How to Play Ship, Captain and Crew
Ship, Captain and Crew (also 6-5-4 or Mariner) is a bar-room classic: fast, loud and with exactly one decision that matters.
The rules
- Five dice, three rolls a turn.
- You need a 6 (the ship), then a 5 (the captain), then a 4 (the crew), in that order. As soon as the next one you need appears, it is set aside; several can be set aside from one roll.
- Once ship, captain and crew are aboard, the other two dice are the cargo. You may hold their total or reroll both with any rolls left; the last roll stands.
- If three rolls pass without all three aboard, you score nothing this round.
Rounds
Both players take a turn; the higher cargo wins the round (a tie is no win). The match is the best of five rounds.
Playing on kawu
Roll and Hold buttons, or R and H. The ship, captain and crew dice turn blue as they are set aside; the cargo dice turn amber. The computer plays at three levels, and Hint shows what the hard computer would do.
Then read the strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep a 5 before I have the 6?
No. The order is strict: the ship (6) first, then the captain (5), then the crew (4). A 5 or 4 rolled before you have the ship is just rerolled with the rest.
Can I get the ship, captain and crew all in one roll?
Yes. If one roll shows a 6, a 5 and a 4, all three are set aside at once and the other two dice are your cargo straight away.
Do I have to reroll the cargo?
Never. You can hold as soon as the crew is aboard. Rerolling is optional and uses the rolls you have left; you must reroll both cargo dice together.
Last updated 2026-10-21