Players
2 or more
Equipment
2 six-sided dice
Length
1 minute per round
How to play, step by step
- First player sets the round length. The opening player may take one, two or three throws. Everyone else gets exactly the same number.
- Roll and read. Put the higher die first: a 5 and a 3 reads as 53. A 6 and a 2 reads as 62.
- Re-roll if you have throws left. You may stop early, but stopping locks your score for the round.
- Compare across the table. Highest reading wins the round; lowest reading loses it.
- Loser pays. The lowest roll takes the penalty — a chip, a life, or a drink depending on the stakes.
Mexico ranking, strongest to weakest
| 21 (Mexico) | Beats everything |
| Doubles: 66, 55, 44, 33, 22, 11 | Beat all normal numbers; higher doubles win |
| 65, 64, 63, 62, 61 | Standard readings, highest wins |
| 54 down to 31 | Descending |
| 31 | The worst possible roll |
Why 21 is the top roll
Read literally, a 2 and a 1 is the second-lowest number you can make. Mexico inverts that: it is the rarest meaningful outcome to declare and the whole game is built around the reversal. Some tables make Mexico worth a double penalty against everyone else — agree before you play.
The round-length rule that matters
Whoever throws first decides how many throws the round gets, and everyone is bound by it. Taking a second throw after a good first one is a bluff-adjacent decision: you are telling the table your roll was weak, and handing everyone else the same extra chance. Strong first roll, stop at one.
Common house rules
- Lives: everyone starts with three; the round loser drops one and is out at zero.
- Mexico costs double, so rolling 21 is worth chasing.
- Ties between the lowest rollers are settled with a single-throw roll-off.
- Dice that land cocked or off the table are always re-thrown.
Frequently asked questions
What beats 21 in Mexico?
Nothing. 21 is the highest roll in the game and usually carries a double penalty for everyone else.
How do you read the dice in Mexico?
Higher die first as the tens digit — a 4 and a 6 reads as 64.
How many throws do you get?
Whatever the first player of the round takes, up to three. Everyone in the round gets the same number.
Keep playing
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