How many points in Yahtzee? Scorecard, upper bonus and the Yahtzee bonus
- Dice
- 5 dice, 3 rolls
- Boxes
- 13 per player
- Upper bonus
- +35 at 63 points
- Yahtzee bonus
- +100 per extra Yahtzee
In short
A Yahtzee scorecard has 13 boxes. The upper section adds up the dice of each value, with a 35-point bonus if it reaches 63. The lower section has fixed scores: full house 25, small straight 30, large straight 40, Yahtzee 50; three of a kind, four of a kind and chance score the sum of the dice. Additional Yahtzees score a 100-point bonus. The highest total wins.
Names and editions. Yahtzee is the Hasbro trademark; the same game is played in France as Yams, in Germany as Kniffel and in Spain as Generala (with a different scoring table). The scorecard below is the standard Yahtzee one. The site’s counter currently scores the classic grid: the 100-point Yahtzee bonus and the joker rule are on our list, so note them by hand for now.
How it works
On each turn, a player rolls 5 dice up to three times, keeping any dice they like between rolls, then writes the result in one still-empty box of their scorecard. A filled box can’t be played again; if the result fits nothing, a box must be scratched (0 points). The game lasts 13 turns, one per box.
The upper section
| Box | What you count | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | Total of the dice showing 1 | 5 |
| Twos | Total of the dice showing 2 | 10 |
| Threes | Total of the dice showing 3 | 15 |
| Fours | Total of the dice showing 4 | 20 |
| Fives | Total of the dice showing 5 | 25 |
| Sixes | Total of the dice showing 6 | 30 |
| Bonus | If the upper section reaches 63 points | +35 |
63 is exactly three dice of each value. The bonus is the hidden stake of the upper section: sacrificing a box to reach it is often worth it.
The lower section
| Box | Condition | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Three of a kind | 3 identical dice | Sum of all 5 dice |
| Four of a kind | 4 identical dice | Sum of all 5 dice |
| Full house | 3 of a kind + a pair | 25 |
| Small straight | 4 consecutive dice | 30 |
| Large straight | 5 consecutive dice | 40 |
| Yahtzee | 5 identical dice | 50 |
| Chance | Anything | Sum of all 5 dice |
The total
Total = upper section + bonus if earned + lower section. The theoretical maximum without extra Yahtzees is 375: 105 up top, 35 bonus, then 30 + 30 + 25 + 30 + 40 + 50 + 30 below. The winner is the player with the highest total once the 13 boxes are filled.
The Yahtzee bonus and the joker rule
If you roll a second Yahtzee when the Yahtzee box already holds 50, you score a 100-point bonus (tick the box on the card) and the dice act as a joker: you must first fill the matching upper box if it is free; otherwise you may use the roll in any lower box (full house, straights score their fixed value); if everything is taken, you scratch an upper box. If your Yahtzee box holds a zero, there is no bonus, but the joker rule still applies. Many European tables, in France in particular, play without this bonus: agree before you roll.
Variants
- Yams (France): same scorecard, usually without the 100-point bonus or the joker rule.
- Kniffel (Germany): identical scorecard and values; the Kniffel box is the Yahtzee box.
- Three-column Yahtzee (“up, down, free”): boxes must be filled in order in two of the three columns.
- Triple Yahtzee: three scorecards side by side, multiplied by 1, 2 and 3.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the bonus: 63 points in the upper section, not 65 or 60. The counter adds it automatically.
- Scoring three of a kind with 3 dice only: three and four of a kind score the sum of all five dice, not just the matching ones.
- Small straight with 4 non-consecutive dice: 1-2-3-5 is not a straight; you need 1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5 or 3-4-5-6.
- Scratching Chance too early: it is the safety box; keep it for a bad turn late in the game.
Frequently asked questions
How many points is a Yahtzee worth?
50 points. Each additional Yahtzee earns a 100-point bonus, provided the Yahtzee box holds 50 rather than a zero.
How do you earn the bonus in Yahtzee?
By totalling at least 63 points in the upper section (aces to sixes), which is three dice of each value. The bonus is worth 35 points.
How many points is a full house worth?
25 points, whatever it is made of (three 2s and two 5s, for example).
What is the maximum score in Yahtzee?
375 points in a classic game. With the 100-point bonuses for extra Yahtzees, over 1,500 is theoretically possible.
What is the difference between Yahtzee and Yams?
The scorecard is identical. Yahtzee adds the 100-point bonus per extra Yahtzee and a joker rule; French Yams usually does without them.
Score with the app
The Yahtzee counter on How many points? applies these rules for you: enter each player’s score at the end of the round and it handles totals, ranking, game end and the winner. Players are saved with their photo, game history is kept, and everything works offline, with no account.
Yahtzee is a Hasbro trademark; the dice game itself is traditional and rules vary by table. This page describes the standard scorecard and the most common practice.
Published on 13 October 2026.