Introduction
Making your own Zilch board game is a great way to bring fun and excitement into your home or office. Zilch is an ancient dice-based board game that has been around since the 1920s and was a hugely popular pastime in its day. The object of the game is to be the first player to reach zero points ” but only one player can achieve this goal, so competition between players is key and trying out different strategies is encouraged.
To construct your board, begin by getting a large cardboard or wooden posterboard and draw out a score track on it. This will normally have five columns with five squares in each column ” each row therefore representing a different score, with 0 as the target at the bottom. You may also want to label each column by its corresponding number (1-5). On one side of the board, draw two circles for your players’ counters which can be made from markers, coins or even two small stones if preferred. This is where each player will start from at the beginning of their turn, with their counter being moved along the track according to their dice roll result until they reach zero (or go over!).
Once you have marked out your score track and places for your counters, you will need to add some surface decorations for aesthetic purposes ” use felt pens/paints in bright colors to make the gaming experience more enjoyable and lively! To finish off making your own Zilch board game, all that’s left to do is grab some six-sided dice (with dots rather than numbers) so that you can start playing right away!
Gathering Materials
Tools/Equipment Needed:
1) Pencil – Available at school supplies or office supply stores
2) Ruler – Available at school supplies or office supply stores
3) Craft glue – Available at craft stores
4) Scissors – Available at school supplies or office supply stores
5) Cutting board – Available at kitchen supply stores.
6) Cardboard or poster board – Available at craft stores or online retail sites.
Supplies Needed:
1) Colored paper – Available at craft and stationery stores, as well as online retail sites.
2) Markers, pencils, crayons for coloring the paper- Available at craft and art supply stores, as well as online retail sites.
3) Tape ” Available from most hardware, art and stationery stores, as well as online retailers.
Making the Board: Step-By-Step Guide
1) Using a ruler and a pencil, draw two squares on a piece of poster board or cardboard which will function as your main game board. Make sure both squares are equal in size with 6×6 measurements.
2) Cut out the squares using scissors and place them side by side on top of the cutting board so they can be affixed together with glue. Secure them in place by applying glue along their edges and overlapping them slightly to create a single gaming platform.
3) Cut out 9 small circles (1 inch diameter each), 9 medium circles (2 inch diameter each), and 4 large circles (3 inch diameter each). You should end up with a total of 22 pieces altogether.
4) Color the circles in different shades using markers, crayons or colored pencils to represent the 5 dice used to make up Zilch game combinations (you’ll need one black circle for ‘Zilch’ rolls).
5) Paste all 22 colored circles on the game platform you made earlier to complete your Zilch Game Board.
Preparing the Base Board
Creating the board for your Zilch dice game is the first step to guaranteed fun and endless hours of entertainment. Before you get started, make sure you have some basic woodworking tools, a saw, wood glue, clamps, sandpaper and primer/paint.
Cutting Out The Board: First, measure out a rectangle on a thick piece of plywood or MDF that measures 12” wide and 24” long. You can use measuring tape or draw the lines using a ruler. Next, cut along the lines with your saw until you have the rectangular shape of your board.
Assembling The Board: After your edges have been cut correctly, it’s time to assemble the board by connecting two pieces of wood together on each side of your rectangle using a strong wood glue. Make sure to dry fit your pieces before gluing them together. If one side does not line up perfectly with the other piece(s), adjust as necessary before continuing on. Once all four parts are glued and clamped together in place it is important to leave it alone for at least 24 hours before removing the clamps.
Finishing Process: Once assembly is complete, sand down any rough spots until the board is smooth and even throughout. To finish off this process use an oil-based primer over the entire surface and let dry for several hours or preferably overnight before adding any paint color or sealant of preference overtop to give it even more life!
Creating the Playing Spaces
The popular dice game known as “Zilch” can be made easily for a fun night of gaming. To create the board, you will need to get supplies like poster board, colored markers and accessories such as coins, tokens and dice. Begin by laying the poster board flat. Next, draw three circles that are evenly sized and spaced on the poster board and mark them with their designated name (i.e., Potato Patch, Banker’s Store and Take-Away). In the center of each circle draw a money bag symbol and in the middle of all three circles also draw a money bag symbol within a square box. This is known as “The Pot” which will act as the jackpot that accumulates during gameplay; it should become bigger and bigger each round! Next, you must create pathways around your circles or boxes for players to traverse. These should look something like dashed or dotted lines, with an arrow pointing to each successive circle or box. Along these pathways can also include other play elements such as space jumps (where players have to move back or forward a certain number of spaces), possibilities for getting double or lost points bonuses, etc. You can easily jazz up your Zilch Board by adding accessories like coins or tokens based on the symbols of your choice. For example if playing with coins you might use pennies for ‘take-aways’, nickels for potato patches, dimes for banker storepoints etc. Then when someone rolls an item they can add/subtract to their points depending on their piece color/quantity they have acquired while playing! Figures such as monopoly pieces can enhance gameplay with hilarious results when included in game play situations so feel free to get creative! All these ideas come together effectively to make a fantastic Zilch gameboard that everyone is sure to love when bringing it out at parties or family game nights!
Finishing Touches
Making a board for a Zilch dice game can be an exciting project. To begin, make sure to gather all the materials necessary – a rigid or particleboard sheet with measurements of 12” x 16”, craft glue, paint, and scissors. Cut out the board creating two squares, 8”x 8” with four connector pieces to interlock the two together. Glue together the pieces and allow them to dry completely before painting. Use paint in any color desired and polyurethane as sealant once dried.
The finishing touches will add fun flair to your game board. Start by making circular holes in the middle of each square so you can add five dice per side when playing the game ” leaving room for one more die on either side at the top of the game board if needed. Make sure each hole is big enough for average-sized dice but small enough that they don’t fall through during play. Another great embellishment could be adding custom engraving or personal artwork depending on your budget and taste ” such as a whimsical drawing or inspirational saying placed nearby on the board. Finally, why not create dice trays from leftover crafting material with dice shape cutouts at each corner? All these extra details are sure to make this project one of the best gifts around!
Summary
Creating a board for the Zilch Dice Game is an easy and enjoyable task that takes just a few steps. First, you will need to purchase all of the required materials: a canvas, white acrylic paint, various colored markers, scissors and tape. Next, use a ruler to measure out 6×6 inch squares on the canvas and then cut them out using the scissors. Once these squares are lined up in their respective positions on the canvas, outlining each one with white acrylic paint will help make the game look more professional. Finally, draw the zilch dice symbols that correspond with each box using the colored markers and cut out extra pieces of tape if necessary to stick on symbol dice faces as decorations. Popular alternatives to making your own Zilch Dice Game Board include purchasing custom boards online or going to stores like Michaels where ready-made boards are available for sale.
I love playing all kinds of games – from classics like Monopoly to modern favourites like Ticket to Ride.
I created this blog as a way to share my love of board games with others, and provide information on the latest releases and news in the industry.
