How To Play: Bears!

Overview

If you like rolling dice and outsmarting your friends, Bears! is your game. I’ve played Bears! so many times, my friends now dream about tents. In this guide, I explain the game rules in simple steps, plus share the best tips and silly strategies for winning (or at least not losing embarrassingly). Buckle up—here’s How To Play bears! and actually win, not just survive.

What’s in the box

• 20 Black Bear dice
• 20 White Camp dice
• 4 Scoring reminder cards
• 1 Score pad
• Rules sheet

How To Play Bears!: Rules Summary

Setup

1. First, give each player a set of five dice – one color for each person.

2. Next, place the twenty Camp dice (white) in the middle. These are for everyone.

3. Then, shake and roll all the Camp dice together so everyone can reach them.

4. Lastly, hand out a score pad and pencil, unless you want to do math in your head like a rebel.

Gameplay

1. At the same time, all players quickly roll their own five colored dice.

2. Everybody races to pair their colored dice with the Camp dice in the middle. Grab fast, because the best matches go quick!

3. Pair a Bear die with a Sleeping Camper to eat them (dark, I know), or a Runner die with a Tent to save a camper.

4. Once the first person says “Done!”, everyone must stop grabbing dice. If you’re still reaching at this point, too late!

Winning

1. After each round, score your pairs. Saving a camper (Runner + Tent) scores 2 points. Bear + Sleeping Camper gets you 5 points (but also some guilt).

2. Watch out for leftover Tents! If any Tents remain after everyone pairs, you lose 2 points per Bear die you did not use. Ouch.

3. Play for the number of rounds you like. Add up all your points at the end; whoever has the most is the king of the campground.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If you cheat, your friends will glare at you, but also, illegal pairs score zero.

2. The Camp dice always stay in the middle—don’t hide them under the table. (Yes, this happened in my group!)

3. Ties? Then share the win, or settle it with a thumb war—house rules apply.

And there you have it—the main rules of Bears!, plus a few laughs. If you’re still unsure, just ask your friends or look up more on How To Play bears! After one round, you’ll be a pro. Or a bear. Both work!

Best Bears! Strategies

Master Your Dice: Winning Tactics For Bears!

Roll To Win

Rolling like a champ in Bears! means more than just luck. You need a plan every turn to get your paws on the sweetest combos. Here’s how you do it:

1. Keep your eyes peeled for combos that pop up often. Memorize which results appear together to act fast.
2. When you roll, always scan the tent dice first. Decide which tents are in danger and which are safe.
3. Always roll with purpose. If it’s a reroll round, only reroll dice that give you a better match – not just anything and everything.

Match Carefully

Matching dice in Bears! is not as easy as it sounds. Often, you have to make a hard choice. Here’s what works best for me and my friends (especially when they try to sabotage me):

1. Prioritize bear dice if there are lots of unsecured tents. The more tents, the more points.
2. Watch other players’ boards. Sometimes, blocking them from matches scores you more than just easy points.
3. Use the “How To Play bears!” method: always maximize points per match, not just the quantity of matches.

Read The Table

It’s not all about your own dice. Reading what’s left on the table lets you plan ahead, especially if you’re last to pick. Stay sharp, keep track, and remember: in Bears!, swift matching means sweet, sweet victory.

Mastering the Art of Timing Re-Rolls in Bears!

Know When to Hold ‘Em

1. Keep an eye on the tents left. If they’re running out, re-rolling can save your round.

2. Watch your friends’ faces. If they look happy, maybe it’s time to risk a re-roll before they snag the good stuff.

React to the Table

1. Notice what’s left on the table. If only a few dice match, quickly re-roll to hunt for pairs.

Pace Yourself

1. Don’t go wild with re-rolls every turn. Save them for clutch moments when you need a big swing in Bears! points!

Remember, timing your re-rolls can be the secret sauce for How To Play bears! like a champ!

Mastering Tent or Bear Choice in Bears!: Outsmart Your Rivals

Reading the Table First

Never grab at random. Instead, watch what your friends eye. This tells you whether tents or bears will run out first.

1. Scan the dice left on the table.
2. Spot patterns in what others are collecting.
3. Seize what helps you score, not just what looks good.

Choosing Tents for Safe Points

Sometimes tents look dull, but they add up. If you see no bears rolled, go for tents. Never underestimate easy points.

1. Collect tents when bear dice are low.
2. Watch for sleeping campers—these can save you late game.

Grabbing Bears for Bold Moves

See lots of bears? Never hesitate! Bears can snag you game-changing points if you act at the right time.

1. Aim for bears when you spot weak opponents.
2. Match bear dice with empty tents—maximize danger, maximize reward.

How To Play bears! Like a Pro

Always balance greed with caution. When players get too cautious, go bold. If they play wild, sneak in safe choices. You’ll win more this way.

Ready to Out-Bear Your Friends?

If you want to win at Bears!, remember it’s not just about luck—it’s about thinking fast, grabbing the right dice, and reading your friends’ poker faces (or lack of). In my group, the one who yells “BEARS!” loudest rarely wins, but they sure scare everyone into dropping dice. Keep practicing those strategies, and maybe next game, you’ll be the bear nobody wants to mess with. If you forget a rule, just shout “How To Play bears!” and pretend you’re searching for the answer. Works every time. Happy bear hunting!

Want to know what we think of Bears!? Read our detailed review of Bears! here