| Subject Name: | Pass the Pigs |
| Publisher: | Winning Moves |
| Players: | 2 or more players, preferably up to 4[1] [2] |
| Setup Time: | A few seconds of unpacking |
Pass the Pigs is a commercial version of the dice game Pig, but using custom asymmetrical throwing dice, similar to shagai. It was created by David Moffatt and published by Recycled Paper Products as Pig Mania! in 1977. The publishing license was later sold to Milton Bradley and the game renamed Pass the Pigs. In 1992, publishing rights for North America were sold to Winning Moves Games USA, which acquired the game outright from David Moffat Enterprises in early 2017.[3]
Each turn involves one player throwing two model pigs, each of which has a dot on one side. The player gains or loses points, or is eliminated from the game based on the way the pigs land. Each turn lasts until the player throwing either rolls the pigs in a way that wipes out their current turn score, wipes out their total game score, or decides to stop their turn, add their turn score to their total score and pass the pigs to the next player. The winner is the first player to reach a predetermined total score, usually 100 points.
Generally, a position's score is inversely proportional to its likelihood of occurring.
If one, and only one, of the pigs is lying on its side, that pig scores nothing, and the other pig scores as follows:
If neither pig is lying on its side, the score is the sum of the individual positions. If both pigs land in the same position, the sum is doubled; equivalently, the score for the individual position is quadrupled:
If both pigs land on their sides, the score is as follows:
Finally, if the pigs come to rest touching each other:
There are several variations to these game rules. One is the Hog Call, where a player attempts to guess the score their opponent is about to land. After scoring 20 points a non-throwing player may attempt a Hog Call. To do so, the non-throwing player must scream "sooee!" before the opposing players throw. The caller must then guess the score of the next throw, but cannot guess a Pig Out, Makin' Bacon, or Piggyback. If correct, the caller receives double the points thrown, and the thrower loses double the points thrown. If incorrect, the caller loses double the points thrown, and the thrower gains double the points thrown. Only one player may hog call per throw.
The approximate relative frequencies of the various positions (for a single pig), using a standardized surface and trap-door rolling device and a sample size of 11,954, are[4]
| Position | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Side (no dot) | 34.9% |
| Side (dot) | 30.2% |
| Razorback | 22.4% |
| Trotter | 8.8% |
| Snouter | 3.0% |
| Leaning Jowler | 0.61% |