Pig: the one-die game, with a game to play here
Pig needs one die and one decision, over and over: roll again or bank what you have. Play below against computer players (one of them plays the exact best strategy) or pass one phone around, and see your real chance of winning after every roll.
Play Pig
Turn total: 0
Game log
Settings: players, rules, computer
Pig in 30 seconds
- One die, two or more players. Everyone starts at 0. First to 100 wins.
- On your turn, roll. Anything from 2 to 6 goes on your turn total; then roll again or hold.
- Hold: add the turn total to your score and pass the die.
- Roll a 1: the turn total is gone, you score nothing this turn, and the die passes.
When to hold
The game designer Reiner Knizia, as Neller and Presser quote him, treats each roll as a bet against a 1: five times in six you gain 4 points on average, one time in six you lose the whole turn total. One more roll is worth (20 minus your turn total) divided by 6 points on average, so it pays below 20 (1.7 points at a turn total of 10) and costs you above it. That is where "hold at 20" comes from.
But points are not wins. Neller and Presser's example: your opponent has 99, you have 78 and a turn total of 20. Holding at 98 hands them the next turn, and they will probably win. Our solver agrees: rolling on gives you a 84.4% chance to win, holding only 14.3%. Wikipedia reports that always holding at 20 has an 8% disadvantage against best play, and holding at 25 a 4.2% disadvantage.
Best play, two players, one die, to 100
The first turn total at which the best strategy holds, for a few scores. It holds earlier when ahead and keeps rolling when behind.
| Your score | Opponent | Hold at a turn total of | Your win chance at the start of your turn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 21 | 53.1% |
| 0 | 50 | 29 | 16.7% |
| 0 | 80 | 49 | 3.3% |
| 50 | 50 | 21 | 54.6% |
| 50 | 80 | 50 | 22.3% |
| 80 | 50 | 20 | 86.1% |
| 80 | 90 | 20 | 50.5% |
Position checker for a real game
Working out the odds...
Where sources differ
- Equal turns. Wikipedia's rules end the game the moment someone reaches 100, which favors whoever starts. Many families finish the round so everyone has the same number of turns. Our game offers both; a level finish after equal turns is a tie.
- Hold at 20 or play to win. Knizia's 20 maximizes points per turn. Neller and Presser show that the best choice depends on both scores, and Wikipedia lists "end race or keep pace" as a simple rule that comes within 0.9% of best play.
- Two-dice rules. Wikipedia gives two versions under several names: two 1s wipe your score (two-dice Pig), or two 1s add 25 and doubles count twice (Big Pig). It also notes that some play with the 6 as the bad number instead of the 1.
Variants and house rules
- Two-dice Pig (Wikipedia): add both dice; a single 1 ends the turn with nothing; two 1s also reset your score to 0. In our game.
- Big Pig (Wikipedia): two 1s add 25, any other double adds twice its total, a single 1 ends the turn. In our game.
- Skunk (Wikipedia): everyone plays every roll at once, standing; you sit down to bank. Good for a classroom. Not in our game.
- Shorter game (house rule): play to 50 for children or a quick round. In our game.
Tips
- Twenty is a floor for planning, not a rule. With both players near 0, the best strategy holds at about 20 to 25.
- Behind late? Roll more. When your opponent is within one good turn of 100, a cautious bank rarely saves you.
- Ahead late? Bank smaller. When you lead, every safe point makes their catch-up turn longer.
- Count to the finish. If your turn total already reaches the target, hold. It sounds obvious, but people roll past it.
Play online or at home
Online: the game at the top of this page, against the computer or passing one phone.
At home: one die and paper for the scores. No die? Our dice roller works. The dice games page has a Pig score keeper with a roll adder.
Pig questions
How do you play Pig with one die?
On your turn, roll the die as many times as you like and add up what you roll. Stop whenever you want and add that turn total to your score. Roll a 1 and the turn total is lost, and the die passes on. The first player to reach 100 wins.
When should you stop rolling in Pig?
A good simple habit is to bank once your turn total reaches 20: below 20, one more roll gains points on average; above it, it loses them. To win more often, change with the score: roll on when an opponent is close to 100, and bank earlier when you are far ahead. The checker on this page shows the exact best choice for two players.
Does the first player have an advantage in Pig?
Yes. With best play by both players in a two-player game to 100, our computation gives the first player a 53.1% chance to win. Many tables give everyone the same number of turns to even that out.
What happens if you roll two 1s in two-dice Pig?
In two-dice Pig a single 1 ends your turn with nothing, and two 1s wipe out your whole score as well (Wikipedia). In Big Pig, two 1s add 25 instead and other doubles count twice.
Is Pig the same as the game with little pig figures?
No. That boxed game is played by tossing two pig-shaped pieces. It shares the push-your-luck idea, but Pig itself needs only one ordinary die.
How many people can play Pig?
Two or more. It is best with two to four; with more, each person waits longer between turns. Our game takes up to six people passing one phone, or you against up to three computer players.