Cap'n Jack's Guide to Zonk!

"To play is to Win!"


DISCLAIMER:
Zonk! is a dice game of unknown origin. The game has many different versions. This manual is not intended to be the true rules of Zonk!, rather, this is just the way I learned.


ABOUT THE GAME:
Zonk! is played with six standard, six-sided dice (two red, two white, and two green). This version is referred to as "Six-Die" or "Detroit" Zonk!, since that is as far as I can trace it back. There is another version which uses five six-s ided dice, which is called "Five-Die" or "Chicago" Zonk! I learned this method from a friend who discovered the game while attending college near Chicago. The rules to "Chicago-style" will be available soon.


OBJECT:
The object of the game is to score points and acquire Bonuses (B's). There really is no winner, since EVERYONE MUST FINISH THE GAME, but is can be fun to compare statistics at the end of the game. A typical game is 10,000 pts, though any score ca n be substituted in case of time constraints.


SCORING:
Points are accumulated by consecutively rolling (and keeping) scoring dice. If a Zonk! occurs, no points are awarded for that turn. Points are not awarded until the roller chooses to stop rolling. Each time a player's score reaches or passes the next thousand level (1000 pts, 2000 pts, 3000 pts, etc.), a B is awarded. More than one B can be awarded in one turn if two or more levels are crossed, or when other Bonuses are applied.

Three of a kind (in a roll) is scored according to the chart below:

If 1000 pts are rolled in a single throw, a B is awarded. (Two B's are awarded for 2000 pts in a single throw, and so on.)

Any matching dice in addition to the three of a kind (in a roll) are worth 500 pts. For example, if five 1's and a 3 are rolled on the first turn [1-1-1-1-1-3], the score would be 2000 pts. 1000 for the three 1's, 500 each for the two a dditional 1's. The three does not score. If the roller chose to roll the 3, and a 2, 3, 4, or 6 came up, a Zonk! is awarded and no points are earned for that turn.

A Full Straight [1-2-3-4-5-6] in a roll results in 1000 pts. All six dice are rolled (if desired).

Colored Pairs occurs when each die is the same number as the other die of the same color. For example, [Green 2, Green 2, Red 3, Red 3, White 1, White 1] is worth 1200 pts. All normally scoring dice are scored (the 1's = 200). In addit ion, 1000 pts are awarded for Colored Pairs, and all six dice are rolled. Colored Pairs, like the Full Straight, can only occur while rolling six dice. NOTE: If Colored Pairs occurs, and no normally scoring dice are up, it is NOT a Six-Die Zonk! . The roller earns 1000 pts. and may roll all six dice again.

When a player reaches the final score, that player is finished, and receives an extra B for finishing (in addition to any other B's earned in the final turn).


RULES:
The dice must be rolled simultaneously.

Six-Die Zonk!: If no scoring dice are rolled in any turn, a Zonk! is awarded. A six-die Zonk! results in an extra B. (See Game-Rules)

Once a player has accumulated three Zonk!'s and for every third Zonk! thereafter, a B is awarded. The Zonk!'s do NOT need to be scored in three consecutive turns.

Spazzing: If, after (or during) the first roll, any die or dice fall from the playing surface, the turn immediately ends. The roller is awarded a Zonk!.


OPTIONAL:
Game-Rules: If a player rolls a Six-Die Zonk!, he/she may choose to make a game rule. A game-rule cannot change or supercede any other rule (except point values). A game-rule should not be player-specific. All players should be able to b enefit equally from a game-rule. A game-rule stays in effect until the last player finishes the game. NOTE: The first player to six-die Zonk! during the game does not make a game-rule. The first six-die game-rule is the only retroactive rule al lowed in the Zonk!: "A six-die Zonk! results in an extra B."

Permanent-Rules: If a player rolls six of a kind (in a roll), he/she may make a permanent-rule. Permanent-rules are similar to game-rules, but they stay in effect indefinitely. At the beginning of a game, any player who has prev iously earned a permanent-rule must explain the rule(s) to all other players, who then vote on the rule for that game. The "owner" of the rule gets two votes, and a majority is needed to pass.

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