Going to Boston Dice Game: Rules, Scores and Odds
Going to Boston is a quick dice game for two or more players that needs only three dice. On your turn you roll all three, keep the highest, roll the other two, keep the highest again, and then roll the last die. Your score is the total of the three dice you kept, and the highest score wins the round. It takes a minute to learn, which makes it one of the classic easy dice games for families and parties.
What you need
- Three standard six-sided dice, or the dice roller set to three dice.
- Two or more players.
- Paper and a pencil for the scores, or a pile of counters if you play for rounds.
How to play
- Pick who starts. Everyone rolls one die and the highest roll goes first. Roll again to break a tie. Play then passes to the left.
- First roll. Roll all three dice. Set aside the die with the highest number.
- Second roll. Roll the two remaining dice. Set aside the higher of the two.
- Last roll. Roll the final die. Whatever it shows is kept.
- Score. Add up the three dice you set aside. The best possible score is 18, from three sixes.
- Win the round. When everyone has had a turn, the highest score wins the round. Tied players each take one more turn to decide it.
A common way to play a full game is to give each player the same number of counters, for example ten. The loser of each round puts one counter into the middle, and the last player with counters left wins. You can also simply play to a set number of round wins, such as five.
Example turn
You roll 6, 2 and 3. You keep the 6 and roll the other two dice, which show 4 and 1. You keep the 4 and roll the last die, which shows a 5. Your score is 6 + 4 + 5 = 15.
What score should you expect?
Because the rules always tell you which die to keep, the game is pure luck, and the chances can be worked out exactly. In the table, “Score” is a final total, “Exactly” is the chance of ending a turn with that total, and “At least” is the chance of scoring that total or more.
| Score | Exactly | At least |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| 17 | 5.3% | 7.5% |
| 16 | 8.7% | 16.2% |
| 15 | 11.8% | 28.0% |
| 14 | 14.1% | 42.2% |
| 13 | 15.6% | 57.7% |
| 12 | 14.1% | 71.8% |
| 11 | 11.2% | 83.1% |
| 10 | 7.9% | 90.9% |
| 9 or less | 9.1% | 100% |
The average score is about 12.9, and 13 is the single most likely total. A score of 15 or more happens a little over a quarter of the time, and three sixes happen only about 1 time in 47. These numbers are exact for fair dice; the percentages are rounded. For the maths behind rolling dice, see our guide to dice probability.
Tips
- Roll the dice into a box lid or tray, so they do not fly off the table and nobody argues about a tilted die.
- Say each kept number out loud, so other players can check the total.
- For young children, play for a short set of rounds, so the game ends before attention runs out.
- In a classroom, the dice roller on a shared screen lets the whole class see each roll and practise adding three numbers.
Variations and history
- Multiplication: multiply the three kept dice instead of adding them, so the best score is 216. The average is about 78, which makes for big numbers and good mental maths practice.
- Lowest wins: keep the lowest die each time and aim for the smallest total.
- Best of three turns: each player takes three turns and counts only their best score.
- Target race: keep a running total across rounds and race to 100.
Going to Boston is an old tavern and family dice game. Some game books also list it under other names, such as Yankee Grab, and its exact origin is not clear. If you like it, try Ship, Captain and Crew, another three-step dice game, or Threes, where the aim is a low score.
FAQ
How do you play Going to Boston?
Roll three dice and keep the highest. Roll the other two and keep the higher one. Roll the last die. Your score is the total of the three kept dice, and the highest score wins the round.
What is the highest score in Going to Boston?
18, from keeping three sixes. It happens about 2% of the time.
What is an average score in Going to Boston?
About 12.9 with fair dice, and 13 is the most common total.
How many dice do you need for Going to Boston?
Three standard six-sided dice. You can also use an online dice roller set to three dice.
Is Going to Boston a game of skill?
No. The rules always say which die to keep, so the result depends only on the rolls.