Q&A for How to Play Yahtzee

Yes, if the section is open, or you can take zero for anything, whenever you wish.

Yes. Score 25 in your fives and add a check mark in the lower section for a bonus Yahtzee. At the end of the game, multiply your check marks by 100 for your total bonus Yahtzee score.

No, you write down the total you got for that number. For example, if you had only one "2," you could enter "2" in the twos row. Obviously, if you don't have any twos, then it would be zero.

1956.

You get 50 for the first Yahtzee and 100 for each additional Yahtzee for each 'game'.

No, you can use all three rolls in a turn to try to get a Yahtzee.

You just take the points into the top section, if you don't have that number or you can take the chance if not used.

You have to fill one in every time. You have to fill in a 0 somewhere if you can't get anything else.

No, the game is 13 turns only. If you roll a yahtzee on your final turn, it's the same as rolling any other score (only with a higher score).

No. Each player only gets 13 total turns. If there are no legitimate spaces to record your Yahtzee roll, e.g. 3 of a kind, 4 of a kind, or the number space in the upper section, place a zero somewhere. You would prefer to place a zero in the upper section’s low number spots first.

You can complete your sixes spot or your Yahtzee--it's your choice. The Yahtzee gets you a higher score, though.

If you are playing with someone else, you would get behind in turns if you only take the bonus, so fill in another.

No, a yahtzee and a large straight are very different. One is five of a kind, another is a sequence.

You can since you've already put 0 in the Yahtzee box. If you X it, then you would lose your chance of getting a Yahtzee.

If you don't have Yahtzee yet, you should go for it when you have three of a kind, no matter what the face value is.

No; once you've recorded a zero in any spot, you can no longer claim it.

You could write a 0 in the top or use your chance and calculate your numbers.

Yes, however the chances of this casually happening is very low. In most games of Yahtzee, a player may get only one at most (two or more is somewhat rare).

1381: 746 upper section, assuming you scored all the numbers’ sections as bonus Yahtzees (5x each number, plus 35 bonus, plus Yahtzee bonuses). 635 lower section, assuming you scored a bonus Yahtzee in the non-straight boxes. (30 & 40 for straights, 50 for first Yahtzee, 25 full house and 30s for the remaining boxes with 400 Yahtzee bonus). I’m making the assumption that rules allow for Yahtzee rolls to count as 3- and 4-of-a-kind as well as full house; technically, a full house is a pair and a 3 of a kind.

No. Your turn is over when you accept the score on the dice, after a maximum of three rolls.

Both options can be viable strategies; however, you might consider scoring the 4 points in the '4s' section, even if it's a low score, rather than scoring a zero.

It's a game of chance; if you are unable to roll a Yahtzee, you should score a 0 for that turn and focus on improving your score in subsequent turns.

Yes, Yahtzee includes bonus rules that can increase your score beyond the basic combinations. If you roll a second Yahtzee after scoring the first, you earn a 100-point bonus for each additional Yahtzee. You can also apply the “Joker Rule,” which allows you to score that roll in another category, such as Full House or Chance, depending on what categories are still open. Additionally, if your upper section totals 63 or more, you will receive a 35-point bonus.

Yes, you can use a Yahtzee roll to score in the sixes category, which will record 30 points in that box.

You can comfortably play Yahtzee with 4 players, but the rules allow for up to 6 players.

You do not receive a point bonus for the bottom section of the Yahtzee scoresheet; only the top section offers a point bonus.

Each player in Yahtzee must take exactly 13 turns, one for each category. Bonus Yahtzees don’t give you extra turns—they just give you extra points. If your partner finished all 13 categories and you still had 2 open, it means you miscounted turns somewhere. To fix it, you either take the missing turns to even things up or, if the game is already over, you must score those empty spots with zeroes or valid entries.

It is generally not advantageous to score a Yahtzee in the upper section, as it typically yields fewer points than scoring it in the Yahtzee slot. However, you might consider scoring it in the upper section if you have already scored zero for Yahtzee or if you roll it much later in the game when other options are limited.

The game concludes when both players have completed all the turns on their scorecard.

No, when marking your scorecard, you may only mark one box in total per turn, selecting either an upper or a lower section, but not both.