Yatzy rules — complete game guide

Yatzy is played with five dice and a fifteen-box score sheet. Each turn you roll up to three times, keeping useful dice; then you score a matching free box or scratch one. Highest total after fifteen rounds wins.

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Objective and players

It plays from 2 players (this table has five chairs). The goal is to score as many points as possible by completing the fifteen boxes of the sheet, one box per turn.

Fifteen rounds are played: in each round every player takes one turn. After round fifteen the sheets are totalled and the highest score wins.

The turn: three rolls and kept dice

The turn starts with all five dice being rolled. If you like the result, score it; otherwise keep the useful dice and reroll the rest. You can do that once more, for a maximum of three rolls per turn.

Kept dice are locked: they cannot be rerolled during that turn. You may, however, reroll all five dice when nothing suits you — sometimes that gamble wins the game.

You are never forced to declare before the third roll: if a big combination lands on the first roll you can risk it all chasing something better.

The score sheet: fifteen boxes

The boxes Ones through Sixes pay the total of the dice showing that number: three sixes score 18 in the Sixes box. The lower-section combinations also pay pip sums — except the straights and YATZY, which have fixed points.

BoxCombinationPoints
Onesnumber of 1s × 1sum
Twosnumber of 2s × 2sum
Threesnumber of 3s × 3sum
Foursnumber of 4s × 4sum
Fivesnumber of 5s × 5sum
Sixesnumber of 6s × 6sum
One pairtwo equal dice, highest pair countsmax 12 (6+6)
Two pairstwo pairs of different numbersmax 22 (6+6+5+5)
Three of a kindthree equal dicemax 18 (6+6+6)
Four of a kindfour equal dicemax 24 (6+6+6+6)
Small straight1-2-3-4-515
Large straight2-3-4-5-620
Full housetriple + pair of another numbersum of all five (max 28)
Chanceall five dicethe sum (max 30)
YATZYfive equal dice50

Three and four of a kind count only the matching dice: with 5-5-5-5-6 three of a kind scores 15 and four of a kind 20. A four-of-a-kind cannot be split into two pairs of one number, and 6-6-6-6-5 is not a full house — the pair must be a different number than the triple. Five of a kind may still be written as four of a kind (24) if the YATZY box is already closed.

Bonus: 63 points pay 50

If Ones through Sixes total at least 63 points — on average three of each number — you get a 50-point bonus. The bonus is always 50 regardless of the sum.

The bonus uses none of the fifteen boxes: it is added to the final total automatically when the game ends. The maximum score of 374 includes the bonus.

Scratching boxes

Each box is used once: once written it stays closed for the rest of the game. If your dice match no free box you must scratch: pick a free box and it closes at zero.

Scratching is tactical. The classic sacrifices are YATZY and four of a kind (the hardest), while Chance is saved for last since it always fills. Note that scratching the YATZY box gives up the 50 points.

End of the game and winner

The game ends when all fifteen rounds are played and the sheets are complete. The highest total wins.

On an equal total, the player with more YATZYs wins (this site's house rule). If still tied, the game ends in a draw.

Frequently asked questions

How many players does Yatzy need?

It plays from 2 players; online tables seat 2 to 5 and bots fill empty seats when needed.

How many dice and rolls per turn?

Five dice and up to three rolls per turn; between rolls you keep the useful dice, which stay locked.

What does three of a kind score in Yatzy?

Three of a kind pays the pips of the three matching dice: three sixes score 18, and 5-5-5-5-6 scores 15.

What does a full house score?

A full house (three of one number plus a pair of another) pays the sum of all five dice, at most 28 for 6-6-6-5-5. Four of a kind plus a single die does not count.

When do I get the bonus?

When Ones through Sixes total at least 63 you get a 50-point bonus, added to your final total.

What if no combination fits?

You must scratch a free box: it closes at zero for the rest of the game. After the third roll scratching is mandatory if nothing fits.

What is YATZY worth?

Five of a kind in the YATZY box scores 50 points. On a tied total, the number of YATZYs decides the winner.

When does the game end?

After all fifteen rounds, when the boxes are complete: the highest total wins (374 is the maximum).

Can I play Yatzy online for free?

Yes — at yatzy.yeeqia.com you play Yatzy free in your browser, no download and no account to start.