Yahtzee is one of those timeless dice games that blends luck, strategy, and just a little bit of risk-taking. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, the thrill of rolling five dice and aiming for the perfect combination never gets old. If you’re new to the game or just need a refresher, here’s a clear guide to the Yahtzee rules and scoring system.
Game Setup
- Players: You can play Yahtzee solo or with multiple players.
- Equipment: Five dice, a scorecard, and something to write with.
- Rounds: The game lasts exactly 13 rounds.
Each round begins with rolling all five dice. You’re allowed up to three rolls per round:
- Roll all five dice.
- Choose which dice to keep and re-roll the rest.
- Roll again if you want, holding or changing dice as needed.
At the end of your turn, you must record your score in one category only. Once a category is used, it cannot be chosen again.
Yahtzee Scoring Categories
Yahtzee scoring is divided into two sections: the Upper Section and the Lower Section. Here’s how each works, with examples to make it clear.
Upper Section
- Ones: Add up all dice showing 1. Example:
1, 1, 1, 1, 4= 4 points. - Twos: Add up all dice showing 2. Example:
2, 2, 6, 3, 2= 6 points. - Threes: Add up all dice showing 3. Example:
3, 6, 2, 2, 2= 3 points. - Fours: Add up all dice showing 4. Example:
2, 1, 2, 4, 4= 8 points. - Fives: Add up all dice showing 5. Example:
1, 5, 6, 5, 1= 10 points. - Sixes: Add up all dice showing 6. Example:
1, 3, 6, 6, 5= 12 points.
Bonus: If your total in this section is 63 or more, you earn an extra 35 points.
Lower Section
- Three of a Kind: Add up the total of all dice if at least three match.
Example:6, 6, 5, 6, 4= 27 points. - Four of a Kind: Add up the total of all dice if at least four match.
Example:5, 5, 5, 5, 1= 21 points. - Full House: 25 points (three of one number + two of another).
Example:6, 6, 6, 5, 5= 25 points. - Small Straight: 30 points (sequence of four).
Example:3, 4, 5, 6, 4= 30 points. - Large Straight: 40 points (sequence of five).
Example:2, 3, 4, 5, 6= 40 points. - Yahtzee: 50 points (five of a kind).
Example:3, 3, 3, 3, 3= 50 points. - Chance: Add up all dice—your “anything goes” category.
Example:5, 6, 4, 6, 4= 25 points.
Special Rules
- Yahtzee Bonus: If you roll more than one Yahtzee in a game, you can earn extra points.
- Forced Choice: Even if your roll doesn’t fit a category, you must record something—sometimes that means writing a zero.
Winning Strategy
While luck plays a big role, smart choices matter:
- Save “Chance” for bad rolls.
- Aim to fill the upper section early to secure the 35‑point bonus.
- Don’t waste Yahtzee opportunities—those 50 points can swing the game.
If you enjoy Yahtzee, you might also like playing Yacht online, a digital version inspired by the classic rules with its own twist on scoring and strategy. You can play for free with friends, bots or strangers.
