QUALIFY
[source: Skip Frey, "How to Win at Dice Games"]

This is an exciting gambling game that can provide
hours of stimulating entertainment for a group of any
size.

According to Culbertson's Hoyle, "Qualify" is a
game in which the Banker does not enjoy an
advantage over the players. If this is so, "Qualify"' is
the only Counter Game we've come across to offer
such an even break.

Playing Time - A player's turn takes only a minute or
two, A round of play by four players takes about 5
minutes.

Number of Players - Any number can play in a social
game.

Number of Dice - Five.

Equipment - A dice cup; chips or coins for betting.

Object of Game - To accumulate 25 or more points
in five casts of the dice.Only the highest die of each
cast counts in the scoring.

To Start - A Banker may be chosen by lot, or each
player may roll the dice with the highest roller
becoming the Banker.

Each player places a bet. with the Banker.The
Banker then covers all bets. A House limit on the size
of a player's wager may be enforced.

The Play - The player to the left of the Banker goes
first and play proceeds clockwise.

The first player throws all five dice for his first
cast. He sets aside the highest of these dice. He then
throws the four remaining dice for his second cast. He
then sets aside the highest die from his second cast.
He now throws the three remaining dice for his third
cast.

This process continues, with the player setting
aside the highest die from each cast, until he has
thrown the last remaining die for his fifth and final
cast of the frame.

At this point, the player totals his score by adding
together the values of the five dice as they lie after his
five casts.

If the sum of the five dice is less than 2 5, the
player loses his bet to the Banker. If the sum of the
five dice is 25 or more, the player qualifies for a
payoff from the Banker.

He must then cast the five dice once again to
determine the amount of his payoff. (This roll is
called the Payoff Roll.)

The amount of the payoff is determined by the
number of times the player's Pay Number appears in
his Payoff Roll. The player's Pay Number is deter-
mined as follows:


         If the Player's Total          Then His Pay
          for Five Casts Is:             Number Is:
                  25                          1
                  26                          2
                  27                          3
                  28                          4
                  29                          5
                  30 or more                  6

The player collects from the Banker an amount
equal to his original bet for each die that shows his
Pay Number.

Examples:

1. A player who scores 25 in his first five casts
   has a 1 for his Pay Number.If his Payoff Roll
   produces two l's, the player collects at 2-to-1, or
   twice his bet from the Banker.

2. A player who scores 28 in his first five casts
   has a Pay Number of 4. If his Payoff Roll produces
   three 4's, this lucky player collects a 12-to-1 payoff
   from the Banker.

A player whose Payoff Roll does not produce his
Pay Number loses his stake to the Banker.

After the first player has finished his turn, the
second player takes his turn against the Banker. When
all players have had a turn, the man to the Banker's
left becomes the new Banker. Each player in turn
should have an opportunity to act as Banker for a
round of play by his opponents.

Remarks - "Qualify" proves to be an exciting game
because the fifth cast is almost always the deciding
factor as to whether or not a player will total 25
points for his five casts.

A player requires a perfect score (four 6's) after
four casts to be sure of qualifying for a Payoff Roll
whatever the outcome of his fifth and final cast of
the frame.

Only if a player is unable to set aside a count of at
least 19 from his first four casts does he have no
chance of qualifying with the final die.

The single cast of the five dice in the Payoff Roll is
also fraught with suspense. A lucky throw may bring
a big payoff, while an unlucky throw might cost the
player his wager despite his high total in the first five
casts.

VARIANT "Par" is a variant of "Qualify," played
without a Banker.The player shooting the dice pays
or collects an equal amount from each of the other
players.

To start a round, the player with the dice
announces his bet. Play then proceeds exactly as in
"Qualify."

If the player fails to reach 24 points in his five
casts, he must pay an amount equal to his original bet
to eacb player for eacb point by which he falls short
of 24 (not 25). For example: A player betting $1
who scores 21 points on his five casts must pay $3 to
each player, for he is 3 points shy of 24 points. If he
had bet $2, he would pay $6 to each player.

If a player scores exactly 24 points for his five
casts, he neither wins nor loses. His stake is returned
to him, and the dice pass to the next player.

If the player scores 25 or more points on his five
casts, he then takes his Payoff Roll and collects on
each die showing his Pay Number, as in "Qualify."
But he collects this amount from each of the other
players. For example: A $1 bettor scores 26 points in
his five casts. He therefore has a Pay Number of 2. In
his Payoff Roll, he casts two 2's. This player collects
$4 from each of the other players.

If the player does not produce a Pay Number in his
Payoff Roll, he must pay each player an amount
equal to his original bet.