Shut the Box

Roll two dice and flip down levers that add up to the total, the old pub dice game with a wooden box.

A wooden box, a row of numbered levers and two dice. In Shut the Box you roll, then knock down either one lever matching the total or two levers that add up to it. Keep going until no combination is left. In the traditional pub version, you add up whatever is still standing, and shutting the whole box wins you the pot at double stakes. You can also play several rounds, adding your points up, and drop out once you hit 45 or another agreed limit. It is a centuries-old game of pure dice, quick to set up, and the tension of the last few numbers is delicious. Two to four players, about half an hour.

Levers numbered one to nine or twelveMatch the total with one lever or twoShutting the whole box wins instantly

Who it's for

You want a tactile dice game with a pub heritage and a bit of mental arithmetic, ideally for two to four players.

Not for you if…

You want much strategy or interaction. Besides choosing which levers to flip, the dice do most of the work.

Vibe's take

Rattly and suspenseful. The first few turns feel generous, then the high numbers disappear and every roll becomes a small gamble with your heart in your throat.