Beat That Dice Game: Rules, Place Value and Odds
Beat That is a quick dice game for the classroom or the kitchen table. You roll some dice, put the numbers in order to make the biggest number you can, and then challenge the next player to “beat that!” It turns place value into a game: a roll of 3 and 5 can be 35 or 53, and only the right order wins. It needs only dice and paper, which makes it one of the most useful easy dice games for teaching.
What you need
- Two or three standard six-sided dice per group, or the dice roller on a shared screen.
- Two or more players.
- Paper and a pencil to write down each number.
How to play
- Pick who starts. Everyone rolls one die and the highest roll goes first. Roll again to break a tie.
- Roll. The first player rolls two dice.
- Make a number. They arrange the two digits to make the biggest number possible. A roll of 2 and 6 makes 62, not 26. They write it down.
- Beat that! The next player rolls and tries to make a bigger number.
- Score. When everyone has rolled, the player with the biggest number wins the round and scores one point. Tied players share the point.
- Play on. Play several rounds. The first player to five points wins.
Once players are confident, move to three dice, which make three-digit numbers such as 641. The rule is always the same: put the biggest digit in the biggest place.
Chance of each top digit
The first digit of your number is the highest die you rolled, so it decides most rounds. In the table, “Top digit” is the highest number on your dice, and the other two columns show the chance of that being your top digit when you roll two dice or three dice.
| Top digit | 2 dice | 3 dice |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 30.6% | 42.1% |
| 5 | 25.0% | 28.2% |
| 4 | 19.4% | 17.1% |
| 3 | 13.9% | 8.8% |
| 2 | 8.3% | 3.2% |
| 1 | 2.8% | 0.5% |
With two dice, almost one roll in three has a 6 at the front, and the average number is about 47. With three dice, a 6 leads more than 4 times in 10. The best possible scores are 66 and 666, which come up 1 time in 36 and 1 time in 216. Two players make the same number about 5% of the time with two dice and about 2% with three. These numbers are exact for fair dice; the percentages are rounded. For more on how dice totals work, see our guide to dice probability.
Teaching ideas
- Place value: ask players to read their number aloud as tens and ones, for example “six tens and two ones”.
- Comparing numbers: use the signs < and > to write each round, such as 62 > 53.
- Differences: work out how much the winner won by.
- Probability: before playing, ask which top digit will come up most often, then check the guess against the table.
Tips for teachers
- Have players say their number before they write it, so mistakes in order are spotted quickly.
- Use the dice roller on a projector for whole-class rounds, so everyone sees the same roll.
- Pair stronger and newer players so they can check each other’s numbers.
- Keep rounds short and switch to three dice when most of the class finds two dice easy.
Variations
- Smallest wins: make the smallest number you can instead, such as 26 instead of 62.
- Four dice: make four-digit numbers to practise thousands.
- Add them up: keep a running total of your numbers across five rounds; the biggest total wins.
- Decimal version: put a decimal point after the first digit, so 6 and 2 make 6.2.
If your group likes quick dice games, try Chicago, where each round has a target total, or Going to Boston, where you keep the highest die each roll.
FAQ
How do you play Beat That with dice?
Roll two dice and arrange the digits to make the biggest number, such as 62 from a 2 and a 6. The next player tries to make a bigger number. The biggest number wins the round.
What does Beat That teach?
Place value and comparing numbers. Players learn that the biggest digit belongs in the biggest place.
What is the best roll in Beat That?
With two dice, 66, which happens 1 time in 36. With three dice, 666, which happens 1 time in 216.
How many dice do you need for Beat That?
Two dice to start, then three or four as players get more confident. An online dice roller works too.
Is Beat That a game of skill?
Mostly luck. The only skill is ordering the digits correctly, which is what makes it good practice for place value.