Yahtzee is a game of dice and decisions. On your turn you roll five dice up to three times, keeping the ones you like between rolls, then write the result into one of the thirteen boxes on your sheet. The dice bring the luck, but choosing what to keep and which box to fill is what wins.
In Hamdor you can play Yahtzee with two, three or four players online against real opponents, with friends in a private room with a code, offline against bots, or passing one phone around. The shop has dice looks you buy with coins; they change only how the game looks.
How to play Yahtzee
- The game lasts 13 rounds. On your turn you roll five dice up to three times, keeping any dice you like between rolls.
- Each turn ends by writing the dice into one empty box of your sheet; if nothing fits, you must write a zero somewhere.
- Upper section (1 to 6): the total of the dice showing that number. An upper total of 63 or more earns a 35-point bonus.
- Three and Four of a Kind: the total of all dice, with at least three or four alike. Chance: the total of all dice, no condition.
- Full House (three and a pair): 25. Small Straight (four in a row): 30. Large Straight (five in a row): 40. Yahtzee (five alike): 50.
- Extra Yahtzees: with 50 already in the Yahtzee box, every further Yahtzee earns a 100-point bonus (none if the box holds a zero).
- Joker rule: a further Yahtzee must go in its number's upper box; if that is filled, in any empty lower box at full value (Full House 25, Straights 30 and 40); if the lower section is full too, a zero in an upper box.
- After 13 rounds the highest total wins; tied totals share the win.
These are the exact rules Hamdor plays by; the app shows them too, under each game's How to play tab.
Yahtzee with the full rules
- 13 rounds, three rolls: tap Roll up to three times a turn and tap any die to keep it.
- The 63 bonus: an upper section (ones to sixes) total of 63 or more earns 35 bonus points.
- Lower boxes: Three and Four of a Kind and Chance score all five dice; Full House 25, Small Straight 30, Large Straight 40 and Yahtzee 50.
- Extra Yahtzees: with 50 already in the Yahtzee box, every further Yahtzee earns a 100-point bonus.
- Joker rule: a further Yahtzee goes in its number's upper box first; if that is filled, in any empty lower box at full value.
- 2 to 4 players: if the table isn't full, bots take the empty seats.
Yahtzee modes in Hamdor
- 2 players
- 3 players
- 4 players
Tips to win at Yahtzee
- Chase the 63 bonus. 63 means three of each number, three ones up to three sixes. Four fives or four sixes make up for weak small numbers, so put your effort into the high upper boxes.
- Build on three, not two. If your first roll shows three alike, keep them and reroll the rest; it feeds the upper section, Four of a Kind and Yahtzee at once.
- Save Chance for a bad turn. Chance is the best place for a hand that fits nowhere. Don't spend it early on a low total.
- Keep the middle for straights. 2, 3, 4, 5 is open at both ends and makes a Large Straight more often than 1, 2, 3, 4.
- Zero the cheapest box. When you must write a zero, sacrifice the box that costs least, such as Ones, or late in the game the Yahtzee box if it looks out of reach.
- Watch the other sheets. Late in the game, know how far ahead or behind you are; a safe upper bonus can beat a risky Yahtzee chase.
Yahtzee in Hamdor
- Online, ranked: play real opponents and earn a rating. If nobody turns up within a few seconds, a bot takes the seat and is labelled as a bot.
- Private rooms: create a room, send the code to your friends and chat with stickers and reactions while you play.
- Bots: play offline against bots, to practise or when nobody is online.
- Two on one phone: pass the phone and play face to face.
- Stats and streaks: your win rate, best winning streak and this game's leaderboard.
- Your own look: change how the table and pieces look in the Hamdor shop. It is cosmetic only and never affects who wins.
Yahtzee FAQ
How many players can play Yahtzee?
Two, three or four in Hamdor, online, in a private room, against bots or on one shared phone.
What is the upper section bonus?
If your ones to sixes add up to 63 or more, you get 35 bonus points.
What is an extra Yahtzee worth?
With 50 already in the Yahtzee box, each further Yahtzee earns a 100-point bonus and is placed by the joker rule. A zero in the Yahtzee box means no bonus.
How many rounds is a game of Yahtzee?
13, one for each box on the sheet. The highest total wins, and tied totals share the win.