Number of players: 2 or 3
Type of game: Dice
Period: 17th Century

Inn and Inn (also written In and In) is a quick English gambling game played with four dice. Players throw in turn and everything depends on pairs: throw a pair and you are in, throw two pairs and you are in and in and sweep the pot, but throw no pairs at all and you are out, and lose.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice / Teetotum
Period: 16th Century

Put and Take is a simple gambling game played with a teetotum, a small spinning top with four flat sides that is used in place of a die. Each side is marked with a letter telling the spinner what to do: take from the pot, put into it, do nothing, or take the whole pot. It needs no skill at all, which made it popular with children and gamblers alike.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice
Period: 1500+

Glückshaus (German for “House of Fortune”) is a traditional dice game of luck and simple strategy. Played since the late Middle Ages, it uses a specially numbered board and two dice. Each number represents a “room” in the house, some of which have symbolic or festive meanings—most notably the Pig, Wedding, and King.

History of Glückshaus

• Origins: Glückshaus originated in 15th or 16th century Germany, and became popular across Austria, Switzerland, and the Low Countries.

• Social Game: Traditionally played at weddings, feasts, and fairs, often with small coins, nuts, or beans.

• Room Symbolism: Some spaces were given traditional meanings:

  • 2 – The Pig (a lucky windfall),

  • 7 – The Wedding Room,

  • 12 – The King (the best roll),

  • 4 – The Forbidden Room, sometimes omitted.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice
Period: 1552

Novem-Cinque (Latin for Nine-Five) is an ancient Roman dice game of chance, likely played for wagers and amusement in taverns, camps, and homes across the Empire. Though the exact rules are lost to time, the name suggests a focus on the numbers 9 and 5, with reconstructions drawing from Roman gambling practices.

History of Novem-Cinque

• Cultural Context: Played in the Roman Empire, likely during the Imperial period.

• Etymology: Novem means nine, and Cinque (variant of quinque) means five.

• Mentions: Possibly referenced in Roman graffiti and by later medieval writers describing old games.

• Role: A casual game of luck, likely played in social and gambling settings.

• Tools: Used tesserae (six-sided dice) and possibly gambling chips or coins.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice
Period: 1552

Liar’s Dice is a classic bluffing and deduction game played with dice hidden beneath cups. Each player must guess how many dice showing a certain face value are present across all players’ cups—but without knowing anyone else’s dice. Players bluff, challenge, and try to outwit each other to be the last one with dice remaining.

History of Liar’s Dice

• Origins: Likely derived from Perudo or Dudo, a South American game with Incan roots.

• Global Spread: Popularised among sailors and gamblers; modern versions are common in pubs and game collections.

• Variants: Known by many names: Pirate’s Dice, Dudo, Perudo, and sometimes Bluff.

• Pop Culture: Featured in films like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.