How to Play Yahtzee
Yahtzee is a classic dice game that combines luck and strategy. The objective is to score points by rolling five dice to make specific combinations. The game is played over 13 rounds, and the player with the highest total score at the end wins.
Quick Navigation:
Game Equipment
Traditional Yahtzee requires:
- Five six-sided dice
- A scorecard to record points
- A cup to shake and roll the dice (optional)
In our online version, all of these elements are provided virtually, making it easy to play anytime without physical components.
Basic Gameplay
Yahtzee is played in 13 rounds. During each round:
- First Roll: Roll all five dice.
- Evaluate: After the first roll, you can either:
- Score the current dice arrangement in one of the 13 categories.
- Set aside any dice you want to keep and roll the remaining dice again.
- Second Roll (if chosen): Roll any dice not set aside from the first roll.
- After the second roll, you can either score or set aside dice and roll a third time.
- You can rearrange which dice you want to keep after the second roll.
- Third Roll (if chosen): Roll any dice not set aside from the second roll.
- Score: After your final roll (whether it's your first, second, or third), you must choose a category to score in.
- Next Round: The next round begins with all five dice rolled again.
Each scoring category can only be used once during the game. Once all 13 categories have been scored, the game ends and the final score is calculated.
Scoring Categories
Upper Section
In the upper section, you score by adding up the total value of dice showing the specific number:
- Ones: Sum of all dice showing 1
- Twos: Sum of all dice showing 2
- Threes: Sum of all dice showing 3
- Fours: Sum of all dice showing 4
- Fives: Sum of all dice showing 5
- Sixes: Sum of all dice showing 6
Upper Section Bonus: If your total score in the upper section is 63 or more (which means an average of three dice in each category), you get a bonus of 35 points.
Lower Section
- Three of a Kind: At least three dice showing the same number. Score is the sum of all five dice.
- Four of a Kind: At least four dice showing the same number. Score is the sum of all five dice.
- Full House: Three dice showing one number and two dice showing another number. Score is 25 points.
- Small Straight: Four consecutive numbers (e.g., 1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5, or 3-4-5-6). Score is 30 points.
- Large Straight: Five consecutive numbers (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6). Score is 40 points.
- Yahtzee: All five dice showing the same number. Score is 50 points.
- Chance: Any combination of dice. Score is the sum of all five dice. This category can be used as a fallback when you don't have a good roll for other categories.
Scoring Examples
| Roll | Category | Score | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 1, 3, 4, 6 | Ones | 2 | Two dice showing 1, so score is 2 |
| 3, 3, 3, 5, 6 | Three of a Kind | 20 | Three dice showing 3, so score is sum of all dice: 3+3+3+5+6=20 |
| 2, 2, 2, 2, 6 | Four of a Kind | 14 | Four dice showing 2, so score is sum of all dice: 2+2+2+2+6=14 |
| 4, 4, 4, 5, 5 | Full House | 25 | Three dice showing 4 and two dice showing 5, so score is 25 |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 | Small Straight | 30 | Four consecutive numbers (1-2-3-4), so score is 30 |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Large Straight | 40 | Five consecutive numbers (1-2-3-4-5), so score is 40 |
| 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 | Yahtzee | 50 | All five dice showing the same number (3), so score is 50 |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Chance | 20 | Sum of all dice: 2+3+4+5+6=20 |
Strategy Tips
General Strategy
- Aim for the Upper Section Bonus: Try to score at least 63 points in the upper section to get the 35-point bonus.
- Prioritize High-Value Categories: Categories like Yahtzee (50 points) and Large Straight (40 points) can significantly boost your score.
- Use Chance Wisely: Save the Chance category for a roll that would not score well in other categories.
- Know When to Zero Out: Sometimes it's better to take a zero in a low-value category than to waste a potentially high-scoring roll.
Early Game Strategy
- Focus on maximizing scores in the upper section to achieve the 63-point bonus.
- If you roll three or more of the same number in the upper section categories, consider keeping them.
- Keep an eye out for potential straights and full houses early on.
Mid-Game Strategy
- Start making decisions based on what categories you have left.
- If you've secured a good score in the upper section, focus on maximizing points in the lower section.
- Consider which categories you might need to zero out, and try to minimize the damage.
Late Game Strategy
- Calculate the maximum possible score for each remaining category to decide which one to prioritize.
- If you're close to a Yahtzee and still have the category open, it may be worth gambling for the 50 points.
- Be strategic with your last few categories to maximize your final score.
Game Variants
Triple Yahtzee
In this variant, players complete three separate Yahtzee games on the same scorecard. The final score is the sum of all three games.
Painted Yahtzee
Players use dice of different colors and can only keep dice of the same color on each roll.
Yahtzee Plus
In this variant, players can score multiple Yahtzees. The first Yahtzee is worth 50 points, and each additional Yahtzee is worth 100 points.
Challenge Yahtzee
Players must fill their scorecard from top to bottom, starting with ones and ending with chance.
Playing Yahtzee Online
Benefits of Our Online Version
- Automatic Scoring: Our online version automatically calculates and displays potential scores for each category based on your current dice.
- Visual Aids: We highlight the best scoring options to help you make strategic decisions.
- Game History: Your past games and high scores are saved so you can track your progress.
- No Setup Required: No need to find dice or scorecards - just load the page and start playing!
- Mobile Friendly: Play on any device, anytime, anywhere.
How to Use Our Online Interface
- Click the "Roll Dice" button to start your turn.
- Click on individual dice to hold them for the next roll.
- Roll up to three times per turn.
- Click on a scoring category to record your score for the turn.
- Complete all 13 categories to finish the game.