# I didn't have near enough frustration in my life, so I started to play Yathzee online **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 23, 2019, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924 "2019-04-23T07:49:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/1 "2019-04-23T07:49:38Z")
_Are you kidding me?_ I rolled 18 consecutive ‘Large Straights’ when I didn’t need them. And I was so happy to get it on my first roll! :rolleyes: Four Sixes! Oh, but I took a 7 on ‘Four of a Kind’ because it was a gift on the third-to-last turn. ‘Three of a Kind’ was filled long ago. Also the ‘Twelve’ on the sixes, making sure I missed the bonus on the top half. Computer player _always_ gets a Large Straight on the first roll. Don’t get me started on the ‘Full House’. Why do I do this? 😕 Ah, that’s right. The Drink. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/2 "2019-04-23T07:59:54Z")
I understand the meaning of each of the words in your post, but together they make no sense to me whatsoever. I’m guessing though that you are in a place of self-inflicted pain, both from the booze and the Yahtzee. In which case, sucks to be you dude. ROFLMAO:D ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/3 "2019-04-23T08:06:18Z")
I totally get it. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/4 "2019-04-23T08:09:35Z")
oh yeah as someone who used to play Yahtzee the actual game computer game online game and handheld game … i know the lament of which you wail Just watch out for cheaters if you play with people online they use programs … its why i quit playing scrabble … because everyone was cheating … ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/5 "2019-04-23T08:22:35Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > oh yeah as someone who used to play Yahtzee the actual game computer game online game and handheld game … i know the lament of which you wail > Just watch out for cheaters if you play with people online they use programs … its why i quit playing scrabble … because everyone was cheating … It’s much easier to cheat at scrabble (where you can just use a computer to give you the best word for a given situation) than Yahtzee, where the computer generates your dice rolls. I play a fair amount of Yahtzee with my son, who still beats me occasionally despite his odd decision making. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/6 "2019-04-24T18:37:06Z")
Remember, you can’t spell “Die, you fucking bitch!” without “dice”. Or youfukngbth. ---
**Author:** ![Garak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d78d45/32.png) [@Garak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garak)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/7 "2019-04-24T18:48:38Z")
I’ve been playing a lot on board game arena, with real people no computer players. I don’t know how you could cheat at yahtzee like you can at scrabble ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/8 "2019-04-24T20:28:17Z")
The house always wins. It really is bad faith that the apps don’t generate true random dice rolls. But the goal is not to give a true life game playing experience. The goal is to maximize your engagement time in order to present advertisements to you. I suppose they have determined that rigged dice rolls will do that better than random dice rolls. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/9 "2019-04-25T08:41:10Z")
Anyone here heard of [Balut](https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Balut_(game))? It’s very similar to Yahtzee; one difference is the absence of rows to score 1’s, 2’s and 3’s (though I think those rows add strategy). My businessman acquaintance tells of chartering a helicopter to ferry him and his friends from Hongkong to Manila just for a Balut game! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/10 "2019-04-25T16:40:45Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > The house always wins. > > It really is bad faith that the apps don’t generate true random dice rolls. > > But the goal is not to give a true life game playing experience. The goal is to maximize your engagement time in order to present advertisements to you. I suppose they have determined that rigged dice rolls will do that better than random dice rolls. I’m skeptical of this claim, unless someone has done some prospective statistical analysis proving that the dice are rigged. Humans are very susceptible to confirmation bias, and extremely poor at judging randomness. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/11 "2019-04-25T17:43:28Z")
Can any computer game be random? Is that even possible? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/12 "2019-04-26T07:32:34Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Can any computer game be random? Is that even possible? Some computers now have hardware RNGs, e.g. to generate keys for unbreakable encryption. These might involve radioactivity and a Geiger counter, but I think most work with simple background thermal noise. But I think hardware RNG is the exception. I’ve watched a YouTube about someone cracking the software RNG of some casino game or lottery. (But he was incautious and went to prison.) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/13 "2019-04-26T10:56:29Z")
RNG = random number generator. RNGs need a seed to start generating those ‘random’ numbers. Once seeded and the resulting random number is generated, the follow-on generated numbers after that are truly random. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/14 "2019-04-26T11:52:05Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > oh yeah as someone who used to play Yahtzee the actual game computer game online game and handheld game … i know the lament of which you wail > Just watch out for cheaters if you play with people online they use programs … its why i quit playing scrabble … because everyone was cheating … Scrabble cheats yes, like someone is playing cat, dog, table then suddenly plays dibutyloxotin. Sure you did Bud. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/15 "2019-04-26T14:21:19Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > RNG = random number generator. RNGs need a seed to start generating those ‘random’ numbers. Once seeded and the resulting random number is generated, the follow-on generated numbers after that are truly random. Are _ **predictable** _ numbers ‘truly random’? 😕 I already mentioned the guy who beat a Keno system (or some such game) that derived from a software RNG. Webster’s Dictionary may increase confusion. Note the discord between 1a and 2a, the parts I’ve underlined almost contradicting each other: > [@](#): > > **random** _adjective_ [\ˈran-dəm]([https://dictionary.cambridge.org//media/english/uk\_pron\_ogg/u/ukr/ukram/ukramsh012.ogg](https://dictionary.cambridge.org//media/english/uk_pron_ogg/u/ukr/ukram/ukramsh012.ogg)) > > 1a : lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern > … > 2a : relating to, having, or being elements or events with definite probability of occurrence > … ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/16 "2019-04-26T14:34:30Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > RNG = random number generator. RNGs need a seed to start generating those ‘random’ numbers. Once seeded and the resulting random number is generated, the follow-on generated numbers after that are truly random. How about generated numbers that are truly random, paired with an algorithm to ignore certain results? I’ve heard of such a thing happening in other games. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/17 "2019-04-26T17:32:33Z")
It depends on what you mean by random. For most applications even if the numbers are predictably generated from a fixed script, so long as they are [normal](http://mathworld.wolfram.com/NormalNumber.html) they should work ok for playing games or running simulations. When I need a quick set of random digits and for a single application I often just use the successive digits of pi. They are totally predictable, but are unbiased and pattern free, certainly better than trying to generate random numbers in my head. The only difficulty is if like in septimus’ example where unpredictability is a requirement. The main problem with simple random number generators is that they tend to have loops. So if you are running a very large simulation, you start getting the same numbers in the same order over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/18 "2019-04-26T18:31:18Z")
Nitpick: The period of the Mersenne Twister, perhaps the most popular PRNG in use today, is alleged to be about 10[sup]600[/sup] — that’s one septillion raised to the 25th power. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/19 "2019-04-26T18:35:31Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Nitpick: The period of the Mersenne Twister, perhaps the most popular PRNG in use today, is alleged to be about 10[sup]600[/sup] — that’s one septillion raised to the 25th power. So, you’re saying there’s a chance? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924/20 "2019-04-26T20:44:09Z")
I did manage to score a 328 the other day (350 being the highest possible, in absence of the Yahtzee bonus for multiples). So, that was fun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-have-near-enough-frustration-in-my-life-so-i-started-to-play-yathzee-online/832924.md?page=2)