On occasion, the quest for the Upper Section bonus will have to be abandoned when you are late in the game. The exact point at which this occurs is difficult to pinpoint because every game is different. The exact timing is a sensitive reaction to the hands remaining and the scoring boxes left to be filled.

Because in principle we don’t want to stop our chances of getting the Upper Section bonus of 35 points, it is usually preferable, if we have to put a zero somewhere on the scorecard, that it be put in the Lower Section. However, there are two cases in which a zero may properly be put in the Upper Section. The first is if you are comfortably ahead or have already clinched your 63 points and the bonus. The second time is if you are way behind. In either case, it is correct to score Aces, or Twos as zero before the 4 of a kind, Full House, or Large Straight. Similarly, Threes may be scored as zero before the Full House or the Large Straight. In all other cases, including those in which there is still an outside chance of making the Upper Section bonus, if an entry must be filled with zero putting it in the Lower Section is preferred.

With this in mind, if late in the game there are two Upper Section categories unfilled, and you need three of one type and four of the other to reach the bonus, your chance of succeeding is slim. In general, it is safe to say that with just a few hands remaining, if you are still behind in the Upper Section, then you probably won’t be getting the 25 point bonus. Therefore, you are better off concentrating on completing the other portions of the scorecard to your best advantage. One additional consideration comes into play when you are playing against opponents. When your primary goal is to win the game, it will be at times necessary to deviate slightly from this advice in order to optimize your likelihood of victory.

When it comes to those zero entries, it is not uncommon for one or more boxes to be filled with a zero at the end of the game. This is not a sign of poor play. In fact, it is almost to be expected. Even when playing the best you can, it is very likely that one or more entries will be filled with a zero. Now that you understand the order in which you can afford to put those zeros you still are likely to win, providing your dice cooperate. So, don’t worry if you must fill one in, because it is something that is common in this game, and will happen to everyone.