Cee-lo is a gambling game played with three six-sided dice. The name is derived from the Chinese name for the game, which is literally the numerical sequence four-five-six (). Although many variations exist, there are certain common rules, including the use of three dice and common roll combinations, such as rolling a four, five, and six to win, rolling a one, two, and three to lose, and other combinations which establish a point for comparison to rolls by other player(s).

The various sets of rules can be divided into two broad categories according to how betting is handled. In banking games, one player serves as a banker, who covers the individual bets of the other players, each of whom competes directly with the bank. In non-banking games, each player has essentially equal status, and rules must exist for the players to pool their bets and attempt to win from a common pot.

Origins and history

The actual origins of the game are not clear; some of the earliest documentation comes from 1893, when Stewart Culin reported that Cee-lo was the most popular dice game played by Chinese-American laborers, although he also notes they preferred to play Fan-Tan and games using Chinese dominoes such as Pai Gow or Tien Gow rather than dice games. Gil Jacobs instead asserts the game is derived from passe-dix, with a betting system borrowed from craps. whereas "street craps" remains popular in other American cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and parts of the south. A deadly 2019 Brooklyn shooting was linked by police to a game of cee-lo.

Many hip hop artists have referenced the dice game "Cee-Lo" in rap songs since the 1990s. The references usually come from east coast rappers, including Kool G Rap, Big L, Jadakiss, Nas and Notorious B.I.G. as well as many other hip hop artists, and Cee-lo has seen a resurgence in popularity in American settings. A 2003 Associated Press article presented by CBS News identified Cee-lo as a fad at schools in certain areas, "played for money even by preteens".

Alternative names

In America it is also called "Roll-off!" and by several alternative spellings, as well as simply "Dice." In China it is also called "Sān Liù Bàozi" (三六豹子), or "Three-Six Leopards". In Japan, it is known as "Chinchiro" (チンチロ) or "Chinchirorin" (チンチロリン). Other regional names include:

  • "Banker's Dice": Northwestern United States / Western Canada / Alaska
  • "Four-Five-Six": United States
  • "Pair and a point": United States
  • "See-Low": United States
  • "Shingoro":

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! Name !! colspan=3 | Example !! Outcome !! True probability !! Comment

|-

! Triple

| || ||

| rowspan=3 | WIN || (%)

| All three dice show the same number. Triple six, six, and six is the highest roll, triple five, five, and five is the next highest, etc. Any triple is considered an instant win. Triples are nicknamed "trips" or, in Chinese, .

|-

! 4-5-6

| || ||

| (%)

| Sequential four, five, and six; this is considered an instant win. In Chinese this sequence is called or . Some call this "four-five and a lovely".

|-

! rowspan=4 | Pair + Value

| || || style="background:#dfd;" |

| (%)

| Any pair together with a single six is an instant win. Also called "two alike six high".

|-

| || || style="background:#dfd;" |

| 5 points || rowspan=2 | (%)

| rowspan=2 | One pair plus any other value; the odd die is the point value. This is sometimes called "spare and a pair" or "pair and a point". For example, either a two, two, and five or a one, one, and five would give a point value of 5, and either would outscore a roll of three, three, and four (point value of 4), which would in turn outscore a roll of five, five, and two (point value of 2). Possible point values range from 2 to 5, since point values of 6 and 1 are special cases.

|-

| || || style="background:#dfd;" |

| 3 points

|-

| || || style="background:#dfd;" |

| rowspan=2 | LOSE || (%)

| Any pair together with a single one is an instant loss. Also called "ace negative" or "craps out". In Chinese this is .

|-

! 1-2-3

| || ||

| (%)

| Sequential one, two, and three; this is considered an instant loss. In Chinese this sequence is called or .

|-

! Indeterminate

| || ||

| Re-roll || (%)

| Any combination that does not result in a triple, sequential (a four, five, and six win or a one, two, and three loss), or points (pair + value) is considered an indeterminate outcome and requires a re-roll.

|}

Of the 108 potential valid combinations, 27 are instant wins, 21 are instant losses, and 60 establish a point between 2 and 5. because the banker rolls first;

Betting

According to the rules of "Strung Flowers", each player throws the dice to determine which player will be the banker. The player who rolls the highest total number of red pips (sum of one and four faces on Chinese dice) is the banker.

Some rule that if a player rolls the dice 3 times without getting a meaningful combination, they are out. Others may raise the limit to 5 times without a meaningful combination. According to the rules of this game, Chinchirorin is a traditional Japanese game. Mainly played by older people in Japan, the game is reportedly gaining in popularity as a gambling game in that country.

Probabilities

With three six-sided dice there are (6×6×6=) 216 possible permutations.

  • Four, five, and six: 6/216 = 2.78% (Automatic Win)
  • Trips: 6/216 = 2.78%
  • Point: 90/216 = 41.67%
  • One, two, and three: 6/216 = 2.78% (Automatic Loss)
  • Meaningless permutations: 108/216 = 50%

See also

  • Sic bo, an ancient Chinese game of chance played with three dice

References

  • dice-play: The Three Dice Game
  • BoardGameGeek description of Chinchirorin
  • Early description of the game
  • Brownsville's rapper Ka talking about playing Cee-Lo in his hood