Yahtzee and Yatzy are close cousins in the dice-game family, but they are not the same game. The main difference is in the scoring categories and a few specific rules. Yahtzee, launched in 1956 by Edwin S. Lowe, uses 13 categories and a 35-point bonus for 63 or more in the upper section. Yatzy, the Scandinavian version, uses 15 categories, a 50-point upper bonus, and fixed straights that score lower than Yahtzee's straights. If you already know one game, learning the other takes only a few minutes.
Scoring Categories and Numbers
Both games use five dice and allow up to three rolls per turn, keeping any dice between rolls. After your third roll you must choose one category to score. Each category can be used only once per game. Here is how the categories differ:
- Yahtzee has 13 categories. The upper section has six categories (Ones through Sixes), each scoring the sum of that face value. The lower section has seven categories: Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind, Full House (25 points), Small Straight (30 points), Large Straight (40 points), Yahtzee (50 points), and Chance (sum of all dice).
- Yatzy has 15 categories. The upper section has six categories (Ones through Sixes) plus a pair category and two pair category. The lower section includes Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind, Full House (same 25 points), Small Straight (15 points), Large Straight (20 points), Yatzy (50 points), and Chance (sum of all dice).
The biggest scoring differences are in the straights. In Yahtzee, a Small Straight is any four dice in sequential order and scores 30. A Large Straight is any five dice in sequential order and scores 40. In Yatzy, the straights are fixed: Small Straight must be exactly 1-2-3-4-5 (15 points) and Large Straight must be exactly 2-3-4-5-6 (20 points). That makes Yatzy's straights harder to achieve and worth fewer points.
Upper Section Bonuses
Both games offer a bonus if you reach a certain total in the upper section. The thresholds and bonus amounts are different:
- Yahtzee: If you score 63 or more points in the upper section, you earn a 35-point bonus.
- Yatzy: If you score 63 or more points in the upper section, you earn a 50-point bonus.
The 63-point target is the same, but Yatzy rewards you with 15 extra points compared to Yahtzee. Because Yatzy has two extra upper-section categories (pair and two pair), you have more ways to reach that 63 mark, but the pair categories also consume slots that could have been used for other lower-section categories.
Extra Yahtzee and Triple Yahtzee
In standard Yahtzee, after you score a Yahtzee (five of a kind) for 50 points, each additional Yahtzee in the same game earns a 100-point bonus. You can also use the Yahtzee as a wild card to fill another category. Yatzy follows the same rule: each Yatzy after the first gives a 100-point bonus.
Triple Yahtzee is a variation where you play with three score columns. Each column is worth a multiplier: the first column is worth one times its scores, the second column is worth two times its scores, and the third column is worth three times its scores. This version appears on yahtzee.now, which offers Triple Yahtzee alongside the standard game. If you want to try Triple Yahtzee without downloading anything, you can play Yahtzee online at yahtzee.now and see how the multiplier columns change your strategy.
How to Choose Between Yahtzee and Yatzy
Your choice depends on what kind of challenge you want. Here are some practical considerations:
If you prefer variety and bigger straights
Yahtzee gives you more flexibility with straights (any four-in-a-row or five-in-a-row) and higher straight scores (30 and 40). The 35-point bonus is slightly smaller, but the game has fewer categories, which can make decision-making faster.
If you like fixed targets and a bigger bonus
Yatzy's fixed straights (1-2-3-4-5 and 2-3-4-5-6) are harder to roll, but the 50-point upper bonus is generous. The two extra categories (pair and two pair) give you more ways to salvage a poor roll.
If you want to play online with friends
Yahtzee is widely available online, including at yahtzee.now, which also offers Nordic Yatzy, Yatzy Maxi, and other dice games like Yacht, Generala, Kismet, and Balut. You can play with friends in multiplayer mode, track your statistics, and take on daily challenges. No download or sign-up is required.
A Quick Rule Comparison Table
- Number of categories: Yahtzee 13, Yatzy 15
- Upper section bonus: Yahtzee 35 points for 63+, Yatzy 50 points for 63+
- Small Straight: Yahtzee any four in a row (30), Yatzy exactly 1-2-3-4-5 (15)
- Large Straight: Yahtzee any five in a row (40), Yatzy exactly 2-3-4-5-6 (20)
- Extra Yahtzee bonus: Both 100 points
- Triple Yahtzee: Three columns with multipliers of 1x, 2x, and 3x
No matter which version you prefer, both games share the same core loop: roll, keep, reroll, and score. The differences are mostly in the scoring table and the bonus thresholds. Once you learn one, the other is easy to pick up. If you want to try Yahtzee, Yatzy, or Triple Yahtzee without setting up a board or buying dice, yahtzee.now has all of them ready to play in your browser.