How to play Shut the Box
- Start with all nine tiles open, numbered 1 to 9.
- Roll two dice at the start of your turn.
- Shut tiles that add up to the roll. Rolled a 7? Shut the 7, or the 6 and the 1, or the 5 and the 2, or the 4, the 2 and the 1: any open tiles whose numbers add up to 7.
- Roll again and keep shutting tiles.
- One die or two: once the 7, 8 and 9 are all shut, you may roll just one die instead of two. It's your choice, roll by roll.
- Your turn ends when no open tiles add up to your roll. Add up the tiles still open: that's your score for the round. Then the next player takes a turn, starting with all nine tiles open again.
- Shut the box: shut all nine tiles and you win the game at once.
- Rounds: play 1, 3 or 5 rounds. Everyone plays one turn a round, and the first player moves on by one seat each round. The scores add up, and the lowest total at the end wins. If two players tie for the lowest total, the game is a draw.
Controls
- Roll: press Roll the dice to start your turn.
- Pick tiles: tap the open tiles that add up to your roll. They lift up, and the button shows how much more you need. Tap a picked tile again to put it back.
- Shut and roll: press Shut … and roll to shut the tiles and roll again. Once the 7, 8 and 9 are shut, choose Roll 1 die or Roll 2 dice instead.
- Keyboard: the number keys 1 to 9 pick tiles, R rolls (two dice), O rolls one die when you may, and Esc puts back the tiles you've picked. Tab and Enter work too.
The scores along the top show everyone's total so far, with the player whose turn it is highlighted. During a round, a small number next to a score shows what that player scored this round.
Computer levels
Computer players roll the same fair dice as you, in the open, and you can see which tiles they pick before they shut them. Shut the Box is mostly a game of luck, so even the best play only wins a little more often: in our tests over thousands of three-round games, each level beat the one below it, and Expert beat Hard about 53 times in 100.
| Level | How it plays |
|---|---|
| Easy | Picks its tiles at random half the time, and otherwise shuts as few tiles as it can, biggest first. It rolls one die or two at random. |
| Medium | Always shuts as few tiles as it can, biggest first, and rolls one die as soon as the 7, 8 and 9 are shut. |
| Hard | Picks its tiles the same way, but always rolls two dice, which leaves fewer points open on average. |
| Expert | Plays the best possible way, worked out for all 512 ways the tiles can stand: which tiles to shut for each roll, and when one die is better than two. In the last round it plays for the best chance of beating the score to beat. |
Tips to win
The numbers here come from working out the best play for every one of the 512 ways the nine tiles can stand and every roll of the dice. It's the same calculation the Expert computer player uses.
- Shut the big tiles first. A 9 or an 8 left open late in a turn needs a big roll, or several small tiles, to go. On your first roll, the best play is to shut the single tile that matches the roll, and for 10, 11 or 12, the 9 together with the 1, 2 or 3.
- Use as few tiles as you can. Small tiles are flexible: keeping the 1, 2 and 3 open gives you more ways to use the rolls that come later.
- Know your totals. With two dice, 7 is the most likely total (1 roll in 6), then 6 and 8. A 2 or a 12 comes up only 1 roll in 36.
- Roll one die only when the tiles left add up to 6 or less (or when just the 1, 2 and 4 are left). With the 3 and 4 open, for example, two dice are better: 1 roll in 6 is a 7, which shuts both at once. Taking one die as soon as you may costs about a point a turn: a player who otherwise picks tiles well leaves about 12.2 points open on average that way, against 11.2.
- Expect about 11. Even the best play leaves about 11 points open on average, and only about 1 turn in 10 shuts the box. A score under 10 is a good turn.
- Watch the target in the last round. If the score to beat is low, every tile counts; if you're far behind, only shutting the box can save you.
About Shut the Box
Shut the Box has been played in pubs and at kitchen tables for generations, usually on a wooden box with a row of numbered tiles that flip or slide shut and a felt tray for the dice. Nobody knows for sure where it began. Because every turn is a quick sum, it's also a favourite for practising addition.
Rules differ from one box to the next. Some boxes have 10 or 12 tiles; some families only let you shut the tile for the total or the tiles for each die; some only allow one die when the tiles left add up to 6 or less; and some read the tiles left as digits, so a 1, a 4 and a 5 count as 145. The rules here are among the most common: nine tiles, any tiles that add up to the roll, one die once the 7, 8 and 9 are shut, and the lowest total wins.
Questions
What does "shut the box" mean?
It means shutting all nine tiles in one turn. It's hard to do, about 1 turn in 10 with the best play, and it wins the game at once.
Can I shut more than two tiles at once?
Yes. Any open tiles count as long as they add up to your roll: for a roll of 8, the 4, 3 and 1 is fine, and so is the 8 on its own.
When can I roll just one die?
Once the 7, 8 and 9 are all shut. You choose before each roll, and you can switch back to two dice whenever you like.
What happens if no tiles add up to my roll?
Your turn is over. Add up the tiles that are still open: that's your score for the round, and lower is better.
Is Shut the Box luck or skill?
Mostly luck, but your choices matter. Playing at random leaves about 20 points open a turn on average; the best play leaves about 11.
How many people can play?
From 2 to 4 on one device. Playing alone, choose vs Computer and set the number of players: the other seats are filled by computer players.
Is Shut the Box free?
Yes. It's free in your browser, with no download, no sign-up and no ads during a game.
Updated 10 November 2026