Yahtzee

1 Overview

Yahtzee is one of the most beloved dice games ever made. Each turn you roll five dice up to three times, setting aside keepers between rolls. Then you assign your result to one of 13 scoring categories on your card. Every category must be filled eventually - even if you score zero.

The game rewards both luck and tactical decision-making. When do you sacrifice a category for a bad score? When do you go for the Yahtzee gamble?

2 What You Need

• 5 dice
• Yahtzee scorecard (one per player)
• Dice cup
• Pencils

3 Setup

1. Each player gets a scorecard. The youngest player goes first.
2. No special board setup needed - just space for everyone's scorecards.

4 How to Play

1. Roll all 5 dice.
2. Set aside any dice you want to keep. Re-roll the rest (or all if you want).
3. Set aside again. One final re-roll if desired.
4. Score your result in exactly one category on your scorecard. Each category can only be used once.

Scoring Categories

Upper Section (score the sum of the matching die face):

• Ones, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes
• Score 63+ in the upper section = 35-point bonus

Lower Section:

• Three of a Kind: Sum of all dice (if you have 3+ matching)
• Four of a Kind: Sum of all dice (if you have 4+ matching)
• Full House: Three of one kind + two of another = 25 points
• Small Straight: 4 sequential dice (e.g., 1-2-3-4) = 30 points
• Large Straight: 5 sequential dice (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6) = 40 points
• Yahtzee: Five of a kind = 50 points
• Chance: Sum of all 5 dice (no requirements)

5 Winning

After 13 rounds, everyone has filled every category. Add up your scorecard (upper section + upper bonus + lower section). Highest total wins.

6 Strategy Tips

• Chase the upper bonus. You need to average 3 of each number in the upper section to hit 63. If you're on track, protect your upper section entries.
• Sacrifice the right categories. Ones is your cheapest sacrifice category (maximum 5 points vs. 6 for sixes). Use it when you have a terrible roll you can't fit anywhere else.
• Go for Yahtzee early. If you have 4 of a kind after your first roll, go for it - the 50-point Yahtzee is a massive swing. Don't settle for Four of a Kind too early.
• Chance is your safety valve. Save it for a mediocre roll with a decent sum (say, 22+) so it doesn't go to waste.
• Large Straight over Small. They only differ by 10 points. If you have a Small Straight, always try one more roll for the Large.