Yahtzee rules

Yahtzee is a dice game played with five dice and a scorecard of 13 boxes. On each turn you get up to three rolls to make a combination, then you write a score in one empty box. After 13 turns every box is full, and the player with the highest total wins.

1. 1
   Roll the five dice. Your turn starts with a roll of all five dice. In our game you press Roll to throw them.
2. 2
   Hold dice and reroll. You may roll again twice more, for three rolls in total. Before a reroll, hold the dice you want to keep (click a die to hold it) and the rest are rolled. You can hold different dice each time, and you can stop after any roll.
3. 3
   Score exactly one box. When you are done rolling, you must enter a score in one empty box. If the dice don’t fit any open box, or fit badly, you put a 0 in a box of your choice. This is called scratching a box.
4. 4
   Play 13 rounds. Each box can be used only once, so the game lasts exactly 13 rounds. Then the scorecards are added up.

The scorecard is split into an upper section, where you collect one number at a time, and a lower section of poker-style combinations.

A small straight can be 1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6, and the fifth die can be anything, even a repeat: 2-3-3-4-5 counts. A large straight is 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6. Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind and Chance always add up all five dice, not just the matching ones.

If your six upper boxes add up to 63 or more, you get a 35-point bonus. 63 is exactly what three of each number gives you: 3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18.

You don’t need three of everything. Extra dice in one box cover shortfalls in another: four 6s (24) are 6 points above the three-of-a-kind mark, enough to make up for only two 5s. Our scorecard keeps a running upper total so you can see how far you are from 63.

Five dice can land in 7,776 different ways. Here is how often each combination shows up on a single roll, before any rerolls:

Rerolls change everything. If you hold your most common number and go for five of a kind with all three rolls, you will make a Yahtzee about 4.6% of the time, roughly one turn in 22. The Yahtzee strategy guide has the odds for straights, full houses and more.

After 13 rounds every box is filled. Your final score is the upper section total, plus 35 if you earned the bonus, plus the lower section total and any Yahtzee bonuses. The highest score wins, and players who tie share the win. Our scorecard keeps a running total for every player, and when the game ends you can start a rematch with the same group.

Can a Yahtzee count as a full house?

Only as a joker. Once your Yahtzee box and the matching upper box are both filled, another Yahtzee can go in Full House for 25, and our game uses this rule. Otherwise Full House needs three of one number and two of a different number, so five of a kind scores 0 there.

Do you have to use all three rolls?

No. You can score after your first or second roll if you already have what you want.

What if my dice do not fit any open box?

You still have to fill a box every turn. Pick one and take a zero in it. Choosing the right box to sacrifice is a big part of Yahtzee strategy.

Does a large straight also count as a small straight?

Yes. Five numbers in a row always contain four in a row, so a large straight scores 30 in the Small Straight box if you need it there.

What is the highest possible Yahtzee score?

1,575, in our game as under the standard rules: a Yahtzee on every turn, 50 in the Yahtzee box, a 100-point bonus for each of the other twelve, and every other box filled at its highest value.

How many players can play Yahtzee on LetsPlayCards.Online?

One to four. Play on your own for a high score, against up to three computer players, or start a table and send the link to up to three friends. Empty seats can go to the computer.

How long is a game of Yahtzee?

Exactly 13 rounds, because each player fills one of the 13 boxes per turn.