Chingona

Lore & Background

Chingona is a dice game whose rules are similar to those of Yahtzee, though much simpler due to the nature of the game. After rolling the dice, the roller must first set aside any ship (6), then captain (5), then crew (4) in that order, rerolling the remaining dice up to two times. For example, a player rolls and sees a 6, a 5, a 3, a 2, and a 1; they keep the 6 and the 5, roll the remaining three dice, get a 4, a 6, and a 3, keep the 4 (crew), then roll the last two dice once more, scoring a 6 and a 5. They then announce 'Ship, Captain, Crew with cargo of 11' (6+5) and end their turn.

Reader's Guide

Chingona is a straightforward dice game used primarily to determine who pays for the next round of drinks, though betting can also be involved. Its rules are simpler than Yahtzee, with players allowed up to three rolls total, keeping any dice they wish between rolls. Ones are counted as wild, so a player could have one six and three ones and still claim four sixes. The winner is determined by the score of the roller's dice and the number of rolls used to achieve that score. The best possible score is all sixes in one roll, which is beatable only by all ones in one roll. The game requires no special equipment beyond dice and a cup, making it a common social pastime.

Did You Know?

• Chingona is also known as Ship, Captain, and Crew.
• The game uses five standard dice.
• Ones are not wild; the game requires specific combinations: a 6 (ship), a 5 (captain), and a 4 (crew).
• The best score is a cargo sum of 12, achieved by rolling two sixes after securing the ship, captain, and crew in one roll.