Balut

Alea Iacta Est!

Balut is a simple dice game, not unlike Yahtzee, where five dice are played to achieve a predetermined set of scores within a game. Considerable research has been undertaken in the past to establish the real roots of the game of Balut – one particular source dates the game to the time of the Roman Empire when Julius Caesar was heard to utter the immortal phrase “Alea iacta est” or “The die is cast”.

In reality, it was created just after World War II, by a group of U.S. soldiers stationed in The Philippines. It has spread over the decades to be an internationally played game with two distinct versions ….

  • STC (Singapore Town Club) played in dozens of private Members’ clubs across SE Asia, including the British Club Bangkok.
  • IBF (International Balut Federation) played in sets of four games and enjoyed by players in 75 branches worldwide.

Club Play

Balut was started in the British Club Bangkok in 2007 and we have hosted three STC Interport competitions (2008, 2010 and 2013). The annual Balut Cup, for Club members, was founded in 2008 and a Junior Cup was played until 2011 when all the junior players came of age!

Next Balut event

Wall of Honour

The highest STC Balut score possible is 183* but the current World Record Score is 169 … currently held by a member of the British Club Bangkok. Under STC rules we rank those players who have scored 160 or higher and those who managed to achieve 40 or lower!!

BRITISH CLUB BANGKOK BALUT SECTION
WALL OF HONOUR

(as at 16th December 2020)

Highest Scores

169

10.10.07

Simon Davies [World Record]

168

04.09.11

Haroon Rashid

165

15.10.08

Daw Kiki Maw

165

07.10.20

Paul Cheesman

162

16.12.20

Muntana Merrigan

161

06.06.08

Ranald Macdonald

161

07.04.11

Paul Cheesman

160

07.07.07

Steve Eaton

160

17.04.10

Ranald Macdonald

160

23.11.10

Simon Davies

Lowest Scores

40

28.07.10

Steve Eaton

39

07.04.10

Arnold Troeger

38

05.09.07

Paul Mason

36

08.12.10

Caroline Willbourn

34

01.08.20

Simon Davies

34

04.06.11

Stephen Mallon

34

06.04.11

Ranald Macdonald

Learn more about Balut