What you need
- A Shut the Box set with tiles numbered 1 to 9 (some sets use 1 to 12) and two dice
- Pen and paper, or the free score keeper
Players and time
1 or more players, usually 2 to 4. About 10 to 20 minutes.
The goal
Cover as many tiles as possible, so that the tiles left open add up to as little as possible. Covering every tile is shutting the box.
Setup
- Open every tile. Decide who goes first and how many rounds you will play.
A turn
- Roll both dice and add up the pips.
- Cover any open tiles that add up to the total. For a roll of 8 you could cover 8, 1 and 7, or 2 and 6, or 5 and 3. Tiles cannot be covered twice.
- Roll again and cover again. Keep going until you roll a total that you cannot cover with the open tiles.
- Then your turn ends and you score the sum of the tiles still open. Reset the tiles for the next player.
- Once you have no open 7, 8 or 9 tile, you may choose to roll one die instead of two.
Special cards and combinations
- Shutting the box
- If you cover all the tiles, you shut the box. Your score for the round is 0, and in most rules you win outright.
- One die
- Wikipedia gives this rule: you may roll one die once the 7, 8 and 9 tiles are all covered. Other sets use a different test, such as letting you roll one die when the open tiles add up to 6 or less. Agree which you use before starting.
Scoring
Your score for a turn is the total of the tiles left open when you cannot cover your roll. Lower is better. A shut box scores 0.
| Tiles left open | Score |
|---|---|
| Open tiles 2 and 5 | 7 |
| Open tiles 1, 4 and 6 | 11 |
| No tiles open (shut the box) | 0 |
Worked example
You end your turn with the 3, 6 and 8 tiles open. Your score is 3 + 6 + 8 = 17. The next player ends with only the 9 open, so they score 9 and lead.
Keep score with the Shut the Box score keeper
How to win
In a one-round game, the lowest score wins. In a multi-round game, add each player's scores. The lowest total after the agreed number of rounds wins.
Common house rules
These are house rules. They are not part of the official rules, so agree on them before you start.
- Digital scoring (variation) House rule
- Read the open tiles as a single number: tiles 2 and 5 open score 25, not 7. Wikipedia lists this as a scoring variant. In the keeper, enter that number as the score.
- Elimination (variation) House rule
- In some multi-round games, players drop out when their total reaches a set score, such as 45 or 50, and the last player left wins.
- Count of tiles (variation) House rule
- Another scoring variant counts how many tiles are left open instead of their values.
- Twelve-tile boxes (variation) House rule
- Some boxes have tiles 1 to 12. The one-die rule then often applies when the open tiles add up to 6 or less.
Frequently asked questions
What score wins in Shut the Box?
The lowest. Your score is the sum of the open tiles. Shutting the box gives 0.
When can I roll one die?
Under the rule Wikipedia gives, when the 7, 8 and 9 tiles are all covered. Some sets say when the open tiles total 6 or less. Check the instructions for your set.
Can I cover a tile with a number that is not on the dice?
Yes. The tiles you cover must add up to your roll total, so a roll of 9 can cover 4 and 5, or 2, 3 and 4.
What is digital scoring?
You read the open tiles as one number, so 2 and 5 scores 25. It punishes high tiles being left open more heavily than adding.
How many rounds should we play?
It is up to your group. Many games are one round per player. For a longer game, play several rounds and add the scores.
Is it a solo game too?
Yes. The goal is then to shut the box or to beat your best score.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Shut the box (Equipment, turn, the one-die rule, scoring variants (Golf, Missionary, Digital) and multi-round play.)
- RNK Gaming: Shut the Box rules (A set maker's rules: 12 tiles, one die at 6 or less, lowest sum wins, multi-round and elimination play.)