Yatzy Strategy: Which Dice to Keep and Where to Score
The best Yatzy strategy is to chase the upper bonus first: get three or more of each number in Ones to Sixes and the 35 points usually decide the game. Keep pairs and triples of high numbers, chase straights only from a run of four with both ends open (2-3-4-5), save Chance for a bad late roll, and when you must score a 0, sacrifice Ones or, late in the game, Yatzy.
1. The upper bonus comes first
The 35-point bonus for 63+ in Ones to Sixes is worth more than a Full house. 63 is exactly three of each number, so think of every top box as "three of a kind or better". Getting four of a number is a credit you can spend on a weaker box: four 6s (24) is 6 above par, enough to cover a 0 in Ones.
| Box | Par (three dice) | Four dice is |
|---|---|---|
| Ones | 3 | +1 |
| Twos | 6 | +2 |
| Threes | 9 | +3 |
| Fours | 12 | +4 |
| Fives | 15 | +5 |
| Sixes | 18 | +6 |
2. What to keep after the first roll
- Three or four of a kind: keep them. Go for more of the same; the result fits a top box, Three/Four of a kind or Yatzy.
- A run of four, open at both ends (2-3-4-5): keep it. A 1 or a 6 makes a large straight, about a 56% chance in two rolls.
- Two pairs: keep them for a Full house: about 56% in two rolls.
- One pair: keep the pair (higher numbers first) and re-roll three dice.
- Nothing: keep the highest die or a short run and re-roll the rest, or score Chance late in the game.
3. Straights: chase the open ones
A run open at both ends (2-3-4-5) has two ways to finish. A closed one (1-2-3-4 or 3-4-5-6) has only one, about a 31% chance over two rolls. Never break a pair of 6s for a three-card run early in the game.
Small and Large straight score the same whatever the numbers, so take them the moment you roll them.
4. Chasing Yatzy
Keeping the most common number every roll, you get a Yatzy in about 4.6% of turns, so roughly once in every 22 tries. Over a whole game the odds of at least one Yatzy are better than you'd think, because three of a kind and four of a kind rolls give you extra chances. In classic Yatzy every extra Yatzy is +100, so the box is worth chasing when your top section is safe.
5. Where to take a zero
- Ones first. It's worth only 3 at par, so a 0 there barely hurts the bonus.
- Yatzy, late in the game. With two or three turns left, the chance of one more Yatzy is small.
- Not Chance. Chance is your safety net for a high roll that fits nowhere else; using it early for 14 points wastes it.
- Small straight before Large in Scandinavian Yatzy, where they're worth only 15 and 20.
Practise in the GameLake Yatzy game: Teach me tells you which dice to keep or which box to score, with the reason. Hard Hops plays by expected value, so beating him means you're playing well. New to the game? Start with how to play Yatzy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best strategy in Yatzy?
Go for the upper bonus by scoring at least three of each number in Ones to Sixes, keep high pairs and triples, chase only open straights, keep Chance for emergencies and score zeros in Ones or, late on, Yatzy.
What is a good Yatzy score?
In classic Yatzy, 200 is a solid game and 250 is very good. Perfect play averages a little over 250 points.
What are the odds of rolling a Yatzy?
About 1 in 1,296 on a single roll of five dice, and about 4.6% over a full turn of three rolls when you keep the most common number.
Should you go for a straight or a pair?
Early in the game, keep a high pair over a three-card run. Keep a run of four that's open at both ends (like 2-3-4-5): it finishes about 56% of the time in two rolls.
When should you use Chance in Yatzy?
Late in the game, on a high roll (20 or more) that doesn't fit any open box. Using it early on a small total wastes your safety net.