Grant County Herald
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Grant County Herald
Web site last updated:
May 8, 2008
‘Bunco’ ... it’s more than a dice game
Bunco players tend to get excited.
When the womens’ bowling league at the L Bowl Lanes in Elbow Lake folded, a number of women found they missed the good times the girls night out gave them.
“We were looking for something to do,” said Edie Johnson.
The answer turned out to be a dice game called “Bunco.” Now the second Monday of each month is “Bunco Night” for the group of eight women, plus two alternates, which meet at each other’s houses and call themselves the Bunco Babes.
They are planning a Bunco Invitational at DreamWeavers in Elbow Lake on May 17. The Invitational will be for anyone interested in learning the game or who already plays.
“There are Bunco leagues in Fergus Falls and Hoffman that we know about,” said Johnson, who learned the game in the early 70s when her husband was in the service.
Bunco is played with four players at a table and three dice. Players across from each other are partners. Each team tries to accumulate a score of 21 by rolling the three dice, starting with ones, then two’s, etc. You can keep rolling as long as you are rolling ones. When a team gets to 21, “Bunco” is called out and that game is over. Each member of the winning team puts an X on their scorecard, while the losing team puts an O on theirs. The winning team goes to a table with the winning team of the other table and they play. The losing teams also play each other. But, team members also switch teams, so you don’t keep the same team member when you move to another table. In this way Bunco is an individual game and not really a team game.
Six games constitute a set and after four sets the player with the most Xs on their scorecard is the winner for the night and usually gets a prize ... plus a lot of ridicule from the other players.
“There is a lot of yelling,” said Bunco player Joanne Cully.
“We have such a good time,” agreed Bunco Babe, Darla Johnson.
Anyone is invited to play in the Bunco Invitational — as long as you are a woman. No men are allowed.
It is a simple game that allows a lot of socializing. Johnson said she guarantees that even people who have never played will enjoy learning.
“People play it only once and they get hooked.”
The Bunco Babes ask only that you RSVP so they know how many hors d’oeuvres to prepare.
So if you are interested in playing in the Bunco Invitational, May 17 from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at DreamWeavers, call Sandy at 218-685-4130.
“Bunco will have you rolling,” say the Bunco Babes.
