Shut the Box or Lo Roll is a basic game of dice for any number of players commonly played in a group of two to four for stakes. Traditionally, a counting box is used with tiles numbered 1 to 9 where each can be covered with a hinged or sliding mechanism. Variations exist where the box has up to 10 or 12 tiles. In English pubs, Shut the Box is traditionally played as a gambling game. Each player deposits an agreed amount of money into a pool at the beginning of the game, and the winner of the game collects the money in pool at the end of the game.

Now, having said all that, you may notice I said this is how to play WITHOUT a box.

Please read on.

Step 1: The Switch

Find a deck of cards you don't care about and remove an Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. They don't have to be suited, but it sure looks pretty when they are.

Substitute the cards for the tiles. Now when you roll the dice, simply flip the corresponding cards.

If you are unfamiliar with how to play the game, move on to the next step.

Step 2: Playing the Game

The first player will roll both dice and add them together. They then flip the tiles (or cards), also called markers (from 1 to 9) that match the sum of the numbers shown on the dice. The game continues until they roll a number that cannot be covered by any combination of the remaining tiles (or cards). Then players total the uncovered numbers and the object is to have the lowest possible score. The perfect score is 0, which means that all tiles (or cards) are flipped and the player has completely shut the box. Having scored, the dice are passed to the left with that player repeating the same progression and the play continues clockwise until all players have had three turns. The player with the lowest combined total of three games is the winner.

It's a perfect game to have for any occasion, from a little casino night at home to a simple quality time with family as it helps kids enhance their mathematical skills.