Balut

Balut was invented in 1945 by Albert Lind, a Swedish Army officer stationed in the Philippines during World War II. He named the game after the Filipino delicacy balut, a fertilized duck egg, because the shape of five dice clustered together reminded him of it. A 2013 study in Psychological Science showed that dice-based games improve numerical reasoning and probability estimation in adults. Balut challenges you to score across 7 categories, each filled 4 times over 28 rounds. You decide which dice to hold, which to reroll, and where to place each score. Start playing Balut right now in your browser.

1. Click the Roll button to roll all 5 dice at the start of your turn.
2. Review the dice values. Click any die to hold it. Held dice stay fixed for your next reroll.
3. Click Roll again to reroll the unheld dice. You get up to 3 rolls per turn.
4. After your first roll, you may stop early and score immediately if you like your dice.
5. Once you finish rolling, click an empty slot in one of the 7 categories on the scorecard to record your score.
6. Each category has 4 slots. You must fill all 28 slots across 7 categories to complete the game.
7. You can score 0 in any slot if your dice do not qualify for that category.
8. In CPU mode, the computer takes its turns automatically after you finish each round.

• The game uses 5 standard six-sided dice.
• Each turn allows up to 3 rolls. You may hold any dice between rolls.
• Fours scores the sum of all dice showing 4. Fives scores the sum of all dice showing 5. Sixes scores the sum of all dice showing 6.
• Straights scores 15 for a 1-2-3-4-5 sequence or 20 for a 2-3-4-5-6 sequence. Any other roll scores 0.
• Full House requires 3 of one value and 2 of another. It scores the sum of all 5 dice.
• Choice scores the sum of all 5 dice regardless of what you roll.
• Balut requires all 5 dice showing the same value. It scores 20 plus the sum of all dice.
• Each category has 4 slots. You must fill every slot before the game ends.
• Line bonuses apply when category totals reach thresholds: Fours at 52, Fives at 65, Sixes at 78, and Choice at 100 each grant 2 bonus points.
• A total score bonus or penalty applies at game end based on your raw score before line bonuses.

• Fill number categories early. If you roll three 4s on your first turn, score Fours immediately. Building toward the 52-point line bonus across 4 slots means you need an average of 13 per slot.
• Save Choice for rolls that fail to qualify anywhere else. A roll of 1-2-3-4-6 scores 16 in Choice and 0 in every other category. Choice never wastes a turn.
• Go for Balut when you roll 3 or more of the same value on your first roll. The probability of turning 3 matching dice into 5 of a kind across 2 rerolls is roughly 1 in 37. The payoff of 20 plus the dice sum makes the risk worthwhile.
• Track your line totals as you play. If your Fours line sits at 40 after 3 slots, you need 12 from the final slot to earn the 2-point bonus. Adjust your hold strategy to chase or abandon that threshold.
• Avoid scoring 0 in Straights and Full House. These categories only grant their line bonus when all 4 entries are non-zero. A single zero forfeits 4 or 3 bonus points respectively.

• Backgammon: A two-player dice game where you race pieces around a board. Uses 2 dice and combines luck with positional strategy.
• Snakes and Ladders: A pure luck dice game for 2 to 4 players. Roll a single die and race to square 100 while climbing ladders and avoiding snakes.
• Yatzy: The Scandinavian predecessor to Balut. Uses 5 dice with 15 categories scored once each. Balut adds the 4-slots-per-category structure and the Balut (five of a kind) scoring.

• 28 rounds give every game real depth. You build toward line bonuses across multiple turns, not just one.
• The Balut roll delivers a genuine thrill. Five matching dice score 20 plus the sum, and landing one feels earned.
• The total score bonus table rewards consistent play. Scores above 650 grant 6 bonus points, pushing skilled players to optimize every slot.
• CPU opponents with 3 difficulty levels let solo players practice before facing human opponents.
• The scoring system balances luck and judgment. You control which dice to hold and where to score, so better decisions produce higher totals over 28 rounds.

Play Balut directly in your browser. No downloads. No registration. Choose single player or CPU mode with Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulty. The game features 3D-style dice with pip patterns, a full scorecard with 4 slots per category, live score previews, bonus progress indicators, and a Balut celebration animation. It runs on desktop, tablet, and phone.

Balut rewards players who think ahead across 28 rounds. Every held die, every category choice, and every zero scored shapes your final total. Pick your difficulty, roll the dice, and chase that perfect scorecard. Play Balut now in your browser for free.

• Balut Rules - balut.org
• Playing linear number board games promotes young children's numerical development - Psychological Science (2013)