A Fun and Easy Party Game

My friend Jennifer is hosting a New Year’s Eve party and wondered during our most recent phone call how she would entertain her guests leading up to the ball drop. We cycled through a few options before I remembered the best way to spend time with folks: playing the game Left Center Right!

I was first introduced to Left Center Right in 2010, via my husband’s family. When invited to play, I initially protested, declaring that I wasn’t any good at games. They promised me that the game was very easy and fun, and all I needed was three single dollar bills.

To see how to play the game, watch this video:

Since that very first game in 2010, Left Center Right has been a great way to spend time gathered around the table. You can eat, talk, drink, and focus on the people around you, all while actively participating. All ages are welcome, and the game gives ample opportunity for young kids to learn some resilience, which we discovered at our Thanksgiving game. (The five- and six-year-olds spent the game with their heads down crying every time they lost a dollar and the 10-year-old eventually stormed off declaring, “This game is rigged!!!” Then he proceeded to win the game. . . So, perhaps he was not wrong.)

My personal claim to Left Center Right fame occurred two summers ago when I played with my family. I lost all three dollars on my first roll, so I spent the rest of the game eating chocolate cake and drinking wine (which could also be considered a fun and easy party game!). As luck would have it, the final dollar landed right in front of me; I won!! I most definitely had my cake and ate it too :).

Left Center Right can be played with any amount of money, and one day we might play with $5s or $10s (imagine playing with $100s!!), but for us the thrill of the game is watching the dollars move, and a three-dollar buy-in takes the financial pressure off. The game also comes with poker chips to use instead of dollars. If going that route, I would suggest playing for a prize instead of the money pile. You could also easily turn Left Center Right into a drinking game – if you’re at that kind of party! Anytime someone rolls a certain combination of dice everyone drinks! Fun!

In all, Left Center Right is the perfect game to play at any party because there is no real skill involved and so it is wonderfully inclusive, and any pressure to perform well is nonexistent. All you need to play is an attitude of eagerness and excitement.

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As we wrap up 2021, I hope that you have an excellent holiday season. Thank you for being a reader of The Honest Journey. When I see that people all over the world read my blog, it makes me feel so connected and inspired. This blog is a small, but mighty, corner of the internet and I like it that way. Writing here is a special hobby for me and knowing that you read these words make them matter so much more.
I appreciate you ❤

Sincerely,
Emma