How to Play Yatzy: Rules and Scoring
To play Yatzy, roll five dice up to three times on your turn, keeping any dice you like between rolls, then write the result in one empty box of your score sheet. Every box is used once, so after 13 turns (15 in Scandinavian Yatzy) the sheet is full and the highest total wins. Score 63 or more in the top section for a bonus, and five of a kind, a Yatzy, is worth 50.
What you need
Five six-sided dice, a score sheet for each player and a pencil. Any number of people can play. Yatzy is the public-domain family game behind the brand-name version Yahtzee; the rules are almost the same. Play Yatzy online and the dice, sheet and adding up are done for you.
A turn, step by step
- Roll all five dice.
- Set aside any dice you want to keep, and roll the rest. You can change your mind: dice kept after the first roll can be rolled again on the third.
- Roll a third time if you like. Stop whenever you're happy.
- Choose one empty box and write the score. If nothing fits, you must still fill a box, scoring 0 (crossing it out).
The score sheet (classic Yatzy)
| Box | What you need | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ones to Sixes | Any roll | Add up only the dice of that number (three 5s in Fives = 15) |
| Upper bonus | 63+ in Ones to Sixes | 35 |
| Three of a kind | At least three the same | All five dice added up |
| Four of a kind | At least four the same | All five dice added up |
| Full house | Three of one number and two of another | 25 |
| Small straight | Four in a row (1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6) | 30 |
| Large straight | Five in a row (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6) | 40 |
| Yatzy | Five of a kind | 50 |
| Chance | Anything | All five dice added up |
What is a full house in Yatzy?
A full house is three dice of one number and two of another, like 3-3-3-6-6. In classic Yatzy it always scores 25, whatever the numbers. Five of a kind doesn't count as a full house in most rules (it has no second number), unless it's played as a joker.
The upper bonus
Add up Ones to Sixes. If the total is 63 or more, you get a bonus of 35 (50 in Scandinavian Yatzy). 63 is exactly three of each number (3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18), so aim for at least three dice in every top box. Four 5s or 6s make up for a weak box elsewhere.
Scandinavian Yatzy
In Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, Yatzy has 15 boxes and only the dice that make the combination count:
| Box | Score |
|---|---|
| One pair / Two pairs | The paired dice only (two 6s = 12) |
| Three / Four of a kind | The matching dice only |
| Small straight 1-2-3-4-5 | 15 |
| Large straight 2-3-4-5-6 | 20 |
| Full house | All five dice added up |
| Chance | All five dice added up |
| Yatzy | 50 |
| Bonus (63+ in the top section) | 50 |
The GameLake Yatzy game has both score sheets: pick Classic or Scandinavian before you start. The open boxes always show what your dice would score, so you never have to add up. Ready for more? Read our Yatzy strategy.
Frequently asked questions
How many dice are used in Yatzy?
Five dice. You roll all five, then re-roll any of them up to two more times on your turn.
How many rolls do you get in Yatzy?
Up to three per turn: the first roll and two re-rolls. You can stop after any of them.
What is a full house in Yatzy?
Three of one number and two of another, like 2-2-2-5-5. It scores 25 in classic Yatzy, or the total of the dice in Scandinavian Yatzy.
What is a small straight in Yatzy?
Four dice in a row (1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6), worth 30 in classic Yatzy. In Scandinavian Yatzy it must be exactly 1-2-3-4-5, for 15.
Do you have to fill a box every turn?
Yes. If nothing fits, choose a box to score 0. Pick one that's worth little to you, like Ones.