12 × 12 — Rules & how to play
Around the table · 2026 edition
Roll six shared dice to advance one row at a time. Each player has a board and twelve markers; the first to finish all twelve rows wins.
Download printable rules (PDF)
At a glance
- Players: 2+
- Play time: 20–40 minutes
- Ages: 8+
- Style: Family
- Plays with: Dice
Objective
Be the first to move all twelve of your markers to position 12 on their rows.
Components
- Two game boards, one per player
- Six shared six-sided dice
- Twenty-four markers: twelve each in two colours
Setup
- Give each player a board and twelve markers in one colour. Put one marker in every START hole.
- Share the six dice. Play passes clockwise.
Taking a turn
- Roll all six dice. Choose one unfinished row you can score from that roll. You must stay on that row for the whole turn.
- Score every match for that row, moving its marker one space per match.
- Set scoring dice aside and reroll the rest for the same row.
- Continue until a roll has no match, the row finishes, or you can no longer make a pair.
If the opening roll cannot score on any unfinished row, the turn passes.
What counts as a match
- Rows 1–6: Each die showing the row number moves its marker one space.
- Rows 7–12: Each separate pair of dice adding to the row number moves its marker one space. A die cannot be used in two pairs.
Ending a turn
- Progress stays on the board. A miss ends the turn but never removes earlier progress.
- If all six dice score and the row is unfinished, roll all six again and continue.
- On rows 7–12, a single remaining die ends the turn because it cannot make a pair.
- When a marker reaches 12, stop there and end the turn. An exact finish is not needed.
Example
On row 8, 6, 6, 5, 3, 2, 2 makes three pairs: 6+2, 6+2, and 5+3. Move the marker three spaces. Since all six dice scored, roll all six again if the row is unfinished.
Variations
- Exact finish: A marker must land on 12 exactly. Overshoot ends the turn with that row unchanged. This makes the last row considerably harder.
- Free turn: Finish a row exactly and take another turn immediately.
Made in Canada · 2026 edition