Chuck-a-Luck!

By ALLISON HARRELL
Texian Time Machine & Outreach Coordinator

​Chuck-a-Luck is a game that began in English pubs and made its way to America around 1800.  The game has had a number of names through the years, including Birdcage, Sweat and Sweat Rag. (Watch this great video from the Alamo for an explanation on those last two names!)

How to Play

You'll Need:

• 3 Dice
• Dice Cup (any plastic cup that isn’t see-through will work)
• Number Page (one per person)
  
  • DOWNLOAD THE NUMBER PAGE HERE
    
• Candy (Skittles work really well)
  • Give each person, including the dealer, a stash of candy to use for "bets" during the game.

Directions:

The game has two roles:
1. Dealer – He/She is responsible for rolling the dice and paying out/collecting bets
2. Players – They are responsible just for betting

The game is very simple.

1. The Dealer will place the dice in the dice cup, swirl it about and then flip it over onto the table with the dice hidden inside.
2. Every player places a bet on their number page, trying to guess what numbers they think the dice will show. Bets can be placed on any number on the number page and you can bet as many candies as you have available. It's okay if everyone bets on the same number.
3. After all bets have been placed, the dice are revealed. If any player has bet on a number that the dice are showing, they get a payout for their bet (if you bet one candy, you get one candy). If you bet on a number and more than one dice shows that number – you get twice or triple your bet back. (so if you bet two candies, and that number shows up twice – you get four candies from the dealer; if you bet two candies and that number shows up three times, you get six candies from the dealer). Any candy bet onto a number that isn’t shown is taken by the dealer.
4. Variation: You can also play where a new player becomes the dealer at the start of every turn. This makes it more likely for everyone to recoup some of their candy.

The game is over when everyone is out of candy. Have fun!