What you need
Yatzy is played with five six-sided dice and a score sheet. That is the entire kit. Online here, the dice and scoring are handled for you, so you can simply tap to roll and tap a box to score. For a physical game, grab five dice and a printable score sheet.
The goal
The game has fifteen scoring categories, and each one can be used exactly once. Over fifteen turns you fill every box, choosing where to bank each roll. When all boxes are full, the player with the highest total wins. That is the whole game: every turn is a small decision about where your dice are worth the most.
A turn, step by step
- Roll all five dice. This first roll is compulsory.
- Hold any dice you like. Keep the dice that are useful and set the rest aside to roll again. Online, you tap a die to hold it.
- Re-roll the rest. You may roll the non-held dice a second time, then, if you wish, a third and final time. You can change which dice you hold between rolls.
- Choose a category and score.After your final roll (or earlier if you are happy), pick one empty box. Your dice are scored by that box's rule and the box is now used up for the rest of the game.
You do not have to use all three rolls. If your first roll already gives you, say, a Large Straight, you can bank it straight away.
The two sections
Upper section: Ones through Sixes
Each upper box scores the sum of the dice showing that number. Three fours score 12 in the Fours box. The upper section carries the game's biggest swing: if your upper boxes total 63 or more, you earn a 50-point bonus. Sixty-three is the average you reach by scoring three of each number, so the bonus is very achievable and worth planning for.
Lower section: combinations
The lower section rewards poker-style combinations: pairs, three and four of a kind, straights, a full house, the wild-card Chance, and the jackpot Yatzy (five of a kind, a flat 50 points). Each is explained with worked examples on the scoring page.
Taking a zero
You must fill a box every turn, even on a bad roll. When nothing fits, you sacrifice a box by scoring zero in it. Experienced players usually zero the categories that are hardest to complete or worth the least, keeping flexible boxes like Chance in reserve. Knowing when to take a zero is one of the real skills in Yatzy.
Winning
Once every player has filled all fifteen boxes, add up each column: upper section, plus the 50-point bonus if earned, plus the lower section. Highest total wins. A clean game with the bonus and a scored Yatzy will usually land somewhere between 200 and 300 points.
Frequently asked questions
How many rolls do you get in Yatzy?+
You get up to three rolls per turn. You must roll all five dice on the first roll, then you may keep any dice and re-roll the rest up to two more times. You can stop and score after any roll, including the first.
Do you have to use all three rolls?+
No. If you are happy with your dice after the first or second roll, you can score immediately. Many strong turns end early when you already hold a good combination.
What happens if my dice do not fit any category?+
You must still fill one box on every turn. If nothing scores well, you take a zero in a category you are unlikely to need, most often Ones or Yatzy. Choosing where to take a zero is a real part of the strategy.
How long does a game of Yatzy take?+
A solo game has fifteen turns and usually takes three to five minutes. A two-player game runs about eight to ten minutes since players alternate turns until all categories are filled.