• Zilich 5000 is a dice game that is growing in popularity.dice image by Jaroslav Machacek from Fotolia.com
  
  One of the allures of dice games is they don’t require a lot of pieces. Typically, players need only a pair of dice, although some games require more than one pair. People of all ages play dice games because they’re simple to learn. Although a number of dice games exist, Zilich 5000 is one of the more popular. If you learn the game's standard rules, you’ll be enjoying the game and teaching your friends and family in no time.
  
  

Object

• The object of Zilich 5000 is to score more points than your opponents.
  
  

Number of Players

• The game is suitable for two or more players.
  
  

Point Totals

• Players take turns rolling three pairs of dice (six die total). Certain rolls produce points. The point system is somewhat arbitrary and it is a good idea to initially keep a list of scoring rolls and points while playing.
  
  One 5 earns 50 points
  
  One 1 earns 100 points
  
  Three 2’s earns 200 points
  
  Three 3’s earns 300 points
  
  Three 4’s earns 400 points
  
  Three 5’s earns 500 points
  
  Three 6’s earns 600 points
  
  Three 1’s earns 1000 points
  
  A straight earns 1500 points
  
  A Zilich is a 0 (no points earned)
  
  A straight is rolled when each of the six die is a number from 1 to 6.
  
  Point combinations are known as counters. As long as a player rolls a counter earning points, he takes another turn and rolls again. When a player rolls and gets no counters, he receives a 0 or Zilich and must pass the dice to the player to his left.
  
  

Counters

• To start a turn, the player rolls all six dice. As long as he throws at least one counter (or point combination), he rolls again.
  
  However, before he rolls again, he first must freeze at least one counter from the preceding roll. A player can't roll frozen dice in his next roll. Points from only unfrozen dice count toward a score.
  
  A player stops play and passes the dice when he reaches a minimum point threshold or rolls a Zilich, whichever comes first. For example, if a player rolls three 1s and three 5s on his first roll, he earns 1500 points and can roll again, so long as he freezes one of the two counters. When a player rolls one 5 and two 2s, two 3s and 1 four, he earns 50 points. He must freeze the 5 die and roll the other 5 dice.
  
  

Exception

• Sometimes a player will roll all six dice so that each die is part of a counter. When this happens, the player retains the points and uses all six dice to roll again. However, if on the second roll he rolls a Zilich, the player loses the points from his first roll and his turn ends.
  
  

Points Tabulated

• One player is responsible for keeping track of each player’s point totals and tabulating them on a score sheet at the end of his turn.
  
  

Scoring Minimums

• Before a player can accumulate points, he must get 500 points in one turn. After which, the player needs a minimum of 350 points per turn to score points.
  
  

Winner

• The first player to score 5000 points must alert each player, who then has one more roll each to try and beat his score. The player with the highest score after the final roll wins. In the event of a tie, the players with the same score each roll again and the player with the highest score after this roll wins.