Left Right Center rules

Left Right Center, sold as LCR, is a dice game of pure luck for 3 or more players. Everyone starts with 3 chips. On your turn the dice tell you to pass chips to your left, to your right or into the center pot. The last player holding any chips wins the pot.

Also called LCR, Left Center Right.

Keep score Print the sheets

A roll of L, dot and C with 3 chips: 1 chip goes left, 1 goes into the center pot and 1 stays with you.

Players: 3 or more
Ages: 5 and up
You need: 3 LCR dice and 3 chips for each player. A box has 3 dice and 24 chips.
Each turn: Roll 1 die for each chip you hold, up to 3, and pass chips as the dice say
Goal: Be the last player with any chips
Game ends: When only one player has chips. That player wins every chip in the center pot.
Playing time: About 10 to 20 minutes

LCR and Left Center Right are trademarks of George & Company LLC. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by George & Company.

Quick start

Sit in a circle. Give each player 3 chips. Agree on who rolls first.
On your turn, roll 1 die for each chip you hold, up to 3. With 3 or more chips you roll all 3 dice.
For each L, give 1 chip to the player on your left. For each R, give 1 chip to the player on your right.
For each C, put 1 chip in the center pot. A dot means you keep that chip. Then hand the dice to the player on your left.
With no chips you are still in the game. You do not roll, so pass the dice on. If a neighbor passes you a chip, you roll again on your next turn.
When only one player has chips left, the game ends. That player wins and takes every chip in the center pot without rolling again.

Rule sheet and score sheet

Print the whole game on one page, and a score sheet made for Left Right Center. Both are free PDFs for Letter paper.

Download the rule sheet

PDF, 1 page. The whole game on one page.

Download the score sheet

PDF, 1 page, landscape. Laid out for Left Right Center.

Setup

3 or more players, each playing alone. One box has chips for 8. With coins or extra chips, more can join.

You need: 3 LCR dice and 24 chips, as sold in the box.

The 27 pieces
In the set	Count
LCR dice	3
Chips	24
Total	27

Each side of a die shows an L, a C, an R or a dot. The rules we checked do not say how many sides show each mark.
24 chips are enough for 8 players at 3 each. Coins work in place of chips for a bigger group.

Sit in a circle so that every player has a neighbor on each side.
Give each player 3 chips. Chips left over stay out of the game.
Leave a space in the middle of the table for the center pot. It starts empty.
Choose who rolls first in any way the group likes. The dice then go around the table to the left.

Your chips

Player on your left

Player on your right

The dice

Shared by everyone

Ready to start: 3 chips for each player. The center pot starts empty.

The rules we checked do not say which way turns go. This page and its scorekeeper pass the dice to the left, which is clockwise.

How to play

There are no choices to make. The dice decide where every chip goes, and turns go around the table until one player is left holding chips.

Roll 1 die for each chip

On your turn, count your chips and roll that many dice, but never more than 3. With 3 or more chips you roll all 3 dice. With 2 chips you roll 2, and with 1 chip you roll 1.
- Having more than 3 chips does not give you more dice. 3 is the most anyone rolls.
- Example: you are down to 1 chip, so you roll 1 die. If it shows R, your last chip goes to the player on your right and you have none. If it shows a dot, you keep the chip and roll 1 die again on your next turn, unless a neighbor has passed you more chips by then.
Move a chip for each letter

Each die showing a letter moves 1 of your chips. For an L, give a chip to the player on your left. For an R, give one to the player on your right. For a C, put one in the center pot. A dot moves nothing, so you keep that chip.
- Two of the same letter move 2 chips. A roll of L, L and R sends 2 chips left and 1 right.
- Chips in the center pot stay there until the game ends. Then the winner takes them all.
Pass the dice on

When your chips have moved, give the dice to the player on your left. It is now their turn.
No chips? You are still in

A player with no chips is not out. On their turn they do not roll, and they pass the dice to the next player. If a neighbor rolls an L or R that sends them a chip, they roll again on their next turn.
- You keep your seat until the game ends, even after losing every chip. A chip can come back to you from the player on either side.
The last player with chips wins

The game ends as soon as only one player has any chips left. That player wins and takes every chip in the center pot. They do not roll again.

What each face of the dice does
Face	What you do
L	Give 1 chip to the player on your left
R	Give 1 chip to the player on your right
C	Put 1 chip in the center pot
Dot	Nothing. You keep that chip

How many dice you roll
Chips you hold	Dice you roll
3 or more	3
2	2
1	1
0	None. Pass the dice on

Example: a turn with 3 chips

You have 3 chips, so you roll all 3 dice. They show L, a dot and C. The L sends 1 chip to the player on your left. The C puts 1 chip in the center pot. The dot moves nothing, so you keep 1 chip. On your next turn you roll 1 die, unless a neighbor has passed you more chips by then.

You roll

Player on your left

Gets 1 chip for the L

Center pot

Gets 1 chip for the C

You keep

The dot moves nothing

Where your 3 chips go after a roll of L, dot and C.

Scoring

Left Right Center has no points. The chips keep the score, and the last player holding any wins.

The last player with chips wins the game and takes every chip in the center pot.

Nothing is written down during a game, because the chips keep the count. To play a series, mark the winner of each game on the score sheet and count the games at the end.

Scorekeeper

For 3 or more players, entered in seating order going left. Everyone starts with 3 chips. Tap the faces rolled by the player whose turn it is, and it moves the chips left, right or into the center pot. It skips players with no chips and names the winner when only one player has chips. It works in this browser, keeps the game if the page reloads, and needs no account.

Other ways to play

Left Right Center for a big group

The game suits small and large groups alike. A box has 24 chips, which covers 8 players at 3 each. For a bigger group, add coins or extra chips so that everyone still starts with 3.

House rules and other versions

LCR Wild: This boxed version adds a Wild (W) to the dice and otherwise plays the same. Roll 1 W and you may take 1 chip from any player. 2 Ws let you take 2 chips from one player or 1 each from two players. 3 Ws let you take every chip in the center pot, and the game goes on. Check the sheet in your box.

Rule questions

How many chips does each player start with in LCR?

3. Every player starts with 3 chips, however many are playing. A box holds 24 chips, which is enough for 8 players. A bigger group can use coins or extra chips.

How many dice do you roll in Left Right Center?

1 die for each chip you hold, up to 3. With 3 or more chips you roll all 3 dice. With 2 chips you roll 2, with 1 chip you roll 1, and with no chips you do not roll.

Do you roll more dice if you have more than 3 chips?

No. 3 dice is the most anyone rolls, however many chips they have.

What does the dot mean on LCR dice?

Nothing happens. A dot is neutral, so you keep the chip for that die. The other sides of the dice show L, C or R. The rules we checked do not say how many sides of a die show a dot.

What happens if you roll two Ls?

You give 2 chips to the player on your left, 1 for each L. Every letter moves 1 chip. With 3 chips and a roll of L, L and R, you give 2 to the left and 1 to the right, and you have none left.

Are you out when you have no chips?

No. You stay in the game, but you do not roll. Pass the dice to the next player instead. If a neighbor rolls an L or R that sends you a chip, you roll again on your next turn.

Does the winner have to roll the dice one last time?

No. The game ends the moment only one player has chips left. That player wins the center pot without rolling.

Who gets the chips in the center pot?

The winner. Chips that go into the center stay there for the rest of the game, and the last player with chips takes them all.

Who goes first in LCR?

Anyone the group chooses. The rules we checked leave it to the players. On this page the dice then go around the table to the left.

How many people can play LCR?

3 or more. One box has chips for 8 players at 3 each. For a bigger group, add coins or extra chips so that everyone starts with 3.

Is there any strategy in Left Right Center?

No. In the main game the rules give players no choices to make. The dice decide where every chip goes, so the game is pure luck. LCR Wild adds a choice of whom to take chips from.

Words used in Left Right Center

LCR dice: The game’s 3 dice. Each side shows an L, a C, an R or a dot.
Center pot: The chips in the middle of the table. A C sends a chip there, and the winner takes them all.
Dot: A mark on the dice that does nothing. You keep the chip for that die.

What you need

The LCR dice gameA box has the 3 dice and 24 chips, enough for 8 players.Find it on Amazon (The LCR dice game, opens in a new tab)
LCR WildOptional. The version that adds a W for Wild to the dice.Find it on Amazon (LCR Wild, opens in a new tab)
Extra chipsOptional. For groups of more than 8. Coins work too.Find it on Amazon (Extra chips, opens in a new tab)

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Checked against

These rules are written in our own words from The Pool Shoppe and checked against George & Company LLC. Sources last checked on October 12, 2026.

First source: The Pool Shoppe, LCR Dice Game Instructions (a retailer’s page, Hamilton, Ontario). 3 or more players, three L-C-R dice and 3 chips each, coins for extra players, choosing the first player freely, the number of each letter setting the chips moved, dots being neutral, rolling 1 or 2 dice with 1 or 2 chips, passing the dice on with no chips, the winner not rolling and winning the center pot, and the LCR Wild rules for 1, 2 and 3 Wilds. It does not say how many sides of a die show each mark..
Second source: George & Company LLC, The Original LCR Left Center Right Dice Game, product page on Dicegames.com, the company’s store (page copyright 2026). The box contents: 3 specialty-marked dice, 24 chips and instructions, and that the last player with chips wins the center pot. It gives no player count, ages or turn rules, and the instruction sheet in the box is not on the product page..

Other sources we used (4)

FindLaw (US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit), George & Company, LLC v. Imagination Entertainment Ltd., No. 08-1921, decided July 27, 2009. The court’s account of the dice game both companies sold: at least 3 players, 3 chips each, 3 dice with each side marked L, R, C or a dot, dots being neutral, rolling as many dice as chips with 2 or fewer, a player with no chips still playing and passing the dice, and the last player with chips winning the center pot. It does not count the sides of each kind..
George & Company LLC, LCR Wild Dice Game, product page on Dicegames.com (item 723). That LCR Wild is George & Company’s own boxed version, sold as a twist that gives players a chance to choose their moves. The page gives no rules for it..
George & Company LLC, LCR Left Center Right Deluxe Edition, product page on Dicegames.com. 3 or more players, ages 5 to 105, and 24 chips again.
George & Company LLC, Vendor Info page on Dicegames.com. The company’s marks, LCR and LEFT CENTER RIGHT, and its wording that the trademarks are owned by George & Company LLC.

Where the sources differ (9)

Topic	The Pool Shoppe	George & Company LLC	This page
How much of the rules each source gives	The full rules for the main game and for LCR Wild. It is a retailer’s page and does not say where its wording comes from.	Only the box contents and that the last player with chips wins the center pot. The instruction sheet is in the box, not on the product page.	Takes the rules from the retailer’s page. The 2009 court opinion’s account of the game agrees with it on every rule both give.
Number of players	3 or more.	Not stated.	3 or more, as the court opinion and George & Company’s Deluxe Edition page also say.
Chips each player starts with	3 chips each. Coins can stand in for chips when more players join.	Not stated. The box holds 24 chips.	3 each, which the court opinion also gives. That 24 chips serve 8 players is our arithmetic.
What is on the dice	Three L-C-R cubes. Names L, C, R and dots, and says dots are neutral. Does not say how many sides show each mark.	3 specialty-marked dice, with no list of the faces.	Each side shows L, C, R or a dot, as the court opinion also says. No source we could read counts the sides of each kind, so the page does not.
The winner’s last roll	The last player with chips is the winner, does not roll, and wins the center pot.	The last player with chips wins the center pot. Nothing about a roll.	The winner does not roll and takes the pot. The court opinion also ends the game when only one player has chips.
Players with no chips	Still in the game. They pass the dice to the next player.	Not stated.	Still in. They pass the dice on, as the court opinion also says.
Who goes first, and which way turns go	The players choose who starts however they wish. Which way the dice go next is not stated.	Not stated.	The group chooses the first player. Turns going to the left is our own choice, and the page says so. The court opinion covers neither.
LCR Wild	The same rules with an added W face on the dice. 1 Wild lets you take 1 chip from anyone, 2 let you take 2 chips from one player or 1 each from two, and 3 let you take the whole center pot while play goes on. Does not say how many W faces there are.	Not on the Original LCR page. George & Company’s LCR Wild page sells it as a twist that gives players a chance to choose their moves, and gives no rules.	Gives the retailer’s rules for 1, 2 and 3 Wilds and tells players to check the sheet in their box.
Ages	Not stated.	Not stated on the Original LCR page.	5 and up, from George & Company’s Deluxe Edition page, which says 5 to 105.

What on this page is our own

The playing time of about 10 to 20 minutes is our estimate.
Calling the main game pure luck, with no choices for the players, is our own reading. Under the rules we checked, every chip moves as the dice say. Only LCR Wild lets a player choose.
That a player with 3 or more chips rolls all 3 dice is our reading. The game has 3 dice, and the rules we checked change the number only for 1 or 2 chips.
The example turn, the one-chip case and the roll of L, L and R in the play steps and rule questions are our own.
No source we could read says which way turns go. Passing the dice to the left, clockwise, is our choice, and the scorekeeper does the same.
That 24 chips are enough for 8 players at 3 each is our arithmetic.
The upper limit of 10 players in the page data is our own cap, to match the score sheet. The sources say 3 or more.
That chips in the center pot stay there until the end is our reading. No rule in the main game takes chips out of it.
Sitting in a circle, leaving chips left over out of the game and adding extra chips for a big group are table practice, not rules from the sources.
The notes under What you need describe products and are not rules. The score sheet and scorekeeper are our own design.
The pieces pictured at the top of the page are our own example.
That the rules do not change for a big group, apart from more chips, is our reading of the retailer’s page, which says the game can be played by small and large groups.

Spotted a mistake? Email contact@familygamerules.com and we'll check it against the sources.