How many rolls do you get per turn in Yahtzee?

You get up to three rolls per turn . Roll all 5 dice for Roll 1, set aside any dice you want to keep, then re-roll the rest for Roll 2 (you may also pick up dice you previously kept). Roll 3 works the same way. You may stop early after Roll 1 or Roll 2 if you are satisfied — but after your final roll you MUST enter a score in exactly one unused category.

How does the upper bonus in Yahtzee work?

If the six upper-section categories (Aces, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes) total 63 or more , you add a 35-point bonus . 63 represents an average of three of each face — 3×1 + 3×2 + 3×3 + 3×4 + 3×5 + 3×6 = 63. You don't need exactly three of every number; you can fall short on some and make it up on others.

What happens when you roll a second Yahtzee?

If you already scored 50 in the Yahtzee box, each additional Yahtzee earns a +100 bonus . You must still place the dice somewhere by the Joker rule: first in the matching upper-section box if it is open (e.g. five 4s → Fours = 20); otherwise as a Joker in the lower section, where Full House counts as 25, Small Straight as 30, and Large Straight as 40 even without the normal pattern. If you previously scratched the Yahtzee box with a 0, you get no bonus for later Yahtzees.

What is the difference between a Small Straight and a Large Straight?

A Small Straight scores 30 points and needs any 4 consecutive numbers (1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5, or 3-4-5-6) — the fifth die can be anything. A Large Straight scores 40 points and needs all five dice in sequence : either 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6, with no other option.

Do you have to score every turn in Yahtzee?

Yes. After your final roll you must enter a score in exactly one unused category. If your dice do not satisfy the chosen category you enter a 0 in that box — this is called a 'scratch'. This rule is what forces players into strategic sacrifices when a turn goes badly.

Free Printable Yahtzee Rules — How to Play

About Free Printable Yahtzee Rules

Yes. Between rolls you may pick up any dice you kept earlier and roll them again. You still get only three rolls in total per turn.

By the ToolFluency team · Updated October 2026

Want to play instead? Play Yacht Dice online, free in your browser. This is the classic five-dice category game best known by the brand name Yahtzee, for 2 to 10 players or solo, played with 5 six-sided dice and a scorecard. Over 13 rounds you roll up to three times per turn and fill one of 13 scoring categories each time; the highest grand total wins. A game takes about 30 minutes. The full printable rules sheet with dice diagrams and a scorecard is on this page.

How to play Yahtzee-style dice (Yacht)

Give each player a scorecard column and a pencil. A common way to choose who starts is for everyone to roll one die, with the highest roll going first and play passing clockwise.
On your turn, roll all 5 dice. Set aside any you want to keep and re-roll the rest, up to three rolls in total. You may pick up dice you kept earlier, and you may stop after the first or second roll.
After your last roll you must score in exactly one unused category. If the dice do not fit the category you choose, write 0 (a scratch).
The upper section (Aces to Sixes) scores the total of the dice showing that number. If your six upper boxes total 63 or more, add a 35-point bonus.
The lower section scores combinations: Three and Four of a Kind (total of all dice), Full House 25, Small Straight 30, Large Straight 40, five of a kind 50, and Chance (total of all dice).
Each extra five of a kind after you scored 50 in that box earns a 100-point bonus. Then place it using the Joker rule: the matching upper box if it is open, otherwise any open lower box, where Full House and the Straights still score their full value.
The game ends when every player has filled all 13 boxes. Add the upper section, the upper bonus, the lower section and any bonuses; the highest grand total wins.

Scoring categories

Category	What you need	Score
Aces, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes	Any dice showing that number	Total of those dice (max 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30)
Upper section bonus	Upper boxes total 63 or more	+35
Three of a Kind	At least 3 matching dice	Total of all 5 dice
Four of a Kind	At least 4 matching dice	Total of all 5 dice
Full House	3 of one number and 2 of another	25
Small Straight	4 in a row: 1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6	30
Large Straight	5 in a row: 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6	40
Five of a kind (Yahtzee)	All 5 dice the same	50
Chance	Anything	Total of all 5 dice
Extra five of a kind bonus	Another five of a kind after scoring 50	+100 each

Examples

Strategy tips

Aim for three of each number in the upper section; that adds up to exactly 63 and earns the 35-point bonus.
Four or five 5s or 6s count toward the bonus too, so a big Fives or Sixes score makes up for a weak Aces or Twos.
Save Chance for a bad turn with a high total rather than spending it early.
If you have to scratch, use the Aces box or the five of a kind box late in the game, where a 0 hurts least.
With 1-2-3-4 or 2-3-4-5 on the first roll, re-roll the odd die for a Large Straight; you still keep the Small Straight if it misses.

Example: one turn

Roll 1 shows 2, 5, 5, 1, 3. You keep the two 5s and re-roll three dice. Roll 2 gives 5, 5, 5, 4, 6, so you keep three 5s and re-roll two. Roll 3 gives 5, 5, 5, 5, 2. You can score 22 in Four of a Kind or 20 in Fives; 20 in Fives puts you 5 above par toward the 63 bonus.

Frequently asked questions

Can you re-roll dice you already set aside?

Yes. Between rolls you may pick up any dice you kept earlier and roll them again. You still get only three rolls in total per turn.

How does the upper section bonus work?

If Aces through Sixes add up to 63 or more, you get 35 extra points. You do not need three of every number; falling short on one face can be made up with extras on another.

What happens when you roll a second five of a kind?

If you already scored 50 in that box, you get a 100-point bonus. You then place the roll by the Joker rule: the matching upper box first, otherwise any open lower box at full value, and only if those are full, a 0 in an open upper box.

Do you get a bonus if your five of a kind box has a 0?

No. If you scratched that box earlier, later five of a kinds earn no 100-point bonus, though you still have to score the roll in a category.

Does five of a kind count as a Full House?

Only under the Joker rule, when the five of a kind box is already filled and the matching upper box is taken. Then you may score it as a Full House for 25, or as a Small or Large Straight for 30 or 40.

What is the difference between a Small and a Large Straight?

A Small Straight is any 4 numbers in a row (1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6) and scores 30, with the fifth die free. A Large Straight is all 5 in a row, only 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6, and scores 40.

How do you break a tie?

There is no single rule. Many groups play one extra round, and others simply share the win; agree before you start.

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