How to play Everest

Everest is played with three dice, paper and a pencil. Each player draws two rows of boxes on their sheet: one row numbered 1 to 12, and a second row from 12 down to 1. That gives every player 24 numbers to cross off. The game works for two to six players.

The youngest player usually starts, and play continues clockwise.

On your turn you roll all three dice once. You then cross off numbers on your sheet, using the value of a single die, the sum of two dice or the sum of all three. Each die may only be used once in the same throw.

You can cross off numbers in any order you like, in either row. If both copies of a number are still open, you may cross off both in one turn, as long as the dice give you that number twice.

Say you roll 2, 3 and 5. You can pick one of these options:

• 2, 3 and 5 separately, three crosses in total
• 5 and 5, using the single five and 2 + 3 as a second five
• 2 and 8 (the 2 on its own and 3 + 5)
• 3 and 7 (the 3 on its own and 2 + 5)
• 10 on its own, the sum of all three dice

The trick is picking the option that fits what is still open on your sheet.

The first player to cross off all 24 numbers wins. There is no scoring along the way, so everything comes down to using each throw well.

Everest is also known as Matterhorn. Both names point to the same idea: you climb from 1 up to 12 and back down again.

The game is a freer relative of Centennial, where the numbers must be taken in strict order. For a shorter session, play with a single row from 1 to 12. If you enjoy crossing off numbers, Shut the Box is worth a try too.

Both games use three dice and the numbers 1 to 12, but they differ in two ways. Centennial makes you take the numbers in order, up and then down, while Everest lets you cross them off in any order. On the other hand, each die in Everest can only be used once per throw, while Centennial lets you reuse the same dice in several combinations during one turn. Everest feels more flexible, but each throw gives you fewer crosses.

Yes. Count how many throws you need to clear all 24 numbers, then try to beat your own record next time. The game also works well as gentle arithmetic practice for kids, since you keep adding up small sums.