Your entire turn in three letters — commit this to memory.
Every single turn follows this loop. Roll your dice, Set aside at least one scorer, then Decide: stop and bank your points safely, or roll again — risking everything you've built this turn.
This is the heart of Greed: every time you choose "continue" at the D step, you're betting all unbanked points on the next roll. The tension ratchets up as your dice dwindle — and if you Farkle, the whole turn's haul evaporates. But banking too early means watching opponents pile up monster turns. That push-and-pull is the game.
Hot Dice flips the script: if you manage to score with all six dice across your rolls, you're forced to pick them all back up and roll again. It's thrilling — and terrifying, because now you're risking an even bigger pile of points with a fresh set of six.
Before you can start accumulating score, there's a gate to clear.
Many groups require your first banking turn to total at least 500 points. Until you hit that threshold in a single turn, any points you score are thrown away. This means your early turns are naturally more aggressive — you have to push your luck to break in. Once you're on the board, you can bank freely at any amount.
The entry rule transforms opening strategy. While veteran players with established scores can comfortably bank 200-point turns, newcomers to the scoresheet must keep rolling until they accumulate 500+. This often means riding 3 or even 2 dice — exactly the danger zone — just to get started. It's a shared rite of passage: everyone sweats the entry turn.
What's worth points? Here's every combination at a glance.
A single die can only count toward one combination per roll. A 5 used in a three-of-a-kind can't also score as a single 5.
When you roll the same full-hand type on consecutive Hot Dice rolls, each repeat scores double the previous. Straights and Doubles (three pairs) each have their own streak — and the points escalate fast.
Example: Three consecutive straights
Example: Two consecutive Doubles (three pairs)
Since straights and three pairs use all six dice, each one triggers Hot Dice — which is exactly how streaks become possible. You score the full hand, pick up all six, and if lightning strikes twice (or thrice), the doubling kicks in. Rare, legendary, and potentially game-ending in a single turn.
Walk through a realistic turn step by step. Follow the R→S→D loop.
The "D" in R→S→D is where the game lives. How risky is that next roll?
The rule of thumb: 4+ dice? Usually safe to push. 3 dice? Weigh your banked points. 1–2 dice? Bank unless you're desperate.
How the endgame triggers — and the rule that catches people off guard.
The first player to reach 10,000 points triggers the final round — but doesn't automatically win. Every other player gets one last turn to try to exceed the leader's score. Ties don't count: you must beat the leader outright.
This is why Greed stays tense to the very end. A massive final-round push — fueled by desperation and Hot Dice — can steal a win from the leader. Conversely, stopping at exactly 10,000 can leave you vulnerable.
Strategic patterns that separate lucky rollers from Greed veterans. Tap to expand.
Bank any turn worth 300+ points. Slow and steady wins races.
When you've set aside 4–5 dice, always push for the sixth.
Don't keep every scorer — sometimes keep fewer to roll more dice.
Trailing in the last round? Push every roll — you have nothing to lose.
If you're close to 10,000, stop just below to deny others the final round.
Questions for your post-game review — the fastest way to improve.
After your first game, reflect on these using the R→S→D framework:
R — Roll: Did you get Hot Dice? How did that change the turn's stakes?
S — Set Aside: Were there moments you kept too many dice? Too few? Did the Selective Set-Aside gambit occur to you?
D — Decide: What was your banking threshold? Did it shift as scores changed? Did you adjust in the final round?
Great Greed players don't just get lucky — they know when 300 banked points beats the dream of 2,000 that vanish in a Farkle.