Can I close more than two tiles on one throw?

Yes. Any group of different open tiles is legal if its sum matches the dice total. For a total of 7, closing 1, 2 and 4 is allowed. Each tile can be used only once.

When is one die allowed in Shut the Box?

In this selected version, only when 7, 8 and 9 are all closed. You may then choose one die or two before the next throw. Other versions use different conditions.

What happens if I cannot make the dice total?

Your turn ends immediately. Add the numbers still open for your score; do not reroll or reopen tiles to make that throw work.

Is the score a sum or a number made from the open digits?

This guide uses the sum. Open tiles 1, 4 and 6 score 11, not 146. Digit-concatenation scoring is a different variant.

Does closing every tile win?

Yes. In the selected Masters Traditional Games version, closing all nine tiles scores 0 and wins immediately. Otherwise compare the players’ remaining sums: lower wins. Agree on ties before play.

Luma Game Guide

Shut the Box Game Rules: A 1–9 Guide

Learn legal combinations and remaining-sum scoring with five worked examples.

By Luma Game Hub EditorialUpdated Nov 3, 2026Verified against source

Quick answer

Quick answer: match the total, then score what remains

Start with 1–9 open and two dice. Close one group of open tiles that adds to the rolled total, using each tile once. Roll again after a legal closure. No legal group means your turn ends: add the remaining numbers. Low score wins; all closed means 0 and an immediate win in this version.

Masters Traditional Games: Shut the Box rulesSource for the selected 1–9 version and its one-die condition.

Read the guide

Roll the dice, then close one group of open numbered tiles whose sum equals the dice total. Repeat until no legal group remains; your score is the sum of the tiles still open. Lower is better. Closing every tile scores 0 and wins under the selected rules.

This guide uses the 1–9 sum-scoring version described by Masters Traditional Games. Only after 7, 8 and 9 are all closed may you choose one die or keep using two. Boards and house rules differ, so agree on this version before starting.

Set up a board or a paper practice row

Use a 1–9 board, two standard six-sided dice and a score sheet. For paper practice, write 1 through 9 and cross out numbers as they close. Each number represents one tile, so it can be crossed out only once per turn. Reset all nine numbers for the next player. This page is a written tabletop guide, with no playable board or dice roller.

One turn: roll, choose one group, close and repeat

Start the turn with all nine tiles open. Roll two dice and add them. Choose any nonempty group of still-open tiles with that exact sum, close the group, then roll again. The number of tiles need not match the number of dice. Closed tiles stay closed until the next turn. If there is no legal group, stop and record the remaining sum; you cannot pass or reroll that failed throw.

When can you use one die?

Before each throw, check the 7, 8 and 9 tiles. If any is still open, use two dice. Once all three are closed, you may choose either one die or two dice. This is a tile condition, not a rule based on the remaining sum being 6 or less. Choose the dice count before rolling; do not discard one die after seeing a two-dice result.

Five original worked examples

A–D check individual decisions; E follows one full constructed turn. Choices separated by semicolons are alternatives: close only one group per throw. The examples teach legality and arithmetic, not the best move.

Example A — all five ways to close a total of 7

All tiles 1–9 are open. Roll 3 + 4 = 7. The complete list of legal choices is 7; 1 + 6; 2 + 5; 3 + 4; 1 + 2 + 4. Choose just one of those groups, then close its tiles. You may close three tiles: 1 + 2 + 4 is legal even though you rolled two dice. You cannot use the 1 twice or close several alternative groups together.

Example B — one die is an option after 7, 8 and 9 close

Only 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 remain open, so 7, 8 and 9 are all closed. You choose one die and roll 5. The complete choices are 5; 1 + 4; 2 + 3. Pick one group and continue. Two dice were also allowed before this throw; switching to one die was optional.

Example C — an 8 does not require the 8 tile

Open tiles: 2, 6, 7, 9. Roll 4 + 4 = 8 with two dice. The only legal choice is 2 + 6 = 8. Close those tiles, leaving 7 and 9 with a remaining sum of 16. The 8 tile is already closed and cannot be reused. You still cannot choose one die: 7 and 9 remain open. The 16 is the current remaining sum, not a final score unless the turn ends.

Example D — no legal group ends the turn at 11

Open tiles: 1, 4, 6. Roll 3 + 5 = 8. No group of these open tiles adds to 8: the two-tile sums are 5, 7 and 10, and all three sum to 11. There is only one 4, so 4 + 4 is unavailable. The turn ends with 1 + 4 + 6 = 11 points, not 146. You do not get another throw to try again.

Example E — a constructed path to zero

Begin with every tile open. Each line is the next throw in the same turn. These chosen dice illustrate a possible legal sequence; they are not a recorded random game, an optimal strategy or a probability estimate.

Throw 1: 5 + 6 = 11; close 9 + 2; remaining sum = 34.
Throw 2: 4 + 6 = 10; close 7 + 3; remaining sum = 24.
Throw 3: 6 + 6 = 12; close 8 + 4; remaining sum = 12.
Throw 4: 6 + 6 = 12; close 1 + 5 + 6; remaining sum = 0.

Score a turn, then compare the round

A throw with no legal closure ends that player’s turn. Add the open numbers for the score, then reset the board for the next player. In a round, players each take a turn and compare scores; the lowest wins unless someone closes everything, which is an immediate win in the selected source. Agree on tie handling and any multi-round format beforehand: the source does not establish a universal tie procedure.

Keep variants separate

This page uses tiles 1–9, remaining-sum scoring and the 7/8/9 condition for choosing one die. A 1–12 board, reading open digits as one large number, or allowing one die when the remaining sum is below 6 belongs to a different ruleset. Follow your own box rules if they differ; do not mix their scoring or dice conditions into these examples. No wagering is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I close more than two tiles on one throw?: Yes. Any group of different open tiles is legal if its sum matches the dice total. For a total of 7, closing 1, 2 and 4 is allowed. Each tile can be used only once.
When is one die allowed in Shut the Box?: In this selected version, only when 7, 8 and 9 are all closed. You may then choose one die or two before the next throw. Other versions use different conditions.
What happens if I cannot make the dice total?: Your turn ends immediately. Add the numbers still open for your score; do not reroll or reopen tiles to make that throw work.
Is the score a sum or a number made from the open digits?: This guide uses the sum. Open tiles 1, 4 and 6 score 11, not 146. Digit-concatenation scoring is a different variant.
Does closing every tile win?: Yes. In the selected Masters Traditional Games version, closing all nine tiles scores 0 and wins immediately. Otherwise compare the players’ remaining sums: lower wins. Agree on ties before play.

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Masters Traditional Games: rules and variations →
Selected source for setup, legal closures, the 7/8/9 dice condition, remaining-sum scoring and closing the box. This guide’s wording and five exercises are original.