LET'S PLAY
Roll the bones and pray to the dice gods. Yahtzee (Yacht, Yatzy, etc.) turns five little cubes into a full-blown addiction. Simple to start, tricky to master, and perfect for turning family into rivals and insuring that this classic will join game cabinets for years to come.
Object
Object: To score the most points over 13 rounds by rolling five dice and creating specific combinations.
To do this, you take up to three rolls per turn and choose the best category to lock in your score—even if it’s a zero.
Set Up
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Each player gets a score sheet and something to write with.
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Everyone rolls five dice. The highest total goes first.
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Play proceeds clockwise.
Free printable Yahtzee score card,
click image above (you're welcome).
Watch the step by step guide here!
What You Need
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2 or more players (can be played solo for score-chasing).
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Five standard six-sided dice.
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Yahtzee score sheet (get a free one right here).
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A pen or pencil.
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A cup for shaking the dice (optional but thematic).
Turns
Each player gets 13 turns (up to 3 rolls per turn). After each turn, you must write a score in one of your categories. Yes, even if it’s a zero.
Combo Ranking
The Score Sheet has two sections an Upper and a Lower.
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Upper Section: Score based on the total of dice showing 1s to 6s.
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Lower Section: Score big combos like Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind, Full House (25 points), Small Straight (30), Large Straight (40), Yahtzee (50), and Chance (sum of all dice).
Game Play
On your turn:
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Roll all five dice.
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Keep any number of dice and reroll the rest (up to two more times). You can stop at anytime, but you get no more than 3 rolls on a turn.
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Choose a scoring category to lock in. Once used, that category is done for the game.
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Pass the Dice to the next clockwise player.
You get 13 rounds—choose your categories wisely.
Scoring:
Upper section: Add up matching dice. Score 63+ in the whole uppper section and earn a 35 point bonus.
Lower section: Score based on combinations.
Combine both sections at the end of game to determine the winner.
Yahtzee is 50 points (all 5 dice match). Get a second one? You legend. That’s a bonus 100.
Upper Section:
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Aces (Ones) – Score 1 point for each 1 rolled
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Twos – Score 2 points for each 2 rolled
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Threes – Score 3 points for each 3 rolled
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Fours – Score 4 points for each 4 rolled
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Fives – Score 5 points for each 5 rolled
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Sixes – Score 6 points for each 6 rolled
In the upper section, only the matching numbers score—no other points are counted.
Bonus:
If your combined score in these six categories is 63 or more, you earn a 35-point bonus. That usually means averaging at least three of each number.
Lower Section:
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Three of a Kind – Score the total of all five dice. You must have at least three matching dice.
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Four of a Kind – Score the total of all five dice. You must have at least four matching dice.
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Full House – Score 25 points. Must have three of one number and two of another.
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Small Straight – Score 30 points. Requires four sequential numbers (e.g. 1-2-3-4).
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Large Straight – Score 40 points. Requires five sequential numbers (e.g. 2-3-4-5-6).
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Yahtzee – Score 50 points. All five dice must match.
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Chance – Score the total of all five dice. No combination required.
In the lower section, most categories require a specific combination. If you meet the condition, you score the listed amount—or the total of all dice if that’s the rule.
Note:
Most modern Yahtzee games follow the same rules, but printed scorecards from different publishers (like Milton Bradley vs. Hasbro vs. vintage editions) may include slight variations—especially around Full House and bonus Yahtzees. House rules also blur the lines further. Always agree on your version before the game starts.
Roll Off (Roll & Swap) Variation:
After the previous player ends their turn, the next player can either:
Take all five dice and roll fresh (standard play)
or
Use the five dice exactly as they are from the previous player’s final roll, keeping any number of them and rerolling the rest (up to two times, as usual).
Final Thoughts
Yahtzee is that rare combo of luck and calculated risk. Easy to learn, infinitely replayable, and somehow always louder than it should be. Great for quick rounds or long-haul score battles.
