Description

Martinetti is a type of simple traditional dice game of "climbing" up and down using the results of die rolls. According to game designer and aficionado Dan Glimne it is reputed to date back to Roman times; be that as it may, it could be a precursor to number matching dice games such as Shut the Box

Two or more players can participate, each one writing down a progression of numbers from 1 to 12 and then from 12 back down to 1. On their turn, a player rolls three dice and then crosses off as many numbers as possible, typically in order, by matching them to the numbers on the dice or sums that these add up to. E.g. a first-turn roll of 6-1-1 would allow crossing off the numbers 1 and 2, and a lucky roll of 4-2-1 would mean crossing off every number from 1 to 7. Rerolls may be allowed as long as at least one number was crossed out on the previous roll, except after scoring the first 12.

The first player to reach the end of their sequence, 1 to 12 to 1, is the winner.

Variations concern for instance restrictions on the order in which numbers may be crossed out; restrictions on the use of dice; whether there are two 12 spaces or just one; and whether and how re-rolls are used. If numbers can only be crossed out in strict order, player advancement can be recorded using individual tokens on a single path of numbered spaces.

Similar games include Everest, Mount Everest, Roll and Score Dice Derby Game, and Tolvan