The Yahtzee game is played using 6 dice and every time a player can roll those 3 times to achieve the best score for the certain box. When the box is scored, only the 5 best dice faces are calculated, the sixth one is used as a joker. This means that even if a player gets 6 dice faces of certain number, he/she can record only 5 of them. Only the boxes in column �Hand� are scored ONLY after the first roll.
Order of Scoring Boxes in Columns
Yahtzee scorecard consists of 6 columns. Every column is scored in particular way, following certain rules. While playing the game, light blue colored boxes are the boxes that can be scored. Only by passing over the certain box, the number that is displayed is the result you could score in that box. Here is the order of scoring the columns:
- First Column - Scoring from number 1 box (one after the other) to Yamb box.
- Second Column (Free Column) - Scoring boxes without any order: any box could be scored by any order a player wants, unless something had not been announced before.
- Third Column - Scoring one after the other, starting from Yamb box and finishing with number 1 box.
- Forth Column - Scoring in two directions � from maximum box to number 1 box and from minimum box to Yamb box.
- Fifth Column (Hand) - Scoring ONLY after the first roll; without any order.
- Sixth Column (Announcement) - Scoring without the order, but the box a player wants to score has to be announced after the first roll. After that a player rolls the dice twice and then announced box can be scored.
Scoring Points in Yahtzee
In Yahtzee any column results are counted the same. There are many different versions of scoring points, so we will describe briefly the one that we shall use.
The upper scorecard section, number boxes from 1 to 6 are scored by summing the total number of dice faces matching the certain box. For example, if a player were to roll three �fours�, the score would be recorded as 12 in the number 4 box. The overall sum is, of course, the sum of all the number boxes in that column. In case the sum is over 60 points, there is a bonus of 30 points. This means that the priority is having at least 3 dice faces for each number box.
Maximum represents the sum of the highest 5 dice faces using 6 possible dice. Minimum, of course, represents the sum of the lowest 5 dice faces. The sum of this scorecard section is calculated this way: difference between maximum and minimum is multiplied by the number 1 box in that column. For example, if in one column a player has 4 in Number 1 box, maximum 28 points and minimum 7, the sum will be: 4 x (28-7) = 84. In shown case, the sum is over 60, so there are bonus points (30), and the sum would be: 114.
The Lower Section is summed this way:
Triling three dice showing the same face. The sum is the sum of three same dice faces plus 20 points. For example, if the three dice faces are 4, the Trilling sum is calculated: 3 x 4 + 20 = 32.
Straight (Straight) Five sequential dice (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6). The straight got after the first roll is worth 66 points, after the second roll 56 points and the straight got after the third roll is worth 46 points.
Full A three-of-a-kind and a pair. For example, 3 dices faces showing 5 and 2 dice faces showing 4. The sum is the shown faces sum plus 30 points. In this case, the sum would be calculated this way: 3 x 5 + 2 x 4 + 30 = 53
Poker four dice showing the same face. The sum is the sum of those 4 dice faces plus 40 bonus points.
Yamb five dice showing the same face. The sum is the sum of those 5 dice faces plus 50 bonus points.