What you need
- Five standard six-sided dice (and a cup, if you have one)
- One score sheet per player: use the online Yahtzee score sheet or a printable one
- One or more players. Yahtzee works solo too, where you try to beat your best score.
The object of the game
Score the most points by rolling combinations of dice and writing each one in the right box. The game lasts 13 rounds. Each round, every player takes one turn and fills one box.
How a turn works
- Roll all five dice.
- Keep any dice you want and re-roll the others. You can change your mind and re-roll dice you kept before.
- Roll a third time if you want, again keeping any dice.
- Score one box. After your last roll, you must write a score in one empty box. If nothing fits, write a 0 there. This is called a scratch.
Once a box is filled, it can't be used again, so choosing where to put a roll matters as much as the roll itself.
How to score each box
| Box | What you need | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Aces to Sixes | Any roll | Total of that number only |
| Upper bonus | Upper section totals 63 or more | 35 |
| 3 of a kind | At least three dice the same | Total of all 5 dice |
| 4 of a kind | At least four dice the same | Total of all 5 dice |
| Full house | Three of one number and two of another | 25 |
| Small straight | Four in a row (1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6) | 30 |
| Large straight | Five in a row (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6) | 40 |
| Yahtzee | All five dice the same | 50 |
| Chance | Any roll | Total of all 5 dice |
| Yahtzee bonus | Another Yahtzee after scoring 50 in the Yahtzee box | 100 each |
The upper section bonus
If Aces through Sixes add up to 63 or more, add a 35-point bonus. You hit 63 exactly with three of each number. Four Sixes (24) can make up for a weak Aces box.
Straights
A small straight is any four numbers in a row; the fifth die can be anything. A large straight needs all five in a row. A large straight also counts as a small straight if you'd rather score 30 there.
Yahtzee bonus and Joker rules
Rolling five of a kind for the first time scores 50 in the Yahtzee box. Every Yahtzee after that works like this:
- Yahtzee bonus: if your Yahtzee box already has 50, you get a 100-point bonus. If you scratched it with a 0, there's no bonus.
- You still fill a box. First, if the matching upper box is open (for example Fours, for five 4s), you must score it there.
- Joker: if that upper box is filled, you may score the roll in any open lower box at full value: 25 for a full house, 30 or 40 for a straight, or the dice total for 3 of a kind, 4 of a kind or Chance.
- If the lower section is full too, you must put a 0 in any open upper box.
Ending the game
After 13 rounds every box is filled. Add the upper section and bonus, add the lower section and any Yahtzee bonuses, and the highest grand total wins. The online score sheet adds all of this up as you go.
Yahtzee strategy tips
- Chase the upper bonus early. Aim for at least three of each number in the upper section, especially Fives and Sixes.
- Keep Chance for emergencies. It's the best place for a high roll that fits nowhere else.
- Go for Yahtzee with three of a kind. Keep the three matching dice and roll the other two. You'll land a Yahtzee more often than you'd think.
- Scratch smart. When you have to take a 0, Aces or the Yahtzee box late in the game usually cost the least.
Popular variations
- Triple Yahtzee: three columns per player, scored ×1, ×2 and ×3. Use the Triple Yahtzee score sheet.
- Forced order: fill the boxes from top to bottom, with no choosing.
- Solo Yahtzee: play all 13 rounds alone and try to beat your best score. The online sheet remembers it for you.
Yahtzee rules FAQ
How many rolls do you get in Yahtzee?
Up to three per turn. After each roll you can keep any dice and re-roll the rest. You can stop after the first or second roll if you like what you have.
How many turns are in a game of Yahtzee?
Thirteen: one for each box on the score card. The game ends when every player has filled all 13 boxes.
Does a Yahtzee count as a full house?
Only under the Joker rule, when your Yahtzee box is already filled and the matching upper box is filled too. Then you can score it as a full house for 25, or as a straight for 30 or 40.
What happens if you get two Yahtzees?
If you already scored 50 in the Yahtzee box, you get a 100-point bonus and then use the Joker rule to fill another box. If you scratched the Yahtzee box with a 0, you get no bonus but can still use the Joker rule.
What is the highest possible Yahtzee score?
1,575: thirteen Yahtzees, with each one scored in the best possible box and twelve 100-point bonuses. Without any bonus Yahtzees, a perfect game is 375.
Do you have to fill a box every turn?
Yes. If nothing fits, you have to scratch a box by putting a 0 in it.