Games & Puzzles
Yahtzee Score Card - Digital Scoresheet
Digital Yahtzee score card for up to 4 players. Auto-calculates upper section bonus, Yahtzee bonuses, and grand totals.
| Category | Player 1 | Player 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Section | ||
| Aces (1s) | ||
| Twos (2s) | ||
| Threes (3s) | ||
| Fours (4s) | ||
| Fives (5s) | ||
| Sixes (6s) | ||
| Subtotal | 0 | 0 |
| Bonus (≥63 to +35) | 0 | 0 |
| Lower Section | ||
| 3 of a Kind | ||
| 4 of a Kind | ||
| Full House (25) | ||
| Sm. Straight (30) | ||
| Lg. Straight (40) | ||
| Yahtzee (50) | ||
| Chance | ||
| Yahtzee Bonus | ||
| Grand Total | 0 | 0 |
Yahtzee scoring categories
| Category | Score | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Aces–Sixes | Sum of that face value | Three 4s = 12 pts |
| Three of a Kind | Sum of all dice | 3+3+3+2+1 = 12 pts |
| Four of a Kind | Sum of all dice | 5+5+5+5+2 = 22 pts |
| Full House | 25 pts | Three 2s + two 5s |
| Small Straight | 30 pts | Four sequential dice (1-2-3-4) |
| Large Straight | 40 pts | Five sequential dice (2-3-4-5-6) |
| Yahtzee | 50 pts | Five of a kind |
| Chance | Sum of all dice | Any combination |
Upper section bonus
Score 63+ points in the upper section (Aces–Sixes) and earn a 35-point bonus. This requires scoring three of each number on average (e.g., three 6s = 18 pts). The bonus is a key strategic consideration.
Strategic category filling order
Category selection is the primary skill in Yahtzee. Key strategic principles:
- Yahtzee! and Large Straight first: these have the highest expected value (50 and 40 points respectively) but also the lowest probability of occurring naturally. Prioritise them early when you still have full re-roll flexibility.
- Save Chance as a dump category: Chance accepts any roll and scores the sum of all five dice. Save it for a bad roll late in the game when no other category fits. Using it early wastes its flexibility.
- Pace the upper section: aim for at least three of each face value in the upper section. You need 63 points total (an average of 10.5 pts per slot). Don't sacrifice a good Three of a Kind roll just to fill Fours - count where you stand against the 63-point target throughout the game.
Probability reference
| Outcome | Probability (optimal play) |
|---|---|
| Yahtzee on first roll | 1/1,296 ≈ 0.08% |
| Yahtzee in a full turn (3 rolls) | ≈ 4.6% |
| Full House in a full turn | ≈ 15.7% |
| Large Straight in a full turn | ≈ 31.3% |
| Small Straight in a full turn | ≈ 69.3% |
These figures assume optimal hold strategy for each category target. The relatively high probability of Small Straight is why it scores only 30 points while Large Straight scores 40.
Bonus Yahtzee rules
Rolling a Yahtzee after you have already scored in the Yahtzee category triggers special rules that are frequently misunderstood:
- If you scored 50 earlier: place a check mark in the Bonus Yahtzee box (worth 100 points each). You must still fill another category with that roll - using the Joker rules: fill the corresponding upper section box first; if that's filled, score in any lower section box using Joker rules (Full House, Small/Large Straight all score their fixed values); if all lower section boxes are filled, fill any upper section box or take a 0.
- If you scored 0 earlier: no Bonus Yahtzee is awarded. You must still fill another valid category using the Joker rules above.