Shut the box

Last updated
Shut the box
Shut the box.jpg
Other namesCanoga, batten down the hatches, trick-track
GenresDice-rolling
Solitaire
Players1 (Solitaire) or more
Setup time1 minute
Playing time2–3 minutes per player
ChanceHigh (Dice rolling)
SkillsRisk management
Arithmetic

Shut the box (also called ACKPOT, [1] batten down the hatches [1] or trick-track [2] ) is a game of dice for one or more players, commonly played in a group of two to four for stakes. Traditionally, a counting box is used with tiles numbered 1 to 9 where each can be covered with a hinged or sliding mechanism, though the game can be played with only a pair of dice, pen, and paper. Variations exist where the box has 10 or 12 tiles.

Contents

History

Game at the entrance of the park to the Pagode de Chanteloup, Touraine Domaine de Chanteloup, jeux 9.JPG
Game at the entrance of the park to the Pagode de Chanteloup, Touraine

Unconfirmed histories of the game suggest a variety of origins, including 12th century Normandy (northern France) as well as the mid 20th century Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey), which one source credits to a man known as 'Chalky' Towbridge. [3] A 1967 edition of Brewing Review describes the game as being native to the Channel Islands, and records it being played in Manchester pubs in the mid-1960s. [4]

Taylor in "Pub Games" from 1976 mentions a claim that the game dates back to at least Napoleonic times. He reports a revival in the United Kingdom in "the last fifteen years or so", that is from the 1960s. Canada Dry distributed them to many pubs as a publicity novelty "some years" prior to 1976. [5]

Shut the box is the basis of the American television quiz show High Rollers , which ran from 1974 to 1976 and 1978 to 1980 on NBC with Alex Trebek as the host. The show resurfaced from 1987 to 1988, this time hosted by Wink Martindale.

Versions of the game have also been played in Barotseland (Zambia, central Africa).

Rules

At the start of the game all levers or tiles are "open" (cleared, up), showing the numerals 1 to 9.

During the game, each player plays in turn. A player begins their turn by throwing or rolling the die or dice into the box. If the player does not have 7, 8, or 9 still available, they may choose to either roll one die or the standard two. Otherwise, the player must roll both dice.

After throwing, the player adds up (or subtracts) the pips (dots) on the dice and then "shuts" (closes, covers) one of any combination of open numbers that sums to the total number of dots showing on the dice. For example, if the total number of dots is 8, the player may choose any of the following sets of numbers (as long as all of the numbers in the set are available to be covered):

The player then rolls the dice again, aiming to shut more numbers. The player continues throwing the dice and shutting numbers until reaching a point at which, given the results produced by the dice, the player cannot shut any more numbers. At that point, the player scores the sum of the numbers that are still uncovered. For example, if the numbers 2, 3, and 5 are still open when the player throws a one, the player's score is 10 (2 + 3 + 5 = 10). Play then passes to the next player.

After every player has taken a turn, the player with the lowest score wins.

If a player succeeds in closing all of the numbers, that player is said to have "Shut the Box" the player wins immediately and the game is over.

Traditional pub play

In English pubs, shut the box is traditionally played as a gambling game. Each player deposits an agreed amount of money into a pool at the beginning of the game, and the winner of the game collects the money in pool at the end of the game and in some cases the box as well.

Variants

Shut the box is a traditional game, and there are many local and traditional variations in the rules. In addition, due to the game's growing popularity, many variations of the game have developed in recent years.

Popular variants are:

The following are examples of known variations in play, setup, and scoring:

It is also possible to play extended versions in which each game is a "round" of a longer game. Examples of such versions include:

Dominoes can also be used for the tiles this also provides the option of using up to six dice if a Double 18 domino set is used. A deck of cards can also be used as tiles, and if so desired a complete conventional Western deck with the jokers (54 cards) can provide for the use of up to nine dice.

Played without dice

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Luck, Steve (2006). Classic Indoor Games: The Complete Guide. Aurum. ISBN   978-1-84513-164-7.
  2. Parlett, David (1999). The Oxford History of Board Games. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-212998-7.
  3. Finn, Timothy (1975). Pub Games of England (New ed.). London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN   9780362002461.
  4. "'Shut the Box' at Wilson's New House". Brewing Review. 1967.
  5. Taylor, Arthur R. (1976). Pub Games. St. Albans: Mayflower. p. 188. ISBN   978-0-583-12650-2.
  6. "Jackpot". GitHub. Retrieved 2022-10-23.