BUNKO Overview Bunko is a social game played with multiples of 4 people. Most commonly, it is played with 12 people. The game is played in rounds. Setup Required: at least 8 players, in multiples of 4. 12 players are recommended. 1 table per 4 people 3 die per table 1 score sheet per person Optional prizes a handbell hole punches for scoring Scoring Basics All three dice are rolled at the same time. Points are accumulated by rolling 6s. Each 6 rolled is worth a single point. The player rolls as long as he/she keeps getting 6s. If you roll all 1s, it is called a "wipeout". (Sometimes called "snake eyes", which is somewhat of a misnomer, since snakes only have two eyes!) A team loses all its points if they roll a wipeout. If you roll all 6s, it is called a "Bunko". You get the 3 points for the three 6s. However, all players scramble to pick up a die after a Bunko. Each die collected is also worth a point. Therefore, if the same team who rolls a Bunko also gets all 3 dice, they get 6 points (3 + 3). The opposing team, if they pick up all 3 dice, can also get 3 points. The point possibility for each team is therefore 6/0, 5/1, 4/2, 3/3. Basic Play This description assumes 12 players. (3 tables) The players sit two teams per table, with partners sitting across from each other. Each player rolls a die to see whom goes first. Play then rotates from player to player clockwise after a player does not roll a 6 (as described above). The tables are "ranked". There is a head table, a bottom table, and a middle table. When your team wins a game, it advances to the next higher table, leaving the losers to stay at the same table. At the head table, the winners remain and the losers go to the bottom table. You change partners after each round, except at the head table. The winning team remains partners. At the other tables, the losers who remain behind decide who will change seats. When the advancing team sit down, they are then no longer partnered (except at the head table). The head table plays until the winning team scores 21 points. When this happens, the head table calls "stop" and play stops at all tables. If there is a tie at a table when play is stopped, play continues normally until the tie is broken. Note that scoring is separate at each table. Winning scores at the non-head tables could be 15 or 50, depending on the rolling. However, a winning score is the higher score and will always be 21 at the head table. At this point, play in this round is complete. Winners mark their wins on their scoring sheets, and losers mark their losses. At the end of the game time, the overall winner is decided by the number of wins and the overall loser is determined by the number of losses. Ties are broken by dice roll. OPTIONAL EXTRAS: 1. Prizes Prizes are a fun addition to Bunko parties. Examples of prize categories are: - Most wins - Most losses - Most Bunkos - Most Wipeouts - Travelling Bunko: This prize goes to the last person to roll a Bunko during game play. In practice, when you roll a Bunko, you immediately go and take prize from the person currently holding it. The next person who gets a Bunko takes it from you. The activity of getting up and down makes the action much more fun. - Travelling Wipeout: like the Travelling Bunko Consolation Prize: anyone who doesn't hold a prize rolls to see who gets a prize. You will note that there are 7 prizes for 12 people, giving pretty good odds. In practice, no one gets 2 prizes. For example, if you have both the most wins and most Bunkos, you can keep one but the other goes to the runner-up. 2. Handbell Some groups play with a loud handbell at the head table. At the end of each game, the winning team rings the bell loudly while whooping and hollering victoriously. 3. Scoresheets Another common extra is a xeroxed score sheet. They normally have a place to mark wins, losses, Bunkos, and Wipeouts. Hole punches are often used in lieu of pens or pencils. "Clickers" are sometimes used to keep track of a team's score during the game. 4. Bunko Circles Some groups play in a social circle. With 12 players, each might host the game(s) for one month of the year. The host player might be held responsible for any of the following: - Providing a place to play (with tables). - Dinner / snacks / beverages. - Providing prizes. - Finding substitutes.