Shut the Box Board Game: Rules for How to Play

Shut the Box is a public domain game whose origins date back to the 1700s. Because of this there have been tweaks to the rules over time. While the rules are mostly the same, some versions of the game have slightly different rules. Some versions of Shut the Box have tiles for numbers 1-9, while others have tiles for numbers 1-12. I will try to point out the different variant rules where applicable. You can pick and choose which of the variant rules that you want to use.

Setup

Place the board in the middle of the table. All of the tiles should be up with the numbers visible.
Choose a player to start the game.

How to Play Shut the Box

Each player begins their turn by rolling both dice into the box. After rolling the dice you will determine which tiles you want to shut. Players have a couple of options when choosing which tile(s) you want to shut/flip down. You can only shut numbers that you haven’t already shut on your turn.

Roll the dice — The current player rolled a five and a three on the dice.

You can always choose to shut the number that matches the total of both dice you rolled. For example if you roll a four and a three, you can shut the seven tile.

Shut a single number — This player rolled a total of eight on the two dice. They have decided to shut the eight tile.

Your next option is to shut the two individual numbers you rolled on the dice. If you rolled a four and a three you could choose to shut those two tiles.

Shutting the two numbers rolled on the dice — This player rolled a three and five on their dice. They decide to shut the three and five tiles.

These next options are allowed in some versions of the rules, but are not allowed in other versions of the game. In some versions you can choose any two numbers that add up to the total you rolled on the two dice. For example you rolled a four and a three. Following this rule you could choose to shut the two and five, or the six and one.

Shut two numbers different than what was rolled — This player rolled a total of eight on the two dice. In some versions of Shut the Box they could choose to shut the two and six tiles because they add up to eight.

Most versions of the rules for Shut the Box only allow you to shut two numbers after each roll. There are some versions of the rules that allow you to shut any number of tiles that add up to the total rolled on the two dice. Say you rolled a total of eight on the two dice. In versions with this rule, you could shut the one, two, and five tiles.

Shut three numbers in Shut the Box — In some versions of the rules a player can shut three or more numbers that add up to the total rolled on the dice. Following this rule this player could shut the one, two, and five because they add up to eight.

Before you play Shut the Box the players should decide which set of rules that the players will use while playing the game.

After you have finished choosing which tile(s) you want to shut, you will roll the dice again. On future rolls you potentially don’t have to roll both dice. In boards with tiles 1-9; if the 7, 8, and 9 have all been shut you can choose to only roll one of the dice. In 1-12 boards, you usually have to roll both dice unless you have already shut all of the numbers above six.

You will keep taking turns until you roll numbers that you can’t use to shut tiles. You must use the entire total that you rolled. For example if you roll a nine, you must use all nine either by shutting the nine or shutting two or more numbers that add up to nine. If you can’t use the whole number that you rolled, your turn ends.

Can't shut anymore numbers — The player rolled a one and five this turn. There is no way the player can use the numbers to shut the remaining numbers. The player’s turn ends.

Should you shut all of the numbers, you have successfully “Shut the Box”. In most versions of the game, you immediately win the game.

Shutting the Box — This player was able to successfully shut all of the numbers. They have successfully shut the box.

You will then score your turn. See the scoring section below. The next player in turn order then takes their turn. Before they begin their turn, they will turn up all of the tiles.

Scoring

Scoring is an area where Shut the Box has changed over time.

In some versions of the game you add up all of the numbers that you were unable to shut. For example if you were unable to shut the two, four, and six; you will score twelve points.

In other versions your score is read out from all of the numbers that weren’t shut. For example if the two, four, and six weren’t closed, you score would be 246.

Determining a player's final score — At the end of the game the player wasn’t able to shut the two and six. This player would score eight points if you are using the addition scoring method. They would score 26 points if you use the method where you read off the remaining numbers.

Winning the Game

In Shut the Box you can choose to either play one round for each player, or you can play a series of rounds.

If each player is only playing one round, all of the players compare their scores. The player with the lowest score wins the game.

You can also play the game as a pub gambling game. Each player puts money/chips into the pot. The player that scores the least points in a round wins the pot. If a player is able to shut all of the numbers, they immediately win the round and take double the normal payment from the rest of the players.

Shut the Box can also be played over multiple rounds. Each player tallies their scores between each game. When a player reaches a total of 45 points, they are eliminated from the game. The last remaining player wins the game.

Components

Board with tiles 1-9 or 1-12
Two six sided dice

Year: 1700s | Publisher: Public Domain

Genres: Dice, Family, Party

Ages: 8+ | Number of Players: 2-4 | Length of Game: 20-30 minutes

Difficulty: Light | Strategy: Light | Luck: High

For more board and card game rules/how to plays, check out our complete alphabetical list of card and board game rules posts.

Written By:

Eric Mortensen

Eric Mortensen is an owner and head writer on Geeky Hobbies since 2014. He is an avid board game player and collector with over 3,000 board and card games in his collection. Since 2014 he has written more than 1,100 board game how to play guides.