yahtzee

Yahtzee is a dice game for two or more players, played with five six-sided dice and a scorecard. The objective is to accumulate the most points by completing a variety of scoring categories across 13 turns. The game is published by Milton Bradley (now Hasbro) and derives from the earlier game Yacht.

Gameplay revolves around turns. On a turn, a player rolls all five dice, then may keep any dice and re-roll the remaining dice up to two times. After the final roll, the player selects a category on the scorecard to apply the result. Each category can be used once per game, and the score for that category is determined by the dice shown.

Scoring includes a mix of upper and lower section categories. The upper section comprises ones through sixes, where the score equals the sum of dice showing that number. The lower section contains Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind, Full House, Small Straight, Large Straight, Yahtzee, and Chance (sum of all dice). A Yahtzee (five of a kind) scores 50 points, with the potential for additional bonuses in some rule sets. An Upper Section Bonus of 35 points is awarded if the total of the upper section reaches at least 63. The game ends after all 13 categories are filled; the final score determines the winner.

Variants and electronic adaptations exist, including multiple editions and spin-offs such as Super Yahtzee and Yahtzee Deluxe. The core mechanics, however, center on strategic dice rolling, category selection, and cumulative scoring.