How to Decide Who Goes First: 9 Fair Ways for Any Game

Every board game, card game and playground game starts with the same small argument: who goes first? A quick, fair way to settle it saves time and stops anyone feeling cheated. Here are nine methods, which ones are truly random, which ones can be quietly steered, and what to do with ties and big groups.

1. Flip a Coin (2 players)

The classic for two people. One player calls heads or tails while the coin is in the air, and the winner chooses. It is quick and very close to 50/50. If you do not trust the flipper, use an online coin flip on a screen both players can see.

2. Odd One Out (3 players, 3 coins)

A coin trick for three. Everyone flips at the same time. If one coin shows a different side from the other two, that player goes first. If all three match, flip again.

It settles quickly: out of the eight equally likely results, six have an odd one out, so three rounds in four end on the first try.

3. Rock Paper Scissors

Good for two players with no coin. Play best of one, or best of three for something that matters. With a group, run a quick knockout: pair players off, winners play winners, and the last winner goes first. You can practise against the computer with our online rock paper scissors game.

4. Highest Roll Goes First

Each player rolls one die and the highest number starts. Only the players who tie for the top roll again, everyone else is out. With a big group, roll two dice and add them, so ties happen less often. The dice roller can roll up to six dice at once if the real ones have rolled under the sofa.

5. Draw Straws

Cut one straw (or paper strip) shorter than the rest, hide the ends in your fist so they all look the same, and let everyone draw. Whoever gets the short straw goes first.

A surprising fact: the order of drawing does not matter. With five players, each one has a 1 in 5 chance of the short straw, whether they draw first or last, as long as nobody can see the straws before drawing.

6. Random Name Picker

For classrooms, teams and online games, type everyone's name into a random name picker and spin. Turn on "remove winner" and keep spinning to get the full playing order, not just the first player. Nobody can accuse the teacher or the host of choosing.

7. Closest Number

One person who is not playing thinks of a number from 1 to 100 and writes it down. Everyone else guesses, and the closest guess goes first. It works well at parties because it gets everyone talking, but the person with the number must stay out of the game.

8. House Rules: Youngest, Last to..., Birthday

Many games print a fun rule in the box, such as "the youngest player goes first" or "the player who most recently did something goes first". These are not random, they are tie-breakers with a theme. They are fine for family games, especially to give the youngest child a head start, but the same person will win the rule every time, so swap to a random method for repeat games.

9. Counting-Out Rhymes

"Eenie meenie miney mo" and similar rhymes feel random, but they are not. With a fixed number of words and a known starting point, the result is decided before the rhyme begins, and an experienced counter can pick where to start to land on whoever they like. Read more in the history of eenie meenie miney mo. Fun for small children, but use a coin or dice when it matters.

After the First Player

• Clockwise is the usual rule. Once the first player is chosen, play passes to their left.
• Rotate for the next game. In a series of games, the first player moves one seat to the left each time, so everyone gets a turn to start.
• Loser starts the rematch. A popular house rule that gives the player who just lost a small advantage.

Does Going First Matter?

In some games, yes. In chess, White moves first and scores slightly better than Black on average. Connect Four was solved in 1988: with perfect play, the first player can always win. In most party and card games the edge is small, but it is still worth choosing the starter fairly, and rotating it over several games.

Quick Guide

• 2 players: coin flip or rock paper scissors.
• 3 players: odd one out with three coins.
• 4 to 8 players: highest roll, or draw straws.
• A class or a big group: a random name picker, with "remove winner" for the full order.

FAQ

What is the fairest way to decide who goes first?

Any method where nobody can see or control the result: a coin flip for two players, dice or drawing straws for a small group, and a random name picker for a class or a large group.

How do you decide who goes first with 3 people?

Play odd one out: all three flip a coin at once, and the player whose coin differs from the other two goes first. If all three match, flip again.

Is drawing straws fair if you draw last?

Yes. As long as nobody can see the straws, every player has the same chance of the short straw, whatever order they draw in.

Is eenie meenie miney mo fair?

No. The rhyme has a fixed number of beats, so the person counting can choose where to start and decide the result in advance.