Bau Cua Ca Cop (Gourd-Crab-Shrimp-Fish) is a traditional Vietnamese dice betting game. Instead of numbered dots, the three dice feature six images: a gourd (bau), a crab (cua), a shrimp (ca/tom), a fish (ca), a rooster (ga), and a tiger/stag (cop). Players place wagers on the images they predict will appear on the dice. It is traditionally played during Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) celebrations.
Components
3 custom dice (each face shows one of 6 images: gourd, crab, shrimp, fish, rooster, tiger)
1 game board/mat with 6 image sections
Betting tokens (pennies, beans, chips, or any uniform counters)
Setup
Place the game board in the center of the playing area.
Distribute an equal number of betting tokens to each player.
Set aside a supply of extra tokens for payouts.
Agree on the number of rounds to play before starting.
Turn Structure
Each round follows these steps:
Place bets: Each player places one or more betting tokens on the board image(s) they think will appear on the dice. Players may bet on multiple images.
Roll dice: One designated player (the dealer) rolls all 3 dice.
Call results: The dealer announces which images appear on the dice.
Resolve payouts: Compare dice results to bets and pay out accordingly.
Actions
Bet: Place any number of your tokens on one or more of the 6 images on the board.
Roll: The dealer rolls 3 dice simultaneously.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
For each die that matches an image you bet on, you receive tokens equal to your bet on that image:
1 die matches: Win 1x your bet (you get your bet back plus an equal amount)
2 dice match: Win 2x your bet
3 dice match: Win 3x your bet
If none of the dice match your bet, you lose your wagered tokens.
After the agreed number of rounds, the player with the most tokens wins.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Players may bet on as many different images as they wish in a single round.
If a player runs out of tokens, they are eliminated (or may borrow from the supply depending on house rules).
The dealer role may rotate each round or remain fixed.
The game can be played purely for fun with no gambling by using beans, chips, or other non-monetary tokens.