What is Bingo Duel?
Bingo Duel is the two player classroom version of bingo: each player writes the numbers from 1 to the last number anywhere on their own grid, the players take turns calling one number, the number is crossed out on both grids, and whoever first crosses out the agreed number of full rows, columns or diagonals shouts "Bingo!" There is no draw machine and no prize, just paper and a pencil.
Students play it in the corner of a notebook during breaks, drawing a 5×5 grid and filling it with 1 to 25, so it is also known as number bingo or paper bingo. Because you choose what to call, it is not pure luck: where you place your numbers and which numbers you call both make a difference. A 4×4 grid gives a quick round, while 6×6 becomes a long, stubborn race.
What exactly are the rules?
There are four. Each player sets up a grid, players call one number per turn, a called number is crossed out on both grids, and the first to reach the line target wins. Your opponent's calls also cross numbers off your grid, so their turn can help you.
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Your turn | Call one number that has not been called. Just tap it on your grid |
| A number is called | That number gets an X on both grids, drawn in the caller's colour |
| A whole line is crossed out | A highlighter runs across it and your Bingo count goes up by one |
| Someone reaches the target (3 or 5 lines) | That player wins |
| One call takes both players to the target | More lines wins. If the line counts are equal too, the player who called the number wins |
A 5×5 grid has 5 rows, 5 columns and 2 diagonals, 12 lines in all. A 4×4 grid has 10 lines and a 6×6 grid has 14. The bigger the grid, the more numbers each line needs, so the game runs longer.
How do I place my numbers?
Your grid starts shuffled, and dragging a number onto another box swaps the two. If you would rather write it yourself, press Write my own and tap empty boxes in any order; the numbers appear in pencil as 1, 2, 3 and so on.
Fill the rest drops the remaining numbers into the empty boxes at random, and Undo erases the last number you wrote. Ready only works once every box is filled. On a phone you can also tap one number and then another box to swap them.
Where should I put which numbers?
Boxes sit on different numbers of lines. The centre box is on 4 lines, boxes on a diagonal are on 3 lines, and every other box is on 2. Numbers that are likely to be called early belong in the centre and on the diagonals, where one cross brings several lines closer at once.
| Position (5×5) | Boxes | Lines | Placement tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre | 1 | 4 (row, column, both diagonals) | The number you expect to be called first, such as an eye catching 7 or your friend's favourite |
| Four corners | 4 | 3 (row, column, one diagonal) | The next most likely early calls. Corners never share a line with each other, so they spread out evenly |
| Rest of the diagonals | 4 | 3 | They connect to the centre and are the road to a diagonal Bingo |
| All other boxes | 16 | 2 | Numbers you expect to be called late |
A 4×4 grid has no centre: its 8 diagonal boxes are on 3 lines and the other 8 on 2. On 6×6 the 12 diagonal boxes are on 3 lines. Keep in mind the computer calls from its own grid without knowing yours, so against the computer the order of your calls matters far more than placement. The mind games of placement shine between people.
Which numbers should I call to get Bingo fast?
Call numbers on lines that are already mostly crossed out, and on boxes where several lines meet. Your call is crossed out on the other grid too, but there it lands somewhere unknown, so it helps your grid more.
- Commit to a few lines. One cross on each of five lines completes nothing. Pick two or three lines and finish them.
- Take the crossings early. The centre and diagonal boxes bring 3 or 4 lines closer with one call. With no plan yet, the centre is a good first call.
- Build on your opponent's calls. See which of your lines their number landed on and keep filling that line; it is a free box.
- Never leave the last box waiting. If a line needs one more number, call it now. Waiting for your opponent to call it is how comebacks happen.
- Near the goal, take the shortest road. If the opponent's note shows only one star left, speed beats value. A number that finishes two lines at once comes first.
How do the three computer levels differ?
Easy calls a random number about half the time, Normal greedily calls numbers on its most crossed out lines, and Hard works out the shortest road to its line target and looks one call ahead. None of them sees your grid.
| Level | How it calls | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | Half random, half whatever looks good right now | Spreads its crosses and reaches Bingo late |
| Normal | Weights lines by how many boxes are already crossed | Focuses on lines but wobbles now and then |
| Hard | The number that leaves the fewest calls to the target, ties broken by looking one call ahead | When you are one line away it drops everything and races |
In test matches Normal beat Easy in about 76% of 300 games, and Hard beat Normal about 64% and Easy about 90% of the time. Your calls act like luck for the computer, so even Hard can lose.
How does two player mode work?
Choose Two players and Blue and Red take turns setting up and calling on one phone or computer. Each time the turn changes a screen drops over the grids, so nobody sees the other grid.
Blue sets up and hands over, then Red sets up. During the game you call a number and pass the device; the next player taps Show my grid and watches the number just called get crossed out on their grid. The other grid stays covered on a small note that shows only the number of lines done, and it flips over to reveal everything when the game ends.
Controls
- Phone and mouse: during set up, drag a number onto another box, or tap two boxes one after the other, to swap them. During the game, tap a number on your grid that is not crossed out to call it.
- Keyboard: arrow keys move, Space picks, swaps and calls, Enter is Ready, R shuffles, and in Write my own Backspace undoes and F fills the rest. During the game typing a number jumps to its box. M or Esc goes to the menu.
- Call strip: every called number sits along the bottom, newest first. The ring colour shows who called it.
Your grid size, line target, last mode, sound setting, wins against the computer and fastest Bingo records are stored only in this browser and are never sent to a server.