RICHLAND, Wash.- The Richland Seniors Association provides an opportunity for older adults to engage in fun and educational activities.
For Marge Colton, an RSA member, that opportunity means getting out of her apartment. “I’m in a one bedroom apartment all alone,” said Colton. “I don’t want to be up there all alone all the time, so I look for things to enjoy.”
That’s why Colton said she comes to RSA’s monthly Bunco tournament. Hosted in the Richland Community Center Game Room, the Bunco game is on the last Thursday of every month at 1 p.m.
According to the RSA Secretary, Anita Booth, you don’t have to be an RSA member to stop by. “It’s so important for people to get out and find an activity that fits them,” said Booth.
How to play Bunco
“For an incredibly simple game, it’s so fun!” said RSA Bunco player, Pam Anderson.
Bunco players will sit at a table of four. The person across from you is considered your partner. Both you and your partner share the same score and work together to beat the opposing two people. You play six different rounds, each round aiming for the correlating number on the die. For example, round one you are rolling for 1s, round two you roll for 2s, etc.
When it’s your turn, you roll three die. If any of your dice come up with the same value as the round you’re on, you score a point for each one. So, if it’s round three and you roll a 3, 5, 3 you score two points! You continue to roll until you don’t score any points. Once your turn is over, you pass the die to the next player.
A “Bunco” is when all three die correspond with the round. For example, on round three a Bunco would be all 3’s in one roll. That scores you and your partner 25 points.
A “Baby Bunco” is three of the same number that does NOT correspond with the round. For example on round four, you roll three 5’s. That scores you and your partner 5 points.
You continue to play until the head table scores 25 points. Once the bell rings, the round is over.
Depending on the venue you play at, at the end of each round players will switch tables.
