Shut The Box

A huge version ideal for public events, parties or just for people who like their games big!

The same style chest as Old Century Shut the Box but a smaller fun-sized version.

Simple wooden version of the game

Mahogany Shut the Box + Poker Dice & Cards

Designed to fit neatly onto your bookshelf when not in use.

A few facts about Shut the Box

It's not known exactly where Shut the box originated from.  Most theories point to a source in Northern France; some specify Normandy and the Channel Islands as the specific location and claim that it has been played there for at least two hundred years.   There is only evidence for it within England from the middle of the twentieth century, it having reputedly been brought to the South of England from the Channel Islands in 1958 by a Mr. 'Chalky' Towbridge..  One source claims that Shut the Box is also common in Zambia!

An old pub gambling favourite, Shut the Box uses two dice and a special wooden playing tray.   The tray features the numbers 1 - 9 in a row, each of which has a hinged cover and a turn involves repeatedly throwing the dice and shutting or covering a number or pair of numbers each throw.  The turn ends when no numbers can be covered upon the throw of the dice at which point the player's total is calculated.  The ultimate aim is to completely cover all numbers or "shut the box" which results in the best possible score of zero.

For more information on Shut the Box, see the Online Guide to Traditional Games.