In casual boardgaming, rolling dice is a familiar sound. But arguments break out once they hit tray: “He has to count those as pairs,” someone says. “I see a straight.” Suddenly the game becomes an argument. This disconnect between feel of a good roll and the mathematics of a good score are at the heart … Read more

Generala players cringe at the sound of dice tumbling in a cup. It’s the difference between possibility and an irreversible choice: You get three rolls, ten or eleven slots to play with, and a hand to cobble together. A spectacular throw might force you to choose between two high-value options, while a modest roll might … Read more

When you are down to your last three rolls and have nowhere left to put them. That’s when the panic sets in. You look at your score card, stare at a matrix of blank squares, and feel restricted. Needing straights, rolling twos and fours. You need fives, but the dice won’t give them to you. … Read more

The way the dealer holds those sixteen cards make you nervous, as if you’re wondering if they can actualy honor the deal. The math is clear enough on paper; it’s just too hard to keep up with the tricks once the game starts. That’s where your trusty calculator comes in. It is your trusted friend … Read more

Whist is a game of changing allies and high stakes, whether you’re playing with a partner or going solo. Once the cards leave your hand, the score system holds you responsible. You may feel like you bid well by taking as many tricks as possible, but the score sheet might show something different once partner … Read more

Multi-decked card games heighten the table tension. Not only do you need to keep track of what’s in your hand, but you’ve got to account for three piles of cards and know whose is whose. Scoring becomes part of the game, not the afterthought it has been. It’s about the math. One wrong tally erases … Read more

Deceptively simple, that’s what people say about Whist. A group of four people sit around a table, take turns playing cards, and try to win tricks. But any player who’s fought over a score sheet will tell you it isn’t simple. It is an illusion. Because then someone forgot which odd number they bid (three … Read more