Generala

File:Five ivory dice.jpg

Generala is played with five dice

Generala is a dice game similar to the English game of poker dice, the German game Kniffel, and the Polish game Jacy-Tacy (yahtzee-tahtzee). The American variant of Generala, Yahtzee, is the most popular variant. Although it is sometimes played in Europe and the United States, Generala is most popular in Ibero-America.

Rules

Generala is a game played by two or more players. Players take turns rolling five dice. After each roll, the player chooses which dice (if any) to keep, and which to reroll. A player may reroll some or all of the dice up to two times on a turn, making a maximum of three rolls each turn.

Scoring

The following combinations earn points:

• Ones, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives or Sixes. A player may add the numbers on any combination of dice showing the same number. For example, Dice value 4Dice value 4Dice value 4Dice value 2Dice value 6 would score 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 points in Fours or 2 points in Twos, or even 6 points in Sixes. Once a player has taken points on a specific combination, they may not take points for that combination again during the game.
• Straight, 20 points. A straight is a combination of five consecutive numbers (Dice value 1Dice value 2Dice value 3Dice value 4Dice value 5 or Dice value 2Dice value 3Dice value 4Dice value 5Dice value 6). In some variations of the rules, a Straight may "wrap around", so Dice value 3Dice value 4Dice value 5Dice value 6Dice value 1, Dice value 4Dice value 5Dice value 6Dice value 1Dice value 2, Dice value 5Dice value 6Dice value 1Dice value 2Dice value 3, and Dice value 6Dice value 1Dice value 2Dice value 3Dice value 4 are also valid straights. Another variation allows a Dice value 1 to replace a Dice value 2 in a Straight, e.g. Dice value 1Dice value 1Dice value 3Dice value 4Dice value 5 or Dice value 1Dice value 3Dice value 4Dice value 5Dice value 6.
• Full house, 30 points. Any set of three combined with a set of two, e.g., Dice value 5Dice value 5Dice value 5Dice value 3Dice value 3.
• Four of a kind, 40 points. Four dice with the same number, e.g., Dice value 2Dice value 2Dice value 2Dice value 2Dice value 6.
• Generala, 50 or 60 points. All five dice showing the same number. If a player achieves a Generala on the first roll of a turn, the player immediately wins the game.
• Double Generala (optional), 100 or 120 points. All five dice showing the same number for the second time in a game. A first-roll Double Generala is not an automatic game-winner.

A player may choose in which qualifying category to score a roll. For example, one need not enter Dice value 3Dice value 3Dice value 3Dice value 3Dice value 3 in Generala – it may also go in Threes or Four of a kind.

If a player achieves a Straight, Full House, or Four of a Kind on the first roll of a given turn, it is worth 5 or 10 extra points.

A player who fails to make any valid score, or chooses not to take any other score, may scratch (eliminate) a category, such as Generala or Twos. If a player scratches a category, that player cannot score on that category for the rest of the game. Specifically, if a player scratches Generala and subsequently rolls Generala on the first roll of a turn, it may not be used as an automatic win.

Winning

The player who finishes the game with the most points wins the game, unless a player has achieved a Generala on the first roll of a turn. In that case, the lucky player instantly wins the game (an automatic win).

External links

• Generala Rules at boardgamecentral.com
• Play Generala online at playonlinedicegames.com