Bone · dice game rules
How to play Zanzibar (421) — rules & ranking
421, Quatre-cent-vingt-et-un
Zanzibar, known in France as 421, is a classic bar game: three dice, a cup, 21 tokens and one unbeatable roll, 4-2-1. The game has two halves: first you pick up tokens, then you try to get rid of them. First player with no tokens wins.
- Players
- 2 to 8
- Length
- ≈ 20 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- What you need
- 3 standard 6-sided dice, 21 tokens (or matches, coins, etc.).
Rules
How to play
The game has 2 phases. Each turn, roll 3 dice. You get 3 rolls: you can keep dice between rolls. The goal is to get the best combination possible.
Combination ranking
Best to worst: 4-2-1 (unbeatable), then three of a kind from 6-6-6 down to 1-1-1, then straights (6-5-4, 5-4-3, 4-3-2, 3-2-1), then pairs (highest pair first, then the highest odd die), then every other roll, read from its highest die down.
Phase 1 — Loading
21 tokens are in the center. Each turn, players roll dice. The player with the WORST combination takes tokens from the pot. Phase ends when the pot is empty.
Phase 2 — Unloading
Players try to get rid of their tokens. The player with the BEST combination gives tokens to the one with the worst. First player with no tokens wins.
Hand ranking (Bone rules)
| Roll | Rank |
|---|---|
| 4-2-1 | Best |
| 6-6-6, 5-5-5 … 1-1-1 | Three of a kind |
| 6-5-4, 5-4-3, 4-3-2, 3-2-1 | Straights |
| 6-6-x, 5-5-x … 1-1-x | Pairs |
| Anything else (6-5-2, 5-3-1…) | By highest die |
French bar 421 often gives each roll a token value too: 4-2-1 = 10, 1-1-1 = 7, 1-1-6 = 6, three of a kind = face value, straight = 2, anything else = 1.
FAQ
- Is Zanzibar the same as 421?
- Same family of 3-dice games. French 421 puts 4-2-1 and the aces on top and gives each roll a token value; Zanzibar simply ranks the rolls. Bone uses a simple ranking: 4-2-1, three of a kind, straights, pairs, then the rest.
- How many tokens do you need?
- 21 tokens in the pot. Matches, coins or sugar cubes all work.
- What are loading and unloading?
- While loading, the worst roll of each round takes tokens from the pot. Once the pot is empty, unloading starts: the best roll hands its tokens to the worst.
