BASICALLY, BUNCO IS A BLAST!!! Bunco is played with four players at each table for each game. Partners sit across from one another. Each table has a number... 1, 2, & 3 (we can play with more tables, I have at co-ed parties, etc.) In the beginning, each player draws a card from a box. Each card contains a table number (4 each for table 1, 2, & 3). The cards are kept throughout play and your score is recorded on your card by punching holes in either the right side, for every game won, or the left side, for every bunco rolled. You start at the table number you draw. It doesn’t matter who your partner is when you start. Table one controls the play. Players at table one have a bell. It is rung to start and end the game. Game length varies. The game is playing by rolling three dice and counting how many sixes (6) you and your partner roll. There are groups that play with a different number, or where the number changes each game. To me, sixes seem easiest to spot. I have played in groups with different numbers or where the number changed... but it seemed that 6 was the traditional bunco number... and it is less confusing I think if you don’t change numbers. There are four people at each table and “partners” sit across from each other. One person from each team rolls to see which partnership/team goes first, typically one die. When all are settled, table one rings the bell and play begins. The first player rolls all three dice, if she rolls a six, she rolls again (counting all sixes). If she rolls 3 of the same number (except for 6's which is a ‘bunco’ covered later) this is called ‘overs’ and, although she doesn’t increase her teams score, she gets to roll again. If she doesn’t roll a six or ‘overs’ play continues clockwise. Each team counts only the sixes that they roll. Once you play a while it is possible to keep track of both teams count. Sometimes counting is a challenge... so both partners should really count. Tables 2 and 3 play until table 1 rings the bell. This is done when the first team reaches 21. The other tables stop play then. In the event of a tie at table 2 or 3, the tie breaker rules set forth below should be followed. At the end of play, the losers from table one go to table three and the winners from three go to two and two go to one. The players at table one keep their partners, however, the other tables switch...ie... the losers from 1 move to three and are playing with the losers from table three, they switch partners -- the winners from three play with the losers at table two, but switch partners -- but the winners from two move to table one and play the winners there, but partners stay the same. BUNCO-- a bunco is rolling 3 sixes. Now, the person actually rolling the sixes receives a BUNCO punch on the left side of her game card. However, the team rolling the sixes does not automatically get to count all three sixes. The sixes are up for grabs and may be grabbed by any of the four players at the table. The team that grabs them -- counts them. If it is split 2-1, the team grabbing 2 counts 2 and the team grabbing 1 counts 1. The person who rolled the bunco continues to roll. (I have heard of a variation... that if you grab all three you actually get six instead of three points, but I have not played this way.) TIE-- if the bell rings and there is a tie at table 2/3, play continues until the next 6 is thrown and the tie is broken. In other words if a player is in the middle of rolling, she rolls, if she rolls a six her team wins, if she throw ‘overs’ she rolls again, if she throws a bunco the team who grabs at least two of the dice wins, and if she doesn’t throw a six or ‘overs’ then the roll passes to the next player and continues until the tie is broken. Typically 12 people play, more if you want. We will then need: 3 tables with four places to sit at each (suggestion: a table cloth or sheet is really a good idea for glass top tables), 12 dice, 3 whole punches, 1 bell, a box for the bunco stuff and a notebook to keep track of money, phone numbers, calendar, etc. I’ve played in two groups which did things very differently. When we meet we can chat and decide our “rules” to fit what we want, but the following can act as a guide for those things we need to decide. 12 players, and some willing alternates Play once a month -- I was thinking the second Tuesday of the month... I cannot play on Wednesdays, and I know others who have commitments on Mondays and Thursdays... and Fridays seem to be reserved as “date night”. $10/month per person paid in advance to be used for prizes -- $10 seemed to be a good amount. Hostess buys prizes... with money she receives the month before. Prize breakdown: (based on 12 @ $10--if we do 16 we can add a place for 2nd most buncos) first -- most games $45 (if tie, roll off, highest count on 3 dice gets 1st, 2nd gets 3rd) 2nd -- most buncos $35 (if tie, roll off, highest gets prize) 3rd -- 2nd most games $25 4th -- roll off for all others $15 We made the primary player and not the subs pay the prize fee. However, can be handled differently. 12 cards, hostesses responsibility ... 3x5 decorated or not ... folded in half and numbered. Food, drinks etc. I’ve played in groups that have done full dinners, snacks, byob, bring a dish, pizza, just dessert, etc. Hostess responsibility and/or contributions. I think we’ll be able to work out something fine in this area. I would suggest some food because of the time... I would not suggest that the hostess be responsible for drinks if we plan to be an imbibing group... Time: meet about 6:30... snack and chat... then begin play... I would suggest play start about 7/7:15 play for 1.5 hours, do prizes etc and we can finish up and be out by 9:30. We had a no guys/no kids rule. The men usually ran to another bunco mate’s house with the kids ... and we had a definitely out by 10 pm rule in one of the groups I played in ... so peace was kept with spouses. So, that’s about it. We can modify to suit our new group... so bring any ideas you have.