Dice Drinking Games: Three Man, Beer Die, Liar’s Dice and More
Two dice fit in your pocket and turn any table into a party. These are the four dice drinking games worth knowing: one pure luck, one that’s basically a sport, one for bluffers and one for gamblers. Full guides for the big two, quick rules for the rest.
Dice drinking games at a glance
| Game | Players | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Three Man | 3–10 | 2 dice |
| Beer Die (Snappa) | 4 | A long table, 1 die, 4 cups |
| Liar’s Dice | 2–6 | 5 dice and a cup per player |
| Ship, Captain and Crew | 2–8 | 5 dice |
The big two
- Three Man: pure luck. Roll two dice, and every 3, 7, 9, 11 and double tells somebody to drink. Whoever’s stuck as the Three Man drinks on every 3.
- Beer Die (Snappa): two-on-two, throw a die high over the table and try to make it land on the other side. Half skill, half chaos, all fun on a summer porch.
Liar’s Dice
Everyone gets five dice and a cup. Shake, slam your cup down, and peek at your own dice only. Going around the table, each player bids on how many of a face are showing across everyone’s dice (“four 3s”). Every bid has to go up: more dice, or the same number of a higher face. Instead of raising, you can call “liar.” Everyone lifts their cups. If the bid was true, the caller drinks and loses a die; if it was false, the bidder does. Ones are wild at most tables. Last player with dice wins.
Ship, Captain and Crew
Roll five dice, up to three times. You need a 6 (the ship), then a 5 (the captain), then a 4 (the crew), in that order, setting each aside as you get it. Once you have all three, your last two dice are your cargo, and you can use any rolls you have left to re-roll them for a higher total. No ship, captain and crew means zero cargo. Lowest cargo at the table drinks; highest cargo picks someone to drink with them.
Tips
- Roll in a box lid or tray. Dice on the floor slow everything down.
- Agree on Three Man’s numbers first. Every house plays 7 and 11 a little differently.
- Keep sips small. Dice games move fast and the luck isn’t fair.
FAQ
What’s the best dice drinking game?
Three Man for a group that wants pure luck, and Beer Die for four players who want a real game.
What dice drinking games can 2 people play?
Liar’s Dice and Ship, Captain and Crew both work with two.
How many dice do you need for Three Man?
Two. That’s it.
Find another game by crowd: games for 2, big-group games, card games. Or browse every game on our party games page, and settle the arguments before they start with the house rules builder.