Do you want to learn the rules for the LCR game? If so then you have come to the right place. This guide will look at everything you need to know for a successful game of LCR. Like many dice games this one doesn’t require much equipment or space to play.
This makes LCR the perfect choice for a quick gaming session, whether at home or at the bar or pub. So, let’s look at LCR in more detail, we’ll examine the background of the game, how you play, and more.
What is LCR?
LCR is a fun dice game that, like many others, was popular in pubs as a drinking game. LCR was first released officially in 1992 and published by George & Company LLC. But many variants of the game were played long before then.
What makes LCR unique when compared to other similar dice games is that it’s entirely a game of chance. You really have no control over what you do. Everything is controlled by the dice roll. If you want a simple, easy to play game then LCR could be the game for you.
What You’ll Need
Well, we talked about this briefly earlier, if you want to play a game of LCR you’ll need dice. You’ll also need counters that can be used to help you keep track of each player’s score. Traditionally poker chips are used but you can utilize things like buttons or even coins.
There are two ways to play a game of LCR: you can either use regular dice with some chips/ counters. Or you can buy an LCR game set. The game is played the same way but using regular dice will be a little more confusing especially for new players.
LCR game sets are very small and designed to be portable. LCR has had quite a resurgence in recent years as a popular travel game. The set below is a great example of what to look out for.
The Dice
Since most LCR games these days are played with a special LCR dice set we’ll be talking about how these dice are used. Don’t worry if you want to play with regular dice the rules and gameplay section below will outline how to use them.
LCR dice are six-sided like most standard dice. Three sides of the dice are marked with a single dot. The following three sides will be marked with an “L”, “C”, or “R”. As you might have surmised this stands for left, right, and center.
For each L thrown you will need to pass a chip to the left, for each R thrown you will pass a chip to the right. If a C is thrown then you will need to move a chip to the center. If a dot is thrown then no chips are moved.
The Chips
Chips are essentially your points, each game should start with all players having at least three chips in front of them. In LCR game sets you’ll get poker/ casino chips but you can utilize coins or even buttons if you’re playing with regular dice.
You’ll want to keep as many chips as possible to win. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the rules and gameplay of LCR below. So, you can see exactly how to play following the standard LCR game rules.
LCR Rules and Gameplay
The Aim of The Game
The aim of an LCR game is simple, be the player with the most chips at the end and you win! Like many dice games, it is designed for fast paced play. It’s also a game that is very much down to luck in many ways.
One bad dice roll can be enough to end any strategy you might have. But even if it does, you can always get another game going right away.
Getting Started
To start with each player should be dealt at least three chips. If you want a longer game then you can increase this to five. LCR needs at least three players at a minimum but it can be played with larger groups. We find it works best with between 3 to 6 players.
Once each player has their chips they should take turns rolling the three dice. For every L you roll you must move a chip to the player on your left. For every R you roll you must move a chip to the player on your right.
For every C you roll you must move a chip to a pile in the center. Dots mean you don’t pass a chip anywhere. So ideally, you will want to roll as many dots as possible each turn. If you’re very unlucky you could lose chips quite quickly and possibly even lose all three in one turn.
Winning LCR
Once a player has less than three chips left the rules change slightly. If you have two chips for example then you will only roll two dice. The same applies to only having one chip left. When a player loses all their chips they aren’t out of the game just yet though!
They are still in the game for at least two more rounds although they can’t roll the dice. If the player receives chips from another player during these rounds then they are back in the game and can roll again.
However, if the player doesn’t receive chips during two turns then they are out of the game. The winner is declared when only one player has any chip/s left.
Playing With Regular Dice
While playing LCR with special LCR dice is recommended, especially for people new to the game, you can play with regular dice as well. If you want to give this a try then you follow the same rules. But the dice numbers represent the dots, L, C, and R symbols. The chart below explains what each number means.
| Number 1 – 3 | These numbers will act as the dot symbols. |
| Number 4 | The number 4 is the L symbol. |
| Number 5 | The number 5 is the C symbol. |
| Number 6 | The number 6 is the R symbol. |
LCR – Fast and Frantic Fun!
Like many dice games LCR is designed for simple, fast-paced play! If you want a simpler game that doesn’t require much setup then LCR could be just what you’re looking for. It’s also a great drinking game to try on your next night out.
