Pig
A simple push-your-luck game. Roll a die to add to your turn score, but roll a 1 and you lose everything for that turn. First to 100 wins.
What You'll Need
About This Game
A simple push-your-luck game. Roll a die to add to your turn score, but roll a 1 and you lose everything for that turn. First to 100 wins.
How to Play
- On your turn, roll one die
- If you roll 2-6, add it to your turn total
- Choose to roll again or 'hold' and bank your turn total
- If you roll a 1, you 'pig out' and score nothing for the turn
- First player to reach 100 points wins
- Variant 'Big Pig': Two dice, rolling double 1s loses all game points
History & Background
Pig is a simple folk dice game with uncertain origins, though similar games have been played for centuries wherever dice existed. Its straightforward rules - roll and accumulate points, but roll a 1 and lose everything - represent one of the purest push-your-luck mechanics.
The game became a subject of academic interest when mathematician John Scarne analyzed it in the 1940s, demonstrating that optimal strategy exists despite the apparent randomness.
In 1992, mathematicians Todd Neller and Clifton Presser used Pig as a teaching tool for dynamic programming and game theory. Their analysis of "optimal Pig play" has been cited in numerous academic papers.
Pig's simplicity makes it an excellent introduction to probability and risk assessment. It's often taught in schools to illustrate concepts like expected value and the mathematical analysis of games. The game has spawned numerous variants, including Big Pig (using two dice) and Pass the Pigs (using pig-shaped dice).