Dice Fencing Game: Rules, Touches and Odds
Dice fencing is a quick duel for two players. Each fencer has a die of their own colour, and every roll is one exchange on the piste: a touch, a parry or a double hit when both blades land at once. The first fencer to 15 touches wins the bout, just like a knockout bout in a real tournament. You need two dice and a pencil, and a bout takes about ten minutes. Below are the rules and the exact odds.
What you need
- Two six-sided dice in different colours, such as one red and one white. With a dice roller set to two dice, the left die belongs to one fencer and the right die to the other.
- A score sheet with a column for each fencer.
- A coin flip to decide who takes which end of the piste and which die.
Who goes where?
Toss a coin flip. The winner chooses an end of the table and a die colour. In this game both fencers roll together, so the choice does not change the odds. It just settles the question quickly and fairly, as a coin toss often does in real sport.
How to play
- Both fencers say “En garde!” and one of them rolls both dice. Each fencer reads their own die.
- Compare the two dice with the chart below. A touch gives 1 point, a parry gives nothing, and a double hit gives 1 point to each fencer.
- Match point: when either fencer has 14 touches, a double hit does not count and the exchange is fenced again.
- Winning: the first fencer to 15 touches wins the bout. Because double hits do not count at 14, a bout can never end in a draw.
- Shake hands, or salute with your pencil, at the end of the bout.
Real fencing has three weapons: foil, épée and sabre. Double hits come from épée, where both fencers can score at the same moment. In foil and sabre a rule called right of way decides who gets the point. Knockout bouts usually go to 15 touches and pool bouts to 5, with time limits as well, so this is a simple home version, not an official game.
The dice chart and the chance of each exchange
In the table, “The two dice” is how your die compares with the other fencer’s die, “What happens” is the result of the exchange, and “Chance” is the exact probability out of the 36 ways two dice can land.
| The two dice | What happens | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Your die is 2 or more higher | Touch: you score 1 | 10 in 36 |
| The other die is 2 or more higher | Touch for the other fencer | 10 in 36 |
| The dice are 1 apart | Parry: the attack is blocked, no touch | 10 in 36 |
| Both dice show the same number | Double hit: both fencers score 1 | 6 in 36 |
A touch for one fencer or the other comes on 20 rolls in 36, a parry on 10 and a double hit on 6. Because the two dice are equal partners, neither fencer has an edge: each wins exactly half of all bouts. If you want to see why two dice land the way they do, read our guide to dice probability.
How close is a bout?
In the next table, “Final score” is the score when the bout ends, and “Chance” is the exact probability rounded to whole percent. The loser’s score is often high, because a double hit gives a point to both fencers.
| Final score | Chance |
|---|---|
| 15 to 14 | about 22% |
| 15 to 13 | about 18% |
| 15 to 12 | about 16% |
| 15 to 11 | about 14% |
| 15 to 10 | about 11% |
| 15 to 9 or wider | about 19% |
The most likely ending is a thriller at 15 to 14, which happens in about one bout in five. A bout lasts about 31 rolls on average and has about 4.6 double hits. These numbers are worked out exactly from the rules, not simulated.
Tips
- Call out each exchange like a referee: “Touch left!”, “Parry!” or “Double!”.
- For a shorter bout, fence to 5 touches, as in a real pool round.
- With more players, draw the bouts with a random name picker and run a small knockout tournament.
- Keep the score with tally marks so everyone can see how close the bout is.
Classroom ideas
- Subtraction: pupils work out the difference between the two dice on every roll.
- Probability: list all 36 pairs of dice and count how many are 1 apart. Why are there 10?
- Data: record the final scores of a class tournament and compare them with the table above.
- History and languages: talk about why fencing uses French words like “en garde”, “touché” and “piste”.
Variations
- Riposte: after a parry, the fencer whose die was higher rolls one die. On a 5 or 6 they score a touch.
- Right of way: no double hits. When the dice are equal, the fencer who scored the last touch gets the point.
- Team relay: teams of three fence in turn, and the team score carries on until one team reaches 45.
- Time limit: fence for 20 rolls. If nobody has reached 15, the higher score wins.
If you like duels with dice, step into the ring with dice boxing next, or take aim in dice archery.
For a duel on the mat instead of the piste, try the dice wrestling game, with takedowns, escapes and pins.
FAQ
How do you play fencing with dice?
Each fencer has a die of their own colour. Roll both: if one die is 2 or more higher, that fencer scores a touch. Dice 1 apart are a parry, and equal dice are a double hit, a point for each.
How many touches win a bout?
15, as in a real knockout bout. For a short game, fence to 5.
Can a dice fencing bout end in a draw?
No. A double hit does not count when either fencer has 14 touches, so one fencer always reaches 15 first.
Is the game fair?
Yes. Both fencers have exactly the same chances, so each wins half of all bouts.
How long does a bout take?
About 31 rolls on average, or roughly ten minutes.
What is a double hit?
Both fencers touch at the same moment. In real épée both score, and in this game equal dice give both fencers 1 touch.