How to Play Yahtzee Rules for rulebook haters
I hate reading rulebooks and compiled this How to Play Yahtzee Rules guide to get games started fast without the hassle of lengthy rulebooks.
What is the goal?
- Goal: Obtain the highest score.
- Players: Take turns throwing 5 dice.
- Scoring: Based on different dice combinations thrown.
Yahtzee Setup
- Each player takes a Yahtzee Score Sheet.
- Players roll 5 dice.
- Player with the highest total starts the game.
Step by Step Gameplay and Rules
On your turn, roll the 5 dice
- Roll dice.
- You can roll up to 3 times to form a scoring combination.
- On each roll, decide which dice to set aside for scoring and which to re-roll.
First Roll of Dice
- Set aside any dice you wish to keep.
- Continue rolling the remaining dice.
- You may also stop and score your current combination of dice at any time.
2nd Roll of Dice
- Re-roll any or all of the dice if you decided not to keep any in the first roll or changed your mind.
- After rolling, you may:
- Stop and score.
- Set aside any dice you wish to keep and roll again.
3rd Roll of Dice
- Re-roll any or all of the dice.
- This is the final roll.
- You must now score by filling the boxes on your Yahtzee Score Sheet.
Scoring your Yahtzee Scoresheet
- Score your combination of 5 dice by filling the Yahtzee Score Sheet.
- The Yahtzee Score Sheet has two sections: Upper section and Lower section.
- Once a box has been scored, it cannot be scored again for the remainder of the game (except the Yahtzee category).
- Choose wisely when scoring.
Scoring Upper section of Yahtzee Score Table
- Upper Section scoring: Total of the specified die face.
- Example:
- Roll: 5 – 2 – 5 – 6 – 5.
- Score in Fives category: Total is 15 (only 3 fives are added).
- Score in One, Three, or Four categories: Score is 0.
- Score in Two or Six category: Score is 2 and 6 respectively.
- If the total of Upper Section scores is 63 or more, add a bonus of 35.
Scoring Lower Section of Yahtzee Score Table
- Lower Section scoring:
- Score a set amount or zero if category requirements are not met.
- Categories in the Lower Section:
- 3 of a Kind
- 4 of a Kind
- Full House
- Small Straight
- Large Straight
- Yahtzee
- Chance
Scoring 3 of a Kind or 4 of a Kind
- 3 of a Kind:
- Requirement: At least 3 of the same die faces.
- Scoring: Total of all the dice.
- 4 of a Kind:
- Requirement: At least 4 of the same die faces.
- Scoring: Total of all the dice.
Scoring Full House
You have 3 of a kind and 2 of a kind. Full house’s score 25 points.
Scoring a Yahtzee
- Requirement: 5 of a kind.
- Scoring: 50 points.
- Additional Yahtzees:
- If 50 (not zero) is already scored in the Yahtzee box, each additional Yahtzee gives a bonus of 100 points.
- Check the bonus box to tally your bonuses.
- Additional roll:
- Must score in any unscored Upper Section category.
- If all Upper Section categories are scored, use the Yahtzee rolled as a JOKER to score any unscored Lower Section category.
Scoring a Chance
- Chance Category:
- You can roll any combination of dice.
- Scoring: Total of the die faces.
YAHTZEE BONUS
- If you roll a YAHTZEE and have already scored 50 in the YAHTZEE box:
- Get a 100-point bonus.
- Take one bonus chip.
- Place a check mark (/) in the YAHTZEE BONUS box on your score card.
- Fill in one of the 13 boxes on your score card according to the JOKER RULES.
- Continue to get a YAHTZEE bonus for each additional YAHTZEE rolled (squeeze in the check marks if necessary).
- If you roll a YAHTZEE and have already entered zero in the YAHTZEE box:
- You do not earn a YAHTZEE bonus.
- You must fill in one of the 13 boxes on your score card according to the JOKER RULES.
JOKER RULES
- Upper Section:
- Score the total of all 5 dice in the appropriate Upper Section box.
- If this box is already filled, score in any open Lower Section box as follows:
- 3 of a Kind: Total of all 5 dice.
- 4 of a Kind: Total of all 5 dice.
- Full House: 25 points.
- Small Straight: 30 points.
- Large Straight: 40 points.
- Chance: Total of all 5 dice.
- If all appropriate Upper and Lower Section boxes are filled:
- Enter a zero in any open Upper Section box.
How do you win?
- Game End:
- The game ends after all 13 columns are filled for each player.
- Scoring:
- Upper Section:
- Add up the Upper Section scores and enter the total in the TOTAL SCORE box.
- Enter the 35-point bonus in the BONUS box if you scored 63 points or more.
- Enter the combined total in the TOTAL box.
- Lower Section:
- Add up the Lower Section scores and enter the total in the TOTAL of Lower Section box.
- Add 100 points for each check mark in the YAHTZEE BONUS boxes (one check mark for each bonus chip).
- Grand Total:
- Add the Upper Section and Lower Section scores.
- Enter the combined total in the GRAND TOTAL box.
- This is your score for the game.
- Upper Section:
Winning
After the scores are tallied, the player with the highest Grand Total wins the game!