Basic Rules of Yahtzee
Objective of the Game
The objective of Yahtzee is to achieve the highest score by rolling five dice to form specific combinations. Each player takes turns rolling the dice, trying to score in one of the game's categories. Once a combination is used, it cannot be reused in that game. Please note that Yahtzee is a fun, casual game, and there are no real money prizes. You can enjoy it with friends from all over the world.
The Dice
Yahtzee is played with five or Sixes six-sided dice. Players roll these dice up to three times per turn to create one of thirteen possible scoring combinations. These combinations include categories such as Three of a Kind, Full House, and the famous Yahtzee (five of the same number).
The Game Flow
On each turn, a player may roll the dice up to three times, choosing which dice to keep and which to roll again. After the third roll, the player must score their roll in one of the available categories on their scorecard. Once all players have filled all categories, the game ends, and scores are tallied to determine the winner.
The scorecard has two sections: Upper and Lower. The Upper Section scores are based on the sum of the rolled dice, while the Lower Section has various specific combinations with unique scoring rules.
Scoring Categories
- Aces to Sixes: Score is the sum of dice showing the chosen number. For example, for "Threes," only the dice showing three are counted.
- Three of a Kind: Three dice showing the same number. Score is the total of all five dice.
- Four of a Kind: Four dice showing the same number. Score is the total of all five dice.
- Full House: Three of one number and two of another. Scores a fixed 25 points.
- Small Straight: Four consecutive numbers (e.g., 1-2-3-4). Scores 30 points.
- Large Straight: Five consecutive numbers (e.g., 2-3-4-5-6). Scores 40 points.
- Yahtzee: Five dice showing the same number. Scores 50 points.
- Chance: Any combination. Scores the total of all five dice.
Bonus Points
If a player scores at least 63 points in the Upper Section, they receive a 35-point bonus. Additionally, each Yahtzee scored after the first awards an extra 100 points.
Winning the Game
Once all players have filled every category on their scorecard, the game ends. The player with the highest total score wins. Yahtzee combines luck and strategy, offering a fun challenge for all ages!
