How to Play Pig

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

Pig is a two-to-eight player dice game built entirely around one decision: roll again or stop? Each turn a player accumulates a running total on the dice, then chooses the right moment to bank those points before luck turns against them. The rules take thirty seconds to explain, yet the game generates genuine tension every single time the die leaves your hand.

Pig works equally well at a kitchen table, on a long car journey with a travel cup, or as a classroom warm-up activity. Because it needs only a single standard die and a way to keep score, it travels in a pocket and plays anywhere. That combination of near-zero setup and real strategic bite is why it has stayed popular across generations.

A little history

The origins of Pig are unclear. The earliest widely documented reference in print appears in John Scarne's 1945 work on games, where a similar push-your-luck dice mechanic is described, and the name "Pig" became broadly established in recreational mathematics literature during the latter half of the twentieth century when researchers used the game to illustrate probability and optimal stopping theory. Beyond that, a precise inventor and date of invention are not reliably recorded.

Setting up

1. Gather two to eight players around a table or in a circle.
2. Agree on the winning target before play begins; 100 points is standard.
3. Nominate a scorekeeper and prepare a simple column scoresheet, one column per player.
4. Decide who goes first, for example the player who most recently ate breakfast, or roll off with the die: highest roll starts.

How to play

1. The active player picks up the die and rolls it.
2. If the result is 2 through 6, that number is added to the player's running turn total, which is kept mentally or noted separately from the banked score.
3. The player now chooses: roll again to add more to the turn total, or hold to bank the turn total by adding it permanently to their cumulative score.
4. If the player rolls a 1 (called 'Pig'), the entire turn total is lost and no points are banked for that turn. The turn ends immediately and passes to the next player.
5. If the player chooses to hold, the turn total is added to their cumulative score, the turn total resets to zero, and the die passes to the next player.
6. Play continues clockwise. Each player in turn rolls, decides when to hold, and passes the die when done or when they roll a 1.
7. A player's banked cumulative score is never at risk; only the unbanked turn total is lost on a roll of 1.
8. Continue until one player reaches or exceeds the agreed target (100 points by default) at the end of their turn.

Winning and scoring

The first player whose cumulative banked score reaches or exceeds 100 points at the end of their turn wins the game. Reaching 100 mid-turn does not end play immediately: the player must choose to hold in order to bank those points and claim victory. Crucially, all other players must still finish the round if you use the optional "last round" rule (see Fine Points), but in the standard game the first player to bank 100 or more simply wins outright the moment they hold.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns whether to allow remaining players a final turn once someone hits 100. The standard rules give no such right: the first player to bank 100 wins immediately and play stops. However, many groups play a "last round" variant in which every other player gets one more turn to try to beat the winner's score. Agree this rule before play begins; changing it mid-game causes arguments. If two players both reach 100 in a last-round format and finish equal, the tied players each take one more turn until the tie is broken.

A second edge case: what happens if a player forgets to announce they are holding and simply passes the die? Most groups treat the act of passing the die as a declaration of hold, and the turn total at the moment of passing is banked accordingly. It is good practice to say "hold" out loud to avoid ambiguity. There is no penalty for accidentally rolling out of turn; the result is simply ignored and the die returned to the correct player.

How to win more often

• Hold at around 20 to 25 points per turn. Mathematical analysis of optimal Pig strategy consistently points to this range as the best balance between risk and reward against most opponents.
• Adjust your threshold based on the scores. If you are well ahead, bank earlier and let opponents take the risks. If you are behind, staying in longer is justified because playing safe will not close the gap.
• Watch the leader. When an opponent is close to 100, you may need to take extra risk in your turn to overtake them before they get another roll.
• Never hold on a turn total of 1 to 5 unless you have already reached 100. The small gain is rarely worth surrendering your turn.
• Keep the pressure psychological. Holding decisively and quickly signals confidence; prolonged deliberation can unsettle your own rhythm. Make your hold-or-roll rule and stick to it.

Variations

Two-Dice Pig

Each player rolls two dice per turn instead of one. Rolling any 1 on either die ends the turn with no score for that turn. Rolling 1 on both dice simultaneously (double 1) not only wipes the turn total but resets the player's entire cumulative score to zero. All other doubles score double their face value and the player must roll again (they cannot hold after a non-snake-eyes double). The higher stakes make this version considerably more volatile and better suited to players who already know the standard game.

Big Pig (target 200)

Identical to standard Pig in every respect except the winning target is raised to 200 points. The longer game rewards more consistent strategy and reduces the luck swing of a single lucky run, making it a better choice when players want a more substantial session.

Skunk

Skunk is a classroom-friendly version played over exactly five rounds, one per letter of the word SKUNK. All players roll simultaneously each round rather than taking individual turns: the teacher or host rolls a single die for all. Players each decide independently whether to sit (hold and bank) or remain standing (continue accumulating) before each roll. A 1 wipes any unbanked total for that column. The player with the highest combined total across all five columns wins. This format works well with large groups where individual turns would take too long.

Pig with a Wild Die

Add a second die marked with a star on one face (or designate one face of a standard die as wild before play). When the wild face appears, the player may assign that die any value from 1 to 6 of their choosing. This single rule addition introduces a meaningful decision each roll and works well with younger players who find pure luck frustrating, as it gives them a sense of control without breaking the core push-your-luck structure.

Pig: frequently asked questions