Ten Thousand

Ten Thousand is a dice game about nerve. You roll six dice and decide how much to keep, how much to risk, and when to stop and bank your points. The first player to bank 10,000 points ends the game, but everyone else gets one last turn to catch up.

How to play

You play against one, two or three computer players. You choose how many when you start a game.

On your turn, roll all six dice. Tap the dice that score to choose them and set them aside. Every die you set aside must count towards your points. Then you have a choice: roll the dice that are left to score more, or bank, which adds the points you have collected this turn to your total.

If a roll has no scoring dice at all, you lose everything you collected this turn and the turn passes. If all six dice have scored, you roll all six again and keep what you have. This is called hot dice.

The scoring:

• Each 1 is worth 100, and each 5 is worth 50.
• Three of a kind is worth the number times 100, so three 4s are 400. Three 1s are worth 1,000.
• Each extra die of the same number doubles the score. Four 1s are worth 2,000.
• A straight from 1 to 6 is worth 1,500.
• Three different pairs are worth 1,000.

Before your first bank, you need at least 500 points from one single turn. After that, you can bank any amount.

When someone banks 10,000 or more, the other players each take one last turn. The highest total wins.

The levels

The dice are the same on every level. What changes is how the computer players bank.

• Easy: the computers bank as soon as they have 300 points.
• Medium: they keep rolling while they still have many dice, and bank with a fair pile.
• Hard: they keep as many dice as they can when that helps, and bank at good moments.
• Expert: they work out the best chance for every roll and every bank.

Today's game

Each day there is a Medium game against three computer players. The roll sequence comes from a seed, so the dice are the same for everyone that day.

Tips

1. Rolling one die is a gamble. Only a 1 or a 5 scores, so two rolls in three will lose everything.
2. With only two dice left, a roll with nothing that scores still comes up more than four times in ten. If you already have a solid total, bank.
3. With four or five dice left, rolling is usually worth it. The more dice you hold, the more likely something scores.
4. You do not always have to keep every scoring die. Setting aside only a single 1 and rolling five dice can be better than keeping two scoring dice and rolling four.
5. A round number to remember is 300. Once you have that many points and few dice, it is usually time to bank.
6. Watch the scores. If a computer player is close to 10,000, you will need to take more risks on your last turn.
7. Use the Hint button when you are unsure. It shows a good choice for the dice in front of you.

Questions

Why did I lose all my points? The roll had no scoring dice. When that happens, you lose what you collected this turn, not your banked total.

Why can I not bank yet? Until you are on the board, a single turn must reach 500 points before you can bank.

What are hot dice? When all six dice score, you roll all six again and keep the points collected so far.

Can I choose how many opponents? Yes. You can play against one, two or three computer players.