TallynightHow to keep score in Yahtzee
A game of Yahtzee is 13 turns. Each turn you roll up to three times, then fill one box on your score sheet. Every box is used once, and the highest grand total wins.
- Players
- 1 or more
- Who wins
- Highest grand total
- Turns
- 13 each, one box per turn
- Dice
- Five, up to three rolls a turn
What each box scores
The sheet has an upper section for each number and a lower section for poker-style hands. If your dice don't fit the box you choose, it scores 0.
| Box | What you need | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ones to Sixes | Any dice | Add only the dice of that number |
| Three of a kind | Three dice the same | Add all five dice |
| Four of a kind | Four dice the same | Add all five dice |
| Full house | Three of one number and two of another | 25 |
| Small straight | Four in a row, like 2 3 4 5 | 30 |
| Large straight | Five in a row, like 2 3 4 5 6 | 40 |
| Yahtzee | Five dice the same | 50 |
| Chance | Any dice | Add all five dice |
The upper bonus
Add up your Ones to Sixes. If they come to 63 or more, add a bonus of 35. That's what three of each number makes (3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18 = 63), so four 6s can make up for only two 1s.
Many players write a running total beside the upper section to see how far they are from 63.
Yahtzee bonuses and the joker rule
If you roll another Yahtzee after scoring 50 in the Yahtzee box, you get a 100-point bonus for each one. Then you also fill a box with that roll.
Put it in the matching upper box if it's still open (five 4s go in Fours). If that box is used, it's a joker: you can put it in any open lower box at full value, so a full house still scores 25 and a large straight 40. If those are full too, you must enter a 0 in an open upper box.
If you crossed out the Yahtzee box with a 0, extra Yahtzees don't earn the bonus.
Adding up at the end
- Upper total: Ones to Sixes, plus the 35 bonus if you made 63
- Lower total: every lower box, plus 100 for each Yahtzee bonus
- Grand total: upper total plus lower total
A scoring example
Maya's finished sheet. She made the upper bonus with 64 and rolled one extra Yahtzee.
| Box | Score |
|---|---|
| Ones to Sixes | 2 + 8 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18 = 64 |
| Upper bonus | 35 |
| Three of a kind, four of a kind | 24 + 21 |
| Full house, small and large straight | 25 + 30 + 0 |
| Yahtzee, chance | 50 + 22 |
| Yahtzee bonus | 100 |
| Grand total | 371 |
Upper total 99 (64 + 35), lower total 272 (24 + 21 + 25 + 30 + 0 + 50 + 22 + 100). The large straight never came, so it scored 0.
The Yahtzee sheet in Tallynight
Yahtzee is set up for you: 13 turns, highest total wins. Add each turn's score to the player, and Tallynight keeps the totals for everyone at the table.
With Tallynight Pro you get the full Yahtzee sheet: tap in the dice and it suggests the best box, fills it in and works out the upper bonus.
- Every player's sheet, side by side
- The best box for your roll, suggested (Pro)
- The 35 bonus and Yahtzee bonuses added for you (Pro)
- Offers to end the game when every box is full
A Yahtzee score sheet to print
Playing on paper tonight? Print a free Yahtzee score sheet, or save it as a PDF.
Questions
How many points is a Yahtzee?
50 in the Yahtzee box. Every extra Yahtzee after that earns a 100-point bonus, as long as the Yahtzee box has 50 in it.
How do you get the Yahtzee bonus of 35?
Score 63 or more in the upper section, Ones to Sixes. That's the same as three of each number.
Is 1 2 3 4 a small straight?
Yes. Any four dice in a row is a small straight for 30: 1 2 3 4, 2 3 4 5 or 3 4 5 6. The fifth die can be anything.
Does a full house have to be different numbers?
Yes, three of one number and two of another. Five of a kind can count as a full house only under the joker rule, after the Yahtzee box is filled.
What is the highest possible Yahtzee score?
1,575, with a Yahtzee every turn and the best possible boxes. A good game for most players is between 200 and 300.
Can I fill a box with zero?
Yes. If no box fits your roll, or you'd rather save a box, you can score 0 in any open box. You can't skip a turn.