Pietjesbak
Pietjesbak Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Game
Pietjesbakken is a very old Flemish dice game that you can play with two to eight players, and that you must play with three dice. The pitjesbak is an octagonal dice board, usually made of wood and lined on the inside with felt.
Rules
There are a great many different game variants that you can play. The original game plays as follows.
Setup
Each player marks 9 vertical strokes on the rim of the board with chalk.
Determining the starting player
Everyone throws one die to decide who begins. The highest throw starts. If there is a tie, everyone throws again until someone has the highest throw. Play then continues clockwise until every player has had a turn.
Turn
The player who starts throws the three dice. After the first throw, that player decides whether to stop, or to throw again with the three dice, up to a maximum of two further throws. So the maximum is three throws. The values of the last throw apply. The other players have at most as many throws in this turn as the player who began.
Winning the round
The player with the highest score wipes out 1, 2 or 3 strokes, according to the scoring below.
If two or more players are tied for the highest score, they must play a barrage (a tie-break). Each player throws one die in turn. Simply count the number of eyes. The winner of the barrage may wipe out only one stroke, regardless of the value of the throw.
The unlucky player who throws the combination 2, 2, 3, the lowest possible score, adds a stroke. The same applies to a player whose die lands outside the pitjesbak during a throw.
Scoring
Value of a single die
- 1 eye is worth 100 points.
- 6 eyes is worth 60 points.
- 5, 4, 3 and 2 eyes are worth 5, 4, 3 and 2 points respectively.
There are also specific combinations that can be thrown. From highest to lowest:
- Three dice showing the same number: zand or sant. The player wipes out 2 strokes.
- Soixante-neuf: the combination 6, 5, 4. It beats zand in value, and the player wipes out 3 strokes.
- Three aces: 1, 1, 1, or a zand of the number 1.
- If the player has already lost at least one stroke, the player may wipe out all remaining strokes and is out of the game.
- If the player throws three aces when they have not yet lost any strokes, the player is immediately lost.
- The combination 2, 2, 3: the player adds a stroke.
- Other combinations, for example 1, 4, 3: the player takes the sum of the three dice ("=1+4+3=107" as printed; see the editor's note below). If the player has the highest value, the player may wipe out one stroke.
Some further examples of point combinations:
- (3, 4, 5): 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 points
- (1, 4, 5): 100 + 4 + 5 = 109 points
- (1, 1, 2): 100 + 100 + 2 = 202 points
- (6, 3, 2): 60 + 3 + 2 = 65 points
- (1, 6, 5): 100 + 60 + 5 = 165 points
- (1, 1, 6): 100 + 100 + 60 = 260 points
Editor's note: the source sheet prints the working for 1, 4, 3 as "1+4+3=107". Taken literally that sum is 8. The sheet's point values count a 1 as 100, so 100 + 4 + 3 = 107 is the intended total, and the other examples on the sheet follow the same point values. The printed text is kept above; this note is added for clarity.
Variant: azen jagen (ace hunting)
This variant is often played in cafés. Only the aces thrown (each worth 1) count as points.
- The player who throws the third ace orders a drink at the bar.
- The player who throws the sixth ace may taste the order.
- When the ninth ace falls, the other players start throwing the dice as quickly as they can. The player who threw the ninth ace must drink the order before the next ace falls. If that player manages it, the orderer must pay for the drink. If the player does not manage it, the player must pay for the order.
Be careful with this variant as regards the alcohol content you consume. Keep the game safe.
Safety warning
WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3 YEARS OF AGE. Contains small parts which may be swallowed. Do not let children play without adult supervision.
Have fun!