Players
3 or more (works best with 6+)
Equipment
3 LCR dice (or standard d6 with a face key)
Length
10 to 20 minutes
How to play, step by step
- Give everyone three chips. Each player starts with exactly three chips — poker chips, coins, or dollar bills.
- Roll one die per chip. On your turn, roll one die for each chip you hold, up to a maximum of three.
- Follow the faces. L passes a chip to the player on your left. R passes one to your right. C puts one in the centre pot. A dot means that chip stays with you.
- Pass the dice left. Play moves clockwise. Players with zero chips skip their turn but stay in the game.
- Keep going. A chipless player can receive chips from a neighbour and re-enter play immediately.
- Last chip standing wins. When only one player has chips left, they win the entire centre pot.
Die faces
| L | Pass one chip left |
| R | Pass one chip right |
| C | One chip into the centre pot — gone for good |
| • (dot) ×3 | Keep that chip; three dot faces per die |
Using ordinary dice instead of LCR dice
You do not need the branded set. Use three standard six-sided dice and this key: 1 = Left, 2 = Right, 3 = Centre, and 4, 5, 6 all mean keep. The probabilities are identical to the real thing.
Why nobody is ever really out
A player at zero chips does not roll, but they are not eliminated. If either neighbour rolls in their direction, they are handed a chip and immediately back in. This is what stretches games out and why comebacks from a single chip are so common.
House rules that make LCR playable for money
- Set a buy-in equal to the value of three chips, and treat the centre pot as the prize.
- Add a 'rebuy' — a player at zero may buy three more chips once, feeding the pot.
- Cap the game at a fixed time and award the pot to whoever holds the most chips.
- Play multiple hands and track chips across them for a longer session.
Common variants
- LCR Wild — a wild face lets you steal a chip from any player.
- Two-pot LCR — half the centre goes to the winner, half rolls into the next game.
- Reverse LCR — the last player to hold zero chips wins instead.
Frequently asked questions
How many chips do you start with in LCR?
Three chips per player, always, no matter how many people are at the table.
Can you win LCR from zero chips?
Yes. Zero chips means you skip your roll but stay in — a neighbour can pass you one and you are live again.
Can you play LCR with regular dice?
Yes: 1 = left, 2 = right, 3 = centre, and 4-6 mean keep the chip.
Keep playing
Browse the full dice game rules library and our free dice tools.