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Zilch
1972
Rules assistance for Zilch
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–12 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.2/5
Rules assistant for Zilch
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Zilch is a board game released in 1972 for 2–12 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
This is a fairly simple dice game from which Farkle owes its heritage or other games in the Traditional Dice Games: Dice 10,000 games family. Each turn players start with 6 dice and roll them all. Each time a roll is made one or more scoring dice must be removed and the player can chose to stop with the total score they have accumulated or roll on. If no score is made on a roll, the player zilches and all the accumulated score for that turn (not from previous turns)is lost (like Can't Stop). If all the dice are used for scoring then the turn continues with all 6 dice again. Scores are 5=50 1=100 3 of a kind = kind X 100 On a 6 dice roll: 1,2,3,4,5,6 = 1500 and 3 pairs = 1000 (though six 6s can be 1200 from two triples of 600) To win a player knocks instead of rolling on their turn and each other player has one turn to pass the leaders score. Also there is an optional rule for the start: A score of less than 500 can not be kept until you are on the board and if a player Zilches on their first three turns they go negative whatever score they had before the final roll of their third turn and can subsequently stop at any score. The game is suspenseful as players roll diminishing numbers of dice against increasing odds. It can have longish down time unless you decide to have several players having their turns at the same time with different sets of dice. (faster but less suspenseful).
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- Holdson
- (Public Domain)
- Twinson Company
- S.E. Products Corporation
Questions and answers
Zilch supports 2–12 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Zilch is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Zilch for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Zilch has a complexity rating of 1.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Zilch belongs to these categories: Dice. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck and Dice Rolling. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Zilch as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.