Shut the Box: Rules, Scoring, Odds and Strategy
Shut the Box is a simple dice game with a satisfying goal: flip down every numbered tile before the dice run out of luck. It is a classic in pubs, on boats and at family tables, and it is quick enough to play a few rounds while you wait for dinner. Here are the rules, the scoring, the real odds of shutting the box and the choices that improve them.
What You Need
- A Shut the Box board with tiles numbered 1 to 9 (some boards go to 10 or 12).
- Two six-sided dice.
- One or more players. It also works as a solo game.
No board? Write the numbers 1 to 9 on paper and cross them out, as in the paper version in our easy dice games. No dice? The Dice Roller can roll one or two dice at a time.
How to Play
- Open all tiles. At the start of your turn, tiles 1 to 9 are all up.
- Roll two dice and add them up.
- Shut tiles that match the total. Flip down any open tiles that add up to the roll. A roll of 8 lets you shut the 8, or 7 and 1, or 6 and 2, or 5 and 3, or 5, 2 and 1, and so on.
- Keep rolling. Roll again and shut more tiles. Once the 7, 8 and 9 are all shut, most rules let you roll just one die.
- End of turn. Your turn ends when no combination of open tiles matches the roll. If you shut every tile, you have shut the box and usually win the round outright.
Scoring
When your turn ends, add up the tiles that are still open. That is your score, and lower is better. With 2, 5 and 9 left open, you score 16. Play a set number of rounds, or play until someone passes 45 points and is out; the lowest total wins.
A popular alternative reads the open tiles as one number: 2, 5 and 9 would score 259. This makes leaving low tiles much less painful, and it changes which tiles you want to shut first.
The Odds of Shutting the Box
We worked the odds out for every possible board and roll, assuming the player always makes the best choice. With the common rule that you may roll one die once the 7, 8 and 9 are down, the chance of shutting the box is about 9.8%, roughly one game in ten. If you always have to roll two dice, it drops to about 7.1%.
Your choices matter a lot. Here is how much the very first decision changes your chance of shutting the box when the opening roll is a 9:
| First roll is 9, you shut... | Chance to shut the box afterwards |
|---|---|
| 9 | about 14.5% |
| 1 and 8 | about 6.5% |
| 4 and 5 | about 6.4% |
| 3 and 6 | about 6.3% |
| 2 and 7 | about 5.8% |
| 1, 3 and 5 | about 2.6% |
Strategy Tips
- Shut one tile when you can. Taking the single tile that matches the roll leaves more combinations open for later. In the example above it more than doubles your chances.
- Get rid of the high tiles early. The 7, 8 and 9 are hard to shut late in the game, when the low tiles are gone.
- Save the small tiles. The 1, 2 and 3 can fill in almost any total at the end.
- Switch to one die when you may. With only low tiles left, one die often gives a better chance of hitting what you need. Two dice can never roll a 1, and they make sums near 7 much more likely than very small ones.
If you enjoy this kind of reasoning, our guide to dice probability shows why some sums come up far more often than others.
Where Shut the Box Comes From
Shut the Box is often said to have been played by sailors and in the pubs and inns of northern France and England, and it goes by names such as Batten Down the Hatches and Canoga. Firm early records are scarce, so its exact origin is not known.
What is clear is that it stays popular because it is easy to learn, works for one player or many, and gives a small thrill every time a tile drops. For another push-your-luck dice game, try Farkle next.
FAQ
How do you play Shut the Box?
Roll two dice, add them up and flip down any open tiles that make that total. Keep rolling until no open tiles match the roll. Your score is the sum of the tiles left open, and lower is better.
What are the odds of shutting the box?
With perfect play and the rule that you may roll one die once 7, 8 and 9 are shut, about 9.8%, roughly one game in ten. If you must always roll two dice, about 7.1%.
When can you roll one die in Shut the Box?
Most rules allow one die once the 7, 8 and 9 tiles are all shut. Some groups use a different rule, so agree on it before you start.
What is the best strategy for Shut the Box?
Shut a single tile that matches the roll whenever you can, get rid of the high tiles early and keep the small tiles for the end.
How many players can play Shut the Box?
Any number from one upward. Players take turns with the same board and compare scores after each round.