In southern Germany, playing passe-dix (or "Paschen") is a
New Year's Eve tradition, which dates to the
Late Middle Ages. The rules of Paschen vary, but the following account, found in the 1896 Brockhaus Konversationslexikon is typical. The banker first wagers an
ante, known as the
banco. The punters either place their own bets, the sum of which must equal the banco, or one punter goes alone and wagers a stake equal to the banco themselves before the banker rolls three dice. If the sum of the dice is eleven or higher, then the
banker wins; if the sum is between 3 and 10, the punters win by a ratio of 1:1. It is typical for the role of the banker to pass to their right-hand neighbour on a loss. Another typical rule is that the banker must re-roll if triples of any number are rolled. In the present, it is common for wins to be pooled, and for sweet pastries to be bought with them and eaten by the entire party. ==References==