Ship, Captain and Crew: Dice Game Rules and Odds

Ship, Captain and Crew is a quick dice game you can teach in a minute. You have three rolls to find a 6, a 5 and a 4, in that order, and whatever is left over is your cargo. It is a classic in pubs, at campfires and on family game nights, and it only needs five dice. Here are the rules, the real odds and the best way to play your cargo.

What You Need

• Five six-sided dice.
• Two or more players.
• Paper to keep score, or tokens if you play rounds for a small pot.

No dice? Set the Dice Roller to five dice for the first roll, then to the number of dice you still need to roll.

How to Play

1. Roll all five dice. You get up to three rolls on your turn.
2. Find the ship (6). If you roll a 6, set it aside. You must have the ship before you can keep anything else.
3. Then the captain (5) and then the crew (4). A 5 only counts once you have the 6, and a 4 only once you have the 5. You can set aside more than one of them from the same roll, as long as the order works: a roll of 6, 5, 4, 2, 1 gives you all three at once.
4. Roll the rest. Reroll the dice you have not set aside, up to your three rolls in total.
5. Count the cargo. Once you have the 6, 5 and 4, the other two dice are your cargo, and their total is your score. If you still have rolls left, you may reroll both cargo dice to try for more, but you must keep the last result.
6. Winning. A player without a 6, 5 and 4 after three rolls scores zero. The highest cargo wins the round; ties roll off.

The Odds of Getting Ship, Captain and Crew

We worked out the chances for a player who always keeps every 6, 5 and 4 they are allowed to keep:

So almost half of all turns end with no score at all. That is why a cargo of 7 or 8 often wins at a small table. For more on how dice combinations work, see our guide to dice probability.

When to Reroll Your Cargo

Two dice average 7. If you reroll the cargo with your last roll, you can expect about 7 points, so a cargo below 7 is worth rerolling, and a 7 is an even bet. With two rolls left, the extra chance is worth a little more, so it pays to reroll a 7 as well:

This is the best rule if you just want the highest score. In a real game, look at what you need to beat: if the best score so far is 9, you have to reroll an 8.

Variants

• One cargo die at a time: some groups let you reroll just one of the two cargo dice.
• Betting rounds: everyone puts a token in the pot and the highest cargo takes it. Ties carry the pot over.

Where the Game Comes From

Ship, Captain and Crew is also known simply as Six, Five, Four, and it has long been played in bars, where the loser buys the next round. Its nautical theme suggests sailors, but nobody knows where or when it started.

If you want another quick push-your-luck game, try Pig. For a game of bluffing with five dice each, try Liar's Dice. More quick games are in our list of easy dice games.

FAQ

How do you play Ship, Captain and Crew?

Roll five dice up to three times. Set aside a 6 (ship), then a 5 (captain), then a 4 (crew), in that order. The two other dice are your cargo, and their total is your score. Highest cargo wins.

Do you have to get the 6, 5 and 4 in order?

Yes. A 5 only counts after you have a 6, and a 4 only after you have a 5. They can all come in the same roll, though.

What are the odds of getting ship, captain and crew?

With three rolls, a player who keeps every 6, 5 and 4 they can gets all three about 54% of the time. On the first roll alone the chance is about 16%.

Should you reroll your cargo?

With one roll left, reroll a cargo of 6 or less. With two rolls left, reroll a 7 or less. Always check what score you need to beat.

How many dice do you need for Ship, Captain and Crew?

Five six-sided dice, shared by all players. Each player takes their turn with the same dice.