farkle-optimizer

Find the best strategy for playing Farkle

Compile and run

On Linux, this should be as simple as

make
./playfarkle

Notes

The rules as programmed here are how I play with my family. Your rules, and the official rules, may differ.

What is the best strategy?

Well, for the rules as programmed, the following strategy will get you 515 points per round on average:

• Keep 222 if you roll it (it's only worth 200 points, but keep it anyway).
• Always keep a leftover 1, but only one of them, and if no 1, keep one 5; do this even if you already have other points.
• Re-roll when you have 3 or more dice left over, BUT increase that number by 1 for every 500 points you've racked up this round; so if you have 1000 points this round, only re-roll if you have 5 or 6 dice left, not 1-4.

Other work

This problem has been addressed before, most notably here: AI-GameTheory, FarkleSolver.

Thanks

Farkle is probably a trademark, and I am using it, and the rules here, without permission.