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Yahtzee Strategy: What to Keep and Which Box to Fill

Quick answer

Good Yahtzee strategy comes down to two choices each turn: which dice to keep, and which box to fill. Keep groups of the same number early, chase four-in-a-row straights with both ends open, aim for three of each number for the 35-point bonus, and keep Chance for a bad turn.

Test yourself below: pick the dice you would keep and compare with our computer player.

Practice with a guided gamePlay Yacht Dice nowFree, no sign-up. The guided game tells you what to do and why.

Test yourself: what would you keep?

Each example is a real situation. Our computer player checks every possible way the dice can land on the rolls you have left, and picks the hold with the best average result. For the first one, its answer is: Keep the two 6s and roll the other three.

What would you keep? 1 of 5: First turn, a pair of 6s

First turn of the game. Every box is open. Two rolls left.

Dice: 6, 6, 2, 3, 5. The lit dice are the ones to keep.

The computer says: Keep the two 6s and roll the other three.

Early in the game, keep groups of the same number

Pairs and triples feed many boxes at once: the upper boxes, Three and Four of a kind, Full house and Yahtzee. And more of a kind gets much closer to a Yahtzee. With two rolls left, the chance of ending with five 6s is:

  • From a pair of 6s: 2.91%
  • From three 6s: 9.34%
  • From four 6s: 30.56%

When two groups tie, keep the higher number. Three 6s are worth more in Sixes, Three of a kind and Chance than three 2s.

Chase a straight only when both ends are open

Holding 2-3-4-5, a 1 or a 6 makes a Large straight: 2 faces out of 6. That is 33% with one roll and 56% with two.

Compare a gap like 1-2-4-5: only a 3 fills it, 1 face out of 6. Gaps are much harder, so they are usually worth less than a pair of high dice. A Large straight also counts as a Small straight if that box is the one you still need.

Treat the upper bonus as a target, not an accident

You need 63 on top for 35 points, and three of each number is exactly that. Keep a mental tally: four 5s or four 6s put you ahead, and two of anything puts you behind. Our upper bonus calculator shows how many points you still need.

When nothing fits, give up the box that costs the least

  • Ones is the cheapest box to scratch early: it can never be worth more than 5.
  • Chance is your safety net. Save it for a high total that fits nowhere else.
  • Yahtzee or Four of a kind are often the right 0 late in the game, when there are too few turns left to fill them.
  • Count your turns. With 13 boxes and 13 turns, every box you leave open late is one you must fill soon.

Want hints while you play? Yacht Dice has a hint button that uses the same computer player as the examples above.

Yahtzee is a trademark of Hasbro. This site is not affiliated with Hasbro; our free game is called Yacht Dice.

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Questions people ask

What is the best strategy in Yahtzee?

Keep groups of the same number early, aim for the 35-point upper bonus with three of each number, take straights when they come, and save Chance for a bad turn. Late in the game, give up the box you are least likely to fill.

Should I keep a pair or go for a straight?

Four in a row with both ends open, like 2-3-4-5, is worth chasing: two numbers finish it. With only a pair and a loose straight, most of the time the pair of high numbers is the better keep.

When should I take a 0 in Yahtzee?

When the roll fits nothing you need. Ones is the cheapest box to give up early, because it is worth at most 5. Near the end, a 0 in Yahtzee or Four of a kind is often the smallest loss.

Is the upper bonus worth chasing?

Yes. 35 points is more than a Full house. Three of each number reaches 63, and every 5 or 6 above three helps cover a short box.

Should I keep a full house or reroll?

Usually take it: 25 points is a sure thing. Our computer player sometimes breaks an early full house of high numbers, such as 5-5-5-2-2, to chase more 5s, because there are many turns left to make a full house again.