Players
3 or more
Equipment
2 six-sided dice
Length
Open-ended
How to play, step by step
- Find the Three Man. Everyone rolls both dice once. The first player to roll a 3 on either die becomes the Three Man.
- Roll on your turn. Play passes clockwise. On your turn, roll both dice and apply the outcome below.
- Apply the result. Any 3 rolled — on a single die or as a total — sends a penalty to the Three Man.
- Pass or continue. Rolling doubles lets you hand the dice to another player to roll. Non-scoring rolls pass to the left.
- Change the Three Man. Rolling double 3s makes you the new Three Man immediately.
What each roll does
| Any die shows 3 | Three Man takes the penalty |
| Total of 3 (1 and 2) | Three Man takes the penalty |
| Total of 7 | Player to the roller's left takes it |
| Total of 11 | Player to the roller's right takes it |
| Any doubles | Split the dice between two players; each rolls one, whoever rolls lower takes it |
| Double 3s | You become the new Three Man |
| Anything else | Nothing — pass the dice |
The role that makes the game
The Three Man does not roll differently or get any advantage. They simply absorb every 3 rolled at the table until someone throws double 3s. Because a 3 appears on at least one of two dice about 31% of the time, the Three Man takes a hit roughly once every three turns around the table.
House rules that prevent stalemates
- Rotate the Three Man after a fixed number of rounds if nobody rolls double 3s.
- Ban the Three Man from being handed the dice on doubles — otherwise they get double-punished.
- Some tables make a total of 3 count double, since both dice are involved.
- Dice off the table are re-rolled; no exceptions, or someone will start throwing them deliberately.
Playing Three Man for stakes instead
Swap penalties for chips and it becomes a perfectly reasonable betting game: every penalty is one chip into a pot, the Three Man pays double, and whoever is Three Man when the pot hits an agreed size takes it. Suddenly the worst seat is the one everyone wants at the end.
Frequently asked questions
How do you become the Three Man?
By being the first to roll a 3 at the start, or by rolling double 3s at any point during the game.
What does rolling a 7 mean in Three Man?
The player to the roller's left takes the penalty. An 11 sends it to the player on the right.
How many players do you need?
At least three, and it works better with five or more.
Keep playing
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