the table.
4. Decide who takes the first turn, for example the player who most recently rolled a six, or simply the eldest player.

How to play

1. Round 1 targets the number 2. Round 2 targets 3, Round 3 targets 4, and so on up to Round 11, which targets 12.
2. On each round, announce the target number clearly before any rolling begins.
3. Starting with the first player and moving clockwise, each player picks up both dice and rolls them once.
4. If the total shown on the two dice equals that round's target number, the player scores points equal to that target number. If the total does not match, the player scores zero for that round.
5. Record each player's score for the round on the score sheet before moving to the next player.
6. Once every player has rolled in that round, the round ends and play moves on to the next target number.
7. Continue through all eleven rounds in order without skipping or repeating any target number.
8. After Round 11 (target 12) is complete, each player totals their scores across all eleven rounds.
9. The player with the highest total wins.

Winning and scoring

The maximum possible score is 2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12, which equals 77 points if a player hits the target in every single round. In practice most players will miss several rounds, so final scores commonly fall between 10 and 40. Ties are broken by a single sudden-death roll-off: both tied players roll two dice simultaneously and the higher total wins. If they tie again, keep rolling until the tie is broken.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a player may re-roll if a die falls off the table or lands cocked against an object. The standard ruling is that any roll where at least one die leaves the playing surface, or where a die is visibly resting against something and its face is ambiguous, is a foul roll and must be taken again. A die landing perfectly flat but off the table counts as foul; a die that rolls off the table and clearly shows a face does not count.

A second point that occasionally causes confusion is whether players must roll both dice. The answer is yes: both dice must be thrown on every turn. Rolling only one die, whether accidentally or deliberately, is a foul roll and must be retaken. Players should also note that there is no benefit to rolling more than once per turn; each player has exactly one roll per round, and attempting a second roll on the same turn forfeits that roll and scores zero for that round.

How to win more often

• Focus your attention on rounds 10, 11 and 12, which are worth the most points. Missing those three rounds alone costs you up to 33 points, far more damaging than missing any three early rounds.
• Do not be disheartened by misses in the early low-value rounds. Round 2 (target 2) can only ever score 2 points, so a miss there costs you very little relative to later rounds.
• Remember that rolling a 7 is statistically the most likely outcome with two dice (six ways out of 36). Round 7 therefore offers the best single chance of scoring. Rounds 2 and 12 are the hardest to hit (one way each out of 36).
• Keep a running total as you go so you know exactly how many points you need from the remaining rounds. This stops you being surprised at the end and keeps pressure on other players who may not be tracking.
• In a large group, pay attention to other players' scores as they are recorded. If an opponent already hit round 12 for 12 points and you missed it, you know the gap you need to close and can gauge whether catching up is realistic.

Variations

Team Chicago

Players split into two equal teams. Each player still rolls individually, but scores are pooled within the team. At the end of eleven rounds, the team with the higher combined total wins. This works well with six or eight players and adds a cooperative element without changing any of the core rolling rules.

Reverse Chicago

The round order is reversed, starting with the target of 12 in Round 1 and counting down to 2 in Round 11. This makes the hardest-to-hit target come first and the easiest last, changing the tension curve of the game considerably. All other rules remain identical.

Three-Dice Chicago

Players roll three dice instead of two. The target range expands to cover 3 through 18 across sixteen rounds. A player scores the target number as points if all three dice sum to that round's target. This version takes noticeably longer and the high-end rounds become extremely difficult to hit, so it suits players who want a more extended and challenging game.

Elimination Chicago

Any player who fails to score at all across any four consecutive rounds is eliminated from the game. The last player remaining, or the player with the highest score if only one round remains, wins. This variant suits larger groups where some players prefer a sharper consequence for a run of bad luck.

Chicago: frequently asked questions