How to play Yahtzee

Objective

Score more points than every other player by filling 13 different dice categories. Each category can be used once, so a weak roll may force you to take a zero in a box you hoped to save.

This page follows Hasbro’s Yahtzee Classic C2406 instructions, including the 35-point upper-section bonus, 100-point extra-Yahtzee bonuses and Joker rules. Hasbro labels the game for two or more players without publishing a maximum; the catalogue’s ten-player cap is a practical table estimate, not a rules limit.

Setup

Give each player a score column. Use five ordinary six-sided dice and a cup. Each player rolls one die. The highest roll starts and play continues clockwise.

A game lasts exactly 13 turns per player because the scorecard has 13 category boxes.

Scoring

Upper section

Choose Aces, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives or Sixes and total only dice of that number. A roll of 2-2-2-5-6 scores 6 in Twos, 5 in Fives or 6 in Sixes.

If your six upper boxes total at least 63, add a 35-point bonus.

Lower section

Category	Requirement	Score
Three of a kind	At least three equal dice	Total of all five dice
Four of a kind	At least four equal dice	Total of all five dice
Full house	Three of one number and two of another	25
Small straight	At least four consecutive numbers	30
Large straight	Five consecutive numbers	40
Yahtzee	Five equal dice	50
Chance	Any five dice	Total of all five dice

A small straight may be 1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6. A large straight is 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6. Repeated numbers do not extend a straight, though extra dice are harmless for a small straight.

Turns

Roll all five dice. You may stop and score immediately or set aside any dice and reroll the others. After the second roll, you may again keep or return any dice—including dice held after the first roll—and roll the rest once more.

After no more than three rolls, choose one empty category and write its score. An ordinary roll may qualify for several categories, but it fills only one. If you have no score to enter, write zero in an empty box. For an extra Yahtzee, use the placement order below.

Pass all five dice to the next player after scoring.

Extra Yahtzees and Joker rules

If you roll five matching dice after filling your Yahtzee box, choose one empty box in the order below.

1. If the matching upper box is empty, score the dice total there. Five 4s score 20 in Fours.
2. If that upper box is filled, use an open Three of a Kind or Four of a Kind and score the dice total.
3. If both of those boxes are filled, use an open Chance for the dice total or an open Full House (25), Small Straight (30) or Large Straight (40) for its fixed score.
4. If the matching upper box and all lower boxes are filled, enter zero in an empty upper box.

Mark a separate 100-point bonus if your Yahtzee box shows 50. If it shows zero, use the same placement order and record only the box score.

Worked example

You roll 2-2-3-3-5. Keep the two 2s and two 3s, then reroll the 5. It becomes a 3, giving 2-2-3-3-3: a full house.

You may stop and score 25 in Full House. You could instead record 9 in Threes, 13 in Three of a Kind or Chance, or reroll one or both 2s if a roll remains and you want a Yahtzee. Once you choose Full House, that box cannot be used again.

Winning

The game ends when every player has filled all 13 category boxes. Total the six upper boxes and add 35 if they reach 63. Total the seven lower boxes, add 100 for each valid extra-Yahtzee mark, then combine the two sections.

Highest grand total wins. If totals tie, the published Classic rules do not require a special tiebreaker; share the win or agree beforehand to compare upper totals or play again.

Common mistakes

• Taking four rolls. Three rolls is the maximum, including the first roll.
• Skipping a score. Every turn fills one empty box, sometimes with zero.
• Scoring only the matching set in Three of a Kind. Add all five dice.
• Counting a pair plus three unrelated dice as a full house. It requires a pair and a triple.
• Awarding the upper bonus for 63 overall. Only Aces through Sixes count toward it.
• Giving every later Yahtzee a bonus. The Yahtzee box must already contain 50.
• Jumping to a straight or Chance with an extra Yahtzee. Check the matching upper box first. If it is filled, check Three of a Kind and Four of a Kind before other lower boxes.

Variants

Hasbro’s 2004 Deluxe edition lets you use any open lower box for an extra Yahtzee once the matching upper box is filled. Follow the sheet for your edition.

Some electronic and regional games called Yatzy use different categories, bonuses or straight scores. Triple Yahtzee uses three score columns with multipliers. Those are separate scorecards.

House games sometimes let players roll simultaneously or add tie-break rounds. Those changes can shorten a large game but are not part of the Classic turn order described here.

Common questions

How many rolls do you get in Yahtzee?

Up to three per turn, including the first roll. You may stop earlier and score. After each roll, choose which dice to keep or reroll, including dice kept previously.

How do you get the 35-point bonus in Yahtzee?

Score at least 63 across Aces through Sixes, the six upper-section boxes. Lower-section points do not count toward this bonus.

What happens if you roll a second Yahtzee?

Mark a 100-point bonus if your Yahtzee box shows 50. If it shows zero, record only the box score. In either case, fill the matching upper box if it is open. If it is filled, use an open Three of a Kind or Four of a Kind before Chance, Full House or either straight.