The origin, history, and slow rise of the Left, Center, Right (LCR) dice game from Never Say Die
It sounds like a rejected James Bond movie, but Left, Center, Right (LCR) is a dice game that owes much of its delightful roots to a British game called Never Say Die. In Never Say Die, players roll customized 6-sided dice marked with instructions to distribute tokens on each role to the player to your left, the player to your right, or to “the pot” in the center. LCR emerged in Britain in 1959, around the same time as the legendary British spy launched into theaters in Dr. No in 1962.
Left Center Right arrives in the U.S.
Buffalo, NY-based George & Company LLC (originally known as the Buffalo Novelty Bazaar) later published the game, establishing its legitimacy in the United States thirty years after its British debut in 1992 under the eponymous name, “Left Center Right” but quickly shortened it to just “LCR”. The company never trademarked "Left, Center, Right" oddly, only using "LCR" as their trademark for the dice game. This would result in a series of competitors within the decade for commercial game kits.
The game’s overall rules were unchanged:
- Roll three six-sided dice, each marked with an L, C, R, and ••• for “no action” (some dice have one •, -, or an X instead). Players roll as many dice as they have tokens.
- Players pass a token to their left, right, the center “pot”, or to keep it, depending on what they roll.
- Whoever is last to hold tokens wins.
Each player starts with three chips and uses three dice to determine their actions during the game.
If the rules sound a bit like simplified versions of poker chips, teetotum, or other Bond-esque gambling games it’s because they are. LCR was and remains a game steeped in the tradition of putting “chips down” or passing to other players. That simplicity and call-back to an earlier (addictive) gambling era probably explains why it’s become so popular.
- You can learn LCR in about a minute of gameplay.
- There’s no complex strategy or setup required.
- Each round only takes about 5-10 minutes.
- It’s quick to deploy to pass the time.
- Players of all ages can participate.
- It’s more family-friendly orientation covers up some of the seedier gambling connotations the game evolved from.
- It’s inexpensive. Our online LCR game is free!
Players continue rolling the dice and passing chips until they have no chips left, with the last player holding chips declared the winner.
Since there’s no strategy to deploy (unless you count some special “flick of the wrist” as your strategy when you roll the dice), it’s all probability and chance. Teachers can use LCR as a quick game to show students probability, too.
And because LCR is a fast-paced game that keeps everyone on their toes, it's the perfect dice game for social gatherings and family game nights.
As each player rolls the dice, the outcomes determine their actions, adding an element of chance and excitement to the game.
Adult versions of LCR show its gambling roots
It’s no surprise the tokens traded in LCR are proxies for money. Kids could play for candy or small prizes, and adults could play for real money. Because LCR is purely a game of chance (and can be regulated as such), the connotation is LCR is no different than a slot machine. But it’s precisely because it can be played for money that people enjoy it and its game mechanics make for useful variations at nonprofit fundraisers and social outings.
And for better or worse, LCR isn’t a game someone can truly excel at. Unlike Poker or Blackjack, or even other classic games like Mexican Train Dominoes, where a person can reasonably deploy math, experience, and some skill, LCR’s win/loss odds are always equal for every player regardless of how many rounds they’ve played. LCR is a fun game that brings excitement to any gathering.
LCR’s equal-footing gameplay puts it on the same plane as Bunco, where the dice do most of the work. It is a fast-paced dice game that emphasizes luck and decision-making, making it perfect for social gatherings and game nights.