Left Center Right (LCR) is a dynamic and engaging dice game renowned for its simplicity and fast-paced action. Purely a game of chance, LCR requires no skill, just the thrill of rolling the dice. It’s a popular choice for parties, often played with money to raise the stakes and excitement.
To dive into LCR, you only need a few standard six-sided dice. If you don’t have any on hand, you can easily find a set online or at your local game store.
Essential Equipment for Left Center Right
While a specialized board game version exists with custom dice marked with dots, ‘L’, ‘R’, and ‘C’ (representing Left, Right, and Center respectively), you can effortlessly play with regular dice. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 typically represent dots (keep), 4 is Left, 5 is Right, and 6 is Center.
Before starting, each player needs three items to represent their chips. While dollar bills are commonly used to play for money, you can substitute with anything readily available such as poker chips, marbles, coins, or even candies.
The game unfolds in a circle, whether around a table or in an open area. Ensure there’s a designated space in the center to place the ‘money’, chips, or chosen objects.
Player Count and Age Appropriateness
LCR is perfect for small to large groups, accommodating a minimum of three players and scaling up to as many as you have materials for. It’s suitable for ages 5 and up, and can even be a fun way to help younger children distinguish between their left and right. However, due to small parts like dice, it’s crucial to supervise young children under five to prevent choking hazards.
Understanding Left Right Center Gameplay
Each participant begins with three chips. The outcome of the dice roll dictates where your chips go. Rolling a 4 means passing a chip to the player on your left. A 5 sends a chip to your right. A roll of 6 directs a chip to the center ‘pot,’ removing it from active play. Rolling a 1, 2, or 3 means you keep your chip – these are your ‘safe’ rolls. Each die rolled corresponds to one of your chips. For instance, rolling two 6s and a 5 means you’d keep one chip and pass one to your right, with two chips going to the center.
Players take turns rolling the dice. To start, decide who goes first – often the oldest player or by rolling a die, with the highest roll going first (re-roll ties).
Roll as many dice as you have chips, up to a maximum of three. Even if you possess more than three chips, only three are at risk per turn.
After distributing chips according to the roll, pass the dice clockwise to the next player who still has chips. Running out of chips doesn’t eliminate you! Players can still pass chips to you, keeping everyone engaged with a chance to win until the very end.
From the roller’s perspective, low numbers (representing dots) are desirable to maintain their chip count. A perfect roll of 1s, 2s, or 3s means keeping all chips. The least favorable roll is three 6s, as it means losing chips to the pot and reducing the chance of immediate recirculation back to you. Even when not rolling, players are invested in each roll, hoping to receive chips.
Determining the Winner in LCR
The game continues until only one player has chips remaining. That player is declared the winner and, if playing with money, claims the entire pot!
Quick Tip: For extended play with lower stakes, use quarters instead of dollar bills. For even lower stakes, consider dimes, nickels, or pennies for longer-lasting fun!
LCR Game Variation: LCR Wild
A popular variation, LCR Wild, introduces an exciting twist. Instead of three safe numbers, there are only two. The number 3 is replaced with a ‘W’ (Wild). Rolling a ‘W’ allows the roller to take one chip from any player of their choice. Rolling two ‘W’s offers the choice to take two chips from one player or one chip from two different players. An incredibly lucky roll of three ‘W’s results in an instant win of the game!
Image showing specialized LCR dice with L, C, R, and dot markings.
Image of colorful poker chips, suitable substitutes for money in LCR game.
