How To Play: Bears!

So you want to win at Bears! and not just get mauled by Aunt Linda for the third time in a row. Good thinking. I’ve played this game so many times, I still hear distant growling when I close my eyes. In this guide, I’ll give you an easy outline of the game rules and spill all the best strategies.

Overview

What’s in the box

• 20 Black Bear Dice
• 20 White Camp Dice
• 4 Scoring Reminder Cards
• 1 Score Pad
• 1 Pencil
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Bears!: Rules Summary

Bears! Setup: Let’s Get Rolling

1. First, give each player a set of five shooter dice (the white ones) and one scoring card. Try not to drop them on the floor, or your pets will think it’s snack time.

2. Place the number of tent dice (the blue ones) in the center equal to the number of players, times two. For example, three players need six tent dice. Yes, you will have math flashbacks.

3. Make sure everyone can reach the tent dice. If your arms are short, sit closer—or risk being trampled in the dice stampede.

Bears! Gameplay: Time to Grab and Match

1. Someone shouts, “Go!” (Loudly, or it doesn’t count.) Everyone rolls their own shooter dice while one player rolls all the tent dice at once.

2. After the dice land, match your shooter dice to any tent dice you want. If you see a tent die showing an empty tent, match it with your sleeping camper from your shooter dice. Fastest paws win here.

3. If a tent die shows a bear, match it with a bear face from your shooter dice or RUN! Use your running person to escape before the bear eats your campers. Just like real life… sort of.

4. The round ends the moment all tent dice are claimed or everyone yells to stop. (If your group is like mine, someone will yell early just to mess with you.)

Bears! Winning: Count ‘Em Up

1. After each round, score points: Sleeping campers in safe tents get 2 points each. Campers running away from bears get 1 point. Campers caught with a bear in their tent? That’s negative 2 points. My friend Matt always forgets this and blames the bears.

2. Write the scores or use the scoring cards. Play for a set number of rounds—usually the number of shooter dice, so 5 rounds—unless you want to play until you run out of snack food.

3. The player with the most points at the end wins. This person gets to roar like a bear, if house rules allow it.

Bears! Special Rules & Conditions: Beware the House Variants

1. If you match a shooter die to a tent die incorrectly, you get no points for that pair. Don’t argue with the rulebook—it’s not going to change its mind.

2. If you grab a tent die after time is called (yes, it happens), put it back and do not pass GO.

3. For extra mayhem, try the “Wild Bears” variant. If all the tent dice show bears, only RUNNING people score! This usually causes chaos and loud yelling around the table.

So there you have it—the basics of How To Play bears!. If you have friends and hands, you can play. If you have no friends, well… bears are very social, I hear. Good luck!

Best Bears! Strategies

Faster Than a Hungry Bear: Mastering Dice Grabbing in Bears!

Winning Bears! often comes down to how quick you can grab those dice. Your reflexes need to be sharp, but so does your thinking. When I play with my friends, it feels like I’m snatching cookies before anyone else notices. Here’s how to keep your paws quickest:

1. Stay Focused on Your Color

1. Always keep your target dice in mind and ignore the rest. Distraction is your enemy.

2. Use Both Hands

1. Grab one die with each hand. My friends get confused, but it works.

3. Practice the Reach

1. Arrange yourself close to the action. Don’t be shy—get those elbows in! It’s not a tea party.

4. Read the Table Fast

1. Scan quickly for patterns. If you see two tents together, swoop!

How To Play bears! right? Scramble for those dice and leave the slowpokes behind.

The Great Tent or Run Showdown: Outsmart Your Bears!

In Bears!, the tent or run choice can win or lose you the game. I once lost by two points because I picked the wrong move with my last dice! Here’s how to master this decision.

Spotting a Safe Tent

1. Always check tent dice before grabbing. If they’re not near bears, it’s safer to sleep.
2. Pick tents if you see more sleeping faces than bears nearby.
3. Remember, risk-takers wake up next to bears, but smart players nap in peace.

When Running Rules

1. If you spot a bear next to your tent, just run! Don’t think—just grab that running die.
2. Count bears at the table. More bears out means it’s riskier to stay in a tent.
3. When in doubt, ask yourself: Would you nap with a bear outside? If not, get moving!

React To Opponents Fast

1. Watch what your rivals do. If everyone sprints, tents might be safe for you to grab.
2. If you see someone eye the same tent, make your pick quick, or you’ll get outsmarted.
3. Mix up your moves each round to keep people guessing.

There you go! Now you know How To Play bears! without getting chomped or caught snoozing.

Win More in Bears! By Counting Your Opponent’s Bears

Want to crush your friends? Watch their bears like a hawk! While everyone grabs dice, I keep half an eye on their piles. It pays off. Here’s how to make counting opponent’s bears your secret weapon in Bears!.

Mind Their Bears, Not Just Yours

1. Keep a rough mental count after every round.
2. If you see someone low on bears, don’t panic—they might surprise you later.
3. Block opponents about to get a big bear streak.

React Fast to Shifts

1. When two players have the same number, focus on outpacing both.
2. If someone is way ahead, play risky and force a tie or swing.

Never Trust a Quiet Opponent

1. Some friends play sneaky. Count their bears. Always ask yourself: “How many bears does Sam have?”

How To Play bears! often comes down to this: Always count. It wins games. Trust me, I learned the hard way after thinking Abby had fewer bears—she slaughtered us.

Ready to Roar at the Table?

Look, after many rounds of Bears! with my friends (and yes, some of them now growl when they lose), I can say this: speed means nothing if you grab the wrong dice. Trust me, I once took five sleeping campers and proudly lost by twelve points. Don’t be that player. Use your head, watch the tents, and peek at what your buddies are hoarding. Most important—have a good laugh when you mess it up. If you want to master How To Play bears!, it’s all about practice and being a little sneaky. Now go out there, snatch those dice and rule the campground like the party animal you are!

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