A Yahtzee is obviously the best hand in the game of Yahtzee. Provided that the score box for the Yahtzee is still empty your first Yahtzee is scored in that box and you earn 50 points. Subsequent Yahtzees made in the same game earn a 100-point bonus. They are usually tallied up by placing a check mark in the appropriate spot in the Yahtzee score box. The scorecard only has enough room for three checkmarks, but you are allowed to score as many Yahtzees as you can make during the course of the game.

If you have any subsequent Yahtzees you must also score them in an open score box, which often leads to confusion regarding the rules governing this requirement. Since Yahtzee always qualifies for many of the other score boxes such as 3-of-a-kind, 4-of-a-kind, Full House, or Chance in the Lower Section, as well the corresponding numbers in the Upper Section. For example, if you roll a Yahtzee made up of 5’s and your Fives box is empty on the Upper Section you can then score five 5’s in the Fives Box for a total of 25. In addition to that box score you will also earn the 100 point bonus on top of the points specified by that box’s scoring rules.

There are different rules in which a Yahtzee can be played. This can vary by game version or release, even though they come from the same manufacturer. The explanations are shown in the game rules, but will also be explained here. Of course, each group of players may also make house rules such as allowing a Yahtzee to be used as a Joker only if it was scored as 50, or never allowing a Yahtzee to function as a Full House. Regardless of which variation you play, none of these subtle rule differences alters the strategy advice that you should follow. That brings us back to where the Yahtzee can be scored.

Yahtzee may also be scored in either of the remaining two Lower Section categories, which are the Small and Large Straight; according to the games “Joker Rules” provided that the Yahtzee box is filled with either 50 or 0, and the corresponding Upper Section box is filled. If only non-corresponding Upper Section boxes remain, you have no choice but to fill one of them with a 0.

If you make a Yahtzee, but have already filled the Yahtzee box with -, you can score the hand in an open box in the manner described above. In this case, you earn only the score associated with the category that you fill. You may not score 50 points for a Yahtzee or the 100 point bonuses for subsequent Yahtzees.

One last note about scoring additional Yahtzees; though the rules may appear complicated the best move tends to be very straightforward if you score a second or third Yahtzee. If the Upper Section’s corresponding number is open it is almost always best to total up the 5 numbers and place it in the number that it corresponds with. For example, if you get a 3-3-3-3-3 and it is your second Yahtzee, and your Three box is open then take the 15 points. If it is not open the Joker rules will usually be in effect, so you should choose the open Lower Section score box that earns the most points between the ones that are left such as the 3 of a kind, 4 of a kind, Chance, Full House, Small Straight, or Large Straight.