Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Learn the rules to the dice game Tally Up! quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules.
Don't own the game? Buy it here:
buy.triplesgames.com/tallyup
Download the free scoring app here: link.triplesgames.com/tallyupapp
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/460372/tally-up
RULES:
The object of the game is to be the first player to reach 2,500 points. Give each player an “in/out” token to place in front of them with the “in” side showing. Set out the reference cards so everyone can see one, these indicate what symbols each die has. Get a scoresheet and pencil; or check out the QR code in the rulebook, or use the link in the video description, for the free scoring app. Pick one player to go first, they are the active player.
The active player selects any 3 of the colored tally dice they want and rolls them, this is called their “main roll”. If they roll zero stars or one star, then add up the numbers shown on the dice to a temporary running total. If one or more dice has a number with a circle around it, then the active player must also roll the “up die” one time, which is called a “bonus roll”. Before the bonus roll, all players who are still “in”, must decide whether to stay “in” or go “out” and score points. All players secretly flip their token to “in” or “out”, covered with their hand, then everyone reveals simultaneously.
Every player who picked “out” immediately scores the running total, adding it to their score on the scoresheet. Those players are now “out” and may not score from the running total again this round. Every player who picked “in” does not score but remains “in” the round. The active player then rolls the “up die” for the bonus roll.
If a plus 1, plus 2, or plus 3 is rolled on the “up die”, then the active player must pick and roll that many bonus tally dice from the pool of unused dice; adding all numbers rolled to the running total. If they roll any numbers with circles, they do not roll the “up die” again. After rolling any bonus tally dice, returned those bonus dice to the side. If the “up die” shows a +100, then add 100 points to the running total. If it shows a minus 100, then subtract 100 instead. The running total is allowed to be negative. If the “up die” shows a times 2, then double the running total.
During the main roll, if the dice result in exactly two stars, or if two or more stars are showing after a bonus roll, then everyone who is still “in”, busts and scores zero points for the round, and the round immediately ends.
During the main roll, if the active player rolls three stars, this is called a “tally up”. All players, including those who are “out”, race to yell “Tally up!”. The first to do so, even if they are already “out”, scores 200 bonus points. If it is a tie for who yelled it first, then each tied player scores 200 points. Also, every other player who is still “in” scores 100 bonus points. All bonus points are immediately recorded on the scoresheet. A “tally up” can only happen during a main roll; if you have 3 or more stars during a bonus roll, then it is a bust.
After resolving the Main roll, and a bonus roll if it is present, everyone who is still “in” must secretly decide if they are staying “in” or going “out” by simultaneously revealing their decisions with their in/out token as before. If there is still at least one player still “in”, then the active player rolls all three of the dice they picked for their main roll this round. They may not swap any of those tally dice for different ones. Resolve the dice roll like before, including one “up die” roll if it is present, then the process repeats. If the active player goes “out”, they still are in charge of picking and rolling the dice for the entire round.
Repeat this process until everyone has gone “out” or the active player rolls a bust. Then the round ends and all players flip their in/out tokens to “in”, and the next player clockwise from the active player becomes the new active player in a new round, picking any 3 tally dice they want for their main roll. Keep playing until one or more players have more than 2,500 points at the end of a round; then the player with the most is the winner. If it is a tie, then play a tiebreaker round.
For longer or shorter games, adjust the total points needed to win; or play rounds until everyone has been the active player a predetermined number of times. You can also play the high stakes variant: Remove the opportunity to choose to stay “in” or go “out” before any “up die” roll.
Learn the rules to the dice game Tally Up! quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules.
Don't own the game? Buy it here:
buy.triplesgames.com/tallyup
Download the free scoring app here: link.triplesgames.com/tallyupapp
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/460372/tally-up
RULES:
The object of the game is to be the first player to reach 2,500 points. Give each player an “in/out” token to place in front of them with the “in” side showing. Set out the reference cards so everyone can see one, these indicate what symbols each die has. Get a scoresheet and pencil; or check out the QR code in the rulebook, or use the link in the video description, for the free scoring app. Pick one player to go first, they are the active player.
The active player selects any 3 of the colored tally dice they want and rolls them, this is called their “main roll”. If they roll zero stars or one star, then add up the numbers shown on the dice to a temporary running total. If one or more dice has a number with a circle around it, then the active player must also roll the “up die” one time, which is called a “bonus roll”. Before the bonus roll, all players who are still “in”, must decide whether to stay “in” or go “out” and score points. All players secretly flip their token to “in” or “out”, covered with their hand, then everyone reveals simultaneously.
Every player who picked “out” immediately scores the running total, adding it to their score on the scoresheet. Those players are now “out” and may not score from the running total again this round. Every player who picked “in” does not score but remains “in” the round. The active player then rolls the “up die” for the bonus roll.
If a plus 1, plus 2, or plus 3 is rolled on the “up die”, then the active player must pick and roll that many bonus tally dice from the pool of unused dice; adding all numbers rolled to the running total. If they roll any numbers with circles, they do not roll the “up die” again. After rolling any bonus tally dice, returned those bonus dice to the side. If the “up die” shows a +100, then add 100 points to the running total. If it shows a minus 100, then subtract 100 instead. The running total is allowed to be negative. If the “up die” shows a times 2, then double the running total.
During the main roll, if the dice result in exactly two stars, or if two or more stars are showing after a bonus roll, then everyone who is still “in”, busts and scores zero points for the round, and the round immediately ends.
During the main roll, if the active player rolls three stars, this is called a “tally up”. All players, including those who are “out”, race to yell “Tally up!”. The first to do so, even if they are already “out”, scores 200 bonus points. If it is a tie for who yelled it first, then each tied player scores 200 points. Also, every other player who is still “in” scores 100 bonus points. All bonus points are immediately recorded on the scoresheet. A “tally up” can only happen during a main roll; if you have 3 or more stars during a bonus roll, then it is a bust.
After resolving the Main roll, and a bonus roll if it is present, everyone who is still “in” must secretly decide if they are staying “in” or going “out” by simultaneously revealing their decisions with their in/out token as before. If there is still at least one player still “in”, then the active player rolls all three of the dice they picked for their main roll this round. They may not swap any of those tally dice for different ones. Resolve the dice roll like before, including one “up die” roll if it is present, then the process repeats. If the active player goes “out”, they still are in charge of picking and rolling the dice for the entire round.
Repeat this process until everyone has gone “out” or the active player rolls a bust. Then the round ends and all players flip their in/out tokens to “in”, and the next player clockwise from the active player becomes the new active player in a new round, picking any 3 tally dice they want for their main roll. Keep playing until one or more players have more than 2,500 points at the end of a round; then the player with the most is the winner. If it is a tie, then play a tiebreaker round.
For longer or shorter games, adjust the total points needed to win; or play rounds until everyone has been the active player a predetermined number of times. You can also play the high stakes variant: Remove the opportunity to choose to stay “in” or go “out” before any “up die” roll.
