Perudo Rulebook

Table of Contents

Contents
Object of the Game
Playing
Aces
Palafico
The End of the Game
Calza
Demonstration Hand Between 6 Players

30 dice, 6 cups, 1 cup lid, cloth pouch.

Object of the Game

Be the last player with dice.

Playing

Each player rolls one die: the highest roll starts the bidding.
Simultaneously, all players shake their 5 dice in their cups and turn them over on the table, using the cup to conceal their dice from the other players. Having looked at his or her own dice the first player makes a call based on an estimate of how many dice of a particular number there are under all the cups on the table. Two factors should be considered when making a call:

The total number of dice on the table: If there are six players, for example, then there will be a total of thirty dice in play. The probability therefore is that there will be five dice of any given value: five twos, five threes, etc.
All ones - known as "aces" - are wild and are counted as the value of whichever bid is made. Thus a call of "seven fours" is based on a prediction that there will be a total of seven dice with a value of either four or ace.

The player to the opener's left then makes a call and the bidding proceeds around the table. Each bid must be higher than the last. So a call of "seven fours" can be followed by, say, "seven fives" or by "eight twos", but not by "six sixes" or by "seven twos". Jump bids ("nine threes" for example) can also be made, with the intention of raising the stakes for the next player.
If a player feels unable to raise the bidding any further, the call of "dudo" (meaning "I doubt" in Spanish) is made. This halts the bidding process and the last call made is accepted.
All players then uncover their dice (the player who called dudo first, the player who made the final bid last). Dice of the relevant value are counted and added to the number of aces revealed. If the call was, say, "seven twos" and there are fewer than seven dice showing either two or ace, then the player who made the bid loses one die. If there are seven (or more) twos and aces showing, then the player who called dudo loses one die. All dice that are removed from the game should be placed in the pouch so that the total number of dice in play is hidden.
The player who loses a die starts the bidding process in the next round.

Aces

Once the bidding has started, another option is available: the call of "aces". This is a prediction of how many aces there will be. To do this, the number of dice predicted is halved from that of the previous bid. So a bid of "eight sixes" can be followed by a call of "four aces" (or "five aces" etc). Fractions are always rounded up, so a call of "eleven threes" becomes an aces bid of at least "six aces".
Following a call of "aces", the next player can either raise the quantity of aces or can revert to numbers by doubling the quantity of aces called and adding one. So following a call of "four aces", the next bid must be at least "five aces" or at least nine of a number. A call of dudo can also of course be made.
Each quantity of "aces" can only be bid once in a round.
A call of "aces" cannot be made on the first bid of a round.

Palafico

Any player who loses his or her fourth die is declared palafico. During the bidding in that round, other players are only allowed to raise the quantity of dice, not the value (i.e. an opening call by a palafico player of "two threes" can only be followed by "three threes", "four threes" etc.)
During a palafico round, aces are not wild.
Only a palafico player can make an opening call of "aces".
A player can only be palafico once in the course of a game: the round immediately following the loss of the fourth die.
A player with only one die left who has already been palafico is allowed during a subsequent palafico round to raise the value during the bidding (i.e. by calling say "two fours" after a call of "two threes"). Subsequent players then follow the new value that has been called.

The End of the Game

A player who loses his or her final die is out of the game. The player to the immediate left starts the bidding in the next round.
When there are only two players left the palafico rules do not apply. Even if both players have only one die left numbers can be changed in the bidding and aces are still wild.
The winner is the last player with any dice left.

Calza

This is an optional rule for advanced players and is not applicable to a palafico round or when there are only two players left.
A call of calza declares that the last bid that has been made is exactly right (i.e. that, following a bid of say "thirteen fours" there are exactly thirteen dice showing four or ace).
A call of calza can follow any bid and can be made by any player except for the player whose turn is next. The bidding immediately ends when calza is called and the dice are revealed. If the player calling calza is incorrect he or she loses a die. If the call is correct and there is exactly that number of dice then the player gains a die from the bag. Note that no player can have more than five dice.

Demonstration Hand Between 6 Players

Player 1: 1st call: 10 fours; 2nd call: 16 twos
Player 2: 1st call: 10 sixes; 2nd call: 8 aces
Player 3: 1st call: 11 twos; 2nd call: Dudo
Player 4: 1st call: 13 twos
Player 5: 1st call: 7 aces
Player 6: 1st call: 15 twos

Conclusion: Player 3 (the challenger) revealed his die followed in sequence by player 4, 5, 6, 1 and 2. Player 2 loses a die on account of there being only 7 aces. Player 2 starts the next hand with 4 dice.

Playing

Each player rolls one die: the highest roll starts the bidding.

Simultaneously, all players shake their 5 dice in their cups and turn them over on the table, using the cup to conceal their dice from the other players. Having looked at his or her own dice the first player makes a call based on an estimate of how many dice of a particular number there are under all the cups on the table. Two factors should be considered when making a call:

The total number of dice on the table: If there are six players, for example, then there will be a total of thirty dice in play. The probability therefore is that there will be five dice of any given value: five twos, five threes, etc.

All ones - known as "aces" - are wild and are counted as the value of whichever bid is made. Thus a call of "seven fours" is based on a prediction that there will be a total of seven dice with a value of either four or ace.

The player to the opener's left then makes a call and the bidding proceeds around the table. Each bid must be higher than the last. So a call of "seven fours" can be followed by, say, "seven fives" or by "eight twos", but not by "six sixes" or by "seven twos". Jump bids ("nine threes" for example) can also be made, with the intention of raising the stakes for the next player.

If a player feels unable to raise the bidding any further, the call of "dudo" (meaning "I doubt" in Spanish) is made. This halts the bidding process and the last call made is accepted.

All players then uncover their dice (the player who called dudo first, the player who made the final bid last). Dice of the relevant value are counted and added to the number of aces revealed. If the call was, say, "seven twos" and there are fewer than seven dice showing either two or ace, then the player who made the bid loses one die. If there are seven (or more) twos and aces showing, then the player who called dudo loses one die. All dice that are removed from the game should be placed in the pouch so that the total number of dice in play is hidden.

The player who loses a die starts the bidding process in the next round.

Aces

Once the bidding has started, another option is available: the call of "aces". This is a prediction of how many aces there will be. To do this, the number of dice predicted is halved from that of the previous bid. So a bid of "eight sixes" can be followed by a call of "four aces" (or "five aces" etc). Fractions are always rounded up, so a call of "eleven threes" becomes an aces bid of at least "six aces".

Following a call of "aces", the next player can either raise the quantity of aces or can revert to numbers by doubling the quantity of aces called and adding one. So following a call of "four aces", the next bid must be at least "five aces" or at least nine of a number. A call of dudo can also of course be made.

Each quantity of "aces" can only be bid once in a round.

A call of "aces" cannot be made on the first bid of a round.

Palafico

Any player who loses his or her fourth die is declared palafico. During the bidding in that round, other players are only allowed to raise the quantity of dice, not the value (i.e. an opening call by a palafico player of "two threes" can only be followed by "three threes", "four threes" etc.)

During a palafico round, aces are not wild.

Only a palafico player can make an opening call of "aces".

A player can only be palafico once in the course of a game: the round immediately following the loss of the fourth die.

A player with only one die left who has already been palafico is allowed during a subsequent palafico round to raise the value during the bidding (i.e. by calling say "two fours" after a call of "two threes"). Subsequent players then follow the new value that has been called.

The End of the Game

A player who loses his or her final die is out of the game. The player to the immediate left starts the bidding in the next round.

When there are only two players left the palafico rules do not apply. Even if both players have only one die left numbers can be changed in the bidding and aces are still wild.

The winner is the last player with any dice left.

Calza

This is an optional rule for advanced players and is not applicable to a palafico round or when there are only two players left.

A call of calza declares that the last bid that has been made is exactly right (i.e. that, following a bid of say "thirteen fours" there are exactly thirteen dice showing four or ace).

A call of calza can follow any bid and can be made by any player except for the player whose turn is next. The bidding immediately ends when calza is called and the dice are revealed. If the player calling calza is incorrect he or she loses a die. If the call is correct and there is exactly that number of dice then the player gains a die from the bag. Note that no player can have more than five dice.

Demonstration Hand Between 6 Players

Player 1: 1st call: 10 fours; 2nd call: 16 twos

Player 2: 1st call: 10 sixes; 2nd call: 8 aces

Player 3: 1st call: 11 twos; 2nd call: Dudo

Player 4: 1st call: 13 twos

Player 5: 1st call: 7 aces

Player 6: 1st call: 15 twos