About Ten Thousand
Ten Thousand is a push-your-luck dice game, a close cousin of Farkle, and the name tells you the goal: race to ten thousand points. You roll six dice, set aside the ones that score, and decide whether to reroll for more or bank what you have, always risking a roll that scores nothing and wipes your turn.
It shares Farkle's addictive heartbeat, the constant tension between greed and caution, but adds its own scoring wrinkles. The most notable is that you have to earn your way onto the scoreboard: you need a big-enough single turn before any of your points start counting, which makes the opening of a game its own small challenge.
You can play Ten Thousand free in your browser against the computer, with no download. The scoring takes a turn or two to learn, but the roll-bank-or-risk decision is instantly gripping. It's a great pick if you enjoy dice games where nerve matters as much as luck.
Controls
You play by rolling, banking scoring dice, and deciding whether to reroll or stop. Tap to roll all six dice, set aside the ones that score, then reroll the rest or keep your turn total.
Scoring and the risk are the heart of it:
- Scoring dice include single ones and fives, plus triples and runs. You must set aside at least one scoring die from each roll to keep your turn going.
- The reroll risk is the gamble: rerolling the remaining dice can add more points, but if a roll produces nothing scoreable, you lose your entire turn total.
You must score 500 or more in a single turn to get onto the scoreboard before any of your points count.
The first player past 10,000 points wins. The computer sharpens across eight levels, taking bolder risks as it improves.
Tips
- Get on the board first. Since you need a single turn of 500 or more before any points count, your early turns should aim to clear that threshold, even if it means taking a bit more risk than usual.
- Bank a solid total rather than pushing every time. The more dice you reroll, the greater the chance of scoring nothing and losing it all, so once you have a healthy turn total, banking protects your gains.
- Watch how many dice you have left. Rerolling one or two dice is far riskier than rerolling five, so tighten up and consider banking as your remaining dice dwindle.
- Chase all six scoring for a fresh roll. Getting every die to score usually lets you roll all six again while keeping your total, so when you're close to that, it's often worth the push.
- Play the score. When you're behind late in the game, taking bigger risks makes sense, while a comfortable lead is best protected by banking early and safely.
- Know the scoring combinations. Triples and runs are worth far more than single ones and fives, so recognizing them before you set dice aside ensures you don't leave points on the table.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ten Thousand free to play?
Yes. You can play as much as you want with no download and no account.
How do you play Ten Thousand?
You roll six dice, set aside the ones that score, and either reroll the rest for more points or bank your turn total. If a reroll scores nothing, you lose that turn's points. The first player past 10,000 points wins.
Why don't my points count?
You have to score 500 or more in a single turn to get onto the scoreboard. Until you reach that threshold in one turn, none of your points are recorded, so your first goal is to break onto the board.
How is it different from Farkle?
They're close cousins with the same push-your-luck core. Ten Thousand races to exactly ten thousand points and adds the rule that you must earn your way onto the scoreboard, along with a few other scoring differences.
Can I play Ten Thousand on my phone?
Yes. It runs in any modern mobile browser with tap controls, so it works well on phones and tablets.
How do I get better at Ten Thousand?
Focus on scoring 500 in a turn to get on the board, then bank solid totals instead of pushing every roll, especially when few dice remain. Chase a full six-dice score for a fresh roll, and take bigger risks only when behind.