Kitsune bakuchi explained

is a dice game from Japan in which a player rolls three dice; if the roll results in a triple, i.e., each die shows the same number, they win four times the amount wagered. The term literally means "fox gambling."

Probability

There are only six triples (winning throws) out of 216 total possible throws, so the winning probability is = . Thus the house edge with a standard payout of 4× the original bet is – (4-1)· = %; a fair game of Kitsune Bakuchi with zero house edge would pay out winnings at 36 for 1, i.e., the winning player would receive their bet back plus a bonus equal to 35 times the original bet.

Similar games

There are several dice games whose names include, dating from the Edo period:^[1]

: This is an alternate name for, which uses a single die. Players wager on a single number, and receive 5× the original bet if the bet matches the number that is rolled. In this case the house edge is %.^[2]

/ : This is a subset of or chuck-a-luck, both of which use three dice. Players wager on a single number, and the payout varies depending on how many dice show that number; if only one die matches, the payout is 1:1; if two match, it is 3:1; and if three match, it is 4:1. In this case the house edge is %.

: This is a variant of Bầu cua tôm cá, Crown and Anchor, and Hoo Hey How, each of which uses three dice with special symbols; in Fox Chobo, standard dice are used.^[3] Again, players wager on a single number, and the payout is slightly different: 1:1 for one match, 3:1 for two matches, and 5:1 for three matches; this reduces the house edge to %. There are two special rolls which result in an automatic win for the dealer, which are 4-5-1 and 3-2-6.^[4]

: Like, this game uses two dice. Players bet on one number, with a payout of 3:1 for a single match and 4:1 for a pair. However, the dealer selects two numbers before rolling; if both numbers are matched, the dealer wins all bets. The house edge is %.^[4]

External links

• Notes, page 167. Kokichi, Katsu. Musui's Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai. Translated: Craig, Teruko. Arizona press: 1988.
• Web site: 『夢酔独言』 百四話 千両博奕 . ja . "Drunken Soliloquy" Story 104: The 1000-ryō gamble . はやおき . January 17, 2019 . Hatena Blog. Self-published based on the autobiography of Katsu Kokichi.

Notes and References

1. Web site: さいころ賭博 . ja . Dice Gambling . Satoshi Arai . dice.saloon.jp . 13 January 2025.
2. Web site: ちょぼいち, 狐ちょぼいち . ja . Choboichi, Fox Choboichi . Satoshi Arai . dice.saloon.jp . 13 January 2025.
3. Web site: ちょぼいち, 狐ちょぼいち . ja . Fox Chobo, Chuck-a-luck, Shrimp and Crab, Crown and Anchor . Satoshi Arai . dice.saloon.jp . 13 January 2025.
4. Web site: キツネチョボ . ja . Fox Chobo . h-eba.jp . 13 January 2025.