# What's the best Yahtzee strategy? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 25, 2024, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177 "2024-08-25T03:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/1 "2024-08-25T03:20:38Z")
I always loved Yahtzee. I guess I could have Googled this but I’m sure the Dope can do better. What’s your victory approach to a game of Yahtzee? ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/2 "2024-08-25T03:51:14Z")
Getting the bonus for the top is very important. If you try for something and fail just use it even as zero ones. That only takes an extra 3 to make it up. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/3 "2024-08-25T04:09:04Z")
If a roll can fill a block on the top or the bottom, I generally choose the bottom. If I’m well ahead of the opponent, I might push my luck on the when I haven’t fiilled 1s, 2s, or 3s, trying to get a Yahtzee. My record is three Yahtzee in one game. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/4 "2024-08-25T17:02:51Z")
If I get 4 of a kind and I can put it in the top section I do. Getting that 35 point bonus can make up for missing out on some bottom section items. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/5 "2024-08-25T18:03:41Z")
If, after the completion of all three rolls on my first turn, I have 6-6-6-5-5. What should I do? I can take 18 for my sixes on top, which is a good slot to fill. I can take 28 for 3 of a kind, which is an extremely good score for that slot. I can take 25 for a full house. Decisions, decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/6 "2024-08-25T20:55:15Z")
The way I play, which could be wrong. Emphasize the top at the beginning. Only go to the bottom if it’s a “gift”. Early on, go for the large straight if you get a 2, 3, 4, 5 on the first role. And usually if it’s after the 2nd role. And pay attention to the scores others are getting. If you are behind, take some chances, if ahead, play it safa A good place to practice is: [Optimal Solitaire Yahtzee Player](https://www-set.win.tue.nl/~wstomv/misc/yahtzee/osyp.php) For the 6,6,6,5,5 example it says to put the on three of a kind. But, that’s only .05 better than putting it on full house. Meaning in 20 games you would score 1 extra point if you put it on 3 of a kind. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/7 "2024-08-25T21:05:03Z")
I try to make sure I get the 35 point bonus for completing the top. This is on the logic that my opponent faces the same odds against completing a Yahtzee, four-of-a-kind or large straight as I do. But the bonus 35 is usually do-able. So I’ll sacrifice the Yahtzee box very early on if necessary, to preserve my chances at the top. Then comes four-of-a-kind, because that one is relatively unlikely and yields relatively few points. Even the highest four-of-a-kind gives less than what you get for a small straight. I can usually beat a computer opponent. Here’s the site I use: > **[Yahtzee](https://cardgames.io/yahtzee/)** > > Play YAHTZEE online! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/8 "2024-08-25T22:16:22Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > I can usually beat a computer opponent. Here’s the site I use: Heh. I use that same site. But the opponent I play in Yahtzee always seems to come up with a Yahtzee or a large straight at the very end to beat me. He’s a sumbitch, I tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/9 "2024-08-25T22:19:04Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Heh. I use that same site. But the opponent I play in Yahtzee always seems to come up with a Yahtzee or a large straight at the very end to beat me. > > He’s a sumbitch, I tell you. It does seem to give itself a lot of Yahtzees, hence my strategy of concentrating elsewhere. I can beat the computer when it has a a Yahtzee and I don’t, a bit more than 50% of the time. ---
**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:** [August 25, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/10 "2024-08-25T22:29:39Z")
I play about 10-15 games a day (too hot to go outside!). Lot’s of good advice above. I tend to focus on filling in the bottom as quick as possible, but take what I can get. Observation: Once you have Full House or Large Straight, you will roll nothing but for the rest of the game. 😁 One thing I’ll add: pay attention to what your opponent has scored. You can blank a lot of stuff if they have also failed! Only have to beat them by a point to win. The computer player I play against is fairly Ass and pretty easy to beat. It will hold on to an unobtainable Yahtzee spot for Grim Death, and score poorly all over the place as a result. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/11 "2024-08-25T23:34:13Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Once you have Full House or Large Straight, you will roll nothing but for the rest of the game. Truth. A corollary: if you eschew taking a full house early in the game in favor of another spot, you will roll no more full houses the rest of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Jegpeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jegpeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jegpeg)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/12 "2024-08-25T23:57:03Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > A good place to practice is: [Optimal Solitaire Yahtzee Player](https://www-set.win.tue.nl/~wstomv/misc/yahtzee/osyp.php) > For the 6,6,6,5,5 example it says to put the on three of a kind. But, that’s only .05 better than putting it on full house. Meaning in 20 games you would score 1 extra point if you put it on 3 of a kind. Previous rolls also make a difference. In the 6,6,6,5,5 example if you have scored 45 in the top with just the 6s guaranteeing the bonus beats either the 3 of a kind or the full house. If you are significantly up or down on the bonus target emphasise the bottom more. Normally if you roll 2 ones on your first roll you don’t keep the ones but if you need (say) 15 hore for your bonus and only have 1s and 4s to fill getting 3 ones significantly improves your chance of getting the bonus. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/13 "2024-08-25T23:59:40Z")
First roll? I would go #2 all the time on that. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/14 "2024-08-26T00:00:08Z")
> [@Jegpeg](#): > > In the 6,6,6,5,5 example if you have scored 45 in the top with just the 6s guaranteeing the bonus beats either the 3 of a kind or the full house. My example was the very first roll of the game. What would you do in that case? ---
**Author:** ![Jegpeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jegpeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jegpeg)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/15 "2024-08-26T00:14:07Z")
Not sure, it would probably vary from game to game, tend to go optimize my expected score (rather than look at others scores in order to maximise my chance of winning) but don’t always get the close decisions right. My example was also from the Optimizer, my strategy (like the optimisers) does consider what is already filled in. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/16 "2024-08-26T01:17:15Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I can take 18 for my sixes on top, which is a good slot to fill. > I can take 28 for 3 of a kind, which is an extremely good score for that slot. > I can take 25 for a full house. On the first turn of the game, I’d certainly take the 3 of a kind. That’s the best one you can get (except 4 or 5 sixes.) ---
**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:** [August 26, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/17 "2024-08-26T03:09:47Z")
Ponder this: First roll, (I mean first turn) end up with Yahtzee with 6’s. Take them on the top, almost guaranteeing you the 35 point bonus, plus 30 (65 v 50) with the chance of rolling another one or using that space as a dump? I done it once. Crushed the other player. Scored in the 300’s. EDIT: I do crazy shit. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/18 "2024-08-26T11:58:39Z")
Last night was Yahtzee night - about once every 2 weeks. The first game I started with 2 yahtzees on my first two turns. And won by only 3 points. Someone else also got 2 yahtzees. My thought on the 6,6,6,5,5 thing. Usually in my games (3 players) it’s not down to a few points, so the 28 on 3 of a kind isn’t that much better than 23 or whatever. To me 3 of a kind and small straight basically give me 2 tries for the 4 of a kind/large straight. If I don’t get it the first time, I take the 3 of a kind/small straight. So, I would take the full house. That’s harder to get than a 3 of a kind. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/19 "2024-08-26T13:38:06Z")
A few Thanksgivings ago my MIL found the family’s Yahtzee box and convinced us to play. Pure luck (and strategy) led to my achieving a record high score. It became a family meme. If my BIL introduces me to someone, he tags on, “…don’t ever play Yahtzee against him, he’s a shark”. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177/20 "2024-08-26T16:00:49Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Pure luck (and strategy) led to my achieving a record high score. Do you recall what the score was? Also, what’s the official rule on what to do if you roll a second yahtzee during a game. I seem to remember from my childhood that it was a wildcard, and allowed you to take the maximum score in any unused box. I’ve tried playing a few games at the link @Llama_Llogophile posted above, and it seems to use the second yahtzee as a wildcard _plus_ an extra 100 points in the yahtzee box. I don’t know what it does if you’ve already taken a 0 for the yahtzee box and then roll one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-yahtzee-strategy/1006177.md?page=2)