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Left Right Center Rules & Online Dice Game

Left Right Center — also written LCR or LRC — is a simple, fast, luck-based dice party game. Below you will find the complete rules, what each die face means, how to win, and the popular holiday gift-exchange variant. There is also a free online turn helper to play right on this page.

How to play Left Right Center

Left Right Center needs 3 or more players, three special dice, and a stack of chips. It takes about a minute to learn and a few minutes to play.

Setup

  • Sit everyone in a circle and give each player 3 chips to start.
  • The center of the table is the pot — it starts empty.
  • The youngest player (or anyone) goes first; play then passes to the left.

Taking a turn

On your turn, roll one die for each chip you have, up to a maximum of three dice. If you have 3 or more chips you roll all 3; with 2 chips roll 2; with 1 chip roll 1. If you have 0 chips you do not roll — but you are not out: you can still be handed chips by your neighbors and re-enter on a later turn.

What the dice faces mean

Each die has six faces: three dots and one each of L, R, and C. For every die you roll, do what its face says — one chip per non-dot face.

  • Dot — Keep

    Three of the six faces are dots. Nothing happens; you keep that chip.

  • L — Pass Left

    Pass one chip to the player on your left.

  • R — Pass Right

    Pass one chip to the player on your right.

  • C — Center pot

    Put one chip in the center pot. It stays there for the rest of the game.

How to win

Play continues around the circle until only one player has any chips left. That last player with chips wins and takes the entire center pot. Because chips passed to you put you back in the game, the lead can change right up to the final roll.

The gift / holiday variant

Left Right Center is a favorite holiday gift-exchange game. To play the gift version, swap the chips for three small wrapped gifts (or three $1 bills) per player. You roll and pass gifts left, right, or into the center pile exactly as you would with chips. When one player is the last holding gifts, they win the whole center pile. Keep the gifts small and similarly sized so they are easy to pass and roughly fair — think gift cards, ornaments, or fun stocking stuffers.

Play it now — free turn helper

No dice? No chips? Use this digital roller. It tracks every player's chips and the pot for you — just pass one screen around the circle and tap roll on each turn.

Play Left Right Center

A turn helper for one shared screen — pass the device around the circle. Enter your players and starting chips to begin.

Traditional Left Right Center uses 3 chips (or 3 wrapped gifts / dollar bills) each.

FAQ

Left Right Center FAQ

You roll one die for each chip you have, up to a maximum of three. If you have 3 or more chips, you roll all 3 dice. If you have 2 chips you roll 2 dice, with 1 chip you roll 1 die, and with 0 chips you do not roll at all — though you can still receive chips from your neighbors and re-enter the game.

Each Left Right Center die has six faces: three dots, one L, one R, and one C. A dot means keep that chip (nothing happens). An L means pass one chip to the player on your left. An R means pass one chip to the player on your right. A C means put one chip into the center pot, where it stays for the rest of the game.

The last player with chips remaining wins, and they take the entire center pot. Players are never fully eliminated — even at zero chips you can be handed chips by the players to your left or right and jump back in. The game ends the moment only one person has any chips left.

The holiday gift version simply swaps the plastic chips for three small wrapped gifts (or three $1 bills) per player. You roll and pass gifts left, right, or to the center pile exactly as you would with chips. When one player is the last holding gifts, they win the entire center pile. It is a fast, fun gift-exchange format for parties and family gatherings.

Left Right Center works best with 3 or more players and scales comfortably to large groups of a dozen or more. With only 2 players the left and right neighbor are the same person, so 3+ is recommended. The more players, the longer and more unpredictable the game.

Planning a gift exchange this year?

Set up a free gift exchange on GiftList — draw names, share wish lists, and keep everyone organized. No cost, no clutter.

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