How to Play Ship, Captain, and Crew Without a Rules Dispute

The 6-5-4 dice game is simple to learn but easy to dispute because published and local versions differ on cargo rerolls, ties, and long-form scoring. The shared core is straightforward: roll five dice, bank a 6, then a 5, then a 4, and score the two dice left over.

This guide uses a commonly documented version of Ship, Captain, and Crew as its practical baseline. Alternatives are identified as variants or house rules rather than presented as universally official.

6-5-4 rules at a glance

Players: Two or more Equipment: Five ordinary six-sided dice Turn limit: Up to three rolls per player Required sequence: Bank a 6, then a 5, then a 4 Cargo: Add the two remaining dice Failed turn: Score zero if 6-5-4 remains incomplete after the third roll Baseline winner: After everyone takes one turn, the highest cargo score wins

These elements follow the basic round format described in the Bicycle rules for Ship, Captain, and Crew.

The required dice must be banked in order. Secure a 6 first, followed by a 5 and then a 4. Once all three have been banked, add the two unbanked cargo dice to obtain the turn score. The 6, 5, and 4 qualify the turn but do not contribute points.

For example, 6-5-4-3-2 is a completed sequence with cargo worth 5. If the player has secured only the 6 and 5 when the third roll ends, the turn scores zero because the required 4 is still missing.

Before starting, settle these points:

• May a player who completes 6-5-4 early reroll the cargo?
• If cargo is rerolled, must both dice be rolled?
• Must the replacement total be accepted?
• How will ties and all-zero rounds be handled?
• Is the game one round, a fixed series, or a race to a target score?
• Is any first-player roll-limit variation in effect?

None of those choices should be introduced after play begins.

What is the 6-5-4 dice game?

The 6-5-4 dice game is commonly known as Ship, Captain, and Crew. Its usual nautical terms are:

• 6: Ship
• 5: Captain
• 4: Crew
• Two remaining dice: Cargo or treasure

Only after the full sequence has been completed can the cargo be counted.

Terminology varies. Some versions call the 4 the mate and refer to the remaining dice as the crew. Source-documented alternate names include Ship of Fools, Destroyer, and simply 6-5-4. These are regional or source-specific labels, not formal classifications; a summary of the game’s alternate names and terminology also notes this variation.

The core game does not require an ante, wagering, or alcohol. Some descriptions add stakes or drinking rules, but those are optional adaptations to the underlying dice game. Two or more people can play the complete game with five dice and no additional stake.

There is no need to declare one version the official ruleset. Published guides and local traditions agree on the central mechanism but differ on details.

For practical purposes, 6-5-4 and Ship, Captain, and Crew describe the same recognizable structure: qualify by banking the required dice in sequence, then score the two dice left as cargo.

Setup and the ordered banking rule

You need:

• Five ordinary six-sided dice
• At least two players

A dice cup, rolling tray, score sheet, pencil, or visible roll counter can be useful, particularly with a large group, but none is required.

Choose a starting player by any method the group accepts. Each player completes an entire turn before the next player begins.

Every turn starts with all five dice. The player has no more than three rolls for the whole turn. Between rolls, valid required dice are banked, meaning they are placed aside and are not rolled again.

Banking follows this order:

1. Bank a 6.
2. Once the 6 is secured, bank a 5.
3. Once both the 6 and 5 are secured, bank a 4.

A 5 cannot normally be retained while the player is still looking for a 6. A 4 cannot be retained until both the 6 and 5 are in place. This ordered-retention procedure, including the five-dice setup and three-roll limit, is set out in the Dice Game Depot rules.

“In order” governs retention, not the number of separate rolls. More than one required die may be banked from a single roll when the results contain the next uninterrupted part of the sequence.

Examples make the distinction clear:

• 6-5-2-2-1: Bank the 6 and 5. Reroll the other three dice while looking for a 4.
• 6-5-4-2-1: Bank the complete sequence. The 2 and 1 become cargo.
• 5-4-3-2-1: Bank neither the 5 nor the 4 because no 6 has been secured.
• 6-4-3-2-1: Bank only the 6. The 4 cannot yet be retained because the 5 is missing.
• A banked 6, followed by 5-4-3-2: Bank both the 5 and 4, completing the sequence.

Thus, the player does not have to find exactly one required number on each roll. A valid run can be retained together, but a missing step cannot be skipped.

After banking every currently valid required die, reroll all unbanked dice if the sequence is incomplete and another roll remains. The three-roll limit applies to the entire turn, regardless of how many required numbers are still missing.

How a complete turn works

Use the following procedure:

1. Roll all five dice.
2. Bank the next valid required die or uninterrupted sequence of required dice.
3. If 6-5-4 is incomplete and another roll remains, reroll every unbanked die.
4. If the sequence is completed early, the player may use the remaining rolls to reroll both cargo dice Ship, Captain, and Crew.
5. If qualified, add the two cargo dice. If not qualified, score zero.
6. If the agreed rules permit cargo rerolls and a roll remains, choose whether to keep the cargo or replace it under that rule.

Three rolls means three rolls total—not three attempts to find each required number.

Full qualifying example

The first roll is:

6-5-2-2-1

Bank the 6 and 5 because they form the first two valid steps. Roll the remaining three dice again.

The second roll is:

4-3-2

Bank the 4. The player has now qualified, and the 3 and 2 form cargo worth 5.

Out-of-order example

The first roll is:

6-4-3-2-1

Only the 6 may be banked. Because the 5 has not been secured, the 4 is out of order and must be rerolled with the other three dice.

If the next roll is 5-4-2-1, the player can bank both the 5 and 4. The 5 fills the next required position, which immediately makes the accompanying 4 eligible.

Simultaneous-completion example

The first roll is:

6-5-4-3-2

The player may bank all three required dice immediately. The ordered-retention rule does not require separate throws for the 6, 5, and 4; multiple sequentially valid dice may be retained from one roll, as also described in a detailed discussion of the retention rule. The initial cargo is 3 plus 2, or 5.

Failed-turn example

A player banks a 6 on the first roll and a 5 on the second. No 4 appears on the third roll. The turn is over and scores zero.

The player does not receive another set of three rolls merely because the sequence remains incomplete.

Qualification and scoring are separate. The 6, 5, and 4 allow the cargo to count, but they are not added to it. Therefore:

• 6-5-4-1-1 scores 2, not 17.
• 6-5-3-6-6 scores zero if the third roll has ended, despite the high unbanked dice.
• 6-5-4-6-6 scores 12.

Cargo scoring, rerolls, and the push-your-luck decision

Once 6-5-4 has been legally banked, add the two remaining cargo dice. Because the cargo consists of two ordinary six-sided dice, a qualifying score ranges from 2 to 12. A total of 2 is sometimes called a minimum, while 12 is sometimes called midnight.

Qualifying before the final roll may create a risk-versus-reward decision. In one commonly documented version, a player who completes 6-5-4 on the first or second roll may either:

• Stop and keep the current cargo total.
• Use an unused roll to reroll both cargo dice.

Under that version, the replacement cargo total must be accepted even if it is lower. For example, a player with cargo showing 3 and 4 can keep 7 or reroll both dice. If the replacement is 1 and 2, the final cargo becomes 3. The previous 7 cannot be restored. The optional reroll and compulsory replacement are described in the Bicycle rules cited above.

The player may not keep one cargo die and reroll only the other under this baseline. Allowing a one-die cargo reroll would be a different house rule.

If 6-5-4 is completed on the first roll, two rolls remain. Whether the player may make successive cargo rerolls should be treated as a house-rule choice unless the group is following a specific published procedure that answers the question. Agree on it before play.

No universal reroll threshold is necessary. The decision can be understood without claiming a mathematically optimal strategy:

• Keeping locks in the current total.
• Rerolling gives up that total for a chance of either improvement or decline.

This choice exists only when stopping is permitted. A version that requires unused rolls to be taken, permits one cargo die to be held, or lets a player restore an earlier total creates a different decision structure.

For the baseline used here, an early qualifier may stop or reroll both cargo dice and accept the replacement. Any additional cargo-reroll procedure should be announced as a house rule.

How to win a round and handle ties

The basic round format works as follows:

1. Every player receives one complete turn.
2. Each qualifying player records the sum of the two cargo dice.
3. A player who does not complete 6-5-4 records zero.
4. The highest cargo score wins the round.

Any qualifying cargo beats zero because the lowest qualifying score is 2. If Alice scores 8, Ben fails to qualify, and Cara scores 5, Alice wins.

One documented tie procedure gives only the tied leaders additional full turns. If two players tie at 10, each takes another turn under the same rules. Their new results are compared, and the process repeats if necessary. This method appears in the detailed Dice Game Depot rules, but it is not universal and should be announced before the round.

The supplied rules do not establish a universal procedure for a round in which everyone scores zero. Two workable house rules are:

• Replay the round with all players.
• Give every player one additional tiebreak turn.

Replaying the round is simple, but either procedure works if chosen in advance.

When playing several rounds, the group may rotate the starting position by one seat after each round. Other documented arrangements let the previous winner start or specify a particular direction of rotation. Treat this as an organizational choice rather than a mandatory rule or a proven fairness measure.

A standalone round is a complete game. For a longer session, the group can instead use:

• A fixed number of independent rounds
• Best of three, five, or another agreed series
• Cumulative cargo scoring
• A race to a target total

If using a fixed series, specify whether the overall winner is determined by round wins or cumulative cargo. Those systems can produce different outcomes.

Common variants and house rules

Different groups may play 6-5-4 differently without either group being mistaken. The important point is to distinguish the chosen baseline from optional variations.

Format	How it works	Status in this guide
Highest cargo after one round	Each player takes one turn; the highest qualifying cargo wins	Baseline
Cumulative race to 50	Successful cargo totals accumulate; the first player to reach at least 50 wins	Documented variant
First-player roll limit	An opening player who qualifies early may limit later players to the same number of throws	Optional variation

Highest cargo after one round

This is the clearest beginner format. Each player receives up to three rolls, and the highest qualifying cargo wins. The group may play additional independent rounds without changing how each round is scored.

Cumulative play to 50

In this version, players maintain running totals. Successful cargo scores are added to previous scores, while an unsuccessful turn adds nothing. The first player to reach at least 50 wins, as specified in a published 6-5-4 activity sheet using cumulative scoring.

For example, a player with 44 points who scores cargo worth 7 moves to 51 and reaches the target. Unless the group has adopted an equal-turn rule, play ends when the target is reached.

The 50-point format is a documented way to extend the game, not its only winning condition.

First-player equal-roll limit

Under this variation, the opening player can establish both a score and a roll limit. If that player qualifies and scores 8 in two throws, later players may be required to beat 8 within two throws rather than receiving the usual maximum of three. This procedure is identified as a variation in the Some Dice Games handout.

Because it makes the opening player’s early qualification more consequential, this variation should remain off unless the group deliberately chooses it.

Other decisions that may vary include:

• Whether early qualifiers may reroll cargo
• Whether both cargo dice must be rerolled
• Whether the replacement total is compulsory
• Whether successive cargo rerolls are allowed
• Whether ties trigger extra turns or a replay
• What happens when everyone scores zero
• Who starts the next round
• Whether scores reset after each round
• How many rounds constitute a match

Stakes and drinking rules are adaptations, not required components. Keep them separate from the basic qualification and scoring procedure.

Historical claims also require caution. The dice-game handout cited above says the older game Raffles may be similar to, or possibly the same as, Ship, Captain, and Crew. That wording does not establish that the games are identical or that one definitively descended from the other.

Pregame checklist and quick-reference rules

Game length

• Are you playing one standalone round?
• Will you play a fixed number of rounds?
• Are you using cumulative scores in a race to 50?
• If several rounds are played, do round wins or cumulative points determine the overall winner?

Cargo decisions

• May an early qualifier stop and keep the current cargo?
• May unused rolls be spent on cargo?
• Must both cargo dice be rerolled?
• Must the replacement total be accepted even if it is lower?
• If two rolls remain, are successive cargo rerolls allowed?

Under this guide’s baseline, a player may stop after qualifying. If the player chooses to reroll, both cargo dice are rolled and the replacement total is compulsory. Successive rerolls are a house-rule question to settle separately.

Ties and unsuccessful rounds

• Do tied leaders take additional turns?
• Is the whole round replayed instead?
• What happens if every player scores zero?

A workable choice is to give tied leaders additional turns and replay an all-zero round, but neither procedure should be presented as universal.

Turn order

• Who starts the first round?
• Does the starting position move between rounds?
• Does the previous winner start?
• Is the first-player equal-roll-limit variation active?

For the baseline, choose any accepted starting player and leave the equal-roll-limit variation off.

Optional additions

Wagering and drinking rules are unnecessary. If adults choose to add money, keep that arrangement separate from the dice rules. ExSpade’s responsible-play guidance says to use only money one can afford to lose and to treat gambling as entertainment.

Quick-reference card

6-5-4 / Ship, Captain, and Crew

• Use five six-sided dice.
• Give each player up to three rolls.
• Bank a 6, then a 5, then a 4.
• Bank multiple required dice from one roll when they form the next valid sequence.
• Reroll every die that has not been validly banked.
• Once 6-5-4 is complete, add the two remaining cargo dice.
• Do not add the 6, 5, or 4 to the score.
• Score zero if the sequence remains incomplete after the third roll.
• In the baseline round, everyone takes one turn and the highest cargo wins.
• If cargo rerolls are allowed, state the exact procedure before play.

These core turn and scoring rules are also summarized in this Ship, Captain, and Crew overview.

The playable baseline is simple: roll five dice up to three times, bank a 6 followed by a 5 and then a 4, and total the two remaining cargo dice. The highest qualifying cargo wins the basic round. A race to 50, a first-player roll limit, and alternative cargo-reroll procedures are optional versions that should be agreed upon before the dice begin moving.

Can you keep a 5 or 4 before rolling a 6?

Not under the ordered-banking baseline used in this guide. Until a 6 has been secured, a 5 or 4 must be rerolled. After the 6 is banked, a 5 becomes eligible; the 4 becomes eligible only after both the 6 and 5 have been secured. This sequence is explicitly described in the published ordered-retention rules.

For example, 5-4-3-2-1 allows no required dice to be banked. A roll of 6-4-3-2-1 allows only the 6 to be banked.

Can 6, 5, and 4 all be banked from the same roll?

Yes. The sequence controls valid retention; it does not require three separate rolls.

If a roll contains 6-5-4-3-2, bank the 6, then the 5, then the 4. The player qualifies immediately, and the 3 and 2 form cargo worth 5. The same principle allows a player to bank a 6 and 5 together while continuing to search for the 4. A source discussion clarifying that multiple sequentially valid dice may be retained supports this interpretation.

If you reroll the cargo, must you reroll both dice and accept a lower score?

Under the commonly documented reroll procedure used here, yes. Both cargo dice are rerolled, and the replacement total must be accepted even if it is lower. A dice-game handout also expressly states that a player may reroll both scoring dice, not only one.

Cargo-reroll practices are not universal. Decide before play whether rerolls are permitted, whether both dice must be rolled, whether the replacement is compulsory, and whether more than one cargo reroll is available.

Is the 6-5-4 dice game played for one round or to 50 points?

Both formats are documented. The baseline in this guide is one round: every player takes one turn, and the highest qualifying cargo wins.

A race to 50 is a longer variant in which successful cargo scores are added to running totals until someone reaches at least 50, as described in the published 50-point activity rules. State the format before play rather than assuming either method is universal.

Are betting and drinking required to play Ship, Captain, and Crew?

No. Betting and drinking are optional adaptations, not requirements of the core game. Although some descriptions include them, the game itself can be played with only participants and five dice; the terminology and variants overview distinguishes those optional forms from the central roll-and-score mechanism.

A group can compete for the highest cargo without money, alcohol, an ante, or any other stake.