Your Yatzy (Yahtzee) score sheet reference — every category explained with scoring tips.

Whether you’re using a paper score sheet or playing online, understanding every category and its optimal strategy is the key to high scores.

Score Sheet Layout

Upper Section

The goal: score at least 63 total to earn the 35-point bonus.

Category What Counts Max Score Bonus Target
Ones Sum of all 1s 5 3 (three 1s)
Twos Sum of all 2s 10 6 (three 2s)
Threes Sum of all 3s 15 9 (three 3s)
Fours Sum of all 4s 20 12 (three 4s)
Fives Sum of all 5s 25 15 (three 5s)
Sixes Sum of all 6s 30 18 (three 6s)
Upper Bonus Automatic if total ≥ 63 35 —

Target column: If you average 3 of each number, you hit exactly 63. Every number above that is bonus buffer; every number below must be compensated elsewhere.

Lower Section

Category Requirement Score
Three of a Kind 3 dice showing same number Sum of ALL 5 dice
Four of a Kind 4 dice showing same number Sum of ALL 5 dice
Full House 3 of one number + 2 of another 25 (fixed)
Small Straight 4 sequential numbers (1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5, or 3-4-5-6) 30 (fixed)
Large Straight 5 sequential numbers (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6) 40 (fixed)
Yatzy (Yahtzee) All 5 dice the same 50 (fixed)
Chance Any dice Sum of ALL 5 dice

Category-by-Category Scoring Guide

Upper Section Strategy

Category Good Score Great Score When to Fill
Ones 3+ 4-5 Early — lowest impact
Twos 6+ 8-10 Early
Threes 9+ 12-15 Mid-game
Fours 12+ 16-20 Mid-game
Fives 15+ 20-25 When you have 3+ fives
Sixes 18+ 24-30 When you have 3+ sixes

Priority: Fives and Sixes matter most for the bonus. If you roll four 6s, take it in Sixes (24 points, 6 above the target) rather than wasting it elsewhere.

Lower Section Strategy

Three of a Kind: Score = sum of all 5 dice. Best with three 6s + high other dice. Good score: 22+.

Four of a Kind: Same as three of a kind but rarer. Four 6s + a 5 = 29 points.

Full House: Always 25 — whether it’s 1-1-1-2-2 or 6-6-6-5-5. Take it when you get it.

Small Straight: Always 30. Any four in sequence: {1,2,3,4}, {2,3,4,5}, or {3,4,5,6}.

Large Straight: Always 40. All five in sequence: {1,2,3,4,5} or {2,3,4,5,6}.

Yatzy (Yahtzee): 50 points. Five of a kind. The most exciting roll in the game.

Chance: Sum of all dice with no requirements. Use this for strong rolls that don’t fit a better category, or dump a terrible roll here. Good score: 25+.

Score Sheet Template

UPPER SECTION          | Score
-----------------------|------
Ones (sum of 1s)       | ___
Twos (sum of 2s)       | ___
Threes (sum of 3s)     | ___
Fours (sum of 4s)      | ___
Fives (sum of 5s)      | ___
Sixes (sum of 6s)      | ___
Upper Total            | ___
Bonus (35 if ≥63)      | ___
UPPER TOTAL            | ___
                       |
LOWER SECTION          | Score
-----------------------|------
Three of a Kind        | ___
Four of a Kind         | ___
Full House (25)        | ___
Small Straight (30)    | ___
Large Straight (40)    | ___
Yatzy (50)             | ___
Chance                 | ___
LOWER TOTAL            | ___
                       |
GRAND TOTAL            | ___

The 63-Point Bonus Tracker

Track your upper section progress against the target:

Category Target Actual Over/Under
Ones 3 ___ ___
Twos 6 ___ ___
Threes 9 ___ ___
Fours 12 ___ ___
Fives 15 ___ ___
Sixes 18 ___ ___
Total 63 ___ ___

If you’re running behind the targets, prioritize upper section categories with later rolls. If you’re ahead, you can afford to sacrifice an upper category for a better lower-section score.

Common Scoring Mistakes

  1. Forgetting Chance exists. Use it for good rolls that don’t fit elsewhere — don’t waste it on a low total.
  2. Ignoring the upper bonus. 35 points is significant. Always track your progress toward 63.
  3. Scoring Three of a Kind too low. It counts ALL 5 dice, not just the matching ones. Three 5s + 4 + 6 = 25, not 15.
  4. Sacrificing the wrong category. When you must write a 0, sacrifice the category least likely to score well given remaining rolls.

Skip the paper — play with automatic scoring at Rare Pike Yatzy →.