Dice Snooker Game: Rules, Breaks and Odds
Dice snooker brings the green baize to any table. Two players take turns at the table, potting a red and then a colour, again and again, until all 15 reds are gone and the colours are cleared in order. Every shot is a roll of the dice, so a visit can end on the first shot or turn into a big break. You need two dice, a pencil and a score sheet, and a frame takes about twenty minutes. Below are the rules and the exact odds.
What you need
- Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller set to two dice.
- A score sheet with a column for each player, and a row of 15 boxes to tick off the reds.
- A coin flip to decide who breaks.
Who breaks?
Toss a coin flip. The winner breaks, which means they take the first visit to the table. In this game breaking is a small advantage, as the odds below show, so in a match of several frames the players take turns to break.
How to play
- A visit is a run of shots by one player. It goes on until the player misses or fouls. The points scored in one visit are called a break.
- Reds: while reds are left, roll both dice to pot a red, using the first chart below. A potted red is worth 1 point. Tick it off.
- Colours: after each potted red, roll one die for a colour, using the second chart. The colour scores its points and goes back on the table. Then try for the next red.
- Clearing the colours: when all reds are gone, pot the colours in order: yellow 2, green 3, brown 4, blue 5, pink 6 and black 7. Each one needs a roll of 7 or more with two dice, and a 2 or 3 is a foul.
- The frame ends when the black is potted. The higher score wins. If the scores are level, both players roll two dice and the higher total wins.
Real snooker uses the same 15 reds, the same colour values, the same order for clearing the colours and a foul worth at least 4 points. Its history is usually traced to British army officers in India in the 1870s. Safety play, snookers and the positions of the balls cannot be copied with dice, so this is a simple home version, not an official game.
The red chart and the chance of each shot
In the first table, “Roll” is the total of two dice, “What happens” is the result of the shot, and “Chance” is the exact probability out of the 36 ways two dice can land. The same chart is used for the colours at the end, with a roll of 7 or more to pot.
| Roll | What happens | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or 3 | Foul: the other player gets 4 points and plays next | 3 in 36 |
| 4, 5 or 6 | Miss: your visit ends | 12 in 36 |
| 7 to 12 | Pot: score the ball and play on | 21 in 36 |
A pot comes on 21 rolls in 36, about 58%, because 7 is the most common total, as explained in our guide to dice probability. A foul comes 1 time in 12.
The colour chart
In the next table, “One die” is the number on the single die you roll after a red, “Colour potted” is the ball, and “Points” is what it scores. Green is left out while reds are on the table, to keep the chart to one die.
| One die | Colour potted | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missed: your visit ends | 0 |
| 2 | Yellow | 2 |
| 3 | Brown | 4 |
| 4 | Blue | 5 |
| 5 | Pink | 6 |
| 6 | Black | 7 |
A colour scores 4 points on average, so each red and colour together are worth about 5 points.
How big is the first break?
The last table shows how many points the breaker scores in the very first visit, and the exact chance rounded to whole percent.
| Points in the first visit | Chance |
|---|---|
| At least 1 | about 58% |
| At least 10 | about 21% |
| At least 20 | about 7% |
| At least 30 | about 2% |
| At least 50 | about 1 in 560 |
The first visit scores about 5.7 points on average. A century break of 100 or more is so rare that you will almost certainly never see one, and the maximum 147, with a black after every red and all six colours, is far less likely than winning a big lottery. Over a whole frame, the player who breaks wins about 54%. These numbers are worked out exactly from the rules, not simulated.
Tips
- Keep two scores: the frame score and the current break, and call out the break after every pot.
- Write down the highest break of the evening, as real tournaments give a prize for it.
- For a short game, play with 6 reds, as in the six-red version of snooker.
- Hold a club night: draw the pairs with a random name picker and play one frame each.
Classroom ideas
- Mental maths: pupils keep a running break and frame score.
- Probability: why is a pot more likely than a miss? Count the ways to roll 7 or more.
- Averages: the colours on the die are worth 0, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Work out the average, 4.
- Big numbers: what is the most a player could score in one visit? Check that 15 × 8 + 27 makes 147.
Variations
- Free ball: after a foul, the next player adds 1 to their first roll.
- Six reds: use 6 reds instead of 15 for a frame of about ten minutes.
- Shoot-out: each visit is limited to five rolls, for a fast and lucky game.
- Best of three: the first player to win two frames wins the match, and players take turns to break.
If you like aiming games with dice, try dice darts next, or knock down some pins in dice bowling.
Want a faster cue game? Try our dice pool game, eight-ball with spots, stripes and the black.
FAQ
How do you play snooker with dice?
Roll two dice to pot a red: 7 or more pots it, 4 to 6 is a miss and 2 or 3 is a foul worth 4 to the other player. After each red, roll one die for a colour. When the reds are gone, pot the colours in order with 7 or more.
What is a break in snooker?
The points a player scores in one visit to the table, before a miss or a foul.
What is the maximum break?
147: 15 reds, each followed by the black, and then all six colours. In dice snooker it is almost impossible.
How many points is a foul?
4 points to the other player in this game. In real snooker a foul is worth at least 4 points.
Does breaking help?
A little: the player who breaks wins about 54% of frames.
How long does a frame take?
About twenty minutes for two players. For a shorter frame, play with 6 reds.